Expectation and Hope pt2
Expectation and Hope Pt 2
“EXPECTATION AND HOPE” PT.II
Intro. This is part 2 of “Expectation and Hope!”
Next week we will begin another two-part series called “Dynamic Devotions.”
•Every born-again believer should live with extreme expectation and hope!
2 Peter 1:3–4 (NKJV)
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
•When we ask Jesus to come into our lives, He moves in with lots of extras!
ex.Forgiveness, provision, healing, etc.
•One of the greatest benefits we receive is hope
As believers, we should never feel hopeless.
We may have felt it at times, but we shouldn't.
There's always hope with God.
Romans 5:5 (NKJV)
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
We shouldn't ever allow feelings of hopelessness to dominate our lives.
Paul linked hope with the phrase “earnest expectation” in Philippians 1:20 “according to my earnest expectation and hope.”
•“earnest expectation” means literally, “to watch with intense anticipation”
•Hope is a confident expectation of good from God!
I. OUR HOPE IS BORN FROM AND REVOLVES AROUND THE
RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD
1 Peter 1:3 (NKJV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.¬
Our hope is linked to and revolves around Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. If He can pull that off, He can do anything. (Hope comes from this.)
ex.After Jesus rose from the dead, He met two guys on the road to Emmaus who were really bummed out because they didn’t know He had risen. They didn’t recognize him.
Jesus had died and been put in the tomb.
Their hopes died along with Jesus. They’re devastated! He died a brutal death and they saw it.
He had told them He was going to rise again, they heard others even saying they had seen Him alive, but they’re so messed up in their thinking they left town anyway and are walking home dejected.
And then this stranger walks up, “Why are you so sad?”
They tell Him about Himself…
Luke 24:21 (NKJV)
But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.
Jesus goes to their house; breaks bread and prays and suddenly, their eyes are opened, “Hey, it’s Him!” And poof, He’s gone!
Our hopes can be restored even if they seem dead!
Jesus’ resurrection proves that our hopes can live again!
He’s alive and will never die again! He’s eternal and so is His hope.
So, when the Bible says we have a “living hope” it means a living, undying, eternal hope!
Hebrews 10:35 (NKJV)
Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
•Hope is so vital; so important!
•It affects our whole outlook on life; how we enjoy life, our health, our future, everything is affected by having hope!
A. HOPE IS WHAT MAKES FAITH WORK!
Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
1.Faith is the substance or “faith is made up of things hoped for!”
If we want our faith to work better, we need to hope higher!
We’re going to look at 4 ways to help us increase hope.
II. HOW TO HAVE HIGHER HOPE
God wants us to experience higher hopes and expectations!
After all, the Bible says in Romans 15:13 He is “the God of hope”
•Four things that will cause us to hope higher
A. OUR PAST EXPERIENCE
ex.David was facing a giant of a problem called Goliath.
He was just a young shepherd.
And now he was going to challenge a giant that made all the hardened warriors of Israel shake in their boots.
When asked how he thought he would be able to go against this giant David called upon God’s intervention in his past.
He told them about times when he was shepherding, and a lion and bear came and attacked the sheep. David said, “I grabbed it by its beard and stuck and killed it!”
1 Samuel 17:37 (NKJV)
Moreover David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
David’s expectation and hope was that God would take care of Goliath just like He did the lion and the bear!
1. Everything that God has done in our past should cause
us to expect and hope that He will continue to help us
in our now and our future
He’s done a lot for us! Saved us, forgiven us from every sin, healed lots of us, provided for us, etc.
2. Our past experience with God should cause us to hope
I mentioned earlier, “Faith is substance of things hoped for.” In other words, faith is made up of things hoped for. This is why we need to guard our hopes and dare to hope higher!
Everything God has done for us in the past should cause us to hope for what He will continue to do!
B. THE SECOND THING THAT WILL CAUSE US TO HOPE IS
GOD’S WORD
Psalm 119:49 (NKJV)
Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope.
1. We need to let God’s word go beyond the surface and
get deep inside us so that we don’t give up on it if it
doesn't happen immediately
ex.Like Joseph. He got a word from God in a dream that he was going to rule over his father’s house.
He was so excited he told his brothers all about it. They weren't excited; sold him into slavery. Joseph got tossed into prison.
We read it in several chapters in Genesis. But for Joseph, he waited 13 years.
We don't hear him complaining. He had a word from God that he held onto.
The word He had from God came to pass!
Daniel 9:1–3 (NKJV)
1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—
2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
Daniel saw God’s word promised that Israel would be captive in Babylon for 70 years. After 70 years he began to pray believing. And God released them to their homeland.
