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What is Hope?

Hope and Encouragement, Featured

What is hope?

During a  severe health crisis and recent hospitalization, I was at a very low point in my life. I was physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted.  

After years of ongoing physical, financial, and emotional struggles, I began to wonder if God was still there. Does He hear my prayers? Does He see me and does He really even care? 

Isn’t God supposed to answer the cries of our hearts? Was He not listening or, even worse, was He ignoring me? If so, what hope could I possibly have for my struggles to end? 

I became desperate for hope. I knew that I was on the edge of hopelessness and despair, but as a Christian and a counselor, I didn’t want to admit it because Christian counselors are not “supposed” to feel this way. 

Some friends invited my husband and me to see the movie The Pilgrim’s Progress. In the movie, the citizens of Vanity Fair are about to martyr the main character named Christian. As Christian is sitting in jail awaiting his pending death, a character named Hope arrived to help Christian escape from prison and death. As Christian continues on his journey to the Golden City, Hope never left him. 

This movie highlighted the importance of hope in my life. Hope is important for the battles we face. Hope is needed for our daily lives and navigating all the life situations that we encounter.  

After this realization about the importance of hope, I began to study hope. I wanted to understand it, and most importantly, find it. 

My personal mission is to help those who feel hopeless, abandoned, unloved, and unseen to find encouragement, comfort, and, most importantly – HOPE.

Struggling to find hope in your life? Join us on our 40-Day Journey to Find Hope.

Definitions of hope

Dictionary

According to Merriam-Webster, hope is both a verb and a noun. We can have hope (noun), which is the desire or belief for something to happen or be true, “I have hope today will be a good day.” We can hope (verb) by wanting the desire or belief to be true, “I hope you have a good day today.”

Bible

Strong’s Concordance defines hope biblically as the joyful, serene, and confident expectation of eternal salvation. 

Scripture defines hope in two ways.

  1. A Process 
  2. A Person

Hope as a Process

Romans 5:1-5 shows hope to be the endpoint of tribulations.

Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 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.        

According to this passage, hope is the endpoint of tribulations. In other words, tribulations produce hope. In theory, we should be VERY hopeful! 

Hope as a Person

The Apostle Paul calls Jesus Christ our hope in 1 Peter 1:3 and 1 Timothy 1:1. 

1 Peter 1:3

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,

1 Timothy 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior, and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope.

Hope is both a process and a Person.

Psychology

In 1991, according to Psychology Today, psychologist Charles R. Snyder and his colleagues came up with Hope Theory. According to their theory, the person who has hope has both the will and determination to achieve their goals and a set of different strategies available to reach their goals. 

Put simply: hope involves the will to get to the end. A person who has hope will utilize many ways to achieve their goals. The Hope Theory considers hope as a dynamic cognitive motivational system that aids in learning goals that Snyder shows be positively related to success in life.  

Various scientific studies show that hope is the vehicle to get you to places in life that you never thought possible. Science agrees with the Word of God with hope being a confident expectation of a good outcome.

For our purposes, I will focus on the biblical aspect of hope.

Open bible finding hope

Hope vs Faith Comparison

  • Hope and faith are not the same. 
  • Hope is for the future, and faith is for the present.
  • Hope is in your mind, and faith is in your heart. 

Hope and faith are not the same

In 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4, Paul speaks about the work of faith, the labor of love, and the steadfastness of hope. 

Faith produces work or action (James 2:14 and James 2:26). It is not passive; it is alive and active. 

Love produces labor or hard, sacrificial giving on behalf of others. 

Hope is steadfast and developed by endurance and perseverance (Romans 5:1-5). Romans 8:25 says that we wait for hope with patience. 

First Corinthians 13:13 says, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” The steadfastness of hope is necessary for us to be able to perform the work of faith and the labor of love. 

In 1 Peter 1:13, Peter tells us to rest, fix or place our hope completely on the grace brought by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Hope has a specific focus, while faith spurs us to action.

Struggling to find hope in your life? Check out these Resources.

hope street sign

Hope is for the future and faith is for the present.

Hebrews 1:1-3 says that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. The word ‘substance’ in this passage means an underlying foundation. Faith is the bedrock on which hope is supported. Since faith is a substance, it is present right now.

Hope that one can see is not hope because we do not hope for what we see. (Romans 8:24-25) Proverbs 24:14 talks about a ‘future hope’ available for us if we find wisdom.

King David says that he would have despaired or lost hope unless he had believed that he would see the goodness of God in the land (Psalm 27:13). He would have lost hope unless he had faith.

What keeps us from despair or hopelessness is not what we see in the present, but what we believe for the future.

In Derek Prince’s book, Unshakeable Hope, he says that faith is ultimately based on the Word of God and the fact that the whole universe was brought into being by the invisible Word of God. 

Hebrews 3:6 says that we are ‘to hold onto our hope until the end.’ Holding onto hope is not a passive inner expectation but a firm conviction based on our Faith in Jesus and His Word.

Our hope for the future is based on our faith in the present because our faith is the substance or foundation of our hope.

Hope is in your mind and faith is in your heart.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:8, Paul instructs us to be sober and put on the breastplate of faith and love along with the helmet of the hope of salvation. 

Proverbs 23;7 says that as a man thinks in his heart so is he. Jesus says that what defiles a man is in his heart (Matthew 15:18), while Proverbs 4:23 instructs us to guard our hearts diligently. 

Given the importance of our heart for our faith, donning the breastplate of faith is vital. We must protect our hearts since faith resides there (Romans 10:10).

