Hope

” A Door of Hope! ”

“I will give her back her vineyards from there, And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there” (Hosea 2:15).

Hope is that picture in our mind’s eye that we set our faith and efforts upon. When it’s lost, our vision is blurred; for hope creates vision. Without hope, we become seriously blind. People lose hope when there is a constant barrage of troubles and difficulties.

Hope that has been compromised is usually manifested through endless frustration and fruitlessness. However, the Bible tells us by the prophet, Hosea, that God’s mercy and grace restore all hope that was lost.

The Valley of Achor, which means “trouble,” was named after Achan, the “troubler” (Joshua 7). This place was to be a reminder for all generations to come of this man’s disgrace and punishment. The children of Israel suffered a defeat at the battle of Ai. Perhaps Achan thought his greedy deeds would be concealed safely. His mind was on the gold, silver, and that goodly Babylonian garment. No one will know, so he thought. But the All-Seeing-One halted the victories until the transgression was dealt with. Sin has a way of doing that. God shut the door on the fledgling nation’s expected triumph over their enemies. Feeling disheartened, Joshua caused his frightened army to cry out to the Lord and get to the bottom of their demise. The young leader’s hope for conquering the Promised Land was at stake. Israel would learn the first lesson; God demands complete obedience to His holy ordinances to mete out His blessings.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12).

When defeat slams its door shut without a ray of hope, it takes courage, as Joshua did, to look within our hearts. It’s necessary to ask the big question: what’s blocking the way? Vain regret, absorbed brooding over what is gone, transgression concealed behind a wall of excuses, a sorrow kept gaping open long after it should have been healed, or forgiveness not yet requested? Or could it be nothing of our doing?

Fervent prayer will shed light to unlock the door. Hopelessness is not of God; it’s a spirit that needs to be recognized and resisted. We must put on the armor of God and defend ourselves from this tendency to slump into despair, or we may forfeit our vision and purpose. We must declare in prayer that God will open that great door of hope for you and me. Then we will rise with expectation that our future is certain, our heart is healed, and our spirit is strong with a fresh anticipation of things to come from the Lord.

All went well with the children of Israel when they had wholly freed themselves from the “accursed things.” God had turned their sorrow into joy. With their hope restored, they were ready to continue their conquest into Canaan. And now, through Jesus Christ and prayer, our hope can be restored; it will spring forth as a tree of life. We can confidently say that every delay is converted into acceleration by the blessings of God. Every setback becomes a setup for something greater than we ever dreamed. H.O.P.E. is Helping Others Pray Effectively!

Let’s pray for our defeats to turn into a door of hope! Pray for God to reveal any “accursed things” that you may need to be rid of. Pray to break off a spirit of delay and receive a new sense of anticipation and confidence. Pray for blessing, increase, and fullness of God that will break forth into overflow. Pray that all that God has for you cannot be thwarted by the devil’s evil schemes, but protected by the angels of God. Pray that good things will begin to manifest before you and the church, turning it into a season of singing and rejoicing, in Jesus’ name!

Juli Jasinski

WNOP District Prayer Coordinator

Massachusetts/Rhode Island District
FROM: UPCI Prayer Connect Newsletter

” The Cry God Hears. ”

When we don’t see results when we pray or see change in the lives of those we intercede for, we might think God doesn’t hear us. What we should always remember is that God is an eternal Spirit, and He is not as interested in the moment as He is in eternity. His plans go far beyond ours, with a much greater purpose for a much better outcome. When bad things happen, bad choices are made, and there seems to be no hope, it is possible to lose sight of God’s love and mercies, which are new every day. When we consider the life of Hagar, Sarah’s slave girl, we might tend to only see her as part of Sarah and Abraham’s plan to force God’s Hand. In doing so, we might overlook the fact that God can use everything and anyone to bring about His will.

Hagar was only a slave whose life circumstances did not give her much hope. She was treated harshly by Sarah. And if not for Sarah’s decision to give her to Abraham as a concubine, she might never have been able to have children. When everything seemed hopeless for Hagar, God stepped in and turned what seemed like certain death for her and her son into deliverance. It was Sarah’s rejection of her that, in the end, brought about her freedom. Had she stayed where she was, in what seemed to be safety, she never would have risen above the position of hated concubine.

When Sarah insisted that she be sent away, God was on Sarah’s side because He had better plans for Hagar, which she could not see. When her water ran out, which was representative of life, she abandoned her son, who was her promise. She began to cry out to God, perhaps more in anger than in faith. But God heard another voice. The Bible says that, “God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy from where he is (resting!” (Genesis 21:17 AMP). God did not forget Hagar, or the promise He had for her, even if she was unaware of God’s plan.

The Angel told her to get up, take the boy by the hand, and help him because a great nation would come from him. “Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the [empty] skin with water and gave the boy a drink” (Genesis 21:19 AMP). It was an audible cry that elicited a response from heaven. Not only did Hagar receive a promise from God, but her eyes were opened so she could see. The water was representative of the promise that God gave her, but also of the spiritual insight, which let her know God saw her where she was, even though she seemed to be wandering in a dry, thirsty, and barren land. The All Knowing, Eternal, One, still hears and sees us, no matter where we are.