But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 corinthians 15:57 AMPC
But thanks be to God, who is always leading us in triumph in · Christ, and through us is making known the fragrance of the knowledge of him in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14 MOUNCE
Victory, who doesn't enjoy winning? In this life, our sports team, our hand at cards, or our bowling league, or our company softball team may not always win. The good news is Jesus has won the complete and total victory for us in His work of Redemption.
We are starting a new study, examining truths we must know to practically walk out the Christian life victoriously. We must renew our minds to the spiritual realities and truths that are ours in Him to walk in victory. In the first study, we saw how receiving wisdom is key to walking victoriously.
Today, let's talk about hope, an essential ingredient for living victoriously. Hope isn’t just a “maybe” or a “wishful thinking” mindset; it’s a positive expectation of God’s goodness. Hope is like a goal-setter or the target Faith aims for. Faith gives substance to hope. If there is no hope, there is nothing for Faith to give substance to. Without hope, there’s nothing for faith to bring into reality!
3 And not only
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, Hebrews 6:19 NASB
Hope anchors us during life’s storms, holding us steady when waves of adversity and opposition try to knock us off course. With this hope, we can fully trust in the Lord—our Helper and our Refuge in every season.
Hope anchors our souls. That is our mind, will, and emotions. When we face adversity or the storms of life, we can remain steady in our thinking and emotions. No matter what it feels like, hope brings steadiness.
So often, religious traditions have conditioned us to have a “reverse hope,” a negative expectation programming us to expect loss, struggle, or disappointment. But true hope, found in Jesus, says that despite living in a fallen world, we can have a confident expectation of good. Because of Jesus, we can expect blessings, not because we deserve them, but because of His grace.
This confidence springs from what He accomplished for us; it’s the beauty of the Gospel of Grace. The Cross and Jesus’ finished work gives us an everlasting, unshakeable hope that cannot be swayed or eroded by life’s trials.
In summation, Let’s embrace this victorious life Jesus has given us, firmly anchored in the unwavering hope of His goodness and faithfulness. As we hold onto this hope, we’re continually reminded that no matter what comes, He is with us, working on our behalf, guiding us, and bringing us into His perfect victory!
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