“... He has both spoken to me, And He Himself has done it ...” Isaiah 38:15    

Dearly beloved in Christ,

                                   I greet you in the sweet name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In today’s world, people give a lot of promises, but never fulfil them but give excuses. We find strife and separation in marriages everywhere in all countries. Why this situation? On the day of marriage, they give promises to each other in the presence of the Lord in the midst of the servants of the Lord, their relatives and friends. But when they are not faithful to each other, the married life is affected. Peace is lost. Tears, sorrows and distrust abound. They, as a result, separate blaming the other severally. The Lord who created us is faithful. He never breaks His promises. He is faithful to forgive. All His promises are as ‘yes’ and ‘amen’. All His promises as made in words to people who are chosen and loved by Him. To certain others the Lord reveals His plans through dreams, as in the case of Joseph. The Lord who never betrays His words is within us. 

WHY PROMISES?

1. TO BLESS YOU

“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great...” Genesis 12:2 

The Lord called Abraham who was childless. He asked him to leave his country and his father’s family. He was told to go to a place the Lord would show him. He obeyed. The Lord did not accept the practices and traditions of the people of the place. So he was asked to leave the place. In all places there are certain traditions and practices peculiar to that place or nation. Abraham was separated unto holiness. So the Lord wanted to do something unique in him. What He said, He intends to fulfil. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. There were several problems and struggles in the life of Abraham who obeyed the words of the Lord and left the place. He believed in the Lord who called him that He would fulfil His words. He did not think about his weakness or that of his wife, but glorified the Lord God and grew in faith. Thereby he inherited the promises of God. Today, dear child of God, you may lack a child. The Lord who loves you knows your need. He commanded Adam and Eve to multiply and fill the land. He does not change. As he blessed Abraham, he will bless you. ‘“Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God’ . He will multiply you. The Lord who blessed Abraham and multiplied him into a great nation will do the same miracle in your life as well today itself. He will bless your family. He who promised that he would make his name great will do the same in your family, in your boundary, in the midst of your enemies to make your name great. You may feel that you have been humiliated by your husband’s family and may be in tears. The Lord will make you great. You may feel that the family of your wife is humiliating you for what you lack. They may make you get worried. You may be upset and broken-hearted. The Lord knows everything; He will make your name great as He did in the life of Abraham. Do not be dismayed at what happened in the past. He will create a way in your life in the wilderness. He will do a new thing today itself. The promises of the Lord guide us to inherit them through Christ by doing away with all your problems.

2. TO LIVE WITHOUT FEAR

“Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them — Those who contended with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.” Isaiah 41:11 & 12 

In the midst of the problems you face in life, the promises of the Lord gives you hope to lead a life of peace and joy with  out fear. In the place where you live the neighbours, driven by jealousy, may create problems without reason for you and irritate you. When you are disturbed and are distressed, the promises of the Lord encourage you saying, “Do not fear; do not be dismayed.” He guides you and encourages you through His promises. The Lord lives even today. Dear child of God, you may be working in the midst of people who are eagerly looking for some faults to make allegations against you and, as a result, you may be working under duress and stress. You have got this job after many days of waiting. You do not know what to do. The officers who boss over you are always ferocious. They want to find fault with your work. Do not be dismayed. The Lord will wage wars for you. Those who levelled allegations against Daniel were quite happy to see that he was thrown into the den of lions. They thought that it was his end. Your enemies may also be like that looking for an occasion to throw you out. Even those who know the truth of your honesty may not open their mouths to speak for you. But the power of the Lord that bound the mouths of the lions will work for you. What they sowed, they will reap. Those who pushed you into the pit will themselves take you out, and they will be pushed into the pit. The Lord will work everything on your behalf. 

3. TO WIPE AWAY TEARS

”...I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years.” Isaiah 38:5

Dear Brother / Sister living in tears, the Lord sees your tears and He will wipe it out. His actions are so powerful. In Isaiah 25:8, it is written: “...and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken.” What is the reason for your tears? Do you fear that the disease in your body would cause death? Are you spending your days in fear of the things that might happen? Do you consider yourself to be a burden to others in the family? The Lord God will lift you from the pit of death. Keep praising the Lord remembering His promises. Psalm 91:10 promises you: “No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.” He will protect from all dangers. He will wipe away the tears caused by diseases. You may be in tears like Hagar because of the fate of your children. You may be worried over what might happen to them. The Lord God has promised that the peace of your children will be great. He will perform a miracle. He will quench their thirst. All hurdles will be removed. He will exalt you and your children. Do not be disheartened. Make the promises your own and keep praising the Lord. Come into His presence and worship Him. Dear child of God, you may be upset by the failure in your child’s life, or by the problems of the family. The Lord God will bless you fulfilling your desires in a miraculous way. Don’t be dismayed. Your child may lack wisdom or health or growth. Look to the Lord Jesus Christ who loves you. He will do a miracle and set right everything. Are you shedding tears on account of financial needs?  The Lord who loves you is a teacher and provider. He will meet all your needs. He knows you and your needs. Your spouse might have been the sole breadwinner in the family. But today because of disability or death, you are left with no income. You are looking for a way to open. You are concerned about your children and their education. Dear child of God, today the Lord will open a way. Don’t be disheartened. He can feed you even with a raven. He is able to help you and provide for you. He will wipe away your tears and bless you. You will not weep any longer. He will do a miracle. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). You will thus be provided for. Your vessel will overflow and you will bear witness about that. Your tears will be turned to joy.

