by Joan Vetter

During a recent Aglow retreat the most common "ailment" ministered to was hopelessness. The evidence that God had made heart changes showed on the faces of the women as they left after that weekend. There were smiles, hugs, lightheartedness in large quantities as women said their goodbyes. 

In Proverbs 13:12 we are told that hope deferred makes the heart sick. At times we are up against a genuine setback where we find ourselves sick at heart; however the Holy Spirit will make a path through that wilderness as we learn to trust God.
Regardless of the situation, the enemy loves to whisper that it will never change. If we agree with him, we empower him. If we agree with the promises of God, we empower the Holy Spirit to hover over the chaos of our lives and bring beauty out of despair.

Our church life group is studying the book, The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind. Last Wednesday evening we discussed the author's opinion that the gates of hell are set up in people's minds - that our minds are the gatekeepers of the Kingdom of God. I've been thinking of examples of this since that study. Suddenly the scripture in Matthew 16:15-17 came alive to me, where Jesus asked His disciples who they say that He is. When Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God", Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven." He then told him that upon this rock (of revelation from Heaven) He will build His church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Therefore there was a living connection between revelation (which comes through our minds by the Spirit) and the gates of hell. 

In 2 Corinthians 10:5 we are told to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. When a thought comes that our marriage relationship will never change, our kids will never get off drugs, or our illness will get progressively worse, do we come into agreement with that thought? (Wherever two agree as touching anything it will be done for them). Or do we move to the offensive and believe that our God is a supernatural God and nothing is impossible with Him?

Today I took my granddaughter to the library. As she was busy on their children's computer, I picked up a book - Finding Hope: Cultivating God's gift of a Hopeful Spirit, by Marcia Ford. I love what she said:. "Hope signifies God's Covenant with us, the rainbow of promise that appears at just the right moment, when we look around and see nothing but devastation. Hope pushes back the waters that threaten to engulf us, as God's hands held back the waters of the Red Sea to give the children of Israel safe passage. Hope is God's healing touch, life-giving strength, resurrecting power. Hope revitalizes, refreshes, and rejuvenates us in body, mind, and spirit."

Graham Cooke, who will speak at Aglow's next National Conference in Washington D.C., spent some time in the International Aglow office in Edmonds, Washington. He shared that God is shaking us out of where we have been into where He wants us to be. He said it this way: "Most people don't need to be talked out of something, but talked into something. When God presents something beautiful, we let go of whatever we must in order to grab the beautiful. Your job in Aglow is to give beauty for ashes. People will climb out of the ash pit to acquire beauty in their lives. Most women are gripped by a poverty spirit, which means they live with meager possibilities. That is so NOT who you are! You must learn to think as God thinks and live a resurrected, ascended life style. The measure of God is about abundance and fullness. What do we have to un-learn in order to live brilliantly and with passion?"

I heard of a minister who effectively preached with power by a simple question. The Holy Spirit revealed to him that many people there were heavily burdened with grief for a prodigal in their family. So he simply asked this question: "How many of you sitting here were prodigals at one time?" Almost everyone stood up. Mission accomplished - he needed to say no more! Hope sprang forth in people's hearts.

Let's envision the scripture in Hebrews 6: 19. We're encouraged to lay hold of the hope set before us, and then told that it is an anchor of the soul. I like that as I picture a boat in the middle of a tumultuous sea. The anchor keeps it steady. That's how our souls stay - steady - regardless of the turmoil around us! The Message Bible states it this way: "We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up His permanent post as high priest for us."

So…grab hold….never let go. Let hope be that eternal flame in your heart that never goes out.