The helmet of the hope of salvation protects your mind. The thoughts we think are critical to our wellbeing.  In Lamentations 3:21, Jeremiah, the prophet, mentions that recalling or thinking about God’s mercies and faithfulness brings him hope. 

Paul, the Apostle, encourages us to think about good things (Philippians 4:8-9). He also tells us to renew our minds so that we may know the good, acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).

Renewing our minds is a requirement for believing that God’s thoughts are for you and He desires to give you a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

How to Find Hope

Struggling to find hope in your life? Check out these free resources.

So, how do you find hope?

The good news is that according to Jeremiah 29:11-14, finding hope is possible; it only requires three things.

  1. Believe God has good thoughts
  2. Praying to God
  3. Searching for Him with our whole heart

Jeremiah 29:11-13

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

In this passage, God says that He wants to give us a future and hope. He then goes on to say what will happen if we believe Him. 

  • We will call upon Him and pray to Him. 
  • He will listen to us.
  • We will seek Him
  • We will find Him if we search with all of our hearts.

There are two conditions required to receive the 2 promises mentioned in this scripture passage.

God says that He 

  1. will listen to us
  2. will be found 

IF we

  1. Pray to Him 
  2. Search for Him with our whole heart.

These promises sound wonderful but what if we struggle believing that God is good? How does praying and searching for Him give us hope? Or what if we have been praying for our circumstances for a long time and have not had our prayers answered?

Struggling to find hope in your life? Click here for free Resources

Three Practical Applications to Find Hope for Your Life

  1. Believe God is Good 
  2. Praying  
  3. Seek God Relentlessly

Believe 

Dr. Henry Cloud says that 

“Relationship or bonding… is at the foundation of God’s nature. Since we are created in his likeness, the relationship is our most fundamental need, the very foundation of who we are. Without relationship, without attachment to God and others, we can’t be ourselves.”

Dr. Tim Clinton and Dr. Gary Sibcy, in their book Attachments: Why You Love, Feel and Act the Way You Do, describe God as the ultimate attachment figure. We need God as the center of our emotional universe. 

Drs. Clinton and Sibcy described 5 Criteria for a positive Attachment Relationship.

  1. We seek proximity to the caregiver in times of trouble.
  2. The caregiver provides a safe haven or a felt sense of security.
  3. The caregiver provides a secure base from which to explore the world.
  4. Any threat of separation induces fear and anxiety.
  5. Loss of the caregiver induces grief and sorrow.

God, the Father, satisfies all these conditions if we let Him.

  1. He is our ever-present help in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
  2. He is our refuge and fortress. (Psalm 91:2) 
  3. He is our Rock. (Psalm 62:2)
  4. He will never leave us or forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
  5. Without Him, we have no hope (Ephesians 2:12)

We must believe that God is good and has good thoughts about us, thoughts to give us a future and a hope. God, through Jesus Christ, made us co-heirs with Christ and has given us every spiritual blessing. I know it may not “feel” like you are blessed, but that is when we need faith, the substance of things hoped for, not hopeful feelings, good vibes, or karma.

Beth Moore shared in her book, Believing God 5 phrases to refocus your eyes on Jesus and His truth rather than what you see or feel. I wrote these on an index card and placed it by my computer so it is visible to me throughout the day.

  1. God is who He says He is.
  2. God can do what He says He can do.
  3. I am who God says that I am.
  4. I can do all things through Christ.
  5. God?s word is active and alive in me.

When we place our hope or thoughts on Jesus, we can declare the same thing as King David when he said that he would have despaired had he not believed in the goodness of God. (Psalm 27:13)

Struggling to find hope in your life? Click here for some free Resources.

Pray

Praying is simple and yields powerful results yet it is a discipline that we often neglect.. 

Jesus spent time teaching His disciples to pray (Luke 11:1-13) and on many occasions He went to be alone to pray. I find it interesting that He never taught His disciples to preach but He did teach them to pray. How different would things be if we prayed more than preached? Sounds like an interesting future blog post. 

In his classic book, On Prayer, EM Bounds says,

 “Christ, who in this as well as other things, is our Example, spent many whole nights in prayer. His custom was to pray much.  He had his habitual place to pray.  Many long seasons of praying make up his history and character.  Paul prayed day and night.  It took time from very important interests for Daniel to pray three times a day.  David’s morning, noon, and night praying were doubtless on many occasions very protracted.  While we have no specific account of the time these Bible saints spent in prayer, yet the indications are that they consumed much time in prayer, and on some occasions, long seasons of praying was their custom.”

Martin Luther said that “much time spent with God is the secret of all successful prayer.” 

According to scripture we are to pray:

  1. About everything (Philippians 4:6-7)
  2. Earnestly (Colossians 4:2)
  3. Without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17)

Personally, I like simple direct prayers. I know that when my prayers have few words such as “Lord, help me!”, they are very effective. Another key for me is to find scripture relevant to my situation and pray the scripture the situation. This makes it very easy to pray and it helps me to not overthink the situation. I believe God’s Word and apply it to my life.

Please email me at michelle@findinghopejourney.com if you would like a prayer or scripture for your specific situation.

Seek 

The 3rd step in finding Hope is to seek God with all your heart and pursue Him relentlessly.

Where are you looking for hope? Do you place your expectation of hope in a prescription, alcohol, shopping or another person? 

We must focus on Jesus, our Living Hope. He is the only Anchor for us. The world around us is changing at an alarming rate and what we thought we could count on having is no longer certain. 

