Fresh Hope

This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. I hope you will as well. As I spent precious time with Jesus this morning, He spoke in to my spirit the following message. Please allow me to share some SOAP from the Word of God as we allow the "washing of water by the Word" (Ephesians 5:26)…

Scripture:

Acts 20:1-3 With things back to normal, Paul called the disciples together and encouraged them to keep up the good work in Ephesus. Then, saying his good-byes, he left for Macedonia. (2) Traveling through the country, passing from one gathering to another, he gave constant encouragement, lifting their spirits and charging them with fresh hope. Then he came to Greece (3) and stayed on for three months. Just as he was about to sail for Syria, the Jews cooked up a plot against him. So he went the other way, by land back through Macedonia, and gave them the slip.

Observation:

Acts 20:1-16 maintains the chronology of Paul's third missionary journey. This was also a very important and productive time in his ministry. Checking corollary references in the epistles, we discover that some of his most refined theological dissertations which have blessed Christians through the ages were written during this period.Acts 20:1 sets the theme for this brief passage. It shows us the profound love Paul had for his newly won converts to Christ. He called the disciples to him before departing for Macedonia. The scene is a tender one, dramatizing the love they shared together in the bond of Christ.

The rest of this section is so much more than a travelogue. The same love Paul felt for his new friends in Ephesus pressed him on to strengthen believers in churches he had started. His route took him to Macedonia. There he wrote Second Corinthians (2 Corinthians 8:1; 2 Corinthians 9:2-4). The energetic mind of the apostle was focused on the needs of new Christians who needed encouragement, affirmation, and loving correction. Amazing-while visiting the Macedonian churches of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, his concern pressed on ahead to Corinth. When he arrived there, he encouraged the church and found time to write the Epistle to the Romans, his most comprehensive statement of the gospel. How blessed we are that he was given the vision to go to Rome and that his letter to the Christians there has been preserved as part of sacred Scripture.

Application:

As I think about the pressure that Paul was facing during the time of the text we are looking at today, I realize that I have never encountered anything near the stress and pressure that he had in his life at this time. He was constantly pursued by religious people. They not only wanted to destroy him, but they truly wanted to kill him. They tried to discredit him as an Apostle, and would go to any means to accomplish that feat. However...encouragement was a way of life for him. In spite of the personal problems he faced, he continued to be used of God to encourage. Notice verse two. Paul is coming away from a time of persecution and threats, yet he is the one who encouraged the disciples to keep up the good work. Then as he traveled, again facing constant threats and persecution, he did the following three things:

Gave constant encouragement! Paul was the encourager. One of his purposes in life was to encourage as many as he could each day. I truly want to encourage someone today. How about you? Too often we are discouragers with our words, expressions, body language. I am making up my mind RIGHT NOW to encourage someone. Every day from now on, my morning prayer is going to include, "Lord, lay someone on my heart today that I can encourage through email, text, phone call, in person, or via letter." What a way to live.

Secondly, he lifted their spirits! The disciples felt better about themselves and their Christian walk after spending some time with Paul. That is what happens when you lift someone's spirits. I have been with people before that when they left my presence, I felt horrible, as if I needed spiritual bath. They were so negative about everything and everybody. Without realizing it, they dampened or lowered my spirit. I NEVER want anyone to feel that their spirits are lowered after spending time with me. I plan to ask God to use me every day to lift someone's spirits. I want them to feel better about their walk and life in Christ.

Finally, he charged them with fresh hope! Wow! After spending time with Paul, just like a battery can be recharged, they were recharged in the area of hope. Paul was used to get their hopes up. Those around him were probably discouraged and wondering if God had forgotten about them, but this anointed, godly man reminded them to get their hopes up, to put their hopes in the God of hope. I have been around people who drained any hope that I had as rapidly as a remote car's battery can be drained by constant use. They leave and I feel like finding a cliff to jump off of. Dear Lord, please help me to never, ever cause anyone's hope to be drained from them by my words, or actions. I want to understand hope like King David did:

Acts 2:25-26 David said it all: I saw God before me for all time. Nothing can shake me; he's right by my side. (26) I'm glad from the inside out, ecstatic; I've pitched my tent in the land of hope.

I make the choice TODAY to, give constant encouragement, lift the spirits, and charge with fresh hope anyone that I come in contact with today! Today, I pitch my tent in the land of hope!

Prayer:

"Lord, I thank you so much for this powerful Word that has spoken into my Spirit and challenged me. Too often I do just the opposite of what I read today. Instead of giving encouragement, I can discourage. Instead of lifting someone's spirits, I can dampen them. And instead of charging someone with fresh hope, I can drain their hope. This is not what I want, nor what you want. So TODAY, my prayer is that you will help me to understand that you are going to give me divine appointments with individuals that need to be encouraged, to have their spirits lifted, and to be infused with fresh hope. I make a commitment right now to walk in the Spirit and allow you to nudge me towards the right words to write or speak. Forgive me Lord for anything that I have done or said to discourage and allow me to be constantly aware, from this point on of how you want to use me even while I am in the midst of pain and suffering. This life is not about me, it is about you. I love you Lord Jesus, and thank you for what you are teaching me daily. In Jesus name! Amen."