How Far Away are Your Promises?
- Sep 16, 2019
- 5 min read
I am waiting on a small package to arrive, but it has been delayed for some reason. It is coming from the Carolina's where hurricane Dorian dropped some bad weather so a storm may have caused my package to be delayed. I wonder how many of our promises our thwarted or delayed because of a personal storm that pushes our soul out of the position of faith.
Because the post office has tracking numbers, we can look on their website and find the exact location and time of the latest movement of our package. This ability is great because I can plan my day around my packages arriving!
Don’t you wish we had a tracking number from Heaven that told us where, when, and by what means of transportation that Gods promises would arrive? Oh, how I wish I could log into Heaven and find out what is happening with all the promises God has given me and why they are delayed. While we cannot do such a thing, we can access Heaven via the Holy Spirit and convene in conversation with God to hear what we need to know to get ourselves positioned to receive the Lord’s promises.
God Does Not Err in His Promises
Unfortunately, many Christians have no clue of God’s promises for their lives and are often not aware of His destiny for them. Many people just wait on the promise of eternity in Heaven and live their lives according to their own desires. This mindset is one of the reasons, so few people are walking in the promises of God, they are not expecting them. I wonder how many times our promised destiny went to somebody else because we were unaware of it being assigned to us and therefore had no expectation of God’s plan.
The package I was waiting for was circling various cities as it searched for its destiny. It had been on several carousels and scanned multiple times before it was determined that the recipient couldn’t be found. Because of an error with the address, it was returned to sender!
God would never wrongly address a destined promise for a person, but people can certainly make this mistake. We can miss it because we get caught up in the storm and see it as the issue, when all along we were not paying attention to the timing of the Lord.
Many people will tell you that they believe you are supposed to do something or go somewhere, but if God doesn’t convict you of direction and you go anyway, you may end up on a carousel that keeps you spinning for a long period of time with no direction. We must always ask God for His will for our lives before jumping onto an idea that sounds good.
So, what does God promise to His children, and are there any stipulations?
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; - Deu 30:19
Before we can receive anything from God, we need to be in right standing with Him. We start by choosing life which means surrendering our lives to Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. - Jhn 3:16
Once we make the decision to be reborn, we start to follow after the things of God and do what Jesus taught us to do.
After Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, He said 15 "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 "Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” - Jhn 13:15-17
First, we are blessed when we follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus showed us the way to live by the way the Father instructed Him, and when we obey the commandments of God, we see the windows of heaven open to bless us.
Nothing is free. Everything has a cost, including our salvation. Salvation cost the blood and life of Jesus Christ, and it cost Him rejection, persecution, torment of beatings, and humiliation. Ask yourself what has salvation cost you. Are you paying any price to be set free from the bondage you were born in?
Jesus talked about counting the cost in a parable in Luke 14. His words are firm and clear, before saying, “I believe” one should ask themselves “what will it cost me and am I ready to make a commitment to Jesus and give up my life and live for Him”? He said whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple (Lk 14:33). When He called the twelve, He did not tell them that a life led by Him was going to make them rich. Instead, He said, give up your wealth in your fishing business and come with me as I teach you how to catch men for God.
Self-denial Produces Promises
Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. - Mat 16:24
Self-denial is one of the hardest things anybody can do. It seems humankind are selfish at heart and always wanting what makes them feel good and what serves their purpose or promotes their agenda. Jesus came with a message that said something in direct opposition to a selfish mindset. The root behind all New Age belief, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Satanism is self! Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law says the demon that spoke through Aleister Crowley, and “do unto others as they do unto you,” said Anton LaVey; both were avowed Satanists. As you can see by these quotes, the self is their King, their god, and they are proud to live as such.
But, we should know that “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” - Mat 7:14
God promises
If you come out from among those who are unclean, He will be your God, dwell with you, and you shall be His people. (2 Co 6:16; Jer 7:22-23)
He promises to be a Father to you. (2 Co 6:18)
To provide for you. (Deut 11:14-15) (Matt 6)
To give you a dwelling place (Deut 12:11)
To protect you (2 Sam 22:3-4; 2 Thess 3:3)
To give you the kingdom (Lk 12:32)
To never leave you nor forsake you (Heb 13:5)
To rescue you (2Tim 4:18)
To keep you from evil (Ps 121:7-8)
These are not all the promises of God, but they can get you started. It is important that every believer puts their hope in Christ and not this world. God’s promises are always yes and amen, but we are to put away sin and live a life of purity and holiness unto Him.
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. - 2Co 7:1
Let's Pray,
Heavenly Father, thank You for the grace and mercy to trust and wait on You. I ask for Your forgiveness for all the times I have troubled Your plans for my life because I did not look for You in the storms of life and missed the opportunity to receive what You had for me. I ask for another opportunity to do what I need to do to fulfill Your destiny for my life. I choose to believe that You have planned and purposed my life for great exploits in You, help me to be available when You call. In Jesus Name, Amen