For many people their crutch of dependency is being pulled out from them. What are you leaning on to get you through the tough times? 

It is necessary to forgo social media and many digital entertainment options. Preoccupation with worldly drama is not a solution to hopelessness. Jesus Christ is the solution. 

The Real Housewives of Whatever City will not help you in the pit of despair. The political party of your choosing will not come to your rescue in a time of need. Social media does not give life and encourage. Jesus Christ is the only One who is with you wherever you are and is always willing to listen. 

I encourage you to call out to Him today and seek Him with all your heart.

Conclusion

After spending quite a bit of time believing that I had lost hope, I realized that what I lost was not really hope. What I lost was a belief in me and my abilities. I believed that if I did everything right, then things would turn out the way I expected. Or if I just had more knowledge about a subject, then it would be much better. Or if I just worked harder, then things would be ok.

I placed my belief in me and it turns out that I am a poor substitute for hope. It took being in a position not to be able to rely on myself for things that forced me to let go of all that I held close. Self-sufficiency was my crutch of dependency.

I had no choice but to trust Jesus, the Living Hope.

When I started letting go of control, I saw God work in ways I never imagined. He sent workers to do His will in every situation. As I sat back and watched events unfold, I realized I was beginning to have hope. Hope was surfacing because of Jesus, not me.

I chose to believe His Word, and I found hope. I believe there is hope for you!

Struggling to find hope in your life? Click here for Hope-Filled Resources.

Read More:

  1. The Year of the Fruit-Filled Valley
  2. Rheumatoid Arthritis: My Story
  3. Rest
  4. Finding a Dead Body on a Prayer Walk Led to Life

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Are You Easily Offended?

Featured, Hope and Encouragement

How to Overcome Offense

Offense is rampant in our society today. We have access to 24-hour non-stop news. Social media creates a platform for anyone to be a preacher, prophet, or politician.  People’s opinions cause division and offense which leads to damaged relationships. We begin seeing people as their opinions rather than looking at them as God sees them. If you are tired of being offended or people being offended here is how to overcome offense and live free of other’s opinions!

People hold an offense against someone they have never met, they get offended by what someone posted on Facebook or any other social media platform or they get offended when they learn a friend or family member is of the opposite political party.

What Is Hope and Why Do We Need It?

The Word of God is the plumb line for Christians. In John 13:34-35 Jesus instructs us to love one another as He has loved us and we are to be known for our love for each other.  Offense creates a breach in relationships and we are no longer known more for the political or religious memes that we post on Facebook than our love for each other.

Dr. Henry Cloud says “Relationship or bonding is at the foundation of God’s nature. Since we are created in His likeness, a relationship is our most fundamental need, the very foundation of who we are. Without relationship, without attachment to God and others, we can’t be ourselves.”

  • Do you become offended when you discover people believe differently than you do?
  • Have you lost friends or family because of a political difference?
  • Is being right more important to you than your relationships?

How do we love one another? In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus says that we are to love the Lord God with all our heart and love our neighbors as ourselves. How is your relationship with God? How is your relationship with yourself?

Need daily encouragement? Join us on our 40-Day Journey to Find Hope.

Many people believe God is sitting up in heaven like Zeus with his lightning bolt ready to strike us if we do wrong.  The truth is God is ready to love us even when we do not believe we are worthy of love.

Is it possible that if we focus on receiving God’s love we will be less critical of ourselves and others? Is it possible that the reason why our society is so easily offended is that we are not grounded in the love of the Father?  Are you angry with God?

Forgiveness is the key to overcoming an offense that is either real or imagined. Forgive those who have wronged you, forgive those who believe differently than you and forgive those who have offended you via social media. It is also important to forgive yourself.  The apostle Paul says in Ephesians 4:31-32 that we are to put away bitterness, anger and evil speaking and be kind to each other, forgiving one another as we have been forgiven.

Let’s choose to forgive and then forgive again. Ask the Lord to give you His eyes to see people as He sees them. Look at a person’s heart, not their outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7).

I want to be known as someone who loves well, not someone who becomes offended easily. What about you?

Love and forgiveness is the best defense for offense!

Thank you for taking the time to read!

Please contact me using the form below if you are struggling with unforgiveness or anger.

Find More Hope:

  1. Finding Hope in a Valley
  2. What Does It Mean to Rest in the Lord?
  3. A Prayer Walk Leads to a Dead Body
  4. What is Hope?
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What is Occultism?

My Hope Journey

What does it mean for something to be occultic or a person to take part in occultism?

I used to be an acupuncturist and a Reiki Master. During acupuncture school, my fellow students exposed me to many different things that were not part of our school curriculum. I encountered angel worship, Reiki, energy work, psychics, teachings of Abraham (not the one in the Bible), palm reading, tarot cards, divination with pendulums, and much more. Here is what I believe is occultic.

What exactly is hope and why do we need it?

I saw first hand how manipulation occurs with spiritual entrapment and spiritual travel.  A man at a conference I attended tried to put a spiritual “hook” in me so that he could access me in the spirit realm later.  That same night, I had a feeling of being pulled off my bed and dragged away. I had no idea what was happening but I awoke and struggled to say the name of Jesus.  When I called out “JESUS!”, the struggle stopped and I went right back to sleep.

At this time in my life, I had no idea about spiritual warfare. My knowledge was only a song by Nicole C. Mullen which said, to call on Jesus and He will come rescue you. I heard that song on my way to the conference and the Holy Spirit brought it to my mind as I was experiencing this spiritual attack. I called out to Jesus, He came and rescued me.

