Easter

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The Hope Series – “Hope That Stands In The Storm”

hope that stands in the storm_wide_t_nvTo many, hope seems elusive or unattainable, but there is a hope that will stand for all time. It stands in the middle of struggles and storms. It stands when common sense tells you to give up.

What do you do when you experience a hardship or a storm? Do you cower? Do you give up? Do you get mad at God? God wants us to be mature Christians who are not tossed by every wind and wave that comes our direction.

Are you stable? Maybe you are one who is juggling so many things in life that if one more thing came your way you would crash.

There is an anchor, an unmovable hope, that stands the test of time.

Psalm 46:1 – 3 NKJV

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and thought the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah”

Even though all these things might be going on in your life, you still have hope that God will protect and rescue you. No one, nothing will ever take this away from you. This hope is strong because you have placed it in God alone and nothing else.

Hope commands us to be:

1.  Joyful

Romans 12:12

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.”

Be joyful in hope. Sometimes the circumstances of your life (and condition of this world) make it difficult for you to be joyful. When you’re searching for Joy, where do you turn? One of the best places to find true Joy is in hope.

Ephesians 1:17 – 18 ESV

“[May God] give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.”

Since you are a co-heir with Jesus, this blessing is definitely for you. When present circumstances are weighing you down, grasp onto hope for dear life! It will help you not only to survive but to thrive – to live joyously.

In some ways, hope is like a hot-air balloon. It is very buoyant, so it can lift you up above your troubles. It enables you to soar in the heavens with Jesus – helping you see things from a heightened, big-picture perspective. To embark on this heavenly journey, you must climb into the basket beneath the balloon – by trusting fully that your hope in God will not let you down (Jesus Today, Sarah Young, Experience Hope Through His presence).

Proverbs 23:18

“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.”

We are joyful in hope when we stand in the midst of tragedy or hardship. We are immovable hiding in our mighty fortress of our Strong Tower. In the midst of the storm God is working and healing and cleansing you. Often storms are there to bring change in our lives. Change to our mundane living, change to how we think and function, and change that comes from the inside out of you.

We have a Strong Tower to run to in the middle of any storm.

Psalm 61:1 – 4 NKJV

“Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You. When my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.”

Video:  Strong Tower  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc5fqU0Owo4

2.  Strong when we are wounded.

2 Tim. 2:3 CEV

“As a good soldier of Christ Jesus you must endure your share of suffering.”

Being wounded doesn’t give you a “free ticket” to leave this spiritual battle we are in. We have to see the bigger picture of destroying the enemy. We are a threat to him when we stand strong and continue wielding our sword after being wounded. There is a hope that wells up inside of us to keep going in the face of our fears or hurts and struggles.

True story:

Tommy Rieman was a teenager pumping gas in Independence, Kentucky, when he enlisted in the United States Army. Today, he wears the Purple Heart and the Silver Star of an American hero! He was, in fact, introduced to the nation during President Bush’s 2007 State of the Union Address.

Now, there’s been much disagreement about the war in Iraq, but there’s no disagreement about the heroism of soldiers like Sgt. Rieman!

The day his squad was ambushed by enemy fire in the midst of a reconnaissance mission, they were outnumbered ten to one! Their vehicles kept moving as Sgt. Rieman dove into the backseat and used his body as a shield to protect his gunner! As they sped away from the ambush, they found themselves ambushed AGAIN by some fifty enemy attackers! Rieman was shot in the right arm, he was shot in the chest, he had shrapnel wounds to his chest and stomach and ear, and his squad was out of ammo! HOWEVER, IN SPITE OF HIS WOUNDS, Tommy Rieman began firing away with his grenade launcher at their attackers! Finally, the enemy’s guns fell silent. ONLY THEN DID Sgt. Rieman began tending to his wounds and the wounded! That’s what you call a Certified Hero! Someone who’s been wounded – even badly wounded – and they still keep fighting! They realize, the Warfare Doesn’t Cease Because They’re Wounded…So With Everything They’ve Got…They Continue to Wield Their Weapons!

