As you share Christmas with friends and family, here are 10 ways to stir yourself up and be filled with the Hope of Christmas.
Imagine waking up on Christmas morning to the most beautiful gift under your tree. Wrapped in sparkly Christmas paper and tied with a gorgeous bow, it beckons to be opened. You glance at the tag, wondering the name of the blessed recipient. Whose name is on it? Yours! You eagerly open the gift, trying not to destroy the beautiful paper. Once you finally open the box, you find a book. As you open this special book, these words fill the pages: May you always be filled with the Hope of Christmas.
The Hope of Christmas is the most precious and beautiful gift ever given. What is the Hope of Christmas? In a Word—Jesus! The moment Jesus was born, the hope that had been lost when Adam betrayed God in the Garden of Eden entered the world once again. It is this powerful hope that caused the wise men to travel hundreds of miles to bring the newborn King gifts on the very first Christmas.
We have already received the greatest gift we could ever receive—Jesus, and the hope He brings fills the pages of God’s Word. You have everything you need to live a victorious life wrapped up in one Name—the Name of Jesus. This Christmas, it’s time to stir yourself up in Jesus—the Hope of Christmas. As you share Christmas with friends and family, here are 10 ways to be filled with the Hope of Christmas.
1. Believe and Be Filled This Christmas
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.” –Romans 15:13 KJV
Do you want to experience joy and peace this Christmas? The key is believing! When you believe God’s Word, God Himself, the God of Hope, will fill you with all joy and peace. But what happens when you stop believing—stop hoping? Well, the Bible says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12, NKJV), so we can’t afford to stop hoping or we risk losing our joy. Remember, the children of Israel didn’t have hope before Jesus entered the world. It had been centuries since they were promised a deliverer, and then, real Bible Hope was born. Don’t ever stop believing in hope—not the wishing or wanting kind of hope but real Bible Hope. Jesus is the Hope of Christmas, and He is the reason we celebrate.
2. Rest in Hope This Christmas
“No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope. You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.” –Acts 2:26, 28 NKJV
The only hope that any man has anywhere in the world is faith in Jesus Christ. That hope is something we can rest in, no matter what our circumstances are. Jesus offers His rest to all who are feeling burdened or under a heavy load. That means, if you’re in a mess today—it’s not your job to fix it. It’s your job to enter into His rest.
Taking rest is a choice—so choose to rest in Hope! Then, refuse to move out of your rest by what you feel or see around you. Rest in the integrity and strength of the words of Jesus when He said, “Come to me…and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Our Father never stops reaching out to deliver us—especially when things are going wrong—and He won’t stop this Christmas. So, take a deep breath, exhale and step into the supernatural rest of Hope Himself.
3. Refuse to Fear This Christmas
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” –2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV
This Christmas, we should be running over with hope because we have a Saviour, a Deliverer, a Healer and a Strong Tower! But out in the world, the panic button is being pushed everywhere you look, and a spirit of fear permeates people’s minds. They worry about what’s going to happen to them, their jobs, their businesses and their families. Many are wringing their hands in fear and wondering what they’re going to do about one situation or another.
If you find yourself pushing the panic button, here’s your answer: Have faith in God, and refuse to fear!
Fear gives the devil place, brings torment and keeps us from receiving all God has for us. Plus, it’s a bad witness to a hurting world. So, why would you let fear come to Christmas dinner? To pull the plug on fear, try reading Matthew 11:28 three to five times every hour of every day instead of reading the news or your social media feeds. Place your Bible next to your bed, and if you wake up in the night with any kind of fearful thoughts, read the promises of God, then roll over and go back to sleep. When you’re filled to the brim with the Word, you won’t have any room to fear!
Watch Gloria Copeland and Kellie Copeland talk more about taking authority over fear.
4. Live Life More Abundantly This Christmas
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” –John 10:10, NKJV
Christmas isn’t just about the birth of Christ—it’s about His purpose and His mission. He came to set the captives free and to give us life more abundantly. So, stop accepting sin, sickness and failure, and step into resurrection life! Once you understand you have the life of God inside you, you’ll begin to act like Jesus did. You’ll lay hands on the sick, cast out demons, and preach the gospel to everyone you can find! You’ll be just what God intended—the hands and feet of Jesus.
