6 Steps to Activate Your Faith With Hope

Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin

Through December, I want to focus on the subject of hope. Naturally speaking, hope is like something we wish for. It's nothing more than blowing the candles out on a birthday cake or throwing a coin into a fountain. A wish doesn't have an action attached to it - it is merely a fun thought of what we would like to happen.  

What is Hope?
The hope that the Bible speaks about is something entirely different. I don't think many Christians have an understanding of Biblical hope. However, it is an essential part of walking in faith and love. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things HOPED for, the evidence of things not seen." Hope means more than wishing for something. If the word hope, in this verse, meant wished for, there is no power to activate faith. Contrarily, hope is the starter to ignite your faith. You could say it is the activation of your faith. 

The hope referred to in Hebrews 11 means EARNEST, INTENSE, EXPECTATION. If you are expecting company, there is a lot of prep work involved before your guests arrive. You plan your menu, shop, clean your house, and have everything prepared ahead of time. At this point, you do not wish your company would come over, but you are expecting them. You have done things to prepare for their arrival. Notice that preparation is done before the guests arrive.

Hope Expects
Hope does the same thing for faith - it prepares out of expectation. The amplified Bible translates Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality (faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses). A title deed assures that you have something before you physically have possession of it. If you have a title to a car that you bought but don't have the physical vehicle yet, do you own it? The answer is undoubtedly, yes! Why? Because the title deed says that it is yours. Faith works as a title deed. It says that whatever you believe from God's word is yours before you have the physical proof of it. Hope is the action to your faith and looks like expecting and preparing. 

Let's go back to the company analogy. If you want to have certain people over, you don't just wish that they would stop by; you have to invite them over - you must ask them. You can't just wish that they would stop by - especially if you want to prepare. So many Christians are timid, even a little scared to be specific with God. They will say things like, "if it is your will, God…" Well, is it His will or isn't it? That is like telling someone who you would like to come over, "If you want to stop by sometime, you can." How can you prepare for that? You can't! That is called a surprise. God will perform surprises in your life (called miracles), but He told us to live by faith, not miracles. 

You have God's will in your hands called the Bible. If it is written in the Good Book, it is His will for you to have it. He wants you to take advantage of the benefits package of salvation. (Which is more than a ticket to Heaven). However, God is not going to overstep His welcome - He is not an unwanted guest. He will not force His benefits on anyone. Faith believes that it receives NOW and hope prepares for the manifestation of what you believe for. 

Hope Refuses to Doubt
The next characteristic of hope is that it refuses to doubt. Mark 11:24 says, "For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will (get it)." Abraham is known as the Father of faith because he lived this way. Romans 4:20-21 says, "He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He (God) had promised He was also able to perform." 

Abraham took what God promised, believed it, and refused to doubt - he didn't let anyone talk him out of it. If you are fully convinced of something, you can't easily be talked out of it. Being fully convinced goes from head knowledge to heart faith. You can know what the Word says, but are you totally convinced that it is for you? Do you receive it as your own and apply it to your life and situations? 

Hope Looks to the Answer
Another part of hope is looking at the answer - expecting that answer to be revealed in your life. Again, going back to the company analogy, if you invited your guests over on the 12th of December at 6:00, your preparation and expectation is set. As the time of your guest's arrival gets closer, your eyes might frequent the clock of how much time you have to get your last-minute preparations ready. 

Hope is focused on the promises of God, and it does whatever is needed to prepare. James 2:26 says, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Hope is the works part of faith. It does something to prepare as it expects whatever is believed to come to pass. 

So, just to recap and break it down, here are the six keys to activate your faith:

1. Know what it is you are wanting - be specific.

2. Find scriptures to back up what you want in your life.

3. Go to God and ask.

4. Believe that you have received when you pray.

5. Refuse to doubt.

6. Look at the answer - stay focused on the promise as you prepare.