The Igniting Hope Blog

Go Boldly to God’s Refrigerator By Steve Backlund If someone comes to our house to repair something, we don’t expect them to open the refrigerator, make a sandwich, and settle onto the couch to watch television. They probably wouldn’t consider doing that. They came to perform a service, and their expectations reflect that relationship. Our sons and daughters approach our home differently. When they are hungry, they open the refrigerator and help themselves to something to eat

We See Through What We Believe By Steve Backlund We don't simply see things as they are. We see things through what we believe. This helps explain why two people can look at the same person, problem, family, church, or future and come to completely different conclusions. Their eyes may be seeing the same facts, but their beliefs influence how they interpret those facts. Our beliefs become lenses through which we interpret life. They influence what we notice, what we focus on,

Is Hope Greater Than Character? By Steve Backlund Romans 5:3–4 gives us powerful insight into how we mature in the Lord. Paul describes what could almost be called a four-step process: “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces [perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Each one leads to the next, and what fascinates me is where the process ends. I would have expected character to be the final destination. A

The Word the Devil Left Out By Steve Backlund One of the greatest truths (if not the greatest truth) we can ever renew our minds with is this: I am unconditionally loved by God. The more deeply this truth becomes established in us; the more it changes how we interpret God, ourselves, other people, our circumstances, and our future. Romans 5:5 says, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Fig Trees and Dry Bones Don’t Have Ears By Steve Backlund Fig trees don’t have ears. Neither do dry bones. Dead people don’t hear very well either. Yet Scripture contains fascinating examples of words being spoken to things that seemingly could not hear. In Mark 11:12–14, Jesus spoke directly to a fig tree that had no fruit: “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” The next day, the disciples discovered the tree had withered. In Ezekiel 37, God brought Ezekiel into a valle

5 Signs We Are Striving, Not Trusting By Steve Backlund Striving can be difficult to recognize because it often looks like responsibility. We are praying, planning, working hard, trying to make good decisions, completing goals, and doing everything we know to do. Yet underneath all that activity can be an internal pressure that says, “I have to make this happen.” This is the root belief of striving. Working hard and striving are not the same thing. We can work incredibly ha

It Doesn’t Have to Make Sense Yet By Steve Backlund I love wisdom, good planning, getting counsel, and thinking things through. God is never foolish or irrational, but I have discovered something about walking with Him: His wisdom frequently goes beyond what makes sense to our natural minds. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” It doesn't say we shouldn't have understanding. It says we shouldn't lean on it. If eve

How Hope-Filled Does God Want Us? By Steve Backlund “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). “Don’t get your hopes up.” We have probably all heard that phrase. It usually comes from someone (frequently ourselves) trying to protect us from disappointment. “Don’t expect too much. Keep your expectations realistic.” For some of us, hope actually feels risky. We have hoped

What's God Doing Right Now? By Steve Backlund One of my favorite biblical descriptions of wise people is found in 1 Chronicles 12:32: "The sons of Issachar... had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do." I love that verse because it reveals something God is empowering us to do today. He is raising up believers who don't merely understand biblical truth, but they also understand the season they are living in. They recognize His activity, discern His timing

Higher Levels, Higher Devils? By Steve Backlund Years ago, I remember saying, "Every time I move forward in God, I get attacked by the devil." I wasn't trying to create a doctrine; I was simply describing what I believed was my experience. It seemed obvious that greater spiritual advancement meant greater spiritual attack. One day I felt the Lord interrupt my thinking. "Steve, why do you keep saying that every time you move forward in Me, you get attacked by the devil?" I ans

Believe and Manage By Steve Backlund One of the greatest areas where we are tempted to be frustrated in our Christian life is believing for something that hasn't happened yet. We have all experienced it. We are believing God for healing, but our bodies are still hurting. We are believing for a stronger marriage, but challenges remain. We are believing for financial breakthrough, yet we're still battling debt. We believe for emotional freedom while continuing to renew our mind

Decide and He Will Provide By Steve Backlund One temptation we all face is the desire to have complete certainty in details before we move forward. We want to know how everything is going to work out. We want confirmation that the resources will be there. We want assurance we won't fail. Yet God often works differently than we expect. This is a word for many of you today: Decide, and He will provide. While wisdom tells us to pray, seek counsel, and count the cost, faith event

It Is Already Happening (Part 2) By Steve Backlund Looking for Gold, Not Dirt Wendy and I were senior leaders in Central Nevada in the 1990s. We lived in a town that had a massive open-pit gold mine. Hundreds of tons of dirt were moved every day, but the workers were not fixated on dirt. Their focus was the gold hidden within it. As we observed this, we realized it was a powerful picture for leadership and relationships. We made a decision that we would become gold finders, n

It Is Already Happening (Part 1) By Steve Backlund What if God is already doing far more than we realize? In John 4:35, Jesus confronted a mindset that still affects many believers today: “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest.” The disciples were saying, “It’s not happening yet.” Jesus was saying, “It already is happening. You just are no

The Manna Ceased By Steve Backlund “Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land…” (Joshua 5:12). What a fascinating and emotional verse. For forty years, the Israelites experienced miraculous daily provision. Every morning manna appeared on the ground. It was dependable, supernatural, and familiar. An entire generation had built their lives around it. Then suddenly it stopped. At first glance, that sounds disappointing. Why would God remove

Declarations: The Science Behind It By Steve Backlund Declarations are one of the most practical ways we renew our minds and experience transformation (Romans 12:2). It is speaking life (Proverbs 18:21) and “calling those things that do not exist as though they did" (Romans 4:17). I have written books about it, taught it extensively, and experienced the benefits of it. What we believe greatly impacts what we feel and will experience. And what we say is a main contributor to

Fasting More or Feasting More? By Steve Backlund Fasting is biblical and important. Jesus fasted, and the early church fasted. Fasting helps us detach from unhealthy appetites and increase focus on the Lord. However, I believe many people lack victory not because they fast too little, but because they are not feasting enough. Too often we are: underfed on hope, underfed on testimonies, underfed on identity, underfed on the goodness of God, underfed on worship, underfed on Scr

Testimonies — The 4th Source of Healthy & Fruitful Mind Renewal By Steve Backlund One of the great secrets to healthy and fruitful mind renewal is learning how to feed on testimonies. Most believers understand the importance of renewing the mind, but many underestimate the power of testimonies in that process. Testimonies are not just encouraging stories, spiritual entertainment, or simply reports of what God once did. Testimonies are one of God’s key tools for helping us th

What True Revelation Produces By Steve Backlund What comes to mind when you hear the word revelation? For many, it means: something deep something new something we’ve never heard before a fresh insight that feels profound And while those things can be part of it, I’ve been rethinking how we define revelation. There is a tendency to measure revelation by how impressive it sounds or how different it is from what we’ve heard before. But in Scripture, revelation is not validated

Increasing the Likelihood By Steve Backlund “This is going to be the best day of my life yet!” I frequently say that after I wake up. It does not guarantee it to happen, but the moment I say it, the likelihood of it happening increases. It is a great belief. I do focus much on beliefs—and rightly so—because what we believe is ultimately more important than what we do, but today if we truly believe, our beliefs will propel us into action. Hope-filled people do not just believ