Enlightened to Know God’s Hope
One of the greatest gifts God’s gives us is the gift of hope. God’s hope is beyond the scope of our human limitations. It reaches into the heavenly realms and brings to us the joyful expectation of God’s Word coming to pass. Hopelessness may be natural in this world, but God wants us to live in the supernatural reality of His hope.
Ephesians 1:15-23, “15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”
PAUL’S PRAYER
- Faith & Love (v. 15)
- Giving Thanks in Prayer (v. 16)
- Praying for the Spirit of Wisdom & Revelation to Know God Better (v. 17)
- Praying to be Enlightened to Know God’s Hope (v. 18)
- Praying to be Enlightened to Know God’s Glorious Inheritance (v. 18)
- Praying to be Enlightened to Know God’s Power (vs. 19-20)
- Jesus, the Name Above Every Name (vs. 21)
- Jesus, the Head of the Church (v. 22)
- Jesus, the One Who Fills Everything in Every Way (v. 23)
DEFINITIONS
- ENLIGHTENED: To cause something to come to light and become clear.
- HOPE: A joyful and confident expectation of God’s promises to come to pass.
HOW TO BE SPIRITUALLY ENLIGHTENED TO GOD’S HOPE
We are enlightened to God’s hope when we pray and meditate on God’s Word and His love.
God’s Word:
- Psalm 119:41-43, “41 May your unfailing love come to me, Lord, your salvation, according to your promise; 42 then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word. 43 Never take your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws.”
- Psalm 119:113-120, “113 I hate double-minded people, but I love your law. 114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. 115 Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God! 116 Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed. 117 Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for your decrees. 118 You reject all who stray from your decrees, for their delusions come to nothing. 119 All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes. 120 My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws.”
God’s Love:
- Psalm 130:5-8, “5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. 6 I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. 7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. 8 He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.”
- Psalm 147:10-11, “10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; 11 the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”
FIVE THINGS THAT MAKE US FEEL HOPELESS
- Doubt and unbelief
- Physical sickness and fatigue
- Sorrow and mental anguish
- Rejection and broken relationships
- Unfilled desires and failure
Helpful book, Switch on Your Brain, by Dr. Caroline Leaf.
Pastor Lim’s testimony of never having a day of gloom while imprisoned in a North Korean labor camp.
VERSES ON HOPE THAT DISPEL HOPELESSNESS
Hebrews 11:1-3,6, “1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible… 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Isaiah 40:28-31, “28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Jeremiah 29:11-13, “11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Ecclesiastes 9:4, “Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!”
Matthew 12:20-21, “20 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. 21 In his name the nations will put their hope.”
Psalm 25:3-4, “3 No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. 4 Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”
God’s hope is the anchor for our soul; it is firm and secure (Hebrews 6:19).