As one who has counted on [and received] personal promises from God -- both for myself and my husband -- I am honest enough to admit that Satan still tempts me with moments of doubt and anxiety. As I battle these spirits of deception, I cling to the certainty that His Grace and Mercy will always be sufficient to help me through these struggles, until I can regain my focus on my Savior. You see, I understand that His Grace includes His power in me to help me do what I cannot accomplish on my own.
I know that all of God's promises are reflected in Jesus. My part in believing those promises is to, not only, trust the vision of Jesus that is portrayed in the Bible, but to trust in the power of the One that presents Himself to me daily. Jesus, Himself, trusted in the power of God's promises when He declared, "I am that Bread of Life. (John 6:48); "I am the Light of the World (John 8:12); and "I am the Resurrection and the Life" (John 11:25). The trust that Jesus had in God's power to raise Him from the dead gave Him the confidence to make those bold statements, and to carry out His purpose for the Kingdom. The same confidence is available to us when we trust in our promises from God.
So, what is the power of the promises that God has given us? What is it that we can place our faith in eternity on? Consider the following promises to you and what they say about God's character:
1. He has promised to supply every need we have. The Bible says: "But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Notice that God promises to meet our needs, which would include food, clothing, shelter, companionship, love, and salvation, all through Jesus. It does not include the superficial "needs", as the world translates that word. All our needs [in order to survive] are met in Jesus.
2. God has promised that His children will not be overtaken with temptation. Instead, He assures us that a way of escape will be provided. This promise is recorded in 1 Corinthians 10:13, where the Bible tells us that there is no temptation that we endure that is not common to man. When I am attacked by spirits of temptation, it gives me great comfort to know that God will not let me be tempted beyond what I can handle. Jude wrote: "Now unto Him, who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude v. 24). Darious, King of the Medes, said to Daniel, "Your God, whom you continually serve, He will deliver you" (Daniel 6:16). And God delivered Daniel is so many ways; least of all from a den of lions. That same magnitude of deliverance is available to us when we believe and trust in God's promises.
3. God has promised us victory over death. Jesus was the first fruits of God's resurrecting power, and this to assure us of our own resurrection at the end of Days. Peter said: "This Jesus has God raised up, whereby we are all witnesses (Acts 2:32). Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "For I delivered to you, first of all, that which I also received, how Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Later on, he adds: "but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57). The Victory is God's, the Victor is Jesus, and we are the beneficiaries of their defeat over Death.
4. God has promised that all things work together for good to those who love and serve Him faithfully (Romans 8:28). It may be difficult [at times] for us to see and understand how this is accomplished, but God has promised it and He will deliver. How many times have we looked back on an event in our lives that we felt was devastating, or a failure? Has time revealed that God was taking you down a path that resulted in blessings beyond your imagination? We need to cling to this verse, knowing that God will always be faithful to complete the good work He has begun in us.
5. God has promised that those who believe in Jesus and are baptized for the forgiveness of their sins will be Saved. (Read Mark 16:16 and Acts 2:38). I think we sometimes take these verses too lightly. Believing in Jesus is more than just a statement of faith; it is living our lives so that they are evidence of our belief, trust, and confidence in Him for every aspect of our daily existence. And being baptized is an important step that shows the spiritual realm to whom you belong. It is a testimony to Satan and his servants that you have chosen a side and you are in this battle for the eternal glory of God. When we take this step, we can expect that the forces in the spiritual realms will see us as the enemy, but we have the promise of God that we will be saved from our enemies (Psalm 18:3).
6. God has promised His people eternal life (John 10:27-28). This is the promise that we won't realize until we have conquered Death. This is the hope for which we long; the hope that Jesus instilled in our hearts when He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell us. This is the promise for which my spirit praises God, and the pledge that Jesus has given me by providing the means of my salvation from God's coming wrath against the wicked.
7. God has promised that "those who wait on the Lord, will renew their strength. They will mount up on the wings of eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow faint" (Isaiah 40:31). This promise is particularly meaningful to me as I enter into the twilight of my years on earth. In addition, the Lord has let me know that this is the verse He wants me to cling to. I have come to understand that "waiting on the Lord" embodies the idea of the hope I have in finishing strong in this life; that I will accomplish my purpose(s) here on earth, never faltering, and finishing my race. I will finish strong because the Lord lives in me, and it is His power in me that will see me through to the end.
As we can see, all of God's promises DO find their affirmation in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Through Jesus the purposes of God are established -- our needs are met; His Grace will always be enough; we will be able to withstand temptation, we will have victory over Death; God will complete the work He has begun in our life; we will receive salvation and forgiveness of our sins; we will finish our race strong and spend eternity in God's Holy Presence -- and it is all accomplished through our faith in Jesus, and for the immeasurable Glory of our God. So, don't let the darkness of these days overwhelm the Truth of God's Promises. He still reigns in His Power, Authority, and Sovereignty. The powers of this world will not and cannot defeat Him or us! Hallelujah!
2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God find their "Yes" in Him. That is why it is through Him that we utter our "Amen" to God for His Glory.
