D.L. Moody confidently stated, "God never made a promise that was too good to be true." Think about that for a moment.
The bible, God’s word, contains thousands of promises. According to one person, there are 3573 promises. Another person said there are 7,487 promises by God to man. Whether it’s 3,573 or 7,487 or 7, God who is Holy didn’t have to make a single promise to sinful man but he made lots of them.
His promises are expressions of His love for us and how He cares for us. Consequently God’s promises are vital and essential to our lives.
Psalm 55:22 (NLT)22 Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT)35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
Some questions about God’s Promises
Are all the promises in the Bible meant for us today?
Think before you answer…..The answer is No, not all the promises in the Bible are not meant for us today.
Here are two:
Genesis 18:10 (NLT)10 Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent.
Genesis 17:1-2 (NLT)1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”
Do you believe that today God promises that a man of ninety-nine will impregnate his wife of eighty-nine and they become parents at one hundred and ninety?
Sometimes God’s promises are for and to specific people for specific times, or specific situations. We must be careful not to claim haphazardly promises intended for someone else
This promise was made specifically to David;
Kings 9:5 (NLT)5 then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: ‘One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.’
Many of God’s promises are not to us but for us;
These two promises were made with with Israel in mind, but are applicable to believers today.
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT)6 So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Isaiah 54:10 (NLT)10 For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
The bible, God’s word, contains thousands of promises. According to one person, there are 3573 promises. Another person said there are 7,487 promises by God to man. Whether it’s 3,573 or 7,487 or 7, God who is Holy didn’t have to make a single promise to sinful man but he made lots of them.
His promises are expressions of His love for us and how He cares for us. Consequently God’s promises are vital and essential to our lives.
Psalm 55:22 (NLT)22 Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT)35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
Some questions about God’s Promises
Are all the promises in the Bible meant for us today?
Think before you answer…..The answer is No, not all the promises in the Bible are not meant for us today.
Here are two:
Genesis 18:10 (NLT)10 Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent.
Genesis 17:1-2 (NLT)1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”
Do you believe that today God promises that a man of ninety-nine will impregnate his wife of eighty-nine and they become parents at one hundred and ninety?
Sometimes God’s promises are for and to specific people for specific times, or specific situations. We must be careful not to claim haphazardly promises intended for someone else
This promise was made specifically to David;
Kings 9:5 (NLT)5 then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: ‘One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.’
Many of God’s promises are not to us but for us;
These two promises were made with with Israel in mind, but are applicable to believers today.
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT)6 So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Isaiah 54:10 (NLT)10 For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
Who has a right to claim a promise from God?
The Lord’s promises are for believers only, with one exception. The only promise of God that unbelievers can claim is the one to be saved;
John 3:16 (NLT)16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Once the unbeliever claims that promise of salvation they can then lay claim to all the promises made to the family of God.
How can we know God will keep His promises?
His character is our guarantee. Since He’s perfect, unchanging, constantly truthful, and all-powerful, He will keep His word.
Deuteronomy 7:9 (NLT)9 Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.
Numbers 23:19 (NLT)19 God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
Why does God promise us anything?
Because He loves us.
Romans 8:37-39 (NLT)37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Peter 5:6-7 (NLT)6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
He reveals Himself in His promises.
There are promises to guide us;
John 16:13 (NLT)13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
There are promises for protection;
Psalm 121:7-8 (NLT)7 The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.8 The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.
Isaiah 43:1 (NLT)1 But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.
Proverbs 1:33 (NLT)33 But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.”
There are promises to meet our needs;
Matthew 6:31-33 (NLT)31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Philippians 4:19 (NLT)19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 13:5 (NLT)5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
When can we claim a promise?
When The promise fits a personal need God wants to fulfill.
If our need is for instruction and direction regarding a decision, we can rely on the Lord’s commitment to teach us the way we should go because this promise fits our situation
Psalm 32:8 (NLT)8 The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Psalm 48:14 (NLT)14 For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and he will guide us until we die.
When the The context of the Scripture allows it.
No one should pluck a promise from the Bible and claim it.
1 John 5:14-15 (NLT)14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.
The Lord promises to answer our prayers, but the context says it’s conditional. The promise is that He will hear and answer when the request is according to His will.
When The fulfillment of a promise honors God.
When we have legitimate needs and claim His promise of provision, He’ll fulfill our petitions because it brings Him honor.
