March 22nd, 2024
by Robert Presson
by Robert Presson
“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.” — Romans 15:13, NKJV
This verse has always jumped off the page at me. Could there be anything more positive? Here, God calls Himself “the God of hope.” As if that were not enough, let’s make some observations about what else is in the verse.
First, we see the concept of fullness (where He says “fill you”). Holiness and Pentecostal people used to talk about being “full of God,” which was a reference to the baptism in the Holy Spirit and its long-term effect of intimacy and spiritual satisfaction. God desires you to be full of Him!
The next thing we see is “all joy”—not just some, but all, which again is consistent with the imagery of fullness. If you are familiar with the Scriptures, this probably reminds you of Psalm 16:11, in which David addresses God and says, “In Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” If you can be full of joy, you can handle anything that comes at you in this life, not to mention the fact that you will experience that same joy for eternity.
The third observation is “peace in believing,” or as the NIV says, “peace as you trust in [God].” This is what Jesus was talking about when He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you” (John 14:27).
The fourth observation is an overflow of hope. The word “abound” is related to the word “abundance,” which always suggests more than enough—enough for you and everyone else. Many modern translations say “overflow with hope.” Listen to that! Overflowing hope! When the God of hope fills you with His joy and peace, you will not only be full of hope yourself, but will overflow with that same hope as well, bringing joy, peace and hope to everyone around you.
The final observation is the power of the Holy Spirit. When you are filled with the Spirit, you are filled with His joy, peace, faith, and hope. When is the last time you asked Him to fill you with His hope-infused presence?
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This blog is taken from Robert Presson's book, "30 Days of Faith, Hope and Love." To order this book, go to cityrevival.tv/fhl
This verse has always jumped off the page at me. Could there be anything more positive? Here, God calls Himself “the God of hope.” As if that were not enough, let’s make some observations about what else is in the verse.
First, we see the concept of fullness (where He says “fill you”). Holiness and Pentecostal people used to talk about being “full of God,” which was a reference to the baptism in the Holy Spirit and its long-term effect of intimacy and spiritual satisfaction. God desires you to be full of Him!
The next thing we see is “all joy”—not just some, but all, which again is consistent with the imagery of fullness. If you are familiar with the Scriptures, this probably reminds you of Psalm 16:11, in which David addresses God and says, “In Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” If you can be full of joy, you can handle anything that comes at you in this life, not to mention the fact that you will experience that same joy for eternity.
The third observation is “peace in believing,” or as the NIV says, “peace as you trust in [God].” This is what Jesus was talking about when He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you” (John 14:27).
The fourth observation is an overflow of hope. The word “abound” is related to the word “abundance,” which always suggests more than enough—enough for you and everyone else. Many modern translations say “overflow with hope.” Listen to that! Overflowing hope! When the God of hope fills you with His joy and peace, you will not only be full of hope yourself, but will overflow with that same hope as well, bringing joy, peace and hope to everyone around you.
The final observation is the power of the Holy Spirit. When you are filled with the Spirit, you are filled with His joy, peace, faith, and hope. When is the last time you asked Him to fill you with His hope-infused presence?
---
This blog is taken from Robert Presson's book, "30 Days of Faith, Hope and Love." To order this book, go to cityrevival.tv/fhl
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