Season of Hope

I have been diving deeper into truth. God's definition of truth in His word, who He is and who He says I am. But in order to dive into the that truth, I need to debunk the myths that Satan tries to feed people, that allows them to believe they are something they are not. Here are a few examples of lies that I, or other people I have come across have believed at one point in their life:

1. Your future is defined by your pasts.
2. Jesus isn't God's son.
3. We are burdened by generational curses and there is nothing we can do about it.
4. Addictions can't be broken.
5. I am unworthy and unlovable.

The lie that I would like to dispel and debunk totally for you, me and anyone you think might ever be in this situation is that of despair and hopelessness. 

We are approaching the holiday season and I absolutely love this time of year. Making hot cocoa, listening to Christmas music and seeing the lights on everyones homes, warms my heart and gets me all sentimental. But for some it is a very difficult season. Some may have lost loved ones, or suffered a tremendously hard financial situation and can't afford the luxuries of Christmas's past. The economy and recession have taken its toll and I have also been in a position myself, where all I was able to do was purchase gifts for my children and make homemade candy for everyone else. Some people can't even do that. I have always kept in mind that no matter how hard you have it, someone always has it worse.

Well if you are feeling like you have it the worst and the weight of the world is on your shoulders, I am here to tell you...Do not despair. "To despair is to turn your back on God", I heard that line from one of my favorite movies, Anne of Green Gables. No matter what season you may be going through it will pass! Satan likes to get people to think that their circumstances will never change, their healing will never come and make their futures look so dim, that they can't see any light at the end of their tunnels.

In John 10:10, Jesus says, "The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they might have life and have it to the full".

Well, wake up people! In 1 Peter 2:9, it explains that we as believers in Christ are a chosen people that He has called out of the darkness to walk in His light! We are also called to be set apart! When Jesus said that we might have life to the full, He didn't mean we would always be healthy and wealthy. Never confuse the more abundant life as one filled with material possessions. We receive the knowledge of God's Word in our hearts and walk it out in the fruits of the Holy Spirit, despite our circumstances. God's Word gives us the ability to handle life better, more clearly. Matthew 11:30 states that Christ's yoke is easy and his burden is light. We aren't equipped to handle life's challenges alone, we were never meant to.

That is where Satan feeds us a deception so thick it can be hard to sort through, the lie of us being alone and no one will ever understand can make someone internalize their struggle to a point of complete hoplessness. This is a place where we are not meant to face, because God is a God of hope and as long as we continually put our trust in Him He will give us joy and peace that will abound with overflowing hope (Romans 15:13).

What I am referring to, I know this is getting deep, is a place of suicide. Let's just go here for a moment, someone reading this just might need to hear it. This is a dark, scary place of complete fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of the what ifs, fear of failure, fear of rejection and this pushes out faith. There is no room for fear where there is faith, so if you are lacking faith in God, stop and ask him to give you more, stop and ask Him to give you a new vision for your future. For every lie Satan has fed you over the years, open up God's word and ask Him to replace it with His truth. I implore you to read Psalm 138 and 139. It is, I believe, a love letter to us. When you are feeling unlovable especially by the people in your life who are suppose to love you unconditionally, know the God who created your inmost being, know the God who knows your deep, down, dirty and dark past and loves you anyways. 

I have heard it said before, "Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem."We need to fix our eyes on not what is seen, but what is unseen. What is seen is temporary and what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). Great figures in the Bible have come to the point of depair: Samson, Jonah, David, Paul and even Jesus. Yep, I said Jesus! In Matthew, chapter four, it outlines the temptation of Jesus by Satan himself. You see Jesus had been in the wilderness for 40 days and nights, fasting. Can you imagine, how hungry and depleted He was physically and perhaps emotionally? Thankfully, He was prayed up and in the second temptation, Satan asks Jesus, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: "He will command His angels concerning you and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." Jesus answered Him, "It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test!"

Jesus was weak and famished, he was tempted to end his life which Satan wanted Him to believe would end His suffering. He even twisted Scripture to back up his conniving plot but thank goodness that, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13. 

Let's remember, Satan knows Scripture, we need to know it too. We need to know it better and apply it to our everyday life. We need to put on our armor daily, so that no weapon, no lie, no deception of our enemy will be able to penetrate us. 

John 8:31-32, says "If you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples; then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

God's word and truth= our freedom from hopelessness and despair