I still do not understand all the happened that night but there is really no need for me to know all that happened. The next day at the conference, the man who tried to manipulate me asked me who I had protecting me. He said he had never encountered anything or anyone so powerful. I told him Jesus was my protector.  Honestly, I was a bit shocked by all that happened but I became intrigued by the spirit world. Armed with a lot of confidence and a large amount of ignorance I set about exploring that world.

Join us on our 40-Day Journey to Find Hope!

I was a Christian and had been for most of my life but had never seen power or experienced the Holy Spirit. On my spiritual discovery journey, I learned that many people in the New Age have more power than most Christians. The reason being, they believe in the unseen and have experience spiritual power, not Holy Spirit power but powers of darkness.

If Christians would realize that we are in a spiritual battle and engage on a spirit level how much ground could we recover? When you bring up the spirit realm in most churches, they look at you like you are nuts. I have had the best conversations about the spirit realm with psychics and new age practitioners. I find they believe in Jesus, they just do not believe He is the only to the Father. They believe in the power of spirits but these are satanic spirits that are evil but can masquerade as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). I find that people attracted to new age practices are very open to discussions about the Holy Spirit whereas the average Christian does not want to discuss things of the spirit or Spirit.

Fast forward about 17 years, now I speak to various Christian groups about New Age practices and things of the Spirit. One question that always comes up is “what is occultism?”. It is a great question but most people are not prepared for my answer.

The word occultic is an astronomical (not horoscopes) term. Merriam-Webster defines the word occult as to shut off from view or exposure.  Occultism is when one heavenly body passes in front of another and obscures the one behind it, such as a lunar eclipse. In other words, occultism occurs when something blocks the sun or the Son. 

The practice of occultism is an agreement with any belief or practice that opposes the law of God and comes between God and man.  It offers itself as truth from God, when in fact, the real truth is obscured and hidden.

It is easy to look around and think that occultism only applies to psychics, tarot cards, or palm readers but what about addictions? What about busyness? What about idolizing our pets? What about gossip or slander? What about comparing ourselves to others? What about all those self-help books that tell us we can fix our selves? Do these ‘occlude’ us from the truth of God?  The answer is yes.

The ultimate goal of the new age movement is self-idolatry (Isaiah 14:12-15). Today we personalize everything and make it all about us.  We take so many photos of ourselves that Merriam-Webster added the word ‘selfie‘ to the dictionary several years ago. The New Age movement has moved to the mainstream. The world around us aims to minimize the deity of Jesus Christ and promote the god of self.

I find that Christians are eager to point fingers at psychics and other new age practices but we fail to realize that we participate in many activities that occlude the Son from our lives. We run to alcohol for confidence. We run to pornography to escape. We run to romance novels to find love. We use religious activity as a substitute for a relationship with Christ. We idolize food and entertainment.

I can easily talk about psychics, divination, witchcraft, and sorcery. I could pull out many scriptures and testimonies that show they are from the pit of hell but I think it is much more important to focus on what in your life occludes you from seeing Jesus rightly? What keeps you from spending time with Him? What keeps you from having Holy Spirit power in your life? What do you need to remove so you can see the Son?

Nothing in this world is new today.  Satan is real. Distraction, busyness, and offense are some of his best weapons.  As believers, we are engaged in spiritual warfare. There is a battle raging right now. Our eyes must be open, our minds full of The Word, our hearts ready to love, our feet ready to stand and our mouth ready to proclaim that Jesus is the only way to the Father.

What is blocking your view of Jesus? We do not have time for anything to occlude our view.  Jesus is the only thing that matters!

If you are struggling or would like more information, please contact me. Thank you!

More on Finding Hope:

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Overcoming: 5 Practical Ways To Do It

Featured, Hope, Overcoming

What The Bible Says About Overcoming

Overcoming. We hear that word often and it seems as if it is generally in the context of overcoming a disease, illness, or physical challenge. There is so much more to overcoming than we can really even comprehend. What about overcoming fear, guilt, rejection, self-hatred, and all the junk that plagues us day in and day out. This article series is designed to show you how to overcome all things and regain authority in our lives.

If you are interested in enrolling in the free course I am developing called “Spiritual Roots to Human Behavior”, please click here.

If you are interested in enrolling in the free course I am developing called “Spiritual Roots to Human Behavior”, please click here.

Objective

To provide a biblical viewpoint for overcoming and give you 5 practical ways to overcome.

Overview

  1. Biblical Foundations of Overcoming
  2. What Is The Kingdom of God
  3. What Is The Kingdom of Satan
  4. How To Be An Overcomer

Key Scriptures

1 John 5:5

Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

John 16:33 

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Biblical Foundations of Overcoming

The definition of the word ‘overcome’ is:

  1. To defeat someone or something
  2. To successfully deal with/or gain control of something difficult
  3. To affect very strongly or severely.

The word overcome is prominent in Revelation Chapters 2 & 3. Jesus encourages His people to stand firm in their beliefs through many trials. Overcoming is the continual process of coming over an obstacle rather than let the obstacle overcome you.

The Greek word most often translated ‘overcome’ in the New Testament comes from the word “nike”, which means ‘to get the victory’ according to the Strong’s concordance (G3528).  

To be an overcomer means that we have overcome our enemies. Our enemies are not flesh and blood but principalities and power (Ephesians 6:12).  Our enemies are not other humans but the disembodied spirits of Satan’s kingdom, such as Fear, Anger, Unforgiveness, or Self-Hatred that operate through them to get to us.   

