HOPE IN TOUGH TIMES

SERIES: LIVING HOPE

MESSAGE: HOPE IN TOUGH TIMES

TEXT: JOB 6:8; PSALM 42:11; 2 SAMUEL 30:1-6

PREACHER: REV. DR. WILLY MUTISO.

How do you maintain your hope during discouraging times? Job said, “Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for”-Job 6:8.

Job was a man to whom everything seemed to be going on well. Then suddenly, out of the blues, one tragedy after another besieged him. Before he could make sense of what was happening, it was all over.

Job became an object of mockery and false accusation. He had lost everything in one day. Those 24 hours in Job’s life changed his life forever. Yet despite the turmoil, Job remained hopeful in the Lord. Job said, “There is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again and that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant”-Job 14:7-9. As long as someone is grounded and rooted in Christ, there is hope of rising again.

King David said, “Why are you cast down, o my soul? And why are you disquieted with me? Hope in God. For I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God”-Psalm 42:11.

David was greatly troubled. He had challenges on every side. Many times he felt discouraged, abandoned and alone. But David refused to stay down-1^st Sam. 30:1-6.

• David and his men had just returned to Ziklag when they discovered their camp had been burned to the ground.
• The Amalekites had taken all of their wives, children and all their possessions.
• In the midst of losses, David’s own trusted men started talking about killing him.
• But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
• He pressed into God and found strength.
• David refused to wallow in self-pity!
• He ran to the Lord for answers and he was encouraged by God Himself.
• Are you facing challenges today? Even in darkest nights of troubles, betrayal and sorrow, there is still hope-Psalm 30:5.
• In Isaiah 41:10 “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
• Delay in answer to prayers can cause discouragement.
• Discouragement is a loss of confidence or enthusiasm, dispiritedness, demonization, despondency or low spirits.
• The opposite of discouragement is encouragement, to give support, confidence or hope to. It can also mean to uplift, invigorate, fortify or embolden. We are discouraged when there’s a gap between what we expect and what we really experience.
• When there is a gap between what we hoped and what actually does happen.
• Discouragement takes your eyes and focus away from God.
• Discouragement can cause you to give up on your goal and dreams.
• “Hope differed makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life”-Prov. 13:12.
• One cause of discouragement is differed hope.
• Differed hope makes the heart sick, it leads to frustration, despair, when expectation is delayed or postponed look to God-Psalm 39:7.

1. WHAT IS HOPE?-Hebrews 11:1.

• Hope is the fuel that keeps faith alive. Faith helps us to stand on the promise of God.
• 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.”
• “While there is life there is hope” meaning as long as we are alive and breathing, there is still hope.
• Biblical hope is built on the person of Jesus Christ the solid rock on whom we stand.
• Our hope is a reflection of the trust we stand in God and our confidence in His word.
• Hope is looking expectantly towards the future based on our faith in God.
• When we have hope we can navigate the turbulent storms of life without despair. When we hope in God, we find confidence and strength to face any challenge that comes our way.
• Hope is an unshakable trust in God. Despite life’s circumstances, God is our hope. Hope tells us our tomorrow is going to be better than our today.
• Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen. Hope is joyful and confident expectation.
• Hope enables you to keep pressing on until you get your desired result.
• Hope is believing when things look hopeless. Hope helps us to hold on when we face tough times. It is to look forward with confidence or expectation.

ABRAHAM IN HOPE BELIEVED-Romans 4:18.

“Who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, so shall your descendants be.”

• Life can be discouraging at times, obstacles and adversities show up unexpectedly, it is easy to lose hope and give up.
• God is calling us to press forward in our faith, against all odds. Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations.
• Are you in an hopeless situation? Don’t give up. You can stand against all odds of life.

1. Have a solid foundation-Psalm 40:2.

• Be sure you are born again (B.A). Stay connected to God. He is the God of hope, stand on the solid rock.
• Be sure you praise God at all times (M.A) Master of Adoration.
• Be sure to prevail in prayer until heaven come down. (P.H.D) Pray Heaven Down.

2. Remember the goodness of the Lord and you will have courage to comfort today’s difficulties-Psalm 103:1.
3. Read and meditate on the word.
4. Confess your sins. Don’t live the rest of your life in self-pity, regret, bitterness, anger and resentment.
5. Learn from every experience.

• Learn from your mistakes, but never get stuck in the past-Isaiah 50:4.
• In every trial there’s a lesson. So learn and move forward.

6. Do not be afraid, have faith in God.
7. Refuse to be a victim of circumstances.

• Refuse to speak negative things about your life (such as “I am useless, I am a failure, I am ugly, I am a fool…….)”

8. Be resilient and refuse to give up!

• Resilience is the ability of an object to return to original form after it has been bent, stretched or compressed.
• Bounce back! No matter how many setbacks you have faced in life, it is never too late to bounce back.

9. Maintain integrity-Be inside what you are outside.

• Refuse to live a double life or hypocrisy.

10. Never compare yourself to others. You are unique person, set apart for specific purpose.
11. Be patient-patience is the proof of faith. Faith always requires patience-Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is near to the broken hearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE-Titus 1:2.

“In hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lie, promised before the world began.”

• In the midst of discouragement and trials in this world, we have the hope of eternal life.
• Our citizenship is in heaven, not in Kenya, Africa or the world. We are strangers, sojourners, pilgrims and passers-by in this world. We are ambassadors of Christ.
• The world and its troubles are temporary. It will soon come to an end.
• We must live in the light of the second coming of Jesus Christ-He is coming soon, ‘MARANATHA’-1^st John 3:1-3.
• Do you have this living hope? Today you can be saved.

CONCLUSION

• Thank you God, for abundant life and living hope I have in Jesus Christ.