That’s what Spiritual Heroes do, too! In Spite of Their Wounds, They Continue to Wield Their Weapons, Knowing that the Warfare Doesn’t Stop Because They’ve Been Wounded!

3.  Steadfast

Hebrews 6:19 NKJV

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil.”

Steadfast means: “resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering” (Dictionary). That’s what anchors do. Our hope is an anchor to our soul so we will never be shaken. Be resolute in your hope. Hope is always there, we are the ones who give up on it. Be firm and unwavering in hope.

We have been given freedom to enter behind the veil. The veil to the Holy of Holies was ripped in two when Jesus died on the cross. That means we have full access to enter into God’s presence in prayer and worship. Let it become your lifestyle!

Psalm 9:9 NKJV

“The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.”

Our hope is an anchor, immovable and always present. Remind yourself Who God is when struggles or battles come. God is our refuge and strength, our very present help in trouble.

Let’s look at Psalm 46 again…

Psalm 46:1 – 3 NKJV

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and thought the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah”

The hope is that no matter what we go through, no matter what happens in this world, God is our refuge and strength and no one can take that away from us. This brings peace in the middle of any storm. God helps us in the middle of our troubles. Our job is to allow Him access to every area of our lives. If you have to hide it, don’t do it!

Psalm 71:5, 14 – 16 NKJV

“For You are my hope, O Lord, God; You are my trust from my youth…. But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, For I do not know their limits. I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.”

4.  Hope Givers

Psalm 16:9

“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.”

We rest in our Living Hope, Jesus Christ daily. But not only do we rest in Him, but we need to become givers of Hope!

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

Mark Twain

How do most people feel when they’re around you? Do they feel small and insignificant, or do they believe in themselves and have great hope about what they can become?

The key to how you treat people lies in how you think about them. It’s a matter of attitude. What you believe is revealed by how you act.

“Treat a man as he appears to be and you make him worse. But treat a man as if he already were what he potentially could be, and you make him what he should be.”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

1749-1832, Poet and Novelist

Hope is perhaps the greatest gift you can give another person as the result of nurturing, because even if people fail to see their own significance, they still have a reason to keep trying and striving to reach their potential in the future.

Don’t treat people less-then their full potential. Encourage them to rise up to a higher level in life and in their relationship with God. Let them know they have value and that you care about them. This helps hope to arise in their hearts.

5.  Patient

Far too often we want to give up when we don’t see answers to our prayers. But being hopeful requires patience. It is one of the fruit of the spirit.

Galatians 5:22 – 23 ESV

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Having the Holy Spirit living in us will produce fruit. The question is are you allowing that fruit to produce? Patience requires self-control, love, and peace.

The kind of fruit that the Spirit produces in us is a cheerful and hopeful patience.

James 1:2 – 4 NKJV

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

The word “patience” is translated in the original Greek as; “cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy: – enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting)” (Strongs G5281)

Whenever we are impatient we fall into our flesh. Ask God to help you walk in the spirit and produce the fruit and character He wants in your life. We are to be people of Godly character. Has God been patient with you? Yes! How many times have you messed up and God patiently waits for you to call out to Him for help? If you are like me, infinite times. I long to have God’s character and not my own. In order to have that we have to experience tribulations and trials. It produces the patience and hope we desperately need.

Romans 5:3 – 5 NKJV

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Hope does not disappoint! I love that! We are never ashamed by holding onto the Living Hope. Some people put their hope in themselves, or people, or circumstances, but we put our hope in nothing but God and His love that is poured out into our hearts. All of this comes when we experience storms or trials. Wow, how beautiful and yet how difficult at the same time.

This is the love of God to allow us to walk through hardship or suffering so that we persevere and godly character is grown which produces the hope we need for everyday living.

So what about you? How do you respond when storms arise in your life? Do you get mad at God and turn your back on Him? Do you give up? Do you get all upset and think there is no hope?