We must know that life is a battle, not a playground.  Our enemy, the devil, is determined to steal, kill, and destroy us (John 10:10). It is up to us to reclaim all that he has taken and enlarge the Kingdom of God. Jesus gave us power over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt us!  (Luke 10:19)

In Romans 8:37, Paul says that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  Paul goes on to say in Romans 8:38-39, that he “is persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

The Apostle Paul’s wrote his second letter to Timothy while Timothy is leading the church in Ephesus under the fierce Emperor Nero. In 2 Timothy 2:3, Paul tells Timothy that one must endure hardship and be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Paul goes on to say in 2 Timothy 2:4 that no one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

The good news is Jesus!  In Revelation 12:11, Jesus says that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.  One of the most powerful things we can do is to tell people what God has done for us.  What is your testimony?  What have you overcome?

8 Benefits of Overcoming

In Revelation, Jesus tells us there are eight benefits reserved for those who overcome: 

  1. We will eat of the tree of life (Revelation 2:7).
  2. We shall not be hurt in the second death (Revelation 2:11).
  3. We will eat of the hidden manna and will receive a new name (Revelation 2:17). 
  4. We will have power over nations (Revelation 2:26) 
  5. We will be clothed in white raiment, and our names will not be blotted from the book of life (Revelation 3:5). 
  6. He will make us a pillar in the temple of God (Revelation 3:12). 
  7. We will sit with Jesus in His throne (Revelation 3:21). 
  8. We shall inherit all things (Revelation 21:7). 

Who Is An Overcomer?

Overcomers are followers of Christ who resist the power and temptation of the world.  

We stand firm in our faith in Jesus Christ and are utterly dependent upon the Holy Spirit for instruction to walk out the Christian faith.  We must trust in the Lord with all of our heart, and lean not on our own understanding.  In all our ways, we must acknowledge Him, and He shall direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). 

If you are interested in enrolling in the free course I am developing called “Spiritual Roots to Human Behavior”, please click here.

What Is The Kingdom Of God?

Purpose

The purpose of this kingdom is to train mankind in the law of God and enable us to overcome all the plans of the enemy.

Godhead

The kingdom of God consists of the three members of the Godhead; God the Father, Jesus, the Word that became flesh, and the Holy Spirit. 

The Hebrew word “Echad” is the term used to describe the Godhead in the Old Testament.  It means plural unity or unified one.  It is found in Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord.” 

  • 1st Member: God the Father will it.
  • 2nd Member: Jesus the Word spoke it
  • 3rd Member: Holy Spirit is the power that carries out the will of God the Father, and the spoken word of Jesus.

In the New Testament, there are many references to the roles of the Godhead or the unified One. 

In the beginning, was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

John 1:1 

If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also: and from hereafter, you know Him and have seen Him.

John 14:7 

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you. 

John 14:26 

My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.  I and My Father are one.

  John 10:29-30 

Angels And Heavenly Beings

In addition to the Godhead, there are archangels, heavenly beings, and other classes of angels. 

Angels and archangels carry the law of God’s kingdom.  There are only 2 Archangels names in the Bible – Gabriel & Michael.  

There are four main orders of heavenly beings created by God through Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:16).

  1. Thrones
  2. Dominions
  3. Principalities
  4. Powers

There are three heavens referenced in the Bible. In 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, Paul writes about the third heaven.

“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

The first heaven is commonly thought to be the earth, where we dwell. Ephesians 2:2 refers to the prince of the power of the air which is Satan. The space above the earth is generally referred to as the second heaven. The 3rd heaven is Paradise or where God dwells. (2 Corinthians 12:2-4)

What Is the Kingdom of Satan?

Purpose

The purpose of Satan’s kingdom is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10) and to train mankind in the law of sin.  

Demonic Entities

It is essential to understand our enemy so that we know who or what we are NOT.  We are not sin.  We are not anger; however, we can agree with anger to become angry.  We are not fear, but we can agree with fear and become fearful.  We must know how to recognize these schemes so that we can separate ourselves, the handmade creation of God Almighty, from the body of sin that tries to control us. 

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

  2 Corinthians 2:11 

Compare Colossians 1:16 with Ephesians 6:12.

Colossians 1:16, Paul says, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”

Ephesians 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in the high places.

When rebellion took place in Heaven, the thrones and dominion level of created beings did not join Lucifer. Principalities and powers did join him in rebelling against God.

Principalities

Principalities in the Greek means ‘archeo’ which is an architect or designer of plans.  An example of a principality in the Bible is Bitterness, Fear, Envy, Jealousy, Rejection, and Accusation. 

These principalities are disembodied beings that carry out the law of sin designed to stop us from overcoming and being victorious. This invisible kingdom works through spouses, bosses, friends, family, and even ourselves to steal, kill, and destroy relationships with others, ourselves and God (John 10:10).  

Where Did Sin Begin?

It is common to believe that sin originated in the Garden of Eden when Eve ate the apple.  However, sin entered the world long before the Garden of Eden.  

Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you the power to tread on the serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  In this rejoice, not that the spirits are subject to you but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”   (Luke 10:18-20) 

Ezekiel 28:13-15 says that Satan was a created being and he was perfect from the day he was created until iniquity was found in him.  The original sin occurred when Satan wanted to be like God and wanted to exalt himself above God’s throne. 

