Standing on God’s Promises

God holds back nothing in His Great and Precious Promises, giving to us in accordance with the riches of His grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. By clinging to these promises, all of which are fulfilled and merited for us in Christ, He imparts the quality of His character to us making us godly and beautiful (cf. 2 Peter 1:3-4; Eph. 1:7; 2 Cor. 1:19).  In fact, one way to explain the Christian Life is as a Life that daily clings to the Promises of God. As I walk through life, I’m faced with difficulties and challenges which always involve some combination of circumstances and relationships. These contexts evoke various emotions in me that the Lord uses as a catalyst to bring me to the place of humble prayer (one more reason to pay attention to your emotions). And it is in this place of prayer that the Lord desires for us to fix our minds and our trust on His Promises.

But what do we mean when we speak of God’s Promises?

God’s Promises are:
-His declarations that He will do something for us or give something to us.
-His express assurance on which our expectations can be based. He tells us what to expect from Him.
-His guarantees of security against loss. What we have in Him, we will not lose.
-His pledge of fulfillment of an obligation. He intends to keep all of His Promises.
-His bond that he has made himself responsible for us. The all-powerful Creator God is in charge of our well-being.

As children of God, we can trust the Promise Maker because this Promise Maker is the ultimate Promise Keeper. While we live in a world where we see promises broken all of the time. Our parents weren’t perfect at keeping their promises, about half or more of marriage promises aren’t kept and we’ve even become cynical about the promises of politicians. A Promise is only as good as the Promise Maker’s track record, the trustworthiness of His character and His true ability to impact the outcome. When we speak about the Majestic King of Kings, our Sovereign Creator and Redeemer, His track record is perfect (He has never forsaken His children), His character is absolutely trustworthy, and His Omnipotence guarantees the end result. This means that we can live in full reliance on Him and live out the words of the old hymn,

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

As I’ve thought about God’s promises this week, I’ve realized that I spend much of my thought life, clinging to and standing on specific promises that He has given especially when the “howling storms of doubt and fear assail.” In a quick, random brainstorming session, I listed these promises which are in my heart and yours:

• Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. (1 Thess. 5:24)
• There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1)
• For God demonstrates His own love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8)
• For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that if anyone believes in him he shall not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
• He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus (Php 1:6)
• If anyone is in Christ He is a new creation, behold old things have passed away new things have come (2 Cor. 5:17)
• Do not be anxious in anything but in everything by prayer and petition and with thanksgiving present your requests to God and the peace that passes understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Php. 4:6-7).
• If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (John 1:8-9)
• He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Ps. 103)
• For He Himself Has Said,  I will never leave you nor will I ever forsake you. so that we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me.'” (Hebrews 13:5)
• Come to me, all who weary and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matt. 11:28)
• Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life. no one comes to the Father but through me. (John 14:6)
• And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
• Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.’ (John 6:35)
• Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Prov. 22:6)
• I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously,  and his children become a blessing. (Ps. 37:25)
• Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight (Prov. 3:5)
• Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”  (Joshua 1:8-10)
• See ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. (Matt. 6:33)
• He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalms 147:3)
• So do not fear, for I am with you;  do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
  I will strengthen you and help you;  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Is. 41:10)
• The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners. (Is. 61)
• He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (Is. 40:29-31)
• No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[m] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)
• When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Is. 43)
• We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Cor. 4:8-9)
• For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Cor. 4:17)