Finding Your Hope in “Hopeless” Times

Babylon Falling-Grace Rising #15

Are you feeling hopeless in the face of overwhelming circumstances? Is despair setting up camp in your heart? Are you tempted to resign yourself to things you know aren’t right but don’t seem to change? Are you talking and thinking negativity about any or all the above? Hopelessness, despair, passive resignation, and negativity are Babylon’s currency, not Heaven’s.

The spiritual kingdom of Babylon wants his subjects in perpetual pursuit of more, more, more of this world while inwardly living in despair and hopelessness. I love the way William Makepeace Thackery expresses the values of Babylon which he calls “Vanity Fair” in his book of the same title. “This is Vanity Fair. A world where everyone is striving for what is not worth having.”

Babylon and its blind captives are celebrating the amount of election fraud pulled off in our American midterm elections yesterday, November 8. In my state, people are authentically celebrating the passage of a proposal which cancels out our state constitutional laws prohibiting abortion and will now allow the unlimited murder of unborn children, even after their birth. Only Babylon could celebrate such a thing.

All the righteous should rejoice at the number of corrupt politicians who were unseated yesterday even if it didn’t happen in your state. There are several states, like mine, where the opposite occurred due to fraudulent and unconstitutional election shenanigans, well documented by witnesses in 2020 and again now in 2022. On November 9, I could sense the collective groans and despair of many in my state and my instincts were proven out by social media posts.

My state is currently controlled by Babylon worshippers. (My governor literally worships the goddess Isis and threw a banquet in her honor several years ago.)  Throughout the day on social media posts, many believers from other states also rampant with election fraud, weighed in with anger, disappointment, and hopelessness. And for many of us this disappointment comes on top of difficult situations in which we were already struggling to hold onto faith and hope. Things like life-threatening disease, chronic illness, financial problems, wayward children and spouses, church conflicts, abusive work and home environments, loneliness, and depression.

This is how Satan wears us down and gets us to doubt the goodness of God. He piles one hard thing on top of another, hoping we will give in and give up.

He pushes us to ask the wrong question. Why?

He tempts us to say things like, “My prayers didn’t seem to make a difference,” or “It just hurts too much to hope.”

Satan hisses words in our ears that make us want to back down from a fight instead of getting up in his face with praise and prayer.

That’s why God placed testimonies in the Bible about persevering saints prevailing in the worst of circumstances.

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Discouragement was dogging my footsteps too on November 9 until God started reminding me of some of those great moments when light conquered darkness, when the enemy was routed, and God’s people stood victorious. I want to remind you of some of them so you can gain fresh wind for your battles.

We serve the same God as Abraham, Moses, Noah, Joshua, Gideon, and many others who triumphed in impossible circumstances.

He performed miracles for them and will perform miracles for us.

He confused and confounded their enemies and will do the same for ours.

He healed then. He heals now.

He delivered then. He delivers now.

He seated and unseated authorities then and he is doing it now.

He provided then. He provides now.

So, let’s encourage one another with the following Scriptures and remember that God is still writing our stories. It’s in the dark and treacherous chapters where we need to hang on and move forward in faith, no matter what. The only guarantee any of these people had for a good outcome was God’s character and promises. The same is true for us.

Noah

Think of the worst peer pressure you’ve ever endured and multiply that by ten thousand. That’s how much pressure Noah was under from the mocking sinful world around him as he built that ark for years. He endured and entered an entire new era of beauty and opportunity. I don’t want to miss the new era that God is unfolding right now via the Great Awakening, do you?

Read Hebrews 11:7.

Israelites at the Red Sea

Joseph

When Joseph was in an Egyptian prison, owning nothing except the clothes on his back, do you think he imagined he’d become the second most powerful man in Egypt, overseeing all the country’s resources and fortunes? Doubtful. Yet, he remained faithful and positive, helping other people even when he couldn’t help himself. God rewards the faithful heart that remains free of self-pity.

Read Genesis 41:38-40.

King Jehoshaphat

This is my favorite story about God becoming a champion for the righteous underdog. Three armies joined forces and began to advance on Judah and Jerusalem. A superior force thought they’d conquer God’s people. Now, sometimes God allowed Israel to be conquered due to disobedience, but King Jehoshaphat was a godly king who immediately called the people to fasting and prayer. Even though he felt fear, he did the right thing. God spoke through a prophet and told the people they wouldn’t even have to go into combat with this army. Sometimes I think I get ahead of the Lord assuming I should fight one way when he has a different plan in mind. He wants you and me to be victorious over the wicked, but we must listen to him carefully and follow his instructions.

2 Chronicles 20:15-24   He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷ But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!¹⁸ Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the Lord. ¹⁹ Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.

²⁰ Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”

²¹ After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:

“Give thanks to the Lord;
    his faithful love endures forever!”

²² At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. ²³ The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they began attacking each other. ²⁴ So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.

When we are despondent, discouraged, in despair and feeling hopeless, that is the time when we must speak what is true about God and his ways, and praise him, regardless of what our feelings are trying to tell us to do. If we speak and think in Babylon’s currency, we can expect hellish results. When we fill our minds, hearts and homes with scripture, praise, worship, and prayer, instead of anger, fear, self-pity, and apathy, we can expect God’s heart to be moved and to demonstrate that by moving his hand over our tough circumstances.

The Bible tells us repeatedly through stories and direct teaching that breakthroughs and miracles come to those who faithfully trust and obey God. No. Matter. What.