5. Know That Christ in You Is the Hope of Glory This Christmas
“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” –Colossians 1:27, NKJV
Just for a moment, stop the hustle and bustle and think about this: The glory of God has made you a new creation. That’s something to celebrate! The glory of God is in the Church, and His glory was put inside your spirit the moment you received Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. Did you know you can experience more of God’s glory—which is His manifested presence—this Christmas? Absolutely! To increase in God’s glory, study and apply God’s Word, and allow the Holy Spirit to bring you from glory to glory.
For 78 Scriptures to Call In the Glory of God, click here.
6. Expect Miracles This Christmas
“Behold, I make all things new.” –Revelation 21:5, KJV
Throughout His life, Jesus specialized in bringing people hope and destroying the works of the devil. He brought so much hope, multitudes of people thronged Him wherever He went. Why? Because when Jesus was on the scene, miracles happened, and lives were made new and changed. People who were hopelessly sick, blind, deaf or in debt began to hope that maybe if they had an encounter with Jesus, their lives would be different. Maybe they would be healed and set free, and they were.
You can expect the same miracles today. In fact, Jesus told us to expect them—and more (John 14:12). The supernatural power of God doesn’t go on pause during the Christmas season. Just because others are preoccupied with gifts, travel and family visits, doesn’t mean you have to wait for another date to address sickness, lack or strife. Be armed and ready with God’s Word this Christmas! Speak healing, speak financial abundance, speak family reconciliation—then EXPECT miracles this Christmas.
7. Rejoice in Victory This Christmas
“Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer.” –Romans 12:12, AMPC
Christmas is a time to celebrate victory! Satan couldn’t stop Jesus from coming to earth, walking in His ministry, and being resurrected to bring us life, and He can’t stop your victory! That’s why we live in hope, and that’s why we rejoice in victory this Christmas! So, when Satan comes to steal your victory and tell you that God is not going to help you this time, you just think on the Word of God and start rejoicing. Rejoice that you’re in Him. Rejoice that heaven is your home. Rejoice that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Rejoice. Be patient under pressure. Be constant in prayer. Then, the devil won’t be able to steal one thing from you!
8. Make Room for Jesus This Christmas
“My son, attend to my words.” –Proverbs 4:20, KJV
Somewhere in your long Christmas to-do list, have you made room for Jesus? God’s WORD can supply enough divine wisdom, power and life to conquer any challenge you might be facing. When you give His Word first place, you open your heart and your ears to hear the Holy Spirit leading and guiding you. When you spend quality time with God, He can relieve you of the burdens and life struggles you are carrying.
So, simplify your life this Christmas and make attending to God’s Word the No. 1 thing on your to-do list. It’s the only sure way to live BLESSED.
For more ideas on how to have a meaningful quiet time, click here.
9. Show Love This Christmas
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” –John 3:16, NKJV
God is Love. That’s why He sent us the greatest gift ever given—Jesus. When we receive the perfect love of God, we are able to give love to others. Loving those in the world isn’t always an easy task, but when we are overflowing with the love of God, we have the most important tool we need to carry out the second greatest commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39, NKJV). This Christmas, make a decision to show the love of God to others everywhere you go. When you’re shopping, smile at people, open doors for them, let them go ahead of you in line, give them the best parking place up front. Show the world the true meaning of the season—Love Himself.
10. Give a Reason for Your Hope This Christmas
“And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.”–1 Peter 3:15 NLT
Most of the world is without hope. They may put up a Christmas tree, decorate and buy gifts—but are they really filled with the Hope of Christmas? There is only one way to have true hope in this earth and that is through Jesus Christ. Don’t let an opportunity pass you by this Christmas to share the reason for your hope. It is the greatest gift you can ever give.
As you practice these 10 ways to be filled with the Hope of Christmas, remember that the true foundation of your hope is Jesus. As you live out this hope among your family and friends, you will be joyful and victorious, and a light in a dark world. And if you haven’t already opened up that beautiful, sparkly gift of Christmas Hope under your tree, do it now. Jesus is waiting for you to put your hope in Him. This precious gift, topped with a beautiful bow, has your name on it…all you have to do is receive it.
Merry Christmas, and may you always be filled with the Hope of Christmas!
As always, if you need agreement in prayer, please call our prayer ministers at 1-877-480-3388 or submit a prayer request. We’re here for you!