Hope Fulfilled

Have you ever hoped for something only to be disappointed when it came? Hope is an expectancy, and expectancy is a form of hope. We don’t hope for bad things to come. We hope for good things to come, and we hope they come soon.

That brings us to our blessed hope…the day when true believers will meet glorious Jesus, face to face. Do you think there is any chance of being disappointed by his arrival on that day?

Romans 5:5 (NLT)

And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Today, I offer 6 Questions that can specifically be answered by the Holy Scriptures to encourage us while we wait for our hope to be fulfilled.

1. What do we do while we wait for our hope to be fulfilled?

The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is a deposit, guaranteeing that which is to come. The Holy Spirit gives us the patience and endurance to wait for our blessed hope. The Spirit gives us everything we need for the time of waiting for our hope to be fulfilled.

1 Corinthians 1:7-8 (NLT)

Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8  He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.

2. How can we stand against the temptations of this world while we wait for our hope to be fulfilled?

God gives us the self-discipline and self-control that we need while we wait for our hope to be fulfilled.

1 Peter 1:13 (NLT)

So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

3. Is there any fellowship and companionship available while we wait for our hope to be fulfilled?

God gives us the church, fellow believers to stand with us and encourage us to remain in fellowship with Christ while we wait for our hope to be fulfilled.

1 John 2:28 (NLT)

And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.

4. Does the Bible reveal everything about our blessed hope, or are there still many hidden mysteries for the children of God as they wait for their hope to be fulfilled?

Our minds cannot fully comprehend what it will be like when Jesus appears. Yes, we are already God’s children, but there is so much we don’t know about the details of our resurrected transformation.

1 John 3:2 (NLT)

Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.

5. What about our mortal flesh? What about our present human body? What will it look like when our hope is fulfilled?

Philippians 3:21 (NLT)

He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

6. And finally, what about after the waiting? What happens when our hope is finally fulfilled?

Colossians 3:4 (NLT)

And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

Conclusion

We who have been born again have been made one with Christ. He is our life, now and forevermore. One day, God will reveal his Son to the whole world. Every eye will see him. And when that day finally comes, we will share in his glory. Now, that’s expectancy!

So…Keep hoping and Keep Watching!

Maranatha, Hosanna, Hallelujah and Amen,

Terry Cooper