Today's devotion is from Romans 15:13
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Joy and peace in believing, and abounding in hope…
Many Christians have stress and tension and are impatient when it comes to trying to keep believing, and instead of abounding in hope, they have all but LOST hope!
In the natural believing for big things and standing on the seemingly impossible promises of God (in the natural) can be very challenging to say the least… especially when the things that you are believing for take [what seems like forever] to manifest. The promise of that financial breakthrough, the healing that you have been standing in faith for, the spouse that you have believed for, or the ministry that you have been believing for can sometimes take months or even many years to come to pass.
We know that we have already freely been given all things, but the process, from the moment we receive the title deed, to the moment we take possession and it manifests in the natural could take patience. Things can manifest immediately, but not every promise manifests immediately, some things take time.
Family, promised blessings are not meant to cause stress and despondency, the Lord wants us full of HOPE in all JOY and PEACE as we BELIEVE!
The good news is that abounding in HOPE in all JOY and PEACE as we BELIEVE for a promise that may take some time, can be done by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Some people teach that if you have flawless faith, if you have perfect confession, and if you claim that undeserved favor at the throne-room of grace… If you pray in the Holy Ghost for two hours a day, if you fast one week out of every month, and if you bind enough demons… If you give 90% of your income to the ministry, if you make the kingdom a priority, and if you walk in total obedience to the Word, that you will receive EVERY promise and EVERY blessing from the Lord INSTANTLY!
That kind of teaching basically says, “It’s all up to YOU as to when you receive the things that the Lord has for you.” And that my friend is why so many Christians are STRESSED and PRESSURED out when it comes to believing, instead of Abounding in HOPE in all JOY and PEACE as they BELIEVE for a promise that may take some time.
A baby has to WAIT before it can walk, a 13 year old has to WAIT before he/she can drive and 11 year olds have to WAIT before they can get married… high school graduates have to WAIT before they can be Doctors, no matter how smart they are, and a pregnant mother has to WAIT 9 months before she can hold her baby. Life is full of WAITING… Solomon said that there is an appointed time for everything! Some things can, do and should come immediately by grace through faith, but many things (for many different reasons) take some time.
The good news is that every believer can abound in hope, joy and peace while they are believing… no matter how long it takes… how? - BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH AND BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!
PRAYER
Father, I thank You that I can abound in joy, hope and peace while I am waiting and while I am believing! I know that I cannot do this in my own strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, I receive grace , I receive the POWER to walk in hope, peace, joy and faith while I wait, in Jesus Name! I thank you that my life is a journey of love and grace, and not just a destination of success and achieving goals. I declare that I am filled with all joy and peace in believing, and that I abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus Name!
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