The Igniting Hope Blog

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

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

Trying To Stop Something? Replace It Instead By Steve Backlund Many of us are trying to stop negative behaviors. We focus on what we don’t want to do anymore: “I need to stop this… I shouldn’t be doing that… Why do I keep struggling with this?” But here’s a powerful truth: The best way to stop a negative behavior is not just to remove it—it is to replace it. When we focus too much on what we’re trying to stop, we often give it more attention than it deserves. But when we focu

Identity-Based Bible Reading By Steve Backlund One of the biggest reasons people struggle to obey the Bible is this: we cannot consistently do what we do not believe we are. If we do not believe we are loved, forgiven, righteous, empowered, and in Christ, then many of the commands in Scripture will feel like pressure instead of invitation. They will feel like demands instead of pathways into freedom. This is one reason many sincere Christians feel tired when they read the Bib

Being a Prophetic Person By Steve Backlund I used to think prophetic ministry was only about giving a prophetic word to a person, but I have come to realize the greater invitation is to become a prophetic person—someone who consistently sees and speaks through Heaven’s perspective. Many believers experience moments where they feel inspired to encourage someone or share something they sense from God. Those moments are wonderful, but prophetic living goes deeper than occasional

I Am So Glad I Needed to Persevere By Steve Backlund This is a continuation of my last blog, “I Am So Glad It Was Hard”. One of the most freeing truths I’ve learned is this: What we overcome (what we persevere in) becomes an area we carry spiritual authority and increased influence in to bring breakthrough and freedom to others. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the

I Am So Glad It Was Hard By Steve Backlund I was talking with Wendy recently as we reflected on high-profile Christian leaders who were in the news because of personal failures that have caused great pain in the Body of Christ. Some were people who rose quickly in influence and whose character hadn’t caught up with their calling. In the middle of that conversation, something came out of my mouth that surprised me with its clarity: “I am so glad it was hard for us.” I’m gratef

I Did Not Expect That to Happen By Steve Backlund There are moments in life (both personally and in society) when we find ourselves saying, “I did not expect that to happen.” It could be a diagnosis that comes out of nowhere, a relationship shifts suddenly, a leader falls, a war breaks out, an election that surprises us, or an economy shakes. Unexpected events have a way of exposing what we truly believe about God, ourselves, and the future. The unexpected is not a sign that

The Power of Repetition By Steve Backlund “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe” (Philippians 3:1). 7.4 - I read once that this is the average number of times individuals heard the gospel before surrendering and believing in Jesus. I cannot verify that this is entirely accurate, but it is clear most heard many times before believing. This is not only true for salvation but also for other truth

The Two Most Important Words? By Steve Backlund Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Igniting Hope. We are so thankful for you. Here is a special word for you to encourage you today. This message will replace our normal Monday blog email. “The weapons we fight with . . . have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every high thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor

Stir It Up By Steve Backlund “Therefore, I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:6-7). The Greek word translated “stir up” denotes the kindling of a fire, as by bellows (a device that provides a strong blast of air). We learn from these verses: Just as a fire can go out due to inattention, our spiritual gifts