By Pastor Shana Wise
Romans 5:1-5, Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Believers of Jesus Christ can expect their faith to be tested. There will be times when the strongest believer will sometimes feel hopeless and want to give up. Sometimes, the spiritual warfare will become so intense that you will become tired of fighting. There were times when Moses led the children of Israel that he complained to God because he was weary from the task of leading the people and God responded by giving him 40 leaders to lead.
Have you ever been frustrated and cried out to God, and He gave you the answer you needed?
Yet what about the times in your life when you have been praying and crying out to God, but it doesn’t seem like he is answering you? What do you do?
There have been times when I have become so frustrated and weary that I felt like I was losing hope. Some of the emotions that I have gone through are feeling like a failure, angry, sad, and tearful. I have learned that in my most trying times, I must hope against Hope.
For me, this looks like believing from a place within my being, when my flesh is having a hard time coming into agreement with the Spirit.
Romans 7:23-24, But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
2 Corinthians 10:4-5, For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
When our flesh is at war with our spirit being it is imperative that we hope against Hope. Satan wants to turn the believer away from God. He personally attacks us in our emotions, through the people closest to us, and in any other way that he can. He is not concerned with the unbelievers, because he is already having his way with them, he wants the children of God to turn away.
We are not only in the fight of our lives, but we are contending for the ones connected to us who haven’t responded to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Satan wants to keep us so distracted (to the point of losing hope) that we start praying and interceding less, stop sharing the Good News of Christ, and interrupt our relationship with God.
When we hope against Hope, we fight with the little bit of strength we have left in our being. When we want to give up, we don’t. When we want to stop talking and praying to God, we realize that we can’t. When we want to walk away, we stay. When we want to stop dreaming, we behold Christ! When stop believing in ourselves, we believe in the latter.
When we make it “on the other side of through”, we will look back and see that the testing of our faith was necessary. We will never realize how strong Christ is in us without going through the fire. We will always come out “better” than before we were tested because we gain a testimony of how we overcame with Christ.
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About the Author
Dr. Shana Wise is an ordained Pastor and CEO of Wise Choice Ministries (est. 2016). She is the founder of The Well Christian Women’s Network formally known as Christian Women Preachers United. Dr. Wise is the author of women’s devotionals Acts of Intercession and Chief Women Arise, The Impact of Your Election, and Basic Ministry Training Manual (all available on Amazon). She received a Doctor of Divinity degree in 2019 from St. Thomas Christian University. Her passion is to teach and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, equip others to apply the Word to their lives, and demonstrate the Word through the power of the Holy Spirit. She is a televangelist that appears on social media outlets. Shana is married to Deacon Ron Wise and is the mother of four children.
For speaking engagements email: wisechoiceministries512@gmail.com.
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Acts of Intercession
The Impact of Your Election
Basic Ministry Training Manual
Chief Women Arise
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