Promises Promises- Relevant Promises- THURSDAY
Promises Promises
by
Rocky Fleming
Thursday - Relevant Promises
Back in 1972 David Wilkerson compiled a book of 800 promises found in the Bible. He categorized these promises so that they could be easily referenced by need. The name of the book is Personal Pocket Promise Book. I carried that little book around with me every day, for I lived in high stress and some kind of threat daily as a young businessman, husband and father. Every time I had any kind of threat, or confusion, or doubt, or spiritual challenge, I went to that little book of promises to find God's word on it. I would find a promise for the particular issue I was facing, and would find an assurance from God to help me courageously face my challenge. But I also was given a challenge. The challenge was if I would believe that the discouraging threat would overcome me, or would I believe God's promise that He would overcome that threat? There was a wrestling match with who would win that match and I was the referee who made the decision as to who would win it.
I'll never forget the time that we were in some really challenging financial concerns. It was clear to me that I had pretty well exhausted my own abilities to change things. The reality of my worldly problems was about to catch up with my family and me. But before they did, I went to the Bible and found some relevant promises to read and either deny the truth of them or accept the reality of them. Here are those verses:
"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19 ESV)
What was I being told? I saw a promise that God was telling me that our needs would be supplied. This was a relevant promise for our needs right then. Would I believe that this was a promise from Jesus to me? Would I accept this assurance? I then read some verses right above this one that added even more assurance:
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:4-6 ESV)
"The Lord is at hand." Was I being given the assurance of His presence and His knowledge of what I was going through? Was He whispering in my ear,"My son I am here with you right now. Will you accept My assurance that you and your family who I love so much will be OK? I'll meet your needs. I promise. Ask Me for what you need." I had a choice at that time to make. Would I choose to believe His promise to me, or would I believe the reality of what the world wanted me to believe? How would I know if I really believed Him? I got that answer in the next verse:
"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7
At that moment I saw clear words from the Bible that gave me my answer. The peace that I would be given as a result of accepting God's promise to me would indicate my true belief in that promise from Jesus. You see, I could not hold on to my anxiety and at the same time believe that I had truly accepted the promise Jesus had given to me. It required a deliberate choice or act on my part. (Remember that faith is also an action word?) In this case, if I continued my anxiety or had a lack of it I would see a symptom of what I really believed. The good news is that I made a decision Who would win that match. I chose the promise that Jesus gave to me. I sold out to it. With that act of faith His promise then became a reality to me as I grasped it by my belief, and after a while the reality of His financial help followed confirming His promise. Indeed, He did meet all of our needs abundantly. But best of all He taught me how to live a life where His realities supersede the realties of this world, and I am here to tell about it now. I have been following the leadership that I get from His promises to this day as a 71-year-old man, and they are my best source of wisdom, council, and comfort.
You are being discipled by your King when you come face to face with difficulties that are beyond your control. You are not being hammered just for a heavenly sport. God is lovingly and strategically molding His child into a godly man or woman who will begin to look a lot like Jesus. His mission is to help you share in His divine nature. The difficulties you face, and the relevant promises He has given to you will walk you through your challenges and this process will serve as a communication system from Him to you. He will be showing you more of Himself and helping you become the man or woman you deep down long to be through this strategy of discipleship. Believe Him. Believe His promises to you. Get a little book of promises and carry those promises with you. Look at what your King is telling you with any challenge you will face, and then look back after you followed His leadership for a few years as I have done. Like me, you will look back and see God's tremendous faithfulness and that He indeed keeps His promises to us. Will you believe Him?