“Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you” (Zech. 9:12).
Prisoners of hope is an expression used to describe those who have waited a long, long time for a specific prayer to be answered.
Actually, the expression is a bit misleading. In reality, it is hope which is the prisoner. We lock it up in our hearts and refuse to allow it to escape.
The word prisoners in this verse is a translation of a Hebrew word whose verb form means “to tie down, to hold down, to bind in order to keep in one place.” Applied to a person or thing, our modern-day equivalent might be “to put on hold.” Hope is a very good thing for us to “put on hold” in our hearts.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life (Prov. 13:12). What wise Solomon meant here was that sometimes hope is not easy to hold because it seems to cause us misery – until it is fulfilled!
An airline attendant recognized me on a flight and told me that eight years earlier in church I had given her a Scriptural promise from the Lord that her husband would be saved. She had locked that verse up in her heart and kept it.
Her husband’s actions and lifestyle did not encourage her, so she was tempted to give up. But she kept holding on to the promise as a prisoner of hope. Later her husband was not only saved, he began family devotions in the home, and enrolled in a local Bible-study group.
Her hope resulted in a double portion: Salvation of her mate and a future as the wife of a minister of the Gospel!
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Dick Mills was ordained at The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in 1949. He and his wife Betty traveled as evangelists all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, and Australia. Dick and Betty are now home in heaven.
In 1966 Dick and Betty became a part of the then-emerging Charismatic Renewal. Passing through all denominational barriers, Dick has had the opportunity to speak in thousands of churches of varied backgrounds all over the world.
He ministered within several Christian organizations, including the Full Gospel Business Men, Women's Aglow, Inter-church Renewal Catholic Pentecostals, mainline Charismatic groups, CBN and TBN television networks, and many other independent Christian TV stations.
Dick appeared on numerous radio talk shows, written several magazine articles, and spoke at many Bible conferences and universities. He served as an adjunct professor at six Schools of the Bible and Seminaries.
In addition, Dick authored and co-authored several books and tapes. Dick's ministry was characterized by the unique gifts God has blessed him with. His services informed, enlightened, and motivated people to a higher level of commitment to God.