By Apostle Aje Pelser, Harvester Reformational Church, Cape Town
Here are some reasons to have hope for your life today.
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The God we serve is a God of hope:
Rom 15:13 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.
We can see physical sickness, and Jesus can heal that too! But we can’t see emotional abuse with our eyes, we can only see the affects later in life. The love of Jesus can heal the deepest hurt, soothe the deepest pain, restore the long lost relative and bind a broken marriage back together again. Jesus is also anointed to heal the broken-hearted.
Luk 4:18 “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED;
Luk 4:19 TO PROCLAIM THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”
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We have the opportunity to be more than overcomers in Christ Jesus!
1Jn 5:5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
What do we have to overcome?
Rom 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
1Jn 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
We can overcome false teachers and teachings in the world:
2Pe 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
The Good news:
1Jn 4:4 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.
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Prayer to God stops plagues and removes curses from our land. We need accurate prayer from churches in unity, led by the Spirit and confessing the Lordship of Jesus over the land.
2Sa 24:25 And David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel.
The early church had a habit of continuing in the foundational teachings of the Apostles as Jesus had taught them, and they accompanied this with Godly fellowship, communion and prayers.
Act 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Apostle Paul wrote about prayers and explained we can live a peaceful life if we pray.
1Ti 2:1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
1Ti 2:2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
Jesus’ disciples saw the power of Jesus and asked Him to teach them to pray:
Mat 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
Mat 5:45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;
Mat 6:9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Mat 6:10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
When we confess our faults to one another, prayer brings about the inner healing.
James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Prayer touches the soul, and brings prosperity and health in all the other areas of our lives.
3Jn 1:2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
A church is to be a house of prayer for all nations. All are welcome to experience the love of Jesus and the power of Holy Spirit led prayer and intercession.
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Encouragement is a prophetic quality of the Holy Spirit. That is why the gift of prophecy brings edification, exhortation and comfort us. When King David lost his family and possessions during a raid on his village, he encouraged himself in the Lord and recovered all his losses. Have you suffered great loss recently? Encourage yourself in the Lord and he will show you how to recover all!
1Sa 30:6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
When God sends someone to you with a message and you receive them, your faith will be strengthened and you will be encouraged!
1Th 3:2 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith,
The gift of prophecy is full of encouragement:
1Co 14:3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
1Co 14:31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.
With all that is happening in our world today, we need hope and our hearts need to be encouraged. That is what God showed me for this region, that we give people hope again and encourage them – show them the courage God’s Spirit has already placed in their hearts and assist them to draw it out!
Col 2:2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
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HOPE is an anchor of the soul that accesses God’s presence immediately when activated. Faith is the substance of things hoped for – when you believe in the hope God offers, it gives your life and dreams substance and it gives you assurance that you can be healed, overcome great odds, persevere in prayer and even encourage others when you have been encouraged.
If you need some HOPE today and need a friend to talk to, please text “HOPE” to 0847070909 or email office@harvesterchurch.net
We are people of HOPE who serve a God of HOPE! Join us Sunday evenings at our venue in Table View for soothing worship, loving fellowship, relevant Bible studies and effective prayers.