2 Peter 1:4 (NLT)4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
When the promise is consistent with His immediate will for our lives.
Sometimes when we claim a promise of God nothing happens right away. His timing and the way he wants to keep the promise aren’t what we expect. If you’re not sure of His will in a specific situation ask Him to show you His will.
Matthew 7:7 (NLT)7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
When the Spirit within you confirms it.
When we’re seeking the mind of God and believe He’s leading us in a certain direction, the Spirit gives us quiet confidence. Jesus promised that, after the resurrection, the Holy Spirit would come to “guide you into all truth.” Because of the Spirit in our hearts, we are able to understand truth.
John 14:17 (NLT)17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
John 16:13 (NLT)13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
When the Spirit gives a sense of peace.
Finally, we’ll know we have a right to stand firm in our claiming a promise when there’s peace in our hearts.
John 14:27 (NLT)27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
When The promise fits a personal need God wants to fulfill.
If our need is for instruction and direction regarding a decision, we can rely on the Lord’s commitment to teach us the way we should go because this promise fits our situation
Psalm 32:8 (NLT)8 The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Psalm 48:14 (NLT)14 For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and he will guide us until we die.
When the The context of the Scripture allows it.
No one should pluck a promise from the Bible and claim it.
1 John 5:14-15 (NLT)14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.
The Lord promises to answer our prayers, but the context says it’s conditional. The promise is that He will hear and answer when the request is according to His will.
When The fulfillment of a promise honors God.
When we have legitimate needs and claim His promise of provision, He’ll fulfill our petitions because it brings Him honor.
2 Peter 1:4 (NLT)4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
When the promise is consistent with His immediate will for our lives.
Sometimes when we claim a promise of God nothing happens right away. His timing and the way he wants to keep the promise aren’t what we expect. If you’re not sure of His will in a specific situation ask Him to show you His will.
Matthew 7:7 (NLT)7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
When the Spirit within you confirms it.
When we’re seeking the mind of God and believe He’s leading us in a certain direction, the Spirit gives us quiet confidence. Jesus promised that, after the resurrection, the Holy Spirit would come to “guide you into all truth.” Because of the Spirit in our hearts, we are able to understand truth.
John 14:17 (NLT)17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
John 16:13 (NLT)13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
When the Spirit gives a sense of peace.
Finally, we’ll know we have a right to stand firm in our claiming a promise when there’s peace in our hearts.
John 14:27 (NLT)27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
What’s Your responsibility
The very first thing is to know what the promises are. The only way to know them is to know the Word of God. Study the Word to find the promise that meets your need or situation, make sure that you apply it in the context that it was written, then claim it, speak it, sing it, write it, keep it until it’s fulfilled. Get a bible with a concordance, or a Bible that contains a concordance and search for yourself. It’s okay to talk to a brother or sister in Christ and get some advice of which promise you should claim but after getting that advice find it, read it, meditate on it, and keep it until God fulfills it for you.
- Make sure that you are living in obedience and that sin isn’t hindering your relationship with God.
- Claim the promise in faith trusting God to keep his word.
James 1:6-8 (NLT)6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
3. Be patient.
Trust in God’s timing. He knows the perfect time to fulfill every promise because His judgement is perfect. God always provides His best.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
That’s a promise that God made to His people when they were in captivity in Babylon. In verse 10 God said, through Jeremiah that after 70 years He would bring them home again because His plans for them were good and to give them a future and hope. That’s the context of that promise and it is one that the people of God, which now includes those of us who have been adopted into His family through the blood of Jesus, can now claim today.
For Non-Believers
I said earlier in this post that the non-believer can lay claim to only one of God’s promises and that is the promise of salvation. Here’s how that happens.
Romans 10:9 (NKJV) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Pray this prayer in all sincerity. It doesn’t matter where you are. You may be at you desk on your computer, or somewhere on your laptop, you may be reading this on your smartphone, or your tablet. It doesn’t matter just pray in all sincerity. Don’t just say it if you don’t really mean it, because if you do you will just be speaking words. But if you are tired of trying to change things in your own power, and are ready to turn your life over to the One who can make you a new creature with a renewed heart and mind pray;
“God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!”
If you truly understand and believe what you just prayed then you are now one a member of God’s family. As a member of His family you can now claim all the promises that apply to you and your life. Welcome to the family of God my brother or sister.
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