People make promises all the time, but quite often those promises are not kept which weakens the concept of making a promise. God, on the other hand, has made promises and with His promises there is power because He made the promise.
Isaiah 46:9–11 (ESV) — 9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ 11 calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.
Notice the words in the last line, “I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.” That is the power of God behind what He purposes and says so it’s His stamp of guarantee. That is very important because our assurance of salvation is based upon the reliability of God’s promise.
Titus 1:2 (ESV) — 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
God never lies and it’s impossible for Him to lie because whatever He purposes, happens! That is powerful but it gets even better.
2 Peter 1:3–4 (ESV) — 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
Very great and precious are the promises of God. Can you name some? When you look at the weight of guarantee behind the promises of God, why would you not seek out His promises, read them, memorize them, and use them in prayer? God is not offended by our honoring His word; in fact, He tells us that to do so is actually honoring His name.
Psalm 138:2 (ESV) — 2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.
Going back to 2Peter 1:3-4 we find that these very great and precious promises of God have been divinely given to us so that we may become partakers of the divine nature. Part of our being conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ is the taking in and using the promises of God. You might say that the power of God is released into our lives via the promises, changing us, directing us, and helping us become more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ. Why would we neglect the promises of God?
Speaking of the promises and the connection to the Lord Jesus Christ, we must realize that every benefit we enjoy, including the power of God’s promises, are because of Him. In fact, we must understand that all grace and mercy flow from God the Father through His Son to us.
2 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV) — 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.
Of course, there are promises concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, that if one of them is not true, then everything in the Bible is untrue and we have no hope at all. Because every promise concerning Him is true, then we can count on all of God’s promises.
Romans 8:31–32 (ESV) — 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
How can we use these mighty promises of God? We go to the example of Abraham who believed God and acted on what God had promised.
Romans 4:18–22 (ESV) — 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”
We know that faith is a gift of God and is not something that we just stir up within ourselves. Faith is developed and strengthened, however, through use and faithfulness in all areas of life.
Ephesians 2:8–10 (ESV) — 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
When we take the promises of God – believing them and acting upon them our faith grows and we enjoy seeing God act, or as His promise says, “showing us great and hidden things we have not known.”
Jeremiah 33:3 (ESV) — 3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
Now that is the power of promise.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker, Pastor
Christ Community Presbyterian Church
