Prisoner of hope!

During this time of quarantine, hope seems to be fading. Father God has a lot to say about hope. It appears 130 to 167 times in the New Testament, depending on the translation. In the Old Testament, Jeremiah 17:7 KJV says, Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord. And whose hope is the Lord! Proverbs 10:28 says the hope of the righteous will be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked will perish. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul in Romans 5:5 KJV now hope doesn’t disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. The Greek translation of the word hope, Elpis, means a confident expectation of good, which is most descriptive when it comes to hope in God and His word. 

To be a prisoner of hope is to receive God’s grace, what Jesus did at Calvary. God made Him, Jesus, who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corin. 5:21). God sees the believer as righteous, regardless of what he’s done or do why? Because of Jesus. His sinless blood has washed me clean forever. This washing is delicate to explain because it almost sounds like it’s permitting sin. In reality, man doesn’t need permission, but it’s not. It’s solidifying your position with God. The Bible says, for if by the one man’s offense, death reigned through the one (Adam), much more those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17). What Adam did can’t be more significant then Jesus finished works at the cross.

This prisoner of hope isn’t in bondage. This prisoner reigns in life through the One, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17); this is a prisoner of abundance to reign in life. It sounds like an oxymoron, a free prisoner! The apostle Paul elaborates on the benefits of being a prisoner of this gift of righteousness, having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness (Romans 6:18). You were once slaves of sin that lead to death, but now having been set free form sin and becoming slaves of God, you have the fruit of holiness and everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. (Romans 6:20-23) This revelation that I can’t sin my way out of righteousness was a relief, not because I wanted to commit some crime. But because it put my works mentality to bed knowing it is Jesus’ works at the cross, not mine! My salvation rests on the sure position of Jesus Christ.

It was not my actions, which I could be performing for the sake of others’ approval and not for the love of God. If I could save myself by perfect works, Jesus didn’t need to die. I couldn’t; I needed the ideal sacrifice. Without the shedding of blood is no remission (Heb. 9:22). For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand for all (Heb. 10:4,12). In the consciousness of knowing how Father God sees me. I can confidently say Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Looking to Jesus and reminding myself I am righteous in Christ Jesus. I don’t have to work or give to win a position I already have. The beauty of this liberty in God is He gave, and I still keep my free will. With all that Father God gives He’s never altered our ability to choose. What a good God!

Grace Mills