Hope Fulfilled

 

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

—Proverbs 13:12, NKJV

 

 

All of us have expectations in life. Some expectations are spoken and some aren’t. Whether spoken or not—conscious or subconscious, our expectations form our lives. An expectation is described as a strong anticipation, and it can be either positive or negative. Hope is a resilient and positive expectation of good. 

 

We need hope and the life it brings. It is critical to be sure the hopes we have are from God. If our hopes are not from God, we set ourselves up for despair and a sickened heart. But when godly hopes are realized, we are like a tree of life bringing forth its fruit in its season. We shall not fail. What we do shall prosper (Psalm 1:3).

 

We are either positive in our outlook or negative. Some people expect to never have enough money, to always fail, to have problems, or never be well. And some of these same people declare that they are believing God for their promise. But a negative outlook keeps them from exercising their faith to believe. Your views of life, of God, and of yourself are always found in your expectations. And your expectations will either kill your faith or encourage it. You cannot believe the promises of God at the same time you are expecting a life of failure and defeat. 

 

If faith is the substance of hope (Hebrews 11:1) and hope is a strong anticipation of something good, then it is impossible to believe the truth of God’s promises when you live with negative expectations. If your expectations in life are negative, faith has no fertile soil to take root in your heart and grow. The way you think about yourself determines who you are (Proverbs 23:7). It determines your attitude and what you expect in life. A negative outlook is death to faith. A positive outlook is the heart of Holy Spirit-filled faith.

 

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things” (Matthew 12:34b-35, NKJV).

 

What you speak comes out of the abundance of your heart—either that which offers no hope or that which gives life. When you are negative in your expectations, your heart overflows with things that speak fear and despair. You have pictured the worst scenario in your heart. And that picture is your focus. You have set yourself up for a sickened heart. But when you are positive and believing God, you are full of hope and good expectations. You see a picture of your promise in your heart. You are focusing on God’s best scenario and trusting in His perfect peace. You have prepared your heart to receive. And when hope is fulfilled, you are strengthened in your faith.

 

Hopeful expectations from God are powerful when the Word is believed in your heart. Without knowing who you are in Christ—without agreeing and identifying with the truths that God's Word declares are yours—you cannot have hope in the promises Christ has given you. Christ has given you victory. You realize His victory when you believe His truth is your truth. It is no longer truth on the outside waiting to be received. It is truth on the inside changing your life.

 

Come against the negative expectations that steal, kill, and destroy your faith (John 10:10). Be renewed in your attitude by the Word (Ephesians 4:23). Put on the hope Christ gives (Ephesians 4:24). Let it flourish in your heart and change your attitude (Proverbs 13:12). The hope Christ places in your heart gives abundant life (John 10:10). 

 

The hope of those who know Jesus is filled with gladness (Proverbs 10:28)! When you believe that Christ is the fulfillment—the completion—the beginning and the end of everything you need or shall ever need, you know you have received life! His promises are yours, and they are yes and amen (2 Corinthians 1:20)!

 

© 2024 Lynn Lacher

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