HOPE is your strongest fuel

My life is built on hope. Without it, I'd surely sink. Hope is an amazing thing. Actually It's quite powerful. Imagine trying to drive a car without gas, it won't budge. Or how about trying to function daily without food, we'd die.

Natural food does nothing for the soul, it only affects the body. Though we eat to stay alive, inwardly we're starving! Spiritual food is essential to fuel the heart and mind.  Hope is that fuel. If you have hope, you've got the greatest asset on the planet!

Without hope, we're depleted, and spiritually bankrupt. If there's one thing the devil wants to steal from you, it's hope. If he can take that, he knows you'll be empty. He wants us empty!

In the area of finances, we know that assets can be turned into cash. It's similiar with hope. But hope is much more powerful. Although money is required for trading goods & services, it doesn't feed the soul. We can survive without money, but we can't survive without hope.

When you mix no money with no hope, that's a quick ride to the bottom of the barrel. I know what it's like to hit rock bottom.  I've wallowed around in self pity, considered my demise, sobbed endlessly, focused on all my failures, given up- a thousand times, yet I always had the option of looking up.

I'm well aquainted with the lowest place, like a sunken ship... thinking "it's over", "I'm done"! Yes, I've said all that and more. Because that's where the devil speaks the loudest. I've been there. But thankfully, there's nowhere to go but up. I had to make a decision, should I believe the lies or choose the truth. I had two different entres to choose from. I chose life and hope brought me up! Hope is a quick ride to the top, everytime.

This valuable asset converts dreams into reality.  It's a substance that converts empty into full. It transforms death into life. Depression into joy, and turmoil into peace. It turns sorrow into laughter. It transfigures darkness into light. Hope never ends. Look at the book of Hebrews.

Now faith is... the substance of things HOPED for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

If we want to please God, we must have faith. As we can see from the scripture above, faith and hope work together. The Hebrew writer goes on to explain that it's impossible to please God without faith.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that comes to God, must believe that He exists, and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him."  (Hebrews 11:6)

If we have no faith, then we have no hope. This is actually an insult to God. This basically tells God, that we don't trust Him. We don't want to be in that condition. We can trust Him. He is faithful to perform His word. He's the God of truth and the God of hope. If you're empty He can fill you! 

Here's some spirit fuel...

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with confident hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit".  (Romans 15:13) 

Isn't it fun to say, "filler up"? (Back in the day when we had gas station attendants). Or we might say, "top it off". I rarely fill my gas tank, but some occasions call for it. Like taking a lengthy road trip.  

Isn't it even better to fill up with premium? Sure it is. Here's something incredible to ponder. How about being "topped off" and filled up, to overflowing with hope?! (GOD) 

He's the God of hope. Hope energizes us. I'm not talking about the flaky stuff such as, "I hope so".  That is NOT Godly hope.  Godly hope is weighty and confident. Remember it's substantial.  

Faith is certain and sure of things hoped for.   In the face of NOT seeing, yet we believe. The Bible calls this hope an anchor for the soul. If you are anquored in the word of God, you won't be tossed about by the winds of fear and doubt. 

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure, it enters the inner sancuary behind the curtain".  

What's behind the curtain?  ... GOD! Wow!  Our hope goes behind the curtain, and straight to God. 

He sees our faith in that hope. And that's where amazing things start to manifest! 

So back to this energizing fuel called hope. I can relate this to something I recall from my childhood. Do you remember those "hand buzzers"? They were kind of a gadget type of thing. My brother would hide it in the palm of his hand and when I shook it, it buzzed and vibrated! Not pleasant, because I weren't expecting it. 

I don't know how else to explain this, but there's a  really good kind of vibration and almost electrifying tingle that goes staright through me when I tap into the deep levels of the HOPE that's in God's word.  It's almost as if I'm getting "zapped" with His premium energy source! 

His word is FULL of hope. Hope makes us strong.

I could go on with this, perhaps I'll write a "Hope II" blog. I'm sure I will. There's so much more. For now, I'll close with this:

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew thier strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint". (Isaiah 40:31)

The word, wait here, means to hope. If you're waiting on the Lord, it means you're expecting. And that's called healthy faith! Keep hoping in the Lord, He is faithful in all His ways.