Prophetic lifestyle: Hope

We all need hope

• Crushed spirit “A man spirit sustains him in sickness, but a

crushed spirit who can bear?” Prov 18: 14

• Story: War-wounded soldiers and Lady Astor• Our culture: Despair, aimlessness, negativity...• 80,000 Children in Britain suffering from depression, 8,000

under the age of 10. 4-85 severe anxiety disorders

• Christians - different values...live as God’s people

What is hope and how to explain it?

• The world’s hope: Vague. “ I hope it doesn’t rain on Sat for the big match..I hope I can get the grass cut this week..”

This is where we used to be......• Remember: ...............you were once separated from

Christ..having no hope and without God in the world Eph 2: 11 and 12

Christian hope

• Based on God, His character and His promises to all mankind....assurance, certainty....

• Salvation: Christ’s saving power

• Hope of heaven

_______________________________________“If only for this life we have hope in Christ we are to be

pitied more than all men”. 1 Cor 15:19

Eternal perspective

• No more death, mourning, crying, pain.. Rev 21:4

• Share in God’s glory• God’s kingdom rule• Wrongs righted• Justice done• Peace

Tell me more.........• Blessed hope..the glorious appearing of our Great

God and Saviour Jesus Christ... Titus 2:13

• A living hope 1 Peter 1:3-9

• Faith: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what

we do not see.” Heb 11:1 ..faith and hope often working together

• Enduring...”these 3 remain faith, hope, love and the greatest of these is love” 1 Cor 13:13

• Take heart for hope does not disappoint us Rom 5:4

• Hope, the Bible says, is always rewarded• God delights in those ....who put their hope in his

unfailing love Ps 147:11

• Full assurance of hope to the end...Heb 6:11

How can we access this hope?• Hope in God Ps 42:5 Preach to ourselves with these

words and declarations.....• Hope in His word. Ps 130:5 Store it up, call things to

mind, learn to trust it. Jer 29:11..hope and a future

• Have an anchor. Hope is an anchor to the soul...Heb 6:19

(The Hurtigruten)

Allow others to minister to you

• Sometimes others speak hope to us. Receive it!

• Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer Rom 12:12

Changes us and leads us on

• Hope purifies us – transformed life“We know that when he appears we shall be like himfor we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this

hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure”. 1 John 3:3

• Press onwards towards the upward call of God in Christ Jesus

• “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus”. Phil 3:13 &14

+• Prayer time