STANDING ON THE PREMISES BUT NOT ON THE PROMISES.
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
One of the chief reasons for spiritual leanness and spiritual anemic weakness is we do not know God’s promises and we do not accept His promises are
for me today. Why worry when you can pray?
We come to God’s premises but we fail to stand on His PROMISES.
GOD’S PROMISES ARE EXCEEDING GREAT AND PRECIOUS!
TEXT:
2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust.
I. LET US DEFINE SOME KEY WORDS FOR THIS LESSON:
A. PROMISE:
A statement of what one will or will not do.
To give one’s word to bring about, to provide, to do.
The firm understanding that one will do a thing.
A commitment.
A declaration of what one will do.
Legally binding that gives a person the right to expect or claim the performance.
A reason to expect.
A ground for expectation of success.
To pledge to provide, to do, or to bring about.
POTENTIAL, POSSIBILITIES.
A PROMISE IS A BASIS FOR EXPECTATION.
THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO A PROMISE ---
THE PROMISEE
THE PROMISOR
B. EXPECTATION:
Wait, stay, to look forward.
To await a new life.
Anticipation, Confidence.
Assurance.
To consider probable., reasonable, or DUE.
C. HOPE:
There is a big difference in WISH and HOPE!
To cherish a desire with anticipation.
To desire with expectation and confidence.
THERE IS A HOPE AGAINST HOPE!
To hope without a basis for expecting fulfilment.
To trust to rely.
D. TRUST:
Assured reliance.
One in which confidence is placed.
Dependence in the future.
A charge or duty imposed in faith.
II. LET US LOOK AT SOME GENERAL CONCLUSIONS:
A. THE SMALLEST DEED IS BETTER THAN THE GREATEST INTENTIONS.
B. LOVE AND CHARACTER ARE THE ABILIITIES TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH A COMMITMENT LONG AFTER THE MOOD IN WHICH THE COMMITMENT YOU MADE HAS GROWN COLD.
C. We need more than to count time, we must make time count.
Waiting is a great tool of God. God may seem at times to travel at a snail’s pace, God may seem 4 days late, but He is always on time.
D. God not only had to get Moses out of Egypt to teach him and grow him, God had to get Egypt out of Moses.
God had PROMISED HIS PEOPLE DELIVERANCE, Moses had to spend 40 years in the desert to recognize GOD’S PLAN.
III. WE SHOULD KNOW GOD’S PROMISES ARE FOR US AND TO US. HOW CAN WE CLAIM AND STAND ON WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW?
A. CRITICISM CAN BE THE DEATH GARGLE OF FAILING PEOPLE.
At times we seem satisfied to avoid God’s promises trying to avoid criticism.
So we think if we do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing we can avoid criticism.
Then you realize JESUS DIDN’T PLEASE EVERY BODY?
B. GOD’S PROMISES SHOULD BRING HOPE. HOPE IS ANTICIPATION ---
Hope is the possessing within our heart the truth of expectation that some day there will be a fulfillment of our desires and God’s promises.
C. THE FORCE OF LOVE IS UNCONQUERABLE.
D. GREAT DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY SWING ON THE HINGES ON BELIEVING, ACTION, AND OBEDIENCE.
IV. WE HAVE BETTER PROMISES. DO WE CLAIM THEM?
Hebrews 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
A. CORPORATE PRAYER AND WORSHIP ARE SO GREAT, BUT GOD’S PROMISES ARE RELEASED AS INDIVIDUALS WORK IN THEIR PRIVATE PRAYER CLOSET AND BRING ABOUT GOD’S PLAN!
Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
B. FAITH PRAISES GOD AND OTHER PEOPLE.
WORRY AND FEAR MURMURS AND COMPLAINS.
Psalm 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
V. WHAT CAN STANDING ON GOD’S PROMISES DO FOR THE CHURCH?
WE HAVE POWER INVESTED IN US.
A. KNOWING GOD’S PROMISES CAN BRING ABOUT CHANGE.
1. From guilty to not guilty.
2. From death to life.
3. From darkness to LIGHT!
4. From bitterness to FORGIVENESS.
5. From hatred to love.
6. From bondage to freedom.
7. From tribulation to triumph.
8. From grief to joy.
9. From doom and gloom to GLORY!
10. From defeat to victory.
11. From failure to success.
12. From fear to faith.
13. From worry to trust.
14. From I can’t to I CAN.
B. Why should we settle for less?
VI. GOD’S PROMISES ARE YES AND AMEN!
A. Amen means LET IT BE SO!
2 Cor. 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
B. God’s promises are for a reason, to bring glory to HIS NAME!
VII. ARE WE READY FOR GOD’S PROMISES?
HIS PROMISES HAVE A CRITERIA TO FOLLOW!
A. READY:
Prepared mentally, emotionally, or physically for some experience or action.
Prepared for immediate use.
Willingly, immediately available.
2 Cor. 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the
fear of God.
B. READY FOR WHAT?
READY FOR ANYTHING!
VIII. IT TAKES TEAM WORK TO KNOW AND STAND ON GOD’S PROMISES. THE TEAM MUST HAVE FAITH, HOPE, LOVE AND THE DIRTY WORD --- WAITING.
Hebrews 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
IX. GOD HAS SOME POWER PROMISES OR TOOLS FOR YOU TO USE.
A. GOD HAS PROMISED TO BE WITH US...
1. We must set our mind and set our mouths in faith to receive.
2. WE ARE NOT ORPHANES, do not act like one.
3. IMMANUEL --- GOD IS WITH US.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
4. God promised where two or three are gathered in His name.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
B. GOD PROMISES US THE POWER OF HIS WORD.
1.The Bible has been burned, banned, and a big joke, but the Bible thrives!
2. There is great power in God’s word.
THE WORD OF GOD DOES THE WORK OF GOD.
Psalm 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
3. NOT ONE WORD HAS EVER FAILED!
1 Kings 8:56 Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his
good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
4. GOD’S WORD CAN NOT RETURN VOID.
Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it
shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
C. GOD HAS A PROMISE FOR YOU WHEN YOU ARE WEARY, WORRIED, AND UNDER STRESS.
WORRY COMES FROM A MISFOCUS ON YOU AND NOT TRUSTING THE PROMISES.
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Philip. 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
D. GOD LOVES US WHEN WE FEEL LITTLE AND HELPLESS AND WORTHLESS!
1. Don’t wish to be another person.
2. To do less than your best robs God.
3. You have a song, a testimony, a work no one else can do.
Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
4. WE HAVE AN IMPERATIVE COMMAND.
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
THE BIBLE IS A GOLD MINE, STAKE YOUR CLAIM, CLAIM IT FOR YOU TODAY!
EVERY PROMISE IN THE BOOK IS MINE,
EVERY CHAPTER, EVERY VERSE EVERY LINE,
ALL ARE PROMISES OF GOD DIVINE,
EVERY PROMISE IN THE BOOK IS MINE.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Will you join my team? Can you help enlarge the work of my hands by passing
this on to another.
