Zechariah 9:12~ Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare, that I will restore double to you.
The Holy Spirit has led me to this scripture many times, and only recently have I fully come to understand what a prisoner of hope is. Being a prisoner of anything doesn't sound very nice, but this kind of imprisonment is life saving!
First, I think we need to understand what hope is. It is the joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation. If we truly believe what God says, that he sent Jesus to die for us, then we need to have unfailing hope in that gift of salvation.
To be a prisoner of hope is what everyone of us should be! Never able to leave the firm belief that we are given salvation through Christ, and we will all be raised up and live in His Kingdom for eternity!
God would rightly be able to stop at salvation, for we do not deserve His mercy, but He goes beyond just offering salvation, He goes on to promise that all who come to Him as their stronghold, anything lost will be repaid DOUBLE in return!
Our God is so loving and so willing to give us all we need and desire, if we will just make up our minds that we will be happy in this life, no matter what comes our way, because God is with us, and He will not leave us fall.
My prayer for all who read this is that they know the hope that God gives His children, that He will bring them to His Kingdom at Christ's return to live with Him forever, and they will become prisoner of hope, going to God Almighty as their stronghold in times of heartache and loss, and that they will trust in God to repay them double for their hardships. In Jesus' Name, Amen!
