Prisoners of Hope
When Israel entered into the Land of Promise, they had hope that everything that God had promised would come to pass. All of the events that led them to that moment developed within them a confidence that God could do anything. They walked around the walls of Jericho knowing that God was going to give them victory. When they made that shout of victory, those walls came crashing down. When Caleb told Joshua, “Give me this mountain,” he knew that if God was with him, anything was possible. Hope gives us confidence that whatever we face, God is more than able to carry us through. From the moment the sacrifice was made in Egypt and the blood was sprinkled on the doorpost of their homes, God’s people knew that the covenant covered them. After they reached Mount Sinai and God made a new covenant with His people and sealed it with the blood of the sacrifice, they knew that He had not only brought them out of their past but was going to safely keep them and provide.
Zechariah 9:11 AMP As for you also, because of and for the sake of the covenant of the Lord with His people, which was sealed with sprinkled covenant blood, I have released and sent forth your imprisoned people out of the waterless pit.
Zechariah 9:12 AMP Return to the stronghold of security and prosperity, you prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that I will restore double your former prosperity to you.
There is a place of security and prosperity for those who have a strong hope in what Jesus Christ has accomplished through His sacrifice and covenant. The blood of Jesus Christ is powerful to accomplish what God has covenanted to do for you.
You need to remember what God has done for you.
When Israel went into the Promised Land, there were many giants, walled cities, and enemies. They had to take possession of the things God provided.
God had made a covenant with Abraham that he would give his descendants the land of the Kenites, Kenezzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites, (Genesis 15:18-21).
Everything they experienced in the wilderness prepared them to go in and possess the land.
God had promised that every place the sole of their feet would tread upon would be theirs, (Joshua 1:3). He said no enemy would be able to stand against them all the days of their life. God said, “Be strong and of good courage and do not turn from the promise to the right hand or the left.”
It is good for you to remember the things that the Lord has brought you through.
Some of you have some very recent victories that the Lord has given. Some of you may have trouble remembering the last time that God did something mighty or powerful in your life. When we forget how the LORD has brought us through, we are in danger of losing the next battle. Keep reminding yourself of the day that the LORD saved your soul. Keep rejoicing in the times that He helped you conquer those great battles that you won. Keep on praising the LORD for the time that He healed your body or saved you from disaster. Remember the small things that God has done for you. He says, “Return to the stronghold…” We need to return to the places of strength and victory in the LORD.
That is the place where God has provided a stronghold of security and prosperity.
There is a physical and spiritual stronghold for those who are captured by hope. Hope testifies that God is able to fulfill all of His promises. We must maintain this testimony that God is more than able to handle whatever life’s circumstances bring against us. This stronghold represents not merely a location but a trust in God’s redemptive promises. There is a place of refuge that is accessible by maintaining confidence in God. When your heart and soul is filled with hope in God, you can expect God to come to your aid.
God said to the prisoners of hope: “Today do I declare that I will restore double your former prosperity to you.”
Why do we have hope?
In the last part of Zechariah 9, God said I have made you strong and I will defend and protect you. Through Christ’s blood and victory, God has covered you, claimed you, and made you precious in His sight. For the sake of His covenant, God promised that He would save you and cover you and sprinkle you and restore double.
Zechariah 9:16-17 On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of His people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on His land. For how great is their goodness, and beauty!
A day of deliverance, victory and change is coming. You should know that what you have been up against is not going to have the final word over your life. God has provided a stronghold of security and prosperity for the prisoners of hope.
Put your hope in God!
Regardless of the things you are facing, you have hope in God. You should know that He is greater than the giant or the walled city. He is greater than the war that you are in. He is greater than the enemy who is making a violent assault. You can hope in the LORD our God!
Zechariah 9:12 AMP Return to the stronghold of security and prosperity, you prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that I will restore double your former prosperity to you.
How can you continue to have hope?
Israel got into the Land of Promise and it was filled with enemies on the left and on the right. Some of the things they were up against were much greater in numbers and in weapons. There were cities that were strongholds of evil men. They were faced with giants, mountains and great valleys.
God says, “Return to the stronghold of your security and prosperity.”
Who is it that brought you to this place?
How have you made it through all of the years of your life when you faced weakness, testings and difficulties? God brought you across your Red Sea that was shut up when you were trapped by your enemy. God has kept you and provided for you throughout your life. He is the One Who supplied for your need when you did not know how you were going to make it. He is the One Who brought you out of the slavery to sin and death. He is the God on the Mountain Who spoke His word of power and life into you.
You can hope in the LORD your God.
Psalm 42:5 NIV84 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Psalm 130:5-7 NIV84 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
Isaiah 40:31 NIV84 Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
The New King James says: “Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength…”
The New Living Translation says: “Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength…”
The Amplified says: “Those who wait on the LORD [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power…”
When you return to the stronghold with hope in the LORD, your strength is going to come back to you. You are going to find His enabling power and presence that keeps you. He has given promise that no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises to accuse you will be silenced, (Isaiah 54:17).
Somebody needs the restoration that comes from the LORD.
God has a double share of joy to compensate your sorrow. He has a double share of blessings to overwhelm the deficit. He has a double portion of victory to restore your joy. This is why He says return to the stronghold.
One translation says, “You will stay in your strongholds…”
God really does not want you to become overwhelmed with the adversities and difficulties that come up against your soul. He wants you to live in the victory that Christ has gained. There is a place of a double share of joy for you.