How Do I Be Hopeful?
In Japan, we have some 30,000 people a year committing suicide. That is the same size as the student body of the University which I did my undergraduate studies. Can you imagine that? With those numbers, it is like a whole University student body killing themselves because they didn’t like the way things were going. Why would someone want to commit suicide and end it all? Well, the answer comes down to hope. The Word of God tells us about the hope of the Gospel, that is the good news!
Col 1:23
…if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, NASU
If we look at the
Col 1:23
But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, NLT
Jesus the Messiah said, you shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free. God’s Word is the truth. If you don’t know God’s truth you will never be set free. The teachings of Buddha or Mohamed can’t set you free. The book of Mormon can’t set you free. Building a house on a mountaintop or even meditating can’t set you free. Meditation on something other than the Word of God can’t set you free. Being the richest or the most powerful person in the world can’t set you free. Committing suicide can’t set you free. Only by knowing the truth can you be set truly free from the bounds of this world.
How do you get hope? By knowing God’s truth! People who decide to end their lives have lost all hope. If they would just step back and look at the situation from God’s perspective they would see that there is no reason to kill themselves through the sin of suicide. The Bible teaches that those who commit suicide will go to hell . They will be eternally separated from God’s love, His Light, His Goodness.
The devil wants to kill, steal, and destroy according to John 10:10. Suicide is the way the devil and his demons work to kill people. They don’t want people walking in God’s perfect plans for their lives. The demons want to discourage people, get people into a dirty lifestyle, make them sick. They want to do things that will distract people, put them into bondage, and eventually kill them. With the power of God, people become believers. Believers have so much authority to do awesome things, to do good things, to do GOD things. They can heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, can be totally unhampered by the world around them (Mark 16).
Are you locking in to God’s awesome plan for your life or are you allowing discouragement to set in? Are you listening to those demonic voices of doubt and unbelief? Well, here are some things you can do to set things right.
1) First you have to accept Jesus as your Messiah. Roman 10:8,9 says that if you believe in your heart and confess with you heart that Jesus the Messiah has risen from the dead and is your Lord, you are saved. Don’t delay. Pray it now, “ Father God, I thank you that you sent your Son to die on my behalf, for all my sins, sicknesses, and diseases. I accept the work that Jesus the Messiah did for me to make me righteous before. I proclaim that Jesus is my Messiah and Lord and roll all my cares, worries, and fears on Him.”
2) Next, speak against the enemy. “Demons, you have no right to attack me with your hopelessness, fear, and doubt. I bind you in the powerful name of Jesus whom I serve. I break your assignment on me, and refuse to listen to your words any further. Be gone in Jesus name.
3) Keep the faith. Once you have broken through with step one and step two above you are free. You have to keep your freedom. Only you can do it, but you have to stand for it. You may have to say, “I stand against suicidal thoughts in Jesus name. I told you to go and I will not allow you to sneak back into my life. You are gone in Jesus name!”
These confessions not just for those who have suicidal thoughts, it is for people battling hopelessness, emptiness, doubt, loneliness and any other darkness that tries to slide back into your life.
Homeless people are not really homeless. They are really hopeless. They lost their hope some where along the way. They lost their job, their husband (or wife) left them, the got into extreme debt. Things happen but you as a Victor in the Messiah have to encourage them just like God encourages us through the Word confessions above. With you and the powerful Word of God in your hand and in your mouth, nothing can stand against you. People around you will be encouraged to live their God-ordained lives in victory and fullness because of your love for them!