Today, God wants you to be a person of His character who stands in the middle of any storm you may face. Not only do you stand, but you have this cheerful, hopeful endurance to keep on going in the face of this storm! This is what God wants to instill in each of us. Are you willing? Let’s be mature Christians and not babies in our walk with God and live that victorious life we all called to live!

From one steadfast storm stander to another,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.krisbelfils.com

www.hopefellowshipspokane.com

www.krisbelfils.wordpress.com

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The Hope Series – “Where Is Your Hope?” (Part 2)

Hope Series part 1 graphicProverbs 13:12

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”

Hope Deferred

Delayed hope, or hope put off makes our hearts sick. It grieves our spirit. It zaps our energy and fills our hearts with darkness. God knows this. Don’t give up hope, God hears our cry for help! He will send us our cloud of hope, even if it is very small, it is something we can see and know He is working on our behalf.

Video: “While I’m Waiting”

Will we worship and walk in obedience waiting for God to bring hope and answers? Do you trust God? This is what the Christian faith is all about… faith believing God is there and this brings hope.

Far too often believers give up when their prayer is not answered or things don’t go according to your plans. We think God is mad or didn’t hear our cry. There is an element of faith believing every Christian has to walk through. Do we just love God when times are good, and then when times are hard we give up on God?

We have to be mature believers and decide I will trust God and hope in God no matter the circumstance.

Helpless but not hopeless! In our weakness God is strong. We can stand knowing when we are walking through a hard situation, in our helplessness, God sees our condition. Just like a loving parent sees and helps a helpless child, this is what God does with us. We have to realize this is humility and it is also strength. Humility in that we are not relying on our own abilities, and strength because we totally rely on God’s. This is what David did when facing Goliath. David’s brother, Eliab, thought David was arrogant when he came to the front lines of battle to find out what was going on with his big brothers and the nation of Israel.

Read 1 Samuel 17:1 – 11

1 Samuel 17:11 (NKJV)

“When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.”

Remember one of the words for “despair” is “dismayed.” King Saul and all of Israel had lost hope. They didn’t believe they would prevail. Unbelief is trusting in your own strength. Unbelief is pride, the opposite of humility.

This world will tell you that being humble is to be meek and timid, but that is not humility at all. True humility is not relying on your own strength but on God’s. It is a knowing that God will prevail in spite of circumstances and fears. It is believing God is Who He says He is and walking in His power and insight.

Read 1 Samuel 17:12 – 18

David knew who he was. He was a Mighty Man Of God, yet even his father treated him as a child sending him to look after his brothers and report back what was going on. I am sure David burned in his chest the desire of being on the front lines in battle. Knowing David’s character, and Who He relied on in every circumstance, he wanted to show God’s power by annihilating the enemy. David wasn’t afraid of the Giants or what people thought of him.

David lived in his hopes. Saul, David’s brothers, and the Israelites lived in their fears. It paralyzed them from doing anything great. It put them in bondage and they couldn’t advance. If it weren’t for David, all of Israel would have been killed or turned into Philistine slaves.

Read 1 Samuel 17:19 – 30

Eliab’s view of David was skewed. Eliab believed he was speaking out of insight and wisdom, but Eliab’s pride got the best of him. He asked David, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle” (1 Samuel 17:28). Yet, right before all this happened, King Saul was tormented by a distressing spirit and was troubled. The servants of King Saul suggested getting a man who is a skillful payer on the harp to play and ease the king’s spirit. One of Saul’s servants already knew about David. He told the king, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing , a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him” (1 Samuel 16:18).

No matter what our family or others think of us, there will be people who truly see us for who we are; “Mighty Men and Women of God!” David’s older brother, Eliab, never saw David as anything but his younger little brother, who he thought was a prideful, arrogant sheep herder.

Don’t listen to the “nay-sayers” in your life. They don’t see you as God sees you. David was facing Giants. Not only in the physical, but also mentally with his older brother and what he thought of him. If David listened to his older brother the battle would have never been won. The Philistines would have prevailed. David overcame the Giant of Nay-sayers when he turned from his brother and asked someone else what was going on and what was the reward for defeating Goliath.

