HOPE FOR POWER to THINK and ACT – {Living Godly }
HOPE verses;
“…seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” -{2 Peter 1:3-4}
FALSE HOPES ARE WHEN SELF IS THE FOCUS, FAILURE IS INEVITABLE, FRUSTRATINGLY SO;
These verses are not only for ourselves to ENLIGHTEN us into GOD’S Provision to bring about Godly change, and encourage us but also for someone who may say
“I can’t… ” or
“I have tried”…
” I don’t know how…”…
“I can’t change I’ve tried…”…
“I am tired trying, “…
“I keep failing, so what’s the point?”
All of these are a focus on self’s resources as the final authority- HUMAN RESOURCE – While in 2 Peter 1:3-4 you see that the RESOURCE – is “DIVINE POWER.” – to CHANGE…TO GROW IN GODLINESS.
So when someone says, ” I can’t…” you can on Divine Authority speak of His DIVINE POWER… and offer them HOPE FROM GOD!
“PUT OFF…PUT ON!”
I read some old notes this morning from Ephesians 4:22-24 where in the passage Paul says “PUT OFF…” certain sinful habits and then he tells the believers to “PUT ON…” certain Godly virtues.
Paul says, “…to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
Paul wouldn’t tell them to do something they were incapable of doing. But he can say so, knowing that the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now lives within them to teach, and empower them with the capacity to change! What wonderful verses of hope these are for all of us, struggling at times, believing and embracing the lie that perhaps in one area where we struggle that it is IMPOSSIBLE for us to change! So we recognize the lie and replace it with Truth. What God says and He says we can change. He has given us His Spirit to empower us to change so that we may please Him-{Read Phil 2:13}. He has also given us “precious and magnificent promises” to encourage and empower us to change.-{Read 2 Peter 1:4}, Not only is it possible for you to change, you have changed, are being changed and the encouraging word of hope is “… being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”-{Phil 1:6}. Note who began the work. God! Note also where He is working. “IN YOU!’ an note also that what He starts will complete, finish it! You and I may give up at times, but in no way, never does He give up on us! What love, grace, mercy, tenderness, and faithful He is!
It is the picture of “Put off…. Put on,” it is one of taking off a soiled garment and replacing it with a clean fresh one. As one writer points out you can not know what to “put off” or “put on” if you don’t know what God says…in between the two phrases is verse 23 – “ YOU be RENEWED in the spirit of your MIND “
Remember to practice God’s Word for yourself …to teach God’s Word.– {Ezra 7:10} – so that we do not presume to speak for God BUT ALLOW GOD to Speak for Himself – and these verses in 2 Peter 1:3-4 – offer us and other struggling believers HOPE FROM GOD- THE POWER TO CHANGE in GODLINESS- IT IS EXCITING!!!
The Holy Spirit can only recall to our minds the truth that He has enabled us to hide in our hearts… and by now you will experience it takes work! –
- Work against yourself, work against excuses and deadlines; work against humanistic “good things” as a means to please God. Work in order to know God’s mind and God’s ways! Work to discipline yourself to treasure His Word enough to hide it, KNOWING God will give you opportunities to use it for the benefit of others. Remember Ezra 7:10 says “For Ezra set his heart to study the Law of the Lord that he might practice it and to teach the statues and ordinances in Israel”-
- In Nehemiah 8- Ezra, the one who had studied the Law of the Lord that he might…teach… got his opportunity, and a nation was turned back to God. What did he share? GOD’S WORD… and GOD did the rest- Conviction of sin, Joy and Worshiping hearts for God
In helping yourself and others to KNOW as followers of the LORD Jesus they have the POWER to change, I use this outline below to help me remember the HOPE in this passage.
In sharing with someone who is struggling – God can use THESE verses which you Chose to memorize – to recall so you can offer someone God’s HOPE FOR POWER TO live Godly;
Below is a brief outline that helps me to remember the HOPE in these passages…
DIVINE HOPE {…” for everything pertaining to LIFE and GODLINESS through…”}-
- PERSON – “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness…”- {2 Peter 1:2}
- POWER– for “EVERYTHING pertaining life and Godliness”– Every thought, deed God has granted- Gifted- His DIVINE POWER TO live for the Believer- {Read v3}
- PROMISES– v 4- TO ENCOURAGE, EQUIP AND ENABLE YOU and the Believer you are discipleing…infusing them with God’s Provision His “Great and Magnificent Promises” to be implemented. “…and SO THAT BY THEM you may become PARTAKERS of the DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”-{Read v4}
THESE ARE VERSES OF…HOPE for people, ourselves included – who face situations where we “feel” we “can’t change” and when others believe falsely that it is their personality, upbringing, etc… here are verses of HOPE FOR GODLY CHANGE- AND BACKED BY GOD!
YOU CAN CHANGE…
Take 2 Peter 1:2-4 and seek to read, reread this week as you have opportnity, emphasizing each word, phrase, as you do, and the more you read it the more it will begin to stick in your mind and without trying you will memorize and the Holy Spirit can recall to your mind to encourage you that YOU CAN CHANGE as you apply His Word and be conformed to the image of Christ.-{Romans 8:29}. And the next time the lie says you can’t change, The Holy Spirit can remind you, yes you can becaue Godis working in you and will empower you through His Spirit and Word- His precious and magnificent promises to encourage you.
HELPING OTHERS CHANGE.
Also hiding these verses in order to help… OTHERS. For you are not the only one who has been lied to and struggles… be prepared to help others by hiding these verses in your heart. Do it for Jesus sake and their spiritual benefit that God be gloroified in their lives as they too are alligned nd being conformed to the image of Christ! “…ourselves your servants for Jesus sake!”-{2 Corinthians 4:5}
Keep Hiding His Word in your heart to practice it and to teach it…God will see you Honor Him!
The Biblical word used for “Hope” is “certainty”- There is no doubt in it, and so dear friend of the King, God’s Spirit is in you to empower you as you submit and comply with His Word, taking it for what it is God’s Word, and He has provided precious and magnificent promises such as “I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens me”{Phil 4:13}… including change. Yes, you can change because that is what He does, “God is at work IN YOU giving you the DESIRE and the POWER to do what pleases Him”-{Phil 2:13 nlt}.
Power to Change which is Divine. Promises to enable you to change. Comply and trust Him as you obey one step at a time. Think on Truth and apply it and watch Him transform you. You may go one step forward this week but it may be more than last week, keep going, and maybe next week you go four steps forward but fall back three steps, celebrate you are going forward and be conscious of your dependence upon Him who is working “IN YOU”… and the more you depend upon Him to do what pleases Him, new habits He will empower you to develop and you are being changed into the image of Christ in the particular are you had believed the lie that not even God could change you.
The Power to change comes through a Person- Our LORD Jesus Christ by His Spirit. He imparts Power to Change. And Precious and magnificent promises to be embraced and applied to bring about God Honoring change! 2 Peter 1:3-4 assures you that you have “everything ” needed for Godly living!
Be encouraged God is working “In You” to bring about God-honoring change and to Equip you to help others!
God Bless,
Aidan