The Promises of God

As we go through life it is fair to say that there are many times when we are let down by the words and actions of others. There are times when people give us their word and then do not do what they have said they will do. BUT one of the wonderful truths about the Lord Jesus is that when He gives us His word He means it and when He makes a promises He ALWAYS honours it The Lord would have all of us confident and assured when it comes to the promises and provision that He wants to pour into our lives. To enable this to take place the Lord has provided all the assurance we need within His Word.
Scripture itself testifies to us that the Lord is fully faithful to His promises given to His people.

In Hebrews 6 we get an amazing Profound understanding of the lengths that the Lord will go to, to secure us in a place of assurance and hope. We get a extending picture of the unshakeable word and nature of God that does not change, or shift, or ebb. What we see in verses 13 – 20 of Hebrews 6 is that God’s promises and salvation are beyond contention because they are confirmed by an oath given to us by God Himself. Verse 13 “ For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying surely blessing I will bless you and multiplying I will multiply you.”

Often when people make promises in their life they will make an oath by swearing in the name of / or on something. Children say things like “Cross my heart, hope to die.” What is being established here is that we mean what we say and we want to put beyond dispute that which we have promised. Yet here we see in verse 13 the Lord God Almighty Himself, the One who is All Powerful, All knowing, All present, The one who has ALL authority in heaven and on earth, the One who made all things and rules over all things establishing His promises in His very nature and authority itself.

We need to accept and hold onto, that it is out of God’s absolutely perfect nature of Holiness, Faithfulness, Integrity, Righteousness and Love that He speaks His promises into our lives as His people. What this declares is that the promises of God are established in the foundations of heaven itself.
Persevering in the Promise!
It is important for us to understand that often when God gives to us a promise there is often a time lag between when it is given and when it happens. It is in this time lag that we need to put our FULL TRUST and Confidence in the Lord Jesus. It is then that we need to as Hebrews 11 v 1 says live by faith in that which is yet coming into existence. In Hebrews 6 v 15 it makes it clear that Abraham persisted and patiently held onto His hope in the Lord and as a result received what He had been promised. We also need to train ourselves to hold onto the promises of God even in times of adversity, knowing like Abraham that because He who has promised is faithful, WE WILL RECEIVE FULLY WHAT HE HAS PROMISED.
Adopted Heirs through grace in Jesus Christ.
Scripture declares that through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we have been Born Again not of the flesh, but of the Holy Spirit. This birth and adoption makes us children and sons of God and therefore we are included in the Lord. In the Lord Jesus Christ we are heirs of the promises of God, heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven. In fact Romans 8 v 12 – 17 makes it clear that through the Spirit of adoption we have been made Co-heirs with Christ to the inheritance of God. Because the Lord has blessed us with salvation, blessed us with a new identity as His child, His desire is to continue to secure us and release us in his promises and blessing. Hebrews 6 verse 17 says:-
“Thus God determining to show MORE ABUNDANTLY to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath.”

What the Lord is saying to us is that, “look what I have promised to you is beyond dispute. There is no one greater then Myself and I swear by Myself that what I have promised you WILL take place.” In every sense we have Jesus the eternal great high priest, entering into the heavenly sanctuary who has offered once and for all His own blood for our sins. (See Hebrews 9 v 24, 28, Ch 10 v 12) Jesus has once and for all paid the debt for sin by His own blood offered in the heavenly places and through this He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. We are indeed a work of God’s grace and salvation. We have indeed been made His children and heirs of His promises through faith in Jesus Christ. It is the Lord God Himself who is the promiser and guarantor of the promises He has given us. Therefore we have a double confidence and hope in the Lord for what we know is that the Lord cannot, will not and does not lie. What He says, He means and what He means He will do.

God cannot lie!!
Hebrews 6 v 18 says these words “ That by Two immutable things in which it is IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE.”
Throughout Scripture the bible declares that God is a God of Truth, a God of integrity and a morally pure God who does no wrong. Therefore we need to allow the word of God to educate our faith and confidence in the Lord.
Numbers 23 v 19 “ God is not a man, that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent. Has He not said and will He not do.”
1 Samuel 15 v 29 “ And also the Strength of Israel, will not lie or relent, for He is not a man that He should relent.” So when the Lord gives us His promises and reveals to us His Word, God cannot and does not lie. This is not just Old Testament teaching but is also found in the New Testament as well. Titus 1 v 2 “ In the hope of eternal life which God, WHO CANNOT LIE, promised before time began.”
Our Lord does not change!
So we have the truth that as the book of Hebrews says “ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13 v 8. We have Malachi 3 v 6 “ For I am the Lord and I do not change.” Here we see that the nature and promises of God do not change with the seasons or circumstances, but they are truth itself. There is no falsehood or best intentions. But as our unchanging God gives His word and makes a promise, it is established in the very heavens themselves and does not change. As 1 Kings 8 v 56 testifies “ There has not failed one word of all His good promises.”
Get into the promises of God
Here we have an anchor and a living hope for life. The bible contains promise after promise that the Lord Jesus wants to give to us while we are on this earth. Promises of wisdom and empowerment. Promises of provision and protection. Promises of growth and fruitfulness. Promises established in the Lord that do not pass away or fade. There is power in the promises of God, provision in those promises. There is freedom and healing, empowerment and purpose in the promises of God.
We need to get into the promises of God, read them and equip our lives with them. Hold onto them and continue to lay hold of them for the Lord does not lie, or change His mind. What He says He will do. There is a wonderful verse found in 2 Corinthians 1 v 20 and it says “ Now ALL the promises of God in Him (Jesus) are YES and in Him Amen to the glory of God through us.”

If we are in Jesus then All of God’s promises are YES for our lives so that God’s glory will be seen in our lives and actions.

Some promises to look up:- Matthew 6 v 25 – 34, Matthew 7 v 7 –12, John 14 v 11 –14, John 11 v 25 –26, John 10 v 7 – 11, 1 Corinthians 2 v 10 –16, 2 Corinthians 5 v 17, Ephesians 1 v 3 – 14

Read and highlight all the promises you find in the word of God!!