Imagine your Promise
By
Bishop M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
Opening:- It I amazing to me how God will give you inspiration when you least expect it and often times in ways that you never thought He would inspire you.
I was driving to work one day this week and I passed a billboard for I believe it was Ohio University and this billboard only had 3 words on it. As I read these 3 words God immediately began to deal with me on these 3 words.
The words that God began to deal with me with were “Imagine Your Promise”. As I began to think about these 3 powerful words two scriptures came to me:-
2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God in him [are] yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us”.
Then 2 Peter 1:4 “He has given us his very great and precious promises”.
I began to meditate upon these 3 powerful words. I realize the meaning of the words but I looked them up in the dictionary for a better understanding and this is what I got.
Imagine:- to think of or create in your mind a picture or idea of something based on an idea, opinion, or reality.
One song writer said it like this I can only imagine (I can only create a picture in my mind) what it will be like when I walk by your side I can only imagine what my eyes will see when your face is before me. I can only imagine surround by your glory what will my heart feel will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of your be still I can only imagine.
WATCH THIS:- So imagine is to develop a picture in your mind based on the reality of His word.
Promise:- a declaration that one will or will not do something specified. A promise is a legally binding declaration that gives the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance of a specified act.
We use to sing Standing on the promises of Christ my King, Through eternal ages let His praises ring, Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing, Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises that cannot fail, When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail, Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I now can see Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free, Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord, Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord, Standing, standing, Standing on the promises of God my Savior; Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.
We don’t sing songs like that anymore, songs with meaning and truth.
God’s absolute trustworthiness has been consistently demonstrated over a long time. The Scripture record shows unequivocally that God keeps His promises. They are His commitment to us, His guarantee to do what He says He will do.
LET ME SLOW DOWN A LITTLE.
As you know, the Bible is full of God's promises to carry us through when we need help. There are thousands of God's promises in the Bible.
There are no broken Bible promises. They are the sacred word of a faithful God who never breaks His word. The Bible says God not lie – Hebrew 6:18 says “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us” - WATCH THIS:- it is impossible for God to lie not even if he wanted to because the character of God cannot lie, if he could it would disqualify him as being God so if he said something it has to come to pass. That’s the meaning of His word will not return unto him void but will accomplish that which pleaseth him.
According to one person's count, there are 3573 promises in the Bible. Being the preacher I am and realizing that numbers have a very important role I began to look at this number 3573. 3 the number of fullness, 5 the number of grace, 7 the number of perfection. 3+5+7+3 = 18 but 18 is the number of judgment and I knew there had to be more, something on the inside of me said keep going go to the next level.
The problem with most Christians today is they fail to keep going to the next level they become comfortable with where they are now they have become ease in Zion when the Bible declares Woe to them that are at ease in Zion - there is more. So I began to look at 18 and realized 1+8 = 9 the number 9 means divine completeness. 3 = fullness, 5 = grace, 7 = perfection, 9 = divine completeness, the promises of God are full of grace and perfection and are divinely complete. But there is something you need to understand and that is the promises of God are just a foretaste of what is to come. If I promise to take my wife on a cruise she can expect to go on a cruise, but they real joy comes when she steps on the ship. Therefore the promises of God now are just a foretaste of what is to come. SLOW DOWN.
The word promise itself occurs over 50 times in the King James Version of the Bible. 50 means Pentecost or First Fruits. When we look at the promises of God 3573 of them we see that they are the first fruits of what is to come. 1 Corinthians 2:9 “Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither have it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him”. "
First promise of the Bible:
Genesis 3:15, " And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.. " This was fulfilled in Galatians 4:4; Luke 2:7; Revelation 12.5.
The last promise found in the Bible:
Revelation 22:20, "He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." This one is the best yet to come! Maranatha, the Lord is coming
Promises to the overcomer:
Revelation 2:7 says “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God”.
REVELATION 3:5 SAYS “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels”.
Revelation 21:7 says “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son”.
What is an overcomer? The Greek word “Nikao” means one that prevails, conquers, and gets the victory over something. It is to surmount difficulties. Therefore, when we say we are overcomers we are saying we don’t think it strange concerning the fiery trials which is to try us, but we rejoice, inasmuch for we are partakers of Christ suffering and we know if we suffer with Him that we shall reign with Him. We strive to prevail over the difficulties which come our way. We are able to stand on the promises of God and be Victorious.
God has promised to always be with us.
Genesis 28: 15 I will not leave you UNTIL I HAVE DONE what I have PROMISED you.
God cannot lie.