In Isaiah 14:12-19, we find a description of our enemy, Lucifer.  He is known as Satan after his fall. (Read my article about Occultism that goes along with Isaiah 14)

  • He’s fallen from heaven. 
  • He’s cut down to the ground.
  • He weakens nations.
  • He wants to be like God. 
  • He says, “I will ascend to heaven”. 
  • He says, “I will exalt my throne”. 
  • He says, I will sit upon the congregation”.
  • He says, “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds”. 
  • He says, “I will be like the Most High”. 
  • He shall be brought down to hell.
  • People will look at him and say, “Is this the one that made the earth tremble?”

When Satan fell from heaven he took one-third of the angels with him (Revelation 12:3-4).  These fallen angels are the disembodied beings in Satan’s kingdom.  They are disembodied beings that are awaiting judgment.

When Satan fell from heaven, he took one-third of the angels with him (Revelation 12:3-4).  These fallen angels are the disembodied beings in Satan’s kingdom.  They are disembodied beings that are awaiting judgment.

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved to judgment

2 Peter 2:4

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day.

  Jude 1:6

Satan is a fallen angel and has already been judged (John 16:11).  Satan and his kingdom are not all-knowing.  His kingdom has observed and studied our family lines throughout history.  He knows that he can control our bodies through thoughts and generational behaviors.  

Satan is not omnipresent (everywhere all the time) nor omnipotent (having all power and authority). He cannot read our minds but he can offer up thoughts for us to believe.  

But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.  None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  (1 Corinthians 2:7-8) 

For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? so also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  (1 Corinthians 2:11) 

He that commits sin is of the devil: for the devil sinned from the beginning.  For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.  1 John 3:8

And the Lord said to Satan, From where have you come? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.  (Job 1:7) 

As believers in Christ, we have power over Satan.  James says that if we submit ourselves to God, resist the devil, and he will flee (James 4:7).  Satan has been defeated, disarmed and spoiled (Colossians 2:15, Revelation 12:7, Mark 3:27) by the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  

Let’s take back our overcoming power.  Satan is the god of this world (Ephesians 2:2) and the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2) but Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14).  

What Is Sin?

Sin is a being. There is a body of sin that wars within us but we are not sin.

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that hereafter we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. (Romans 6:12)

Sin is simply agreeing with something other than the word of God or disobedience of His commands

In Romans 7:15-23, Paul expresses thoughts and feelings that we have all likely felt at one time or another:

  1. I do not understand my own actions. 
  2. I do not do what I want to do but the very thing I hate.
  3. It is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells in me. 
  4. I have the desire to do what is right but not the ability to carry it out.
  5. I don’t do the good that I want but the evil I don’t want to do is what I keep doing. 
  6. I delight in the law of God. 
  7. There is another law in my members that is waging war against my mind. 

We are not sin.  Satan’s kingdom and his kingdom of disembodied beings influence mankind.  They offer up thoughts and we have a choice to agree with them or not.  We can agree with the thought that “we are no good and not worth anything” or we can capture that thought, compare it to the word of God and cast it down if it doesn’t line up with what God says about us.  (2 Corinthians 10:5). 

We have a choice.

Who are you listening to, the Word of God or the world?

Here is an example of Judas agreeing with the thought that Satan put in his heart to betray Jesus.  

And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him.   (John 13:2)

Here are several examples of Satan’s invisible kingdom of disembodied beings operating in mankind: 

And if the spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself, or if the spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife, though she has not defiled herself,  (Numbers 5:14)

To appoint to them that mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He might be glorified.  (Isaiah 61:3) 

And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice.  (Luke 4:33-34) 

And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.  (Luke 13:11) 

And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought the master much gain by soothsaying. (Acts 16:16) 

Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord and said, I will entice him.  And the Lord said to him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.  And the Lord said, you shall entice him and you shall also prevail: go out and do even so. Now therefore, behold the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets and the Lord has spoken evil against you.  (2 Chronicles 18:20-22) 

For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) 

Let’s think about what we are thinking about and identify the source of that thinking.  Is it the Word of God or something else?  We can line our thinking up with God’s thinking and Satan cannot touch us (1 John 5:18).

Anything contrary to the word of God is from Satan’s kingdom.  

5 Ways To Be An Overcomer

  1. Have a relationship with your Heavenly Father.  Spend time with Him daily and find out what He says about you. Psalm 139 is a great starting point to discover just how incredible you are.
  2. Recognize that you may have some wrong thinking.  Ask the Holy Spirit to show you thoughts that you have agreed with that don’t line up with the word of God.
  3. Once you recognize these thoughts, cast them down (2 Corinthians 10:5) and replace the thoughts with the truth of the Word.
  4. Renew your mind.  Think about what you are thinking about.  Cleanse your mind with the washing of the water of the word (Ephesians 5:26).
  5. Understand that we do have an enemy and he wants to destroy us (John 10:10) however we are more than conquerors and are being trained to reign as Kings and Priests!  (Revelation 1:6). 

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4 Ways to Find Hope in Hopeless Situations

Hope, Featured, Hope and Encouragement

Hope, we are searching for hope in this seemingly hopeless situation. It easy it is to slide onto the downward spiral of hopelessness with the chaotic political climate in our world. How do we find hope in hopeless situations?

As believers in Christ we are supposed to be in the world and not of the world but how do we remain hopeful in a very challenging world?

What is Hope?

What is hope?

Do you ever find yourself telling another person that you hope things work out for them or you hope they have a good day? Do you consider yourself a hopeful person? Do you actually believe that things will work out for good or do you just say it out of habit?

Romans 5:3-4 (NKJV) says that as we glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulations produces perseverance and perseverance produces character and character produces hope.

