UNSHAKABLE AND UNFAILING HOPE

“For surely there is a hereafter, and YOUR HOPE WILL NOT BE CUT OFF” – Proverbs 23:18

In Christ Jesus, we have access to UNSHAKABLE and UNFAILING HOPE: “For surely there is a hereafter, and YOUR HOPE WILL NOT BE CUT OFF” (Pro.23:18). Hope is a four-letter word for ‘Expectation’: “For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off” (Pro.23:18, KJV). Hope expresses a deep yearning in the human heart for one thing or another to materialise. We hope to succeed, to be fulfilled, and to have our dreams come true. Notwithstanding current conditions or limitations, we have positive expectations for our future. Hope infers being optimistic in the face of adversities.

The premise of Unshakable Hope is that God has a promise for every problem in life. He has a solution to every situation we may encounter. Because His Word is unbreakable, our Hope is unshakable. There is Unshakable Hope in God’s Word, which can anchor our lives against whatever is shaky in our world.  We each need to ask ourselves: “What is my life built on – the circumstances of life or the promises of God? When all else fails, there is always Hope! We may feel hurt by the past, disappointed by the present, or worried about the future. But, God’s infallible Word will equip us to overcome difficult circumstances by keeping our focus on the Hope found in the promises of Scripture.

In these uncertain times, there are many reasons to be overwhelmed and for hope to feel hard to come by. Multitudes are faced with severe health conditions, career challenges, oppressive addictions, marital disappointments, family upheavals, financial dilemma, and diverse pressures of sin and worldliness. Yet, now more than ever, we need the definitive declarations and affirmations of our Almighty and ever-loving Father-God. We can build our lives on the promises of God! We do not stand on the problems of life or the pain in life. We stand on the great and precious promises of God.

God’s promises are irrevocable because God is unchanging, faithful, all-powerful, and true – cannot lie (Num.23:19; Tit.1:2).

The Unchanging God says, “For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed” (Ma.3:6). The Psalmist said of Him: “But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end” (Psa.102:27). “Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb.13:8). Hope in the promises of the Unchanging God is Unshakable Hope.

The Faithful God says, “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deut.7:9). Knowing that God is faithful increases our confidence in Him, and helps us realise that He will never leave or forsake us (Heb.13:5b). Paul wrote: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (1The.5:23-24). Beloved, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb.10:23).

The Psalmist said concerning the All-powerful God: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psa.27:1); “God is our refuge and Strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psa.46:1). When we face insurmountable hurdles, we can turn to the Lord as our Help. His strength and renewal help us face our fears and do the impossible. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil.4:13).

The God who is true and the Personification of Truth, says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jh.14:6). John 3:33 says, “He who has received His testimony has certified that GOD IS TRUE.”

Receiving divine encouragement in these trying times is like receiving a huge breath of fresh air. Through the promises in God’s Word, Encouragement strengthens Expectation, to produce Unshakable Hope!