Our hope level determines our influence level. People who have the most hope have the most influence. We are empowered by God to be the hopeful ones, the influencers, and this is our hour! Certainly, there are challenges happening in our world right now. There is political unrest, economic challenges, the culture, wars, oppression, and more. “ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). People of faith do not get their beliefs from what they see but from what God has said. What we believe is ultimately more important than what we do. The Old Testament was moved forward by good behavior, but the New Covenant is moved forward by good beliefs. Yes, behavior is important, but even to upgrade our behavior, we have to first upgrade our beliefs. 

Romans 12:2 doesn’t say, “Be transformed by trying harder”. It says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” If we want to see change in us and around us, we need to primarily focus on what we believe. We are to know specifically what to believe. There are many important things to believe in this hour, but here are five beliefs that are especially needed now: 

1) This is our time to arise and shine (Isaiah 60:1-2) - “Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.” It is our time! This verse tells us the backdrop of the ariser is thick darkness that covers the earth, but when we decide to arise, the Lord arises upon us! He is the one whose grace causes us to shine and be glorious in the world.

2) We each have a significant purpose (Romans 12:6) - “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them”. We are all important and have a significant purpose in the Kingdom. One of the most important things we can tell people is this: “God loves you and has a wonderful plan and purpose for your life.” We are not called to do what other people are called to do or to look like how other people look. I believe the Lord is releasing grace on you to understand your assignment and purpose like never before. 

3) All Things Are Working Together for Good (Romans 8:28) - This is one of the most powerful promises in the whole Bible. ALL things work together for good for those (I believe you’re part of “those”) who love God and are called according to His purpose. When we commit ourselves to His purpose and to love God, we accelerate everything to work together for good. God is such a master at turning bad things for our good that some people have even created theologies that He sends the bad things in the first place. The devil hates Romans 8:28. In fact, a good biography title for the devil is “It Backfired Again”. Just when the enemy thinks it worked against us, we become stronger than ever as God turns things for our good.

4) There is Always a Solution (1 Corinthians 10:13) - There is truly a solution for every situation we face (our families, our nation, finances, physical challenges, etc).. People of hope see solutions that others cannot see. If the brain doesn’t believe there is a solution, it won’t look for one. Once we get hope (the belief that the future will be better than the present and we have the power to help make it so), we start seeing solutions where we never saw them.. God’s solutions often defy logic and are supernatural! His solution to feed 5,000 was a little fish and bread. His solution against Goliath was a teenage shepherd. His solution for the children of Israel being in bondage to Egypt was an eighty-year old “failure” in the desert who became a leader through one encounter to deliver His people. We see over and over in Scripture that there is always a solution. The belief that there is no solution is usually a bigger problem than the problem. 

5) We Will Thrive No Matter What Happens (Philippians 4:11-3) - This is a vital belief. People with hope have a lot of options! When we attach hope to our faith, we become a part of the solution!

This is our time to shine! These 5 key beliefs are catalytic in our lives. Which one of these beliefs stands out to you the most? Ask Holy Spirit to breathe life on this belief and declare it over your life and circumstances. You will never be the same.