How often do you hear, “just stand on God’s promises.” In that moment have you ever thought to yourself, “what are God’s promises and how do I get them?”

God has made many promises. Some of those promises were for specific people, specific times and short-term, while other promises are meant for everyone. The Apostle Paul wrote about the promises of God; “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith; That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all”(Romans 4:13;16).

The beauty of God's promises is that they always come to fulfillment, in His time.  Joshua 21:45 is a reminder that God alone is capable of keeping His promises, and nothing or anyone can impede His word from coming to fruition. 

A few promises of God Christians must know:

*Forgiveness of Sins: Barring eternal life, the forgiveness of sins is the greatest promise God made to us. 1 John 1:9, Romans 6:23.

*Abundant Grace: God’s favor towards the unworthy. 2 Corinthians 12:9 reminds us that God’s grace is sufficient. God’s grace makes our salvation possible through faith in Him Romans 5:2.

*Provisions and Blessings: God has promised to supply all of our needs (Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:26). Call on Him and He will answer( Psalm 50:15).

*Protection: We live in a world of uncertainty. But God said, “fear not”( Isaiah 41:10), “I will be with you”( Isaiah 43:2). Psalm 23:4 reminds us that no matter what valley we’re in God is there to comfort us.

*Eternal Life: We are created to exist forever. The fact is we will either die and continue eternal life, or we will die and continue eternal death. Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ dying on the cross and shedding his blood is the only way to be saved from the pits of eternal damnation and obtain eternal life(Romans 5:8), which is the greatest gift of God to His people (John 3:16; 1John 1:7).

Now that we know a few of God’s promises, here are a several steps to help us effectively claim and operate under God’s divine promises:

1. Have faith:  From the beginning God has proven how much He wants us to trust only in Him. Without faith no one can receive anything from the Lord (Hebrews 11:1-6). Faith is only obtained by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
2. Understanding the promise you’re claiming: There are many promises in the Bible, so before you claim a promise make sure you determine your actual need, then locate that specific promise in the Bible. For example, a specific promise was made to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-2). The context of this promise doesn’t apply to anyone in this era; therefore, it wouldn’t be prudent to claim this promise You must also pray to see if a particular promise is in accordance with God’s will for our life.
3. Patience: God’s ways are not our ways and His timing is not the same as ours. (Isaiah 55:8; 2 Peter 3:8). You claimed the promise, now wait. Patience is vital when waiting on the materialization of God’s promise. God will give you what you need when He deems necessary (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
4. Pray and seek the Holy Spirit for guidance: While you wait on God’s promises, remain steadfast in prayer in order to be in tune with the Holy Spirit(1 Thessalonians 5:17). This is vital because the Holy Spirit will guide you on how to claim and execute God’s promises(Hebrews 4:16; Matthew 6:6).

Knowing God will never break His promises nor will He ever renege on His words, gives us the assurance that we can and should fully trust Him.

So now when you hear, “just stand on God’s promises” allow a smile to illuminate your face because you now understand the magnitude of that statement.

PEARLStoPONDER: Relying on the promises that God has declared, we will always have peace in our hearts.