Read Romans 4:16-22
Pray
5 volunteers:
- What would you do with a million dollars?
5 new volunteers:
- Introduce Continuum of Goodness
- Together help me come up with 3 Good Outcomes or Breakthroughs or Answers to Prayer
Exercise:
Close your eyes
Point to the stage
Point to the sound booth
Who can tell me how to get the basketball hoops?
To the McDonald’s?
To the point?
To the high school?
You are using your imagination to do that!
Hope is a positive imagination
This is like operating in hope – a positive future
How good can you imagine God to be in your life?
Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB1995[5] Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. [6] In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
Can you see God in your life? Is God in your future?
Do you have hope today?
Depression is the product of not seeing God in your situation
Abraham and Sarah
- Look at the stars
- Look at the sand
Romans 4:18 NASB1995[18] In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”
Ephesians 1:18 NASB1995[18] I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Numbers 13:30-33 NASB1995[30] Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.” [31] But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.” [32] So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. [33] There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
Abraham had hope beyond hope because He had eyes beyond eyes…He saw God coming through for him.
Do you see God coming through for you?
Romans 1:21 NASB1995[21] For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Depression is the fruit of not seeing God in your future.
This is why it is so important to guard our hearts and to meditate on the Word of God.
You are literally refining images of your future in your imagination all the time.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 NASB1995[11] For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. [12] Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. [13] You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
Do you have hope in your future?
Some of you have been imagining terrible outcomes for your life…and God wants to help you to hope again.
God has not forgotten your future
Isaiah 59:1
His arm is not too short that He cannot save
Isaiah 59:1 NASB1995[1] Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear.
Genesis 18:14 & Luke 18:27
Is anything too hard for God?
Genesis 18:11-15 NASB1995[11] Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing. [12] Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” [13] And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?’ [14] Is anything too difficult for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” [15] Sarah denied it however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
Luke 18:27 NASB1995[27] But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”
Some of you are being bullied in your minds because of social media comparisons. You see others having the time of their lives…they have everything…but when you look at your life…you see all that you haven’t done and all that you don’t have and then you imagine…you imagine their lives getting better better and you imagine your life getting worse and worse
Some of you could win best actor awards for how pitiful you have imagined your life to turnout. You can see yourself as the poor cold beggar way easier than you can see yourself as the generous healthy benefactor.
2 Corinthians 1:20
The promises are yes and amen in Christ
2 Corinthians 1:20 NASB1995[20] For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.
You don’t have to live life alone
It is not on you alone to make the most of your life
You have a Helper
God is with you
God is good
God has a plan for your life
God has a good plan for your life
God has a good plan for your family
God has a good plan for your finances
God has a good plan for your relationships
God has a good plan for your health
God has a good plan for your friend group
God has a good plan for your future
Meditate on Psalm 1
Psalms 1:1-6 NASB1995[1] How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! [2] But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. [3] He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. [4] The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. [5] Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. [6] For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.
How good can you imagine God to be in your life?
He is better than you can think or imagine
2 Corinthians 10:12
Comparing yourselves among yourselves is not wise
2 Corinthians 10:12 NASB1995[12] For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.
Verses on Hope
Psalms 147:11 NASB1995[11] The Lord favors those who fear Him, Those who wait for His lovingkindness.
Proverbs 23:18 NASB1995[18] Surely there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off.
Romans 15:13 NASB1995[13] Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Psalms 62:5-6 NASB1995[5] My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. [6] He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
1 Timothy 4:10 NASB1995[10] For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
Isaiah 40:31 NASB1995[31] Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.
Philippians 1:6 NASB1995[6] For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Deuteronomy 31:6 NASB1995[6] Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”https://bible.com/bible/100/deu.31.6.NASB1995
Stories of how Hope has helped me:
- Server = Seeing my tables as appointments from God
- Driving = Seeing the Lord’s presence surrounding my vehicle (Psalm 125:2)
- Reading God’s Generals = Inspired me to believe that God has a plan for my life too
Practical Ways to Strengthen Your Hope:
- Meditate on the Love of God
- Listen to testimonies of God’s love in the lives of others
- Stop yourself from comparing yourself with others by thinking about God’s good plan for your life
- Fast things that make you sad until you have a stronger picture of what God has for you
- As often as you can, see God in every part of your life. It may be necessary to start with the areas you are thinking about the most
We were grasshoppers in our eyes
Self-centeredness is the source of all grief
Apart from me you can do nothing
Give a defense for the hope you have in Christ
Proverbs 12:25 NASB1995[25] Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad.