What you see is what you get – we have all heard that before. But what you see is based on what you believe.
Our belief system as people is what drives our daily lives. And what we need is radical empowerment in the core of our belief system.
We as people are often waiting for circumstances to change before we start feeling that glimmer of hope arise within us.
We wait for government to change before we see a hopeful future for our country or city. We wait for people to change before we respond with generocity and kindness.
But the truth is that true change is intrinsic. It is when we experience internal change that hope arises for the external to change. Aristotle said the hardest victory is over self.
Our negative thoughts, our condemning thoughts and our thoughts of hopelessness. And our inner life and worldview is usually developed through years of programming and experience which creates these paradigms.
So a common theme in the heart of man is: How can I experience hope again? A simple answer would be, “Think again,” or as the apostle Paul said (and I paraphrase), “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you will know.” Know what? Know what God would do in every situation.
God has designed us to thrive, to live fully alive and to find solutions as we were created in his image. God is not influenced by circumstances or challenges, but reveals his (Word) will that supersedes the temporal so we can look forward to our future.
Scripture explains that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Proverbs 4:20-22 puts it so well, “Listen carefully, my dear child, to everything that I teach you, and pay attention to all that I have to say. Fill your thoughts with my words until they penetrate deep into your spirit. Then, as you unwrap my words, they will impart true life and radiant health into the very core of your being.”
Faith is the substance of things hoped for. His words to us give us a sure thing to count on, therefore hope is not fantasy or a maybe, but God’s reality. When we start living in God’s reality, fear starts to subside, because God has no fear to give.
God is love and there is no fear in Him. So we can be sure that any fear we experience comes through the world and our belief system. Living in love means we are secure in God’s love for us. We are secure in his ability to care for us, provide for us and to give us the ability to create the future He desires for us to experience.
So let us keep our faith in God, for He is our living hope, knowing that his love will never fail us.
Stay in his love, stay in community and be safe this festive season.
– Emmanuel Archontakis is of the Kingdom Ministries of Christ.
