I am very careful about when I say “I promise” to people; especially to my kids. They never forget when I say “I promise.” If you ask them how I do at keeping my promises they will tell you I have broken them more than once. I hate that, so in an effort to not break my promises anymore I have just decided to stop saying “I promise” altogether. So instead, I usually say something like “I want to and it is my intent to, but if something comes up and prevents me from doing it, then I am sorry, because I want to do it, and will feel sad if I can’t, but as much as it depends on me I will do it.”
Hardly a reassuring response.
Fortunately, we have a God who does what He says He will do. He makes promises to us and nothing will prevent those promises from coming to pass.
“For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes…” 2 Cor. 1:20
God has made promises to me. These are personal promises God has given me. His word is also filled with promises for all His people. Promises of health and healing, promises of peace and comfort, promises of no more tears. But what assurance do we have that these promises – either in His word or given personally to you – are indeed certainties we can claim?
The easiest answer is to say “because they are written in the Bible” or “because He told you.” We know God is fully trustworthy. Numbers 23:19 says “God is not a man, that He should lie,” but God also recognizes that we are human and have human doubts. He knows we live in a world where the eternal spiritual realm is unseen, so He has graciously given us a gift as a pledge that assures us His word is true is spite of our doubts.
The Holy Spirit.
“You were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge,” Ephesians 1:13-14a
God “who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.” 2 Cor. 1:22
David, God’s choice for king was anointed by Samuel when he was a teen. David was a shepherd living at home and yet after his anointing scripture tells us “the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward” (1 Sam. 16:13).
It took 15 years from the time of David’s anointing until he was made king of Judah. It took another 7 years until he was king over all Israel. That’s 22 years between the promise of kingship to David and the full realization of it. God’s promise may have been slower than David hoped or expected, but it was true, and God confirmed that promise to David by giving him His Spirit.
God has given that same Spirit to you. You have His Spirit that assures you of eternal life. It assures you of an inheritance in heaven. It assures of justice and reconciliation and peace AND it assures every promise He made to you is true.
How long have you been waiting?
I have been waiting a long time for God’s promises to me. No, I haven’t been waiting 22 years, but it has been a long time. Occasionally doubt and uncertainty will creep into my heart. But I am in good company. Samuel, a prophet of God who had the Spirit of God with him, was told by God that the kingdom had been removed from Saul and God had chosen a man after His own heart to rule over His people (1 Sam. 13:14). Samuel knew it, but he began to doubt and began to dwell on the circumstances that are before him. He grieved over Saul too long, doubting the next godly king (1 Sam. 16:1). Samuel was living in the knowledge that God’s command would prevail, but slipped into that ever-present trap of believing what he saw. He knew it in his mind, but wasn’t convinced of it in his heart (2 Tim. 3:14).
Whatever promise you are holding on to, you have the Holy Spirit inside you confirming that what God said is true. You can count on it! The circumstances around you may seem insurmountable, but you have His Spirit and His Word and that is enough!
“Blessed is she who believed that what was spoken by the Lord would be fulfilled.” Luke 1:45
AMEN!
Until next time,
Tracey
Recent Comments