We Overflow with Hope of God by the Power of the Holy Spirit

February 25, 2013 - Romans 15:13-19

15:13		但 願 使 人 有 盼 望 的 　 神 、 因 信 、 將 諸 般 的 喜 樂 平 安 、 充 滿 你 們 的 心 、 使 你 們 藉 著 聖 靈 的 能 力 、 大 有 盼 望 。
15:14		弟 兄 們 、 我 自 己 也 深 信 你 們 是 滿 有 良 善 、 充 足 了 諸 般 的 知 識 、 也 能 彼 此 勸 戒 。
15:15		但 我 稍 微 放 膽 寫 信 給 你 們 、 是 要 提 醒 你 們 的 記 性 、 特 因 　 神 所 給 我 的 恩 典 、
15:16		使 我 為 外 邦 人 作 基 督 耶 穌 的 僕 役 、 作 　 神 福 音 的 祭 司 、 叫 所 獻 上 的 外 邦 人 、 因 著 聖 靈 、 成 為 聖 潔 、 可 蒙 悅 納 。
15:17		所 以 論 到 　 神 的 事 我 在 基 督 耶 穌 裡 有 可 誇 的 。
15:18		除 了 基 督 藉 我 作 的 那 些 事 、 我 甚 麼 都 不 敢 提 ． 只 提 他 藉 我 言 語 作 為 、 用 神 蹟 奇 事 的 能 力 、 並 聖 靈 的 能 力 、 使 外 邦 人 順 服 ．
15:19		甚 至 我 從 耶 路 撒 冷 、 直 轉 到 以 利 哩 古 、 到 處 傳 了 基 督 的 福 音 。

¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

    ¹⁴ I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. ¹⁵ Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me ¹⁶ to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

   ¹⁷ Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. ¹⁸ I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— ¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

Paul praises God for He is the God of Hope so that believers may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Spirit gives us hope that is from God and Spirit also sanctified believers that they become a pleasing offering to God. Spirit also authenticated Paul's ministry - his works and speech - by the power of signs and wonders through the power of the Spirit of God. 

Dear Holy Spirit, your church and people need the hope of God by your power in serving God in this hostile world. May You speak to me that I experience vividly everyday that I truly know that my God is the God of Hope who can always energizes me to live out His purpose in my life in the midst of challenges and oppositions from the world and Satan. My Holy Spirit, continue your sanctification work in my life since my conversion. I desire not to be a mediocre Christian but live out a sanctified life that is worthy of Jesus' calling in my life. My Holy Spirit, may all your work in your church and my family be done through my obedience and faith in Your Power of signs and wonders that people's lives can be completely transformed. May God's glory be exalted through me by the Spirit. Amen!