4. TO ESTABLISH YOU

“No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:5

The Lord who never forsakes, lives. Joshua was chosen to lead Israelites after the death of Moses. He never left the tabernacle in his youth. At the command of Moses he fought against the Amalekites and won victory. He was sent by Moses to spy Canaan. Only he and Caleb brought a good report. He was appointed to lead the people after Moses. It was God’s appointment. Then Moses encouraged Joshua with the words of the Lord’s promises. Dear Brother, the Lord will similarly encourage and strengthen you in your job to carry out your responsibilities. He will not forsake you but would give you His grace, wisdom and words and action plan. Look up to Him who has done everything on the cross of Calvary. He will lead you in a wonderful way. He will perfect everything with joy and peace. 

5. TO SAVE YOU FROM LUST

“by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:4 

Lust subjects us to sin and slavery in this life. The serpent with its deceptive words influenced Eve to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil. “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate” (Gen. 3:6). 1 John 2:16 says: “For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world.” We know how Achan and his family with all their possessions were destroyed as he lusted and took a Babylonian shawl, two hundred shekels of silver coins and fifty shekels of gold. David was cursed because he subjected himself to the lust of his eyes. We are saved by the promises of the Lord from such destruction and we partake of the divine nature. We are thus blessed.

A FEW OF THE PROMISES GIVEN TO US

1. TO SET US IN SAFETY

“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise,” says the LORD; “ I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.” Psalm 12:5 

Man needs a secure life with health. The Lord Jesus Christ bore our weaknesses and sicknesses on the cross. He lives today. We are healed by his stripes. As it happened in the life of the woman who suffered from the issue of blood for twelve years, when we come to His presence He gives us a healthy life by doing away with all afflictions and pain. When we observe the fasting that is acceptable to Him, the safe life would blossom (Isaiah 58). This is an important promise. This is one of the most important blessings that we desire. Again in Deuteronomy 33:12, a promise is given: “The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by Him, who shelters him all the day long; and he shall dwell between His shoulders” (Deut. 33:12).

2. TO PRESERVE US FROM EVIL

“The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.” Psalm 121:7

We are subjected to untold difficulties of various sorts at unexpected times. Such difficulties torment us. Some become depressed. The Lord preserved Jebez when he prayed in the midst of difficulties. Psalm 27:5 says, “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.” He remains the same in His actions. He is with us. The Lord who promised that no one would lay his hands on you is with us. Thus we are protected by the Lord who regrets evil, through His promises.

3. THE PROMISE OF THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” Ephesians 1:13

Because the Lord Jesus Christ pleaded for us, we are privileged to receive the Holy Spirit. He did not want man to be alone and therefore He made a good companion for Adam, Eve. When Adam sinned eating the fruit of the forbidden tree, He said: “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘you shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake” (Gen. 3:17). The Lord God sent His Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for the fallen man who went away from Him because of His love for us. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was given only to the saints. But now He pleaded with the Father to give this Spirit as a promise to all. To preserve us with the help of the Spirit, He is given. To whomsoever this Spirit is given, the person is delivered from a life of captivity. This we read in 2 Cor. 3:17: “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). Not only that, the word of God is written in our hearts and strengthens us. He teaches us the truth and leads us in the path of righteousness. He pours into our hearts the love of God to prepare our hearts to do ministry for Him. The promised Holy Spirit is given to those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as the good Shepherd. David says, “. . . You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over” (Psalm 23:5). The filling of the Holy Spirit is essential to a person. 

4. ETERNAL LIFE 

“And this is the promise that He has promised us — eternal life.” 1 John 2:25

Death is not the end of life. The life after death is eternal and is dependent upon the actions we do in this life. One who is forgiven and transformed leads a new life in the presence of the Lord. Eternal life is promised to His children – to those who have accepted Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd in their
lives. He says, “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Tim. 6:12).

HOW TO INHERIT THE PROMISES?

1. BELIEVE

“and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.” Romans 4:21

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Faith without works is dead. Faith comes through hearing. Through faith, we see miracles. This faith grows through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Dear child of God, faith is the basic need to inherit the promises. 

2. WAIT PATIENTLY

“And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” Hebrews 6:15

To receive the promise we need patience and waiting. In this life we want things to happen immediately. In the life of Abraham, the promise given at the age of 75 was fulfilled at the age of 100. He had to wait for 25 years. Today to wait with patience is difficult for us. We desire to have everything instantaneously. Therefore, we have fast foods and instant items readily made available. But for the fulfilment of promises, we should wait patiently. 

3. LIVE ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF THE LORD

“For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” Hebrews 10:36 

To inherit the promises, we should wait patiently according to the will of God. 1 Thes. 5:18 says, “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” We glorify God when we offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Do we do this whole-heartedly? When someone helps us, how we thank them happily and profusely! “Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits” (Psalm 103:1 & 2). This is the will of the Lord. Our sanctification is also the will of the Father. 1 Thes. 4:3 tells us, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality.” Peter tells us, “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15 & 16). So let us give place for sanctification in our lives. “Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). Let us commit our lives to a life of sanctity and thus inherit the promises.

4. LOVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST 

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12 

To secure the blessed crown of life, you should love the Lord Jesus Christ. There are various types of crowns mentioned in the Bible. If we stand firm faithful in Christ in midst of the tribulations of Satan, we would inherit the crown of life. Paul says in 2 Tim. 4:8, “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” If we do the ministry acceptable to the Lord God, we would receive the crown that never withers. Today itself let us love and receive the promised crown. Today itself, let us believe and wait patiently doing the will of the Lord and loving Jesus Christ who enquired whether we love Him to receive the crown of life.

                 May the Lord bless us so!

               In the service of Christ Jesus,

                    Bro. C. Ebenezer Paul.