09/22/2026
Part four (of four) piece on hope, shared each Tuesday.
Previously...
One of the greatest acts of spiritual warfare is training your mind to hold onto hope. The enemy will try to steal your hope because he knows it’s one of the ways he can take away your strength. At a biological level, hope is associated with greater resilience and the ability to keep moving forward. “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” Psalm 31:24
Both neuroscience and Scripture show us that hope strengthens our minds. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12 Hope activates the prefrontal cortex: the part of the brain involved in focus, decisions, and planning. When you are filled with hope, you feel like you can continue the race. Part of this is because hope supports dopamine pathways connected to motivation and perseverance. The Lord’s design is perfect.
On the other hand, when fear enters the scene and hope is lost…our minds becomes vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. That’s why Scripture says: “We have this hope as an anchor for soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19 When I face discouragement, I remind myself that the same God who restored Job after devastating loss and raised Joseph from the pit to the palace is still the God I serve today. Hope gives the mind strength to endure and it helps us tap into God’s supernatural grace. “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” Isaiah 40:31