There is an easy and simple task that we always tend to forget because other things seem to be more important or attractive to us. As Christians and especially as leaders in the Body of Christ we have the fundamental task of bringing hope to the people.

Are you hopeless? What do you do if your hope is gone?

Again and again we talk about faith and there are even whole faith movements. And yes, you surely need faith! Without faith you cannot stand before the Lord and you can only experience his work in a limited way. But your faith in Christ and the forgiveness of sins by his blood has brought you hope.

Jesus has redeemed you. But from what? From your guilt and your sins. Maybe you have been in a hopeless situation and that is where you encountered Jesus. How much has this changed your life! Not only did you receive eternal life, but the heaviness fell off your heart, the desperation disappeared and joy entered your life instead.

If you have been a Christian for a couple of years then think back to that time for a moment. If you grew up in a Christian home this point in time might not be so distinct, but there was a time when you started to understand what Christ had done for you. Remember the joy that you felt back then!

This exact joy of life and this hope you can now pass to the people and it will give a suppressed heart new strength.

1 Peter1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Firstly the hope of the salvation and the peace through Jesus Christ for the people that haven't been born again yet. And then also the lasting hope for the Body of Christ that the Lord doesn't change His word and He will keep His promises.

In any case does the Word of God speak about a living hope. A hope that will not cease and is not dependent from the circumstances of this world. The only circumstance from which this hope is dependent is the fact that Jesus has made this hope available for us through his devotion. Praise the Lord that this is a fact that will never change and is therefore a solid foundation of our joy and our hope.

How can you bring hope to others?

Romans 5:5: And hope does not make ashamed; because the agape love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given to us.

What are you now going to tell somebody who doesn't have hope anymore? 'You don't have a reason to be hopeless. The Word of God says that you need to have hope.'
Well, life is sometimes not so easy and there are different reasons and experiences that can lead to hopelessness. It doesn't really help to go and to just slap the scriptures around somebody's head.

I do not want to talk here much about how to counsel a person as I have written about this at other places . But you can minister to somebody in a very simple way, by giving testimony about the hope that is living inside of you!

Yes, exactly '...living inside of you!' If being a Christian is only a good 'way of living' for you instead of a living hope through Christ then the joy and power are missing in your life. But if you recognize the joy of your salvation again the peace and joy will enter into your heart afresh and you will be full of thankfulness and hope, wherein is power.

My redeemer lives!

At the end of the day it is about the fact that you know that your saviour lives. In Him nothing is impossible and He will keep his promises. Even if we believe not- He abides faithful because He cannot deny himself (2 Timothy 2:13). THIS is our hope, yes - HE is our hope. And if you are full of this hope then you can also pour out this hope to others.

Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

I pray right now that the power of the Holy Spirit comes upon you and that He gives you a fresh revelation about the hope and about your redeemer so that all the joy that you have lost will be restored. May the Spirit of God come upon you now and do His work in you so that you are a living letter of His hope and joy and that you might go out and be a light in this world! Amen.