And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

~1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

My concept of biblical hope was a little muddled. I knew it was more than wishful thinking but couldn’t say why. Last year, I found a devotion on the spiritual force of hope, which opened my eyes to hope as a spiritual force. 

Living Hope

The spiritual force behind biblical hope comes from the cross of Jesus. 1 Peter 1:3 (NIV) says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 

Jesus, alive from the grave, is our living hope. If we are born-again believers, this hope now lives in us.

Faith, Hope, and Love Together

Faith, hope, and love are interconnected. Love, of course, is God’s nature. One of many reasons we know this comes from John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” 

The writer of Hebrews says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (11:1 NKJV). Other versions say confidence or assurance of what we hope for, but the word substance helped me because it’s solid. The Amplified Bible adds “title deed,” implying that faith brings about something tangible.

Our faith is applied to something we seek, and that something is what we hope for. Not wish for willy-nilly, but something we can expect from God because He loves us and promises it in His Word. 

God, in love for us, makes promises in His Word. Jesus fulfills God’s promises in us through His resurrection life. When we understand what our life in Christ provides, we can picture our hope (give it substance) and set our faith to work, bringing it about.

Relationship with God

Of course, we must personally trust the love of God for us and believe His promises to us in the Bible. Then, we must formulate a picture of the promise we hope for. Finally, we must walk in faith that we’ll receive it, not by sight or our current condition. 

All this comes from having a relationship with God. It helps to know His names. He’s our Father, Provider, and Healer. He’s a strong Fortress of protection. As the Son, He is our Savior, King, and Lord. He’s the One who justifies and washes us clean.  

I hope to bring others closer to Christ through my love of writing.

I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. 

~John 15:5 AMP

Another precious promise that my faith is making substance comes from Colossians. “[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience with joy” (1:11 AMP).

I also hope for a job for my son, a car we could buy with cash, and our country’s return to God.

Whatever need you have, ask God to see a promise in His Word. Let your faith make it substance through biblical hope. 

Thank you, God, for being a loving Father to me. Show me the power of hope at work through faith—in who You are and in Your Son, as promised to me in Your written Word. In Jesus name, amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2025: Hope as a Spiritual Force: Caroline Powers: All Rights Reserved