2.We need to practice this more, find what God’s word
has promised and let the promise build hope and faith
In the parable of sower, Jesus used a guy planting seed to make a point.
He said the word of God is like seed sown in hearts.
As soon as the word seed is sown in our hearts, Satan tries to come and steal it.
•When we hear or read the word, we need to let it get down deep inside us and not let go!
•That word will give us hope!
•No word, no hope!
•But if we know the word, we’ll know hope!
Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV)
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
•Our hope will be built up if we’ll read, think about, and remind ourselves about what God’s word has promised
2 Peter 1:4–5 (NKJV)
by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
C. THIRDLY, THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL HELP US HOPE
Romans 15:13 (AMP)
May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.
1. One of the Holy Spirit’s main works in us is to fill us
with hope
“May the God of your hope so fill you…that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.”
We shouldn’t settle for a flat life. We need more bubbly!
Ephesians 5:18 (NKJV)
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.
So why aren’t we “bubblier” with hope from the Holy Spirit?
I think sometimes we quench Him…
1 Thessalonians 5:18-19 (NKJV)
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is always at work to build our hopes and sometimes we may work against Him. He’s in us, encouraging, strengthening, bringing the Word to our minds and hearts and we can be like, “Yeah, right!” “All things work together for good to those who love God…” “Yeah, but…”
We’ve got to stop quenching Him and the words of encouragement He brings to us.
We can get more familiar with His voice. Let Him speak. Quench not the Spirit.
“In everything give thanks...quench not the Spirit.”
ex. “Thank You Holy Spirit for giving me hope. I’ve got a feeling everything’s going to be all right! I thank You for giving me an intense anticipation and a confident expectation of good from God!”
D. WE HAVE THE HOPE OF HIS COMING
Titus 2:13 (NKJV)
looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
We are meant to live with a continual expectation and hope that Jesus could come at any time.
The last words He spoke in the Bible are in Revelation 22
Revelation 22:20 (NKJV)
He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
1 Peter 1:13 (NKJV)
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
PRAYER AND CONFESSION: Thank You Jesus, for being my hope. Everything You have done in my past builds my hope for what You will continue to do. My hope comes from Your Word and all Your promises to help me, provide for me, heal me, and protect me. Now, may the God of hope fill me with all joy and peace in believing by the power of the Holy Spirit Who lives in me, in Your name, Jesus, Amen.
Intro. This is part 2 of “Expectation and Hope!”
Next week we will begin another two-part series called “Dynamic Devotions.”
•Every born-again believer should live with extreme expectation and hope!
2 Peter 1:3–4 (NKJV)
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
•When we ask Jesus to come into our lives, He moves in with lots of extras!
ex.Forgiveness, provision, healing, etc.
•One of the greatest benefits we receive is hope
As believers, we should never feel hopeless.
We may have felt it at times, but we shouldn't.
There's always hope with God.
Romans 5:5 (NKJV)
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
We shouldn't ever allow feelings of hopelessness to dominate our lives.
Paul linked hope with the phrase “earnest expectation” in Philippians 1:20 “according to my earnest expectation and hope.”
•“earnest expectation” means literally, “to watch with intense anticipation”
•Hope is a confident expectation of good from God!
I. OUR HOPE IS BORN FROM AND REVOLVES AROUND THE
RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD
1 Peter 1:3 (NKJV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.¬
Our hope is linked to and revolves around Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. If He can pull that off, He can do anything. (Hope comes from this.)
ex.After Jesus rose from the dead, He met two guys on the road to Emmaus who were really bummed out because they didn’t know He had risen. They didn’t recognize him.
Jesus had died and been put in the tomb.
Their hopes died along with Jesus. They’re devastated! He died a brutal death and they saw it.
He had told them He was going to rise again, they heard others even saying they had seen Him alive, but they’re so messed up in their thinking they left town anyway and are walking home dejected.
And then this stranger walks up, “Why are you so sad?”
They tell Him about Himself…
Luke 24:21 (NKJV)
But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.
Jesus goes to their house; breaks bread and prays and suddenly, their eyes are opened, “Hey, it’s Him!” And poof, He’s gone!
Our hopes can be restored even if they seem dead!
Jesus’ resurrection proves that our hopes can live again!
He’s alive and will never die again! He’s eternal and so is His hope.
So, when the Bible says we have a “living hope” it means a living, undying, eternal hope!
Hebrews 10:35 (NKJV)
Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
•Hope is so vital; so important!
•It affects our whole outlook on life; how we enjoy life, our health, our future, everything is affected by having hope!