As I read this passage, I realized that according to the Bible, hope is the end-product of trials and tribulations. Strong’s Concordance defines Hope as the expectation of something good and joyful or believing in The One who is the Foundation of Hope.

So, what is Hope and how do we get it?

Join us on our 40-Day Journey To Find Hope. (It’s Free!)

Several factors influence our belief that God is a loving God. If your earthly father (or a male authority figure) abused you, was angry with you or loved you based on your performance, we tend to fear God and not believe His unconditional love for us.

We transfer both the strengths and weakness of our earthly father to our Heavenly Father. If your father was gentle and loving, we believe the same about God. If your father was a harsh taskmaster we see God the same way. If your father was distant you may have problems relating to Father God.

For believers to have a joyful expectation of something good happening, we must first believe that Father God is good and that He loves us. The love of Father God is the foundation on which hope stands.

It is easier for people to believe that God is sitting up in Heaven like Zeus with his lightning bolt ready to strike us if we do wrong. Another common misconception is that He is a taskmaster with a checklist and He checks off when we do enough or act the right way. Sadly, many people combine the two views to see God as Zeus with a checklist.

4 ways to find hope in hopeless situations.

H – Heart

What is the state of your heart? Have life events caused you to be jaded and not believe that you are worth loving? Do you tend to shut down and block people out of your life in order to protect yourself?

If so, spend some time with your Heavenly Father. First John 3:20-21 says that if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows all things. If our hearts do not condemn us then we have confidence in God.

When we are tempted to believe that we are not worth loving or that no one will ever love us remember what God says about you, remember He is greater than our hearts and knows ALL  things. Zephaniah 3:17 says that God rejoices over you with singing, can you envision that?  Zechariah 2:8 and Deuteronomy 32:10 say that you are the apple of His eye!

Write down these truths from scripture and meditate on them daily. I write mine on index cards and keep them with me at all times.  Instead of scrolling thru Facebook, I scroll through scriptures and I know that there is no fake news in the Word of God!!

O – Overcoming

Do you know that we were created to be an overcomer? 

First John 5:4-5 says that “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.”

The Greek word most often translated “overcome” in the New Testament comes from the word nike which means “to get the victory”. In Romans 8:37, Paul says that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Paul goes on to say in Romans 8:38-39, that he is persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities. nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Choose to believe that you can overcome any situation because you can do all things through Christ!!

Not sure if you can overcome? I believe there is hope for you! Fill out the form below for a free 15-minute consultation.

P – Perseverance

Merriam-Webster defines perseverance as a continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition. When life gets tough just keep on going! Some seasons of life seem to be full of trials and tribulations.

According to Romans 5:3-4 tribulations produce perseverance and perseverance produces character and character produces hope. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:58 that we are to be steadfast, unmovable and that our labor is not in vain.

During these times of testing, I find the Psalms to be a source of both comfort and encouragement. Psalm 130:5 says that “I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait and in His word do I hope.”

Psalm 40 is an excellent text for standing firm in your faith during trials. Psalms 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are excellent prayers in times of despair. We must stand on the Word of God during times of testing, have our shield of faith in one hand and the sword of the Spirit in the other (Ephesians 6:14-18)

If you would like help finding Hope in the midst of hopeless please contact me using the form below

When you feel like quitting remember that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witness and we are to run with endurance the race that is set before us while keeping our eyes of Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:1-3).

You can do it!

E – Encounter

God did not design us to face troubles alone. So often we believe that it is us against the world and in the true American spirit, we try to be as self-sufficient as possible. Sadly this results in us isolating ourselves and believing that we are responsible for everything and everyone.

When Peter jumped out of the boat to walk on the water towards Jesus, he walked on water as long as his eyes were fixed upon Jesus. When he took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at the water, he began to sink.

During our times of testing, we must encounter Jesus daily to continue walking forward. Do not take your eyes of your Savior!

Spend time with Him daily. As I previously mentioned, I keep index cards with me so that I continually have scripture with me. Set a reminder in your phone to read scripture and pray. Mark off time on your calendar and make daily devotion a regular part of your day.

When life seems to be spiraling out of control, I say a simple reminder to myself that Beth Moore shared in her book, Believing God. I have used this reminder for several years. Repeat the 5 phrases listed below to refocus your eyes on Jesus and His truth rather than what you see or feel.

  1. God is who He says He is.
  2. God can do what He says He can do.
  3. I am who God says that I am.
  4. I can do all things through Christ.
  5. God’s word is active and alive in me.

Conclusion

Whatever you choose to do, do it expecting for the Creator of the Universe to meet you ? He always does.

My prayer for you is that the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. (Romans 15:13)

Join us on our 40-Day Journey to Find Hope (It’s Free!)

If you would like help finding Hope in the midst of hopeless please contact me using the form below

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Day 40: Journey to Find Hope

40-Day Journey to Find Hope, Hope and Encouragement

Fraud

Do you ever feel like a fraud? Like you are not a good Christian or will never be good enough for any blessing? Like having hope and joy is impossible for you?

I have felt that way and I have learned that it is a lie from the pit of hell. Our standing with Christ is based on His righteousness and not ours. Our blessings are because of Him, not because of anything we do.

Most of my life I lived as if I did or said the right things then I would be good. I lived that way until I realized I was living to please man and not God. I let people and my perception of their expectations control my identity. In doing so, I was telling God that I chose to value people?s opinions over Him.

What is hope and why do we need it?

I started this journey to find hope last year and had many things come up so writing this study took place over 6 months, not 40 days. During this time I struggled with being hopeful and I had periods of incredible hope and joy.

