Six more things to know
In last month’s exclusive, we looked at what hope is and examined four of the 10 ways you can experience hope. Let’s look at the remaining six ways today. Remember, hope is assured, but experiencing hope is optional. Hope is not dependent on us. Our hope is in Christ. It’s like a giant reservoir of hope promised to us.
So, let’s continue with how you can experience hope:
5. Go deep into His Word.
Psalm 119:147 says, “I rise before the dawning of the morning, And cry for help; I hope in Your word” (NKJV).
If you are not experiencing hope, you have to get into His Word.
Meditate and memorize Scripture.
We should have Scripture in our minds constantly. If you were to memorize just one verse a day for the next year – 365 days – that would be the equivalent of being able to memorize all of Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, and have it stored to memory.
What are some verses you go to when you feel like you just need that reminder that your hope is in Christ? Here are a few our team shared with us:
- I can do all things through him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13 ESV).
- Trust the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths smooth (Proverbs 3:5-6 GW).
- I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13 ESV).
- For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT).
- I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath (Psalm 116:1-3 NLT).
- For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV).
As God speaks to us through His Word, and we allow His Words to speak to us through Scripture, that elevates that intimacy, that closeness, the feeling of help. Even if you do not feel it, continue to do it because Scripture reminds us how very powerful His truth is in our lives.
6. Guard your thinking.
1 Thessalonians 5:7-8 says, “For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet” (NIV).
In order to experience hope, you have to guard your thinking. The helmet is to protect your head. In verse 8 of the NIV it says, “But let us who live in the light be clearheaded.”
Think on the Truth.
It is so easy to get drawn away from the truth into lies. Scripture brings people back to the truth. Your support allows us to do this, and it is so important because we are changing a culture today that is being lied to. When people tune into Family Life Radio, they hear the Truth.
One of our Intentional Living listeners called in yesterday. She lives in New York. She said, “I listen to you guys every day on my little phone.” She is experiencing hope! she called in yesterday, so wherever people are listening to you all because of your prayers.
Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:7, ” Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (NKJV). He also says to take captive every thought out of obedience to Christ (2 Corinthians 2:5 para).
7. Help others and hope will grow in you.
In 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 Paul is writing to the Church, “After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!” (NLT). Interestingly the church is you. Paul is saying his hope and joy comes from ministering to others and bringing people into the kingdom. If you want more hope in your life –
be others focused.
Your hope grows when you tell someone about Christ or what He has done in your life. Some day when we stand before Jesus, I have every reason to say, “You know, my hope and my joy is in all of the people who may be in Heaven as a result of what those of you who are listening and supporting the ministry have helped do, and the difference you are making in people’s lives.” This is how hope and joy are built in our lives.
8. Be ready with a defense for your hope.
1 Peter 3:15 encourages, “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is in you” (NKJV). You do it with gentleness and respect. I do not think that means standing on the corner, beating people over the head, but you know what people look at. They say these people are different or weird. Why do they do that? You have anybody ask you why you live that way? Why do you make those decisions?
When I look at our Christian community, we have become so much a part of our culture, that I wonder if people even see any difference in us, and yet Peter is saying you are to always have a defense for why you believe what you believe.
Tell your story!
We need to know to tell our story. What is our story? The other day someone asked me what my ONE THING wristband was about?
People are going to ask. You will get opportunities to build hope in others. Be ready to tell people why you have that hope in your life! When will you tell someone your story? Everyone has a story. God is taking you on a different journey with different experiences that He will use for His benefit. People hear what God is doing in your life and it changes people.
9. Rejoice during difficult times.
We can rejoice when we run into problems and trials because we know they help us develop endurance, and endurance develops strength of character. Character strengthens our confident hope of salvation (Romans 5:3-4 para). Paul is saying we really need to learn to rejoice during difficult times. That is not an easy thing to do.
Use problems to grow.
As I talk to people on the radio who are calling to talk about all the problems that they are having, it is easy to say, “How can I help you get out of your problems,” instead of saying, “What have you learned from this?”
You either learn to grow through these difficult times, or it kills you, right? We grow, or we die. We get stronger or weaker. It’s like a muscle – it either gets stronger with the challenges or they become atrophied, so we are learning to rejoice. It’s not easy to do, but it is a command for us.
10. Seek Him!
Lamentations 3:25 says, “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him” (NKJV). Developing a craving for God is really a habit.
Develop a craving for God.
Habits only become permanent in your life, when they are attached to a craving. Do you have a deep craving that you wake up at three in the morning needing broccoli? Probably not.
Maybe you noticed certain things that can set off a habit. We can develop a craving for Christ, a craving to seek Him. It’s nothing more than developing a habit.
I shared these 10 things to help you. I hope you will use these for yourself and to minister to other people. I pray that it is helpful and encouraging.
If you missed the first blog with the first four ways to experience hope, check out How to Experience Hope Part 1.
BONUS TEACHING FOR EXCLUSIVE MEMBERS!
Please enjoy this month’s bonus video “Head, Heart, Hand.”
Both teachings are available exclusively to you as thanks for your faithful monthly support to reach people all over the world through Intentional Living radio programming and other resources.
Read more encouraging blogs from Intentional Living here.