Philippians 4:13 

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

This should be our motto! This should drive us daily to do all that God has called us to do. This is what we have to walk in every situation, trial, hardship, and fear.

Read 1 Samuel 17:31 – 42

The word “Disdain” means:  “lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike, a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient, look down on with disdain, reject with contempt.” Synonyms:  contempt, scorn, condescension, despise, reject, turn down.

How many times have you faced this very experience in your life? People who looked down on you and rejected you for some reason or another. They had disdain in their hearts. Remember that God is a god Who sees! God knows what you are up against. He knows the hearts of everyone involved. Trust that God will bring justice out of false accusations or mistreatment. In the meantime, keep on walking and doing what you believe God has called you to do!

Read 1 Samuel 17:42 – 43

The Philistine taunted David with his words. If David believed them, the battle would have been lost. But immediately David responded to the Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:45 – 47

“Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword, and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

David didn’t cower after Goliath taunted him with condemning words. No, David came back with words of intimidation and faith. He looked at his Giant and spoke to his Giant the very words his Giant was speaking to him, but with God’s anointing and boldness, and authority. Don’t let the giant intimidate you, you intimidate the giant. Pursue and conquer!

Read 1 Samuel 17:48 – 58

Verse 51

“Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.”

David took Goliath’s own sword, which was still in its sheath, and killed him. The very sword Goliath should have used to kill David. The very words Goliath used to taunt David, was the very thing that happened to him. David used his enemies’ own weapon against him. Goliath didn’t even have his weapon out for battle. What was up with that? If one thinks they are heading into battle, weapons are drawn and ready. Goliath was so arrogant he didn’t even think he needed to defend himself. That is the mind-frame of the enemy. He thinks he has already won, but in reality, he has defeated himself. How? By disregarding the power and authority of God’s servants. We, as God’s servants, God’s warriors, can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! We are more then conquerors through Him who loves us! God has already won, we just get in battle position and watch the hand of God annihilate our enemy.

David learned how to walk in hope in spite of any fear he may have had.

Hope prevails

This is how hope prevails in spite of circumstances we face. We have to learn how to find hope. Sometimes we are too weak to walk in hope, but we can stand in it. Stand, knowing God is fighting your battle. Stand, in the face of fear. Remember who is for you and not against you! After standing, God will give you His grace to start walking in His hope. Believe God for a small cloud of hope. Press in to God and expect Him to answer your cry.

Your Sister in Christ,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.krisbelfils.com

www.hopefellowshipspokane.com

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The Living Hope Of Easter

The Living Hope Of EasterWhat Jesus did on the cross is everything. He died so that we might live. But He didn’t stay in the grave, No, He is risen. He is alive! It gives us hope for tomorrow.

Hope is the sustainer of life. It’s the motivator to action. It’s the promise of tomorrow.

What each one of us needs more of is hope. What our country and world needs is hope.

What is hope? Often we use the word hope as a form of wish. “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.” “I hope the Seahawks or Bulldogs win their next game.” However, hope in the Bible, has quite a different meaning.

Hope in the Bible is a “confident expectation of a divinely provided future.” Biblical hope is a confidence and expectation that God has provided for a good future for you. This morning God wants to fill every person here with hope that God has a great future planned for you.

The opposite of hope is despair or hopelessness. We see examples of despair and hopelessness all around us.

”Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

I would like to add to this quote;

“Despair cannot drive out despair: only HOPE can do that.” 

Pastor Kris Belfils 

How many times do we try to drive out our own despair with more despair? This will never bring encouragement.

The word despair means: “A state in which all hope is lost or absent, The feeling that everything is wrong and nothing will turn out well, abandon hope; give up hope; lose heart. Other terms:  Discouragement, disheartenment, dismay, hopelessness, pessimism, resignation, surrender.”

This happens to many people everyday. When a tragedy occurs or our expectations have not been met, we can fall into despair easily. We can fall into despair just by thinking wrong thoughts about our self and others.

There are really only two things you can have in life: 

1. Despair

2. Hope

Hope in the dictionary means: “A general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled, grounds for feeling hopeful about the future, Someone, or something on which expectations are centered, One of three Christian virtues (‘Faith, Hope, and Love’), expect and wish, intend with some possibility of fulfillment.”

Having hope is so essential to surviving in life. If we lose hope, we have lost the race.

Despair and hopelessness drives people to harm themselves or others in many ways. Hopelessness leads people to try to escape life’s despair through different kinds of addictions. Despair about your future saps the joy from life.

Where can we get the hope that we need in life? …….Our hope comes from Jesus.

Matthew 12:21 (NIV)

“In his name the nations will put their hope.”

Some people put their hope in wrong things and they are disappointed. But everyone who puts their hope in Jesus will never be disappointed. Easter is all about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

 A Living Hope

Peter 1:3 – 5 (NJKV)

“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 through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

“…a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!” God’s Word Translation states this phrase; [] “We have been born into a new life that has a confidence which is alive because Jesus Christ has come back to life.”

Hope is something that is living and alive! This Living hope is like living waters flowing from a constant spring which never runs dry, it is always flowing, always giving and constantly moving and active.

I want you to note that a living hope means that it is not dead, or lifeless. It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir positive thinking for the moment, but does nothing for us beyond the grave. It is not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life. This hope is for this life and beyond.

I also want you to recognize that a living hope means that it is not a probable hope; it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come. It is always present, always working in us. We just have to believe and stand on it! This is called “faith!”

The hope that God gives is a hope that is real and true, a hope that actually exists. A living hope is active and functioning; it acts and works both within the heart of the believer and within heaven apart from the believer.

Eternal life is a living hope because it is reality; it is a life that really exists in another world, the spiritual world, that is more real than the world in which we live. The believer’s hope for eternal life lives, acts, and works within the believer now, even while they are on earth. It is not that the believer is going to receive eternal life; they have already received eternal life. Their hope for eternal life is living, acting, and working within them right now. This is the glorious hope of the believer, the living hope of living forever with God face to face.

Eternal life is promised to believers in Christ:

John 3:15 – 16 NKJV

“That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

1 John 2:25 NKJV

“And this is the promise that He has promised us — eternal life.”

Romans 6:23 NKJV

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 Peter 1:3 tells us how this kind of hope is possible—it is due to the source of our hope: the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Our living hope finds its source in the Living God in whom all things “live and move and have their being” (Acts 17:28). This kind of hope dispels all fear.

Our God’s not dead He’s surely alive!

I watched the movie “The Hunger Games” and one line in the movie stuck out to me: “Hope is the only thing that can stand against fear.”  There is truth to that.

Having hope propels you to keep trying in the middle of your fears. This is the action or active part of hope. Hope helps us to stay focused. If we don’t have hope, we will fall into our fears and doubts and give up. Don’t give up!

We hope in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. The word “resurrection” means: “Standing up again, that is, a resurrection from death: raised to life again, rise from the dead, rising again.”

Let Hope arise in you today! The Hope of Jesus Christ is powerful. No one can take that away from you. Hope sustains you. Hope keeps you.

You might be living in a hard situation right now. It might seem hopeless, but remind yourself Who is living inside of you! Jesus, the conqueror of death! Jesus, the giver of new life and new beginnings!

Death could not hold Jesus! We have that same spirit dwelling in us everyday!

Romans 8:11 (NKJV)

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

Romans 8:11 (Message)

“It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!”

God can breathe new life into any situation, circumstance, or issue, and bring forth life again.

Jesus was raised from the dead. Resurrection Life came from the One who is the Resurrection and the Life.

We have to remember the term: Resurrection Advancement! The bigger the stone the enemy places on you to stop your advancement in life, the stronger, and bigger the stage of your advancement so rejoice! Just look at the stone the enemy tried to place in front of Jesus’ tomb. Even death could not keep that stone in place. If you feel a huge stone has been placed on you, get ready for a resurrection advancement!

When I say; “the enemy” I am referring to the devil. He is the enemy of our soul. The Bible tells us that He is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). But remember that this lion has no teeth. He may roar, but has no power because Christ took it from him when He was resurrected.

When the stone was rolled away so was our sin. When the stone was rolled away so was our disappointments we have experienced. Rolled away was all our regrets. Rolled away were the hurts and un-forgiveness we may be holding onto. Rolled away were any lies we’ve said or mistakes we have made. New life and a new beginning is there for you to walk in.

Don’t let anyone or anything make you feel “less” in life when God gave His Son for you to be and live the best!

Don’t look at the big stone in front of you. Look to Jesus who didn’t let anything, or anyone stop Him from bringing Living Hope to this world. You are being set up! If your way seems blocked, if your dreams have died, if you have no hope, REJOICE because God is setting you up for greater things. It could be the “midnight hour” for God to do the impossible, but He WILL do it! Don’t give up! Don’t lose hope!

Hebrews 10:35 (NASB)

“Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.”

James 1:12 (CEV)

“God will bless you, if you don’t give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as he rewards everyone who loves Him.”

How would you describe your level of hope today? Is your “hope tank” on full or is it dangerously close to empty? Is the hope your experiencing right now one that is merely based on positive thinking or probability, or is it a living hope resting on the promises of God?

God’s design is for you to know and experience this living hope. He has done everything necessary to make it available to each of us as a living reality. Will you accept His offer today?

Allow the Living Hope to rise up inside of you. If you don’t know this Living Hope, Jesus Christ, today is your day. Don’t delay in asking Him to come into your heart.

Your sister,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.krisbelfils.com

www.HopeFellowshipSpokane.com

www.krisbelfils.wordpress.com

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You Were Created For More (A Mother’s Day Message)

Have you every felt you were created for more then what you are doing and experiencing now in your life? Do you feel empty? Are you watching others experiencing more and desire the same things? I am here to tell you there is more for you. God wants to pour the “new” into you. He wants you to walk in it.

Women today have come a long way to experience freedom to be who they are in Christ. God created you for a purpose. More then what you think you are. More then how others see you.

God Created You For A Purpose

1. You have a more Abundant Life waiting for you.

John 10:10 (NKJV)

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

“…more abundantly.” This is the main reason why Jesus came to the world, so we could have everlasting life with Him eternally. He came for us to have a more abundant life on earth and walk in this “more” every day.

This “more” is gender friendly and race friendly. It is not just for the rich, it is for everyone.

Galatians 3:28 (NKJV)

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abrahams seed, and heirs according to the promise.” 

It is for “they” or “those” who will grab it and walk in an abundant life and make it their own.

Knowing we are to live an abundant life, and to walk in it are two different things.

Women have been abused, treated less then, and overlooked for generation after generation. It is time for women to realize who they are in Christ. It is time for women to rise up and fulfill the calling or destiny they were created for.

It doesn’t matter what your past mistakes have been. Everybody makes bad choices in their life.

2. You are more then your past mistakes.

What Christ did on the cross for you is complete. We don’t have to add to it. The cross applies to all of us.

You can never sin too much to take that away. God’s grace is not grease to slip and slide in it. We walk away from what God doesn’t like. But, once we have walked away, and ask forgiveness, we are washed from all the wrong we have done. Your mistakes do not define you. Your mistakes do not dictate your future. You are a new creation and have been remade!

Tenth Avenue North has a song that really sums up that you are more then your past mistakes, or the choices that you make. Click the link to listen:  “You Are More”  (Donehey, Mike/Ingram, Jason)

We have to get past what we think of ourselves. We have to ignore what people think of us.

3. You are a new creation! 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 (Message)

“Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons!”

Burgeons:  “to send forth new growth (as buds or branches), sprout, bloom, to grow and expand rapidly, flourish, blossom.”  

We are brand new, valuable, and blossoming into beautiful things. This is our life! God doesn’t create junk, no, He creates wonderful people to do extravagant things for His glory, and to impact their world for Him!

4. You are royalty.

We are God’s princesses. We are a royal priesthood. We are royalty.

We need to know our place! Our place is a daughter of the Most High God! Take a listen to the song:  “Royalty” by Kimberly and Roberto Rivera

It is hard to see ourselves as royalty or priceless. I remember a time in my life where I was broken. I didn’t see any value in myself. I made some bad choices and had to endure and walk through the consequences. A lot of my healing came through Women’s retreats and seeing who I was in Christ through other women. At one retreat, the entire theme was about being God’s princess. I couldn’t wrap my brain around that concept because of what I had done. My book: “The Garbage Man Always Comes On Fridays” was written during that time (click on link and scroll down page to “The Garbage Man Always Comes On Fridays”). One of the leaders of this retreat had a Tiara and was using it as an example that all of us were given this sparkly crown by God. There were several speakers and many sessions to glean from. When we went to lunch, One of the leaders gave me the Tiara she was using in her talks. I was shocked. I was just there to lead worship with the band. When she gave me the Tiara, she told me “I was God’s favorite, and that He sees me whole and shinning for His glory.” I cried! I didn’t see myself that way, on the contrary, I saw myself as a mess and that I blew any chance of being used by God ever again.

We are royalty. It is easy to believe this for other people, but when it comes to our own life, we seem to be blind. What causes this blindness? I believe it is the culmination of circumstances and experiences we have walked through, also the thought that we have no value, and maybe we have junk in our spiritual/emotional life that needs to be dealt with.  It could be listening to the negative, critical words we are feeding ourselves or that the enemy is feeding us. It doesn’t matter at this point, what matters is to change our viewpoint and to have our spirit healed.

5. Your Spirit can be restored.

Proverbs 15:13 (KJV)

“A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”

Proverbs 18:14 (KJV)

“The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?”

These verses express that our spirit can make or break us. The word “spirit” is translated: “roo’ – akh, to blow that is, breathe.” (Strongs Hebrew and Greek Definitions)

The spirit of a man is the very essence of himself. That is why when we experience sorrow of heart our spirit is broken. When our spirit is broken, we have no strength to be all God created us to be. We have to have our spirit restored so we can move on into our purpose and fulfill our potential.

Steps In Restoring Your Spirit

(Taken from my book:  “Revive, Rebuild, and Restore” pages 147 – 149)

a. Be truthful to God about how you feel. 

God already knows, but telling Him yourself helps. It frees your spirit up to relax. You will soon feel safe in God’s arms as you rest in Him. He might change the circumstances, or He might change you. Either way you are being changed and that is a good thing.

Many times I have to run to God and cry out to Him about the circumstances. That brings release in my spirit.

b. Be sensitive to God speaking to you.

God is always speaking to us, we just need to dial in our spiritual frequency to hear Him. We need to quiet ourselves to hear His still small voice. Open your heart and mind to His voice. Remember His sheep know His voice. Spend time with Him in prayer and soaking. Learn to listen to Him and be obedient to what He tells you to do.

c. Be quick to admit your sin and repent.

If your spirit is in need of restoration because of something you did wrong, be quick to ask forgiveness, and repent. That means totally turn from what you are doing (the sin) and get far away from it. Don’t stay in your sin. Don’t think there is no hope of ever getting out of it. There is always hope. The truth is how bad do you want to be set free compared to the bondage you are experiencing in the middle of the sin. We have to come to a place we want to please God more then our fleshly desires.

d. Be Forgiving.

Forgive others and forgive yourself. Un-forgiveness will kill your spirit. It will cause you to become old and bitter. Forgiving yourself is just as important as forgiving others. Your spirit will not be restored if you hold onto un-forgiveness.

e. Be willing to accept your circumstances.

Don’t live in denial. Your life is what it is. I have a saying I say to myself, and to others often; “It is what it is!” This statement really says a lot. You can’t change what happened, you accept what happened, and you are not going to stay in what happened. Live your life determined to move on and be healthy. Don’t harbor anything in your heart. This will only lead to a broken spirit.

f. Be willing to change your circumstances.

Don’t settle for anything less than what God has planned for your life. The only person who can change your circumstance is you. If you feel worthless, go look for a job. If you are not getting any jobs, go back to school. Pursue every avenue to better yourself. Don’t be lazy and expect life to come to you. Go out and grab it. If you are lonely go out and find friends. Get involved at a church. Be friendly. Be willingly to help out at a charity. Find something or someone worse off then you and pour yourself into it. You will feel better for it, and you will be a contributing member to society.

g. Be thankful for your restoration.

When you start seeing your spirit/life being restored, be thankful. Better yet, be thankful before you start seeing anything. Cultivating a thankful heart is so crucial to restoration.

Don’t complain, but pray. Don’t criticize, but encourage. Make sure your words uplift instead of tear down, not only to others, but speak encouraging words to yourself as well. Thank God continually for what He is doing in your life. Remember where you were to where you are now. Take a deep breath and enjoy the moment. Give all glory to God for your restoration.

Walk Boldly In Who You Are In Christ

Once we see who we are in Christ, it empowers us to walk more boldly everyday. It is not our ability, but God’s power, that enables us to be more then what we see ourselves to be.

There will always be nay sayers. Surround yourself with people who see your potential! Protect your heart and destiny by connecting with people who will build you up and not bring you down.

Build up the Kingdom of God. Give value to others. When we serve in leadership, people will trust you. True leaders don’t dominate, they lift up other people.

Women complete each other, not compete with each other. Yet, far too often women criticize other women. Most criticism comes from fear. We criticize what we don’t understand or don’t know. We criticize if we feel threatened. But being critical of others only brings bondage and destruction. It never builds the Kingdom of God. Why do we shoot each other in the body of Christ. We are of the same body, yet we shoot criticism when someone makes wrong choices. We shoot our wounded.

“We frequently stop or minimize one another. Instead of supporting and encouraging one another for the cause of Christ, we perpetuate an oppression that renders us ineffective to be all we’re supposed to be as women and as Christians.”

Lisa Bevere

Lionness Arising 

You would never see an army soldier, who is shot in battle by “friendly fire” be shot at again. No, you will see them being rushed to the medics. But this is what we do to other Christians when we don’t have compassion, or mercy and grace. Our criticism is like shooting them again and again thinking they will change. Reality is they are wounded more and more to the point they want nothing to do with Christians.

Let us be people who encourage one another. Try to see the good in others. After all, isn’t that what you would like them to do to you?

People may label you. Remember what people say about you, or what they think about you does not dictate who you are. God’s opinion is the only opinion that matters. We might even be judged as arrogant by walking in God’s power and agreeing with what His word says we are. I have two words for you;  “Who cares!” Who cares what people think or say! Who cares what man, or this world may say! We, as God’s creation, have a mighty work to do. Each one of us were created for a specific purpose. Each one of us, male or female, have great potential.

Don’t let the naysayers stop you from being all you can be in Jesus! Their opinion doesn’t last throughout eternity, only God’s does. This is who we should please!

You Were Created For More

All of this said, I pray your eyes have been opened to see the potential that lies dormant inside of you. What are your dreams and desires? Do they line up with God’s Word? I have found my true desires, those things that I am passionate about, are really given by God.

Psalms 37:4 – 6 (NKJV)

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.”

As you are walking faithfully with God in life? God will bring those desires to pass. This is a promise! This promise is for you! Commit your life, plans, and desires totally to God. We can trust Him with our “precious” things. Those things we keep secret in our hearts. Those things we ponder and hope for.

Remember what Christ did for you on the cross was not just for your redemption, but also for your future. What He did is complete. He has made all things new.

Be the one who grabs ahold of this message today and change your world for Christ! Be the new creation Christ gave His life for and walk fully in the new He has for you.

From one new creation to another;

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.krisbelfils.com