A. HOPE IS WHAT MAKES FAITH WORK!
Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
1.Faith is the substance or “faith is made up of things hoped for!”
If we want our faith to work better, we need to hope higher!
We’re going to look at 4 ways to help us increase hope.
II. HOW TO HAVE HIGHER HOPE
God wants us to experience higher hopes and expectations!
After all, the Bible says in Romans 15:13 He is “the God of hope”
•Four things that will cause us to hope higher
A. OUR PAST EXPERIENCE
ex.David was facing a giant of a problem called Goliath.
He was just a young shepherd.
And now he was going to challenge a giant that made all the hardened warriors of Israel shake in their boots.
When asked how he thought he would be able to go against this giant David called upon God’s intervention in his past.
He told them about times when he was shepherding, and a lion and bear came and attacked the sheep. David said, “I grabbed it by its beard and stuck and killed it!”
1 Samuel 17:37 (NKJV)
Moreover David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
David’s expectation and hope was that God would take care of Goliath just like He did the lion and the bear!
1. Everything that God has done in our past should cause
us to expect and hope that He will continue to help us
in our now and our future
He’s done a lot for us! Saved us, forgiven us from every sin, healed lots of us, provided for us, etc.
2. Our past experience with God should cause us to hope
I mentioned earlier, “Faith is substance of things hoped for.” In other words, faith is made up of things hoped for. This is why we need to guard our hopes and dare to hope higher!
Everything God has done for us in the past should cause us to hope for what He will continue to do!
B. THE SECOND THING THAT WILL CAUSE US TO HOPE IS
GOD’S WORD
Psalm 119:49 (NKJV)
Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope.
1. We need to let God’s word go beyond the surface and
get deep inside us so that we don’t give up on it if it
doesn't happen immediately
ex.Like Joseph. He got a word from God in a dream that he was going to rule over his father’s house.
He was so excited he told his brothers all about it. They weren't excited; sold him into slavery. Joseph got tossed into prison.
We read it in several chapters in Genesis. But for Joseph, he waited 13 years.
We don't hear him complaining. He had a word from God that he held onto.
The word He had from God came to pass!
Daniel 9:1–3 (NKJV)
1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—
2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
Daniel saw God’s word promised that Israel would be captive in Babylon for 70 years. After 70 years he began to pray believing. And God released them to their homeland.
2.We need to practice this more, find what God’s word
has promised and let the promise build hope and faith
In the parable of sower, Jesus used a guy planting seed to make a point.
He said the word of God is like seed sown in hearts.
As soon as the word seed is sown in our hearts, Satan tries to come and steal it.
•When we hear or read the word, we need to let it get down deep inside us and not let go!
•That word will give us hope!
•No word, no hope!
•But if we know the word, we’ll know hope!
Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV)
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
•Our hope will be built up if we’ll read, think about, and remind ourselves about what God’s word has promised
2 Peter 1:4–5 (NKJV)
by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
C. THIRDLY, THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL HELP US HOPE
Romans 15:13 (AMP)
May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.
1. One of the Holy Spirit’s main works in us is to fill us
with hope
“May the God of your hope so fill you…that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.”
We shouldn’t settle for a flat life. We need more bubbly!
Ephesians 5:18 (NKJV)
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.
So why aren’t we “bubblier” with hope from the Holy Spirit?
I think sometimes we quench Him…
1 Thessalonians 5:18-19 (NKJV)
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is always at work to build our hopes and sometimes we may work against Him. He’s in us, encouraging, strengthening, bringing the Word to our minds and hearts and we can be like, “Yeah, right!” “All things work together for good to those who love God…” “Yeah, but…”
We’ve got to stop quenching Him and the words of encouragement He brings to us.
We can get more familiar with His voice. Let Him speak. Quench not the Spirit.
“In everything give thanks...quench not the Spirit.”
ex. “Thank You Holy Spirit for giving me hope. I’ve got a feeling everything’s going to be all right! I thank You for giving me an intense anticipation and a confident expectation of good from God!”
D. WE HAVE THE HOPE OF HIS COMING
Titus 2:13 (NKJV)
looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
We are meant to live with a continual expectation and hope that Jesus could come at any time.
The last words He spoke in the Bible are in Revelation 22
Revelation 22:20 (NKJV)
He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
1 Peter 1:13 (NKJV)
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
PRAYER AND CONFESSION: Thank You Jesus, for being my hope. Everything You have done in my past builds my hope for what You will continue to do. My hope comes from Your Word and all Your promises to help me, provide for me, heal me, and protect me. Now, may the God of hope fill me with all joy and peace in believing by the power of the Holy Spirit Who lives in me, in Your name, Jesus, Amen.
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