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
If God has made promises in His word the Bible, those Bible promises are TRUE, and God will not change His mind. You can COUNT ON the promises of God.
You can trust God, you can rely on God, to keep His promises in every detail. They are His infallible pledge to us.
Joshua 21:43-45 And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. If He did it for Israel and He doesn’t have respector of person that means He will do it for me and you also.
Joshua 23:14 says “And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
God promised Israel land ... promised them rest and EVERY promise of God to Israel was FULFILLED. Therefore I can stand on the promises of what he did for them he will also do for me.
The Bible is a historical record of the ABSOLUTE RELIABILITY of God’s promises. The Bible's promises have always proven trustworthy, so you can count on them. God always keeps His promises!
Over thousands of years, God's Bible promises have been “thoroughly tested” and found to be true.
Abraham received his promise when according to man it was impossible. Romans 4:19-21 ...[20] Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, [21] being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
UNDERSTAND:- The promises of God don’t depend on your abilities, but God’s. It’s all based on His GRACE.
WATCH THIS:- The Bible says in Genesis 18:11 “Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women”. In other words her ability to produce was over, but God promised and fulfilled that promise through what according to man was dead.
God has some promises for you that that He is going to bring to pass out of what is seemingly a dead situation. All you got to do is Stand on the Promises of God. Just Imagine your Promise.
1 Cor. 1:9 “God is faithful” You can depend on God.
1 Thessalonians 5:24 “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it”. There are no broken promises with God. If He has spoken, He will do it!
Hebrews 10:23 “...he who promised is faithful.”
You can count on all the promises of God because the Promiser is faithful.
Romans 4:13, 16 It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.... [16] Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace... The promise come by faith ... by grace.
God is a God of infinite grace.
You can’t earn or even deserve God's promises. They are ours by grace! You don’t deserve it, you and I can’t earn but because of GRACE I can receive the promise.
If you can focus on GOD’s unlimited power, then you can count on that power to fulfill God’s promises.
2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God in him [are] YEA, and in him AMEN, unto the glory of God by us”.
Let me bring this home.
When the enemy begins to run Rashad in your life - Imagine your promise!
When all hell brings to break loose - Imagine your promise!
When friends turn their back on you - Imagine your promise!
When family forsakes you - Imagine your promise!
When they begin to lie on you - Imagine your promise!
When the doctor’s report is negative - Imagine your promise!
When it seems like your marriage is falling apart - Imagine your promise!
When your kinds act out - Imagine your promise!
When church folk talk about you - Imagine your promise!
When trouble is all around - Imagine your promise!
When they make laws that go against everything Holy - Imagine your promise!
When they call wrong right - Imagine your promise!
When they scandalize your name - Imagine your promise!
When it seems like you are not going to make it - Imagine your promise!
When the bank says no - Imagine your promise!
When they look at you - Imagine your promise!
When trial and tribulations seem to weigh you down - Imagine your promise!
When they say you Christians are wrong - Imagine your promise!
When they don’t want to listen to you - Imagine your promise!
When they call you all kinds of names - Imagine your promise!
When they all walk out on you - Imagine your promise!
When they curse you right in the church - Imagine your promise!
When you don’t know how you’re going to make your rent - Imagine your promise!
When you feel like you are going to lose your mind - Imagine your promise!
When temptation comes - Imagine your promise!
When flesh wants to rise - Imagine your promise!
When jealousy shows its ugly face - Imagine your promise!
When you feel like throwing up your hands - Imagine your promise!
When you can’t sleep at night - Imagine your promise!
I think of the scripture that says Ask and it shall be given, Seek and ye shall find, Knock and the door shall be opened unto you baby that’s a promise. All I have to do is Ask, Seek, or Knock.
I go to prepare a place for you that where I am there you may be also that’s a promise.
Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me that’s a promise.
Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning that’s a promise.
He that call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved – that’s a promise.
I’ll never leave you nor forsake you – that’s a promise.
TAKE A MOMENT AND IMAGINE YOUR PROMISE.
God has promised me some things and they have to come true so I just want to tell the devil you can try all you want to but I am persuaded that nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ not tribulation nor distress not persecution famine nakedness or peril or sword because God has promised me that victory is mine if I hold my peace and let the Lord fight my battles victory is mine.
WATCH THIS:- We praise God for what he has done for us and the things he has given us. But if we can get out of praise and go into worship my worship is not just based upon what he has done for me, but it’s based upon the promises he has given me. I may not have it all yet, but I am expecting it and expectation is the breeding grounds for miracles. Touch somebody and tell them I’m expecting a miracle. Imagine your Promise.
Bishop M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