In the low periods, Satan would tell me that I am a fraud and ask how I could ever conceive of writing a book on hope when I had none. During the high periods, I felt peace, hope, and joy like never before.

I learned that you absolutely cannot go by emotions, they lie. Emotions change with the wind or the latest circumstance. Emotions are fleeting. What stands the test of time is the Word of God. Isaiah 55:11 says that the word of God does not return void but it accomplishes and prosper in all that God wants. 

Join us on our 40-Day Journey to Find Hope! There is hope for you!!

The Word of God is our plumbline and His Word established all things. In the beginning, was the Word and the Word and all things were made through Him (John 1:1-3) 

God’s Word is true and it is the ONLY source of life. As we go into the days ahead, the scriptures talk about deception running rampant. Colossians 2:8 says “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Join on our Journey to Find Hopehttps://www.findinghopeacademy.com/40-day-journey-to-find-hope-landing-page

If you are in Christ, you are not a fraud!

Don’t believe Satan, he is the father of lies (John 8:44). Let’s choose to believe the Word of God and stand on it.

  • If the Word of God says we have been justified by faith and we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, then IT IS TRUE! (Romans 5:1)
  • If the Word of God says we glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope, then IT IS TRUE! (Romans 5:3-4)
  • If the Bible says that the God of hope fills up with ALL joy and peace in believing that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, then IT IS TRUE!

Hope is possible in spite of your circumstances. Jesus Christ is our Living Hope (1 Peter 1:3).

I want to encourage you to LOOK UP and not around. You are not a fraud, your Hope is in Jesus.

Hope

H – Hold
O – On
P – Patiently
E – Enduring

May the God of hope fill you with ALL joy and peace in believing that you may ABOUND in hope during these troubled times.

God will not leave us or forsake us, we are safe with Him.

Thank you for taking the journey to find hope! 

Use the form below to let me know your biggest challenge to finding hope.

I do believe there is hope for you!

Getting Started on Your Journey

  1. Introduction: 40-Day Journey to Find Hope
  2. Getting Started
  3. What is Hope?
  4. Get the 40-Day Journey delivered to your inbox

Please share your testimony with me, I love testimonies! We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. (Revelation 12:11)

Click to join us on our 40-Day Hope Challenge

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Day 39: Journey to Find Hope

40-Day Journey to Find Hope, Hope and Encouragement, Hope For The Sick and Suffering

Running on empty.

Getting irritated with my husband, wanting to cry for no reason and feeling so emotionally drained that I just want to stare at a wall. Yep, that described me yesterday.

Today I am happy, hopeful and ready for any challenge. The reason for the change? I spent time with the Lord.

What is hope and why do we need it?

I needed a Holy Spirit fill-up because I was running on empty. 

Why don’t I spend time with God BEFORE my energy tank hits empty? 

Jesus says “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

In my head, I know that I need my quiet time but it seems that my schedule always yields to the tyranny of the urgent. David and I are self-employed and we work from home so there are many possible distractions and opportunities to side-track us.  

I read an article recently that said that you can tell a person’s value system based on their calendar and their checkbook. Where do they spend their time and money?

According to my checkbook, I spend money on books, food, and food-related items. I love to cook interesting dishes and preserve food via dehydration and freeze-drying. Looking at my calendar, I see that I spend my time working, reading and in the kitchen.

I read my Bible and spend time in prayer every day but I feel it is often rushed. It is as if spending time with the Lord is just another item on my To-Do List. 

I want to be consistent in maintaining a distraction-free time that is committed to the Lord. 

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Lately, I have been reading in Numbers. I find it fascinating how much time and effort God spends instructing the Israelites on how to build the tabernacle and give the appropriate sacrifices. He goes into great detail on all aspects of the building, the priest?s clothes, the furniture, and the offerings.

God does not much spend time depicting daily life. There is no “day in the life of Moses” or  “day in the life of Jesus” section in the Word. The Bible is about how to enter into and remain in communion with our Heavenly Father, not our daily activities. 

How different would our days look if we structured them around communing around Jesus just as the Lord told the Israelites to do around the Tabernacle? What if Jesus was the focal point of our day? 

Click to join us on our 40-Day Journey To Find Hope

Last year the Holy Spirit told me that my purpose was to commune with Him. Now that is an incredible purpose but my first thought was not ?” Lord, how awesome!” it was  “How will that pay the bills?”. As I sat and reflected on my response, I realized that the Holy Spirit just uncovered what I value – How I am going to pay the bills?

The reality is that we need money to take care of ourselves and our families but how does our quest for provision choke out the time we spend with God. How do we lose hope in the pursuit of provision? We put our hope in what we pursue.

Jesus is our Living Hope. Romans 15:4 says that through the patience and comfort of scripture we might have hope.

  • What are your pursuing today?
  • How are you filling up your hope tank?
  • Where are you investing your time and money?

No more running on empty for me!

Lord, help me to value what is important to You and operate out of the overflow of Your Goodness instead of my efforts.

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)

Please fill out the form below and let me know your biggest challenge in finding hope.

I believe there is hope for you!

Getting Started on Your Journey

  1. Introduction: A 40-Day Journey to Find Hope
  2. Start Here
  3. How Can I Help You?
  4. Get the 40-Day Journey delivered to your Inbox

Please share your testimony with me, I love testimonies! We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. (Revelation 12:11)

Join us on our 40-Day Journey To Find Hopehttps://www.findinghopeacademy.com/40-day-journey-to-find-hope-landing-page

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