Hope Is Not a Wish — It’s a Weapon

I’m excited to get this into your hands today — because what I’m about to share with you isn’t just theology. It’s a weapon. And if you’ll grab a hold of it, it will change the direction of your life.

We’ve been walking through how to actually walk by faith — not just talk about it, not just nod your head at it, but do it. We’ve been camped out in Romans chapter 4, watching Abraham — the father of our faith — and reverse-engineering exactly what he did to receive from God.

Here’s what I want to put in your hands today: hope is not a passive wish. It’s a positive expectation. And it’s one of the most powerful weapons in your arsenal.

So what does it actually mean to walk by faith?

Romans 4:17 gives us a key piece of the recipe. God spoke a word to Abraham: “I have made you a father of many nations.” Abraham had a promise. That’s what his hope was anchored to — not a feeling, not a wish, not even a deep desire. A promise.

Faith is empowered by hearing the Word of God. You already have faith. Jesus gave it to you. But without a promise, your faith has nothing to grip. Get the Word of God on what your problem is. That is the starting point.

Your homework right now: identify your three biggest problems and find three Scriptures for each one. Feed on those every day. Don’t just sit there and listen to me — do it. Your life is at stake.

Do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.— Hebrews 6:12 (NKJV)

Find somebody who received from God. Find out what they did. And go do what they did. We’re not guessing — we’re following the pattern.

Temporary solutions have a shelf life. Faith doesn’t.

If faith is not a part of how you’re dealing with your situation, you are only applying a temporary fix. At some point, it will hit its limit.

You’re using your intellect? It’ll hit its limit. Your finances? They’ll hit their limit. Physical strength? At some point, it runs out. But look at what God’s Word says:

...above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.— Ephesians 6:16 (NKJV)

All. Not some. Not most. Faith will deliver you in all things. It’s time to quit living life by temporary solutions. It’s time.

So what exactly is Biblical hope — and why does it matter?

Most people use the word “hope” to mean “wish.” As in, “I hope things get better.” That’s not Biblical hope. That’s wishful thinking.

Biblical hope is a positive expectation — an anticipation of good that is grounded in a specific promise God has spoken. Here’s where I get that from:

The hope of the righteous will be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.— Proverbs 10:28 (NKJV)

Did you see that? “Hope” and “expectation” are used interchangeably. And again in Proverbs 11:7 — “When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, and the hope of the unjust perishes.” Same swap. That’s not an accident. That’s the Holy Spirit making a point.

So when Romans 4:18 says that Abraham “contrary to hope, in hope believed” — it means he had no natural reason to expect a child. None. But he believed anyway, because he had a promise. Not a wish. A promise.

Worry is just faith pointed in the wrong direction.

Here’s something that may hit close to home. Worry is an expectation too — just a negative one. You’re expecting bad. You’re anticipating failure.

I know what that feels like. There was a season in my life where every time the phone rang, I dreaded picking it up. I was expecting bad news before I even answered. That is still faith — it’s just misdirected.

You have to be honest about what you’re expecting and make a choice to change it. Get into the Word. Let God’s promise replace your dread. Let His truth become your new expectation.

And if you’ve been expecting calamity more than you’ve been expecting the goodness of God — that’s okay. But it’s time to change that. You have a promise. Use it.

God is not going to quit taking your call — but you might be avoiding it.

If you only come to God in times of trouble, you’re going to have trouble releasing your faith in times of trouble. Why? Because part of you already knows you’ve been Missing in Action (MIA).

Think about it in human terms. If you only call a friend when you need something — there’s a part of you that feels that weight when you pick up the phone. That self-condemnation shows up right when you need faith the most.

God is not going to quit taking your call. He never does. But there’s a part of you that disconnects when you’ve been walking away from intimacy with Him. Building a daily relationship with God is not optional. It is the foundation everything else is built on.

Mistakes don’t disqualify you. Jesus is bigger than every one of them.

I was in France leading a ministers’ conference, teaching from Luke chapter 4. But I accidentally told my translator we were going to be in Mark 4. So he read Mark to everyone — and I didn’t know it because I don’t speak French.

I taught the entire service from Luke. People were confused. I found out at the end. On national television, I mess up. I’m still in the ministry.

Why am I telling you this? Because you’re afraid to step out because you might make a mistake — and I’m telling you, no “might” about it. You will. But Jesus is bigger than your mistakes. Stop disqualifying yourself. Allow the love and the power of God to be your qualifier.

Quit making excuses. Get on with the plan of God for your life.

It’s time to hope anyway — even when you have no reason to.

Maybe you’ve got a situation in your life that feels impossible. A body that looks dead. Finances that look dead. A relationship that looks dead. And you’ve been sitting in that so long that even hearing someone say “believe God” makes you want to roll your eyes.

God can give life to dead situations. He specializes in it. He’s already spoken a Word over your circumstances. The question is whether you’re going to get that Word down on the inside of you and start building your hope on it.

Hope contrary to hope. Believe anyway. Be expectant. You have a promise.

Start today. Identify your three biggest problems. Find three Scriptures for each one. Feed on them every day and let hope — real, Word-based, positive expectation — rise up on the inside of you.

Your promise is waiting. Grab a hold of it.

Fight To Win. Start today.