Category: Faith

CLAIMING THE PROMISES OF GOD?

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

 

“CLAIMING THE PROMISES OF GOD?”

Charles Stanley, R.C. Sproul, Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, Bill Johnson, etc., just a few of the  pastors from the wide spectrum of the religious landscape known for teaching on “claiming the promises of God”.

Generally, claiming the promises of God means believing and taking hold of the assurances He has made in Scripture, which can provide comfort and guidance in life. It involves understanding the context of these promises and recognizing that they are often conditional or specific to certain individuals or groups.

Claiming the promises of God means recognizing and accepting the assurances He has made in Scripture. These promises can provide comfort, guidance, and hope in various aspects of life.

Types of Promises:

Conditional Promises: These require certain actions or behaviors from us. For example, God’s promise to bless those who obey His commands.

Unconditional Promises: These are given without any conditions. An example is God’s promise of salvation to all who believe in Jesus.

Interestingly however, the Bible never uses the word or communicates the idea of an individual believer “claiming” the promises of God. Never.

So, what’s the deal?

Please read this excerpt from BibleHub.com on “claiming God’s promises”:

The concept of claiming God’s promises is deeply rooted in the Christian faith, emphasizing the believer’s trust in the faithfulness and reliability of God’s Word. Throughout the Bible, God makes numerous promises to His people, offering guidance, provision, protection, and eternal life. These promises are seen as assurances that believers can rely on, grounded in the character and sovereignty of God.

Biblical Foundation

The Bible is replete with promises from God, each reflecting His nature and His covenant relationship with humanity. In Genesis 12:2-3, God promises Abraham that He will make him a great nation and bless all the families of the earth through him. This promise is foundational, setting the stage for the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan.

In the New Testament, the promises of God are fulfilled and expanded through Jesus Christ. In 2 Corinthians 1:20 , Paul writes, “For all the promises of God are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him, our ‘Amen’ is spoken to the glory of God.” This verse underscores the belief that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises, and through Him, believers can confidently claim these promises.

Faith and Obedience

Claiming God’s promises requires faith and obedience. Hebrews 11, often referred to as the “Faith Chapter,” highlights the importance of faith in receiving God’s promises. Hebrews 11:6 states, “And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

Obedience is also crucial in the process of claiming God’s promises. In Deuteronomy 28, God outlines the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience. Verses 1-2 declare, “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all His commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the LORD your God.”

Prayer and Confession

Prayer is a vital practice in claiming God’s promises. Believers are encouraged to pray with confidence, bringing God’s promises before Him. In Philippians 4:6-7 , Paul exhorts believers, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Confession, or speaking God’s promises aloud, is another practice embraced by many believers. Proverbs 18:21 states, “Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” By confessing God’s promises, believers align their words with God’s truth, reinforcing their faith and trust in His Word.

Examples of God’s Promises

1. Provision: Philippians 4:19 assures believers, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

2. Peace: Isaiah 26:3 promises, “You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.”

3. Strength: Isaiah 40:31 declares, “But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”

4. Eternal Life: John 3:16 offers the promise of eternal life, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Challenges and Misunderstandings

While claiming God’s promises is a source of hope and encouragement, it is not without challenges. Misinterpretations can arise when promises are taken out of context or when believers expect immediate fulfillment without considering God’s timing and will. It is essential to study Scripture diligently, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit to understand the context and application of God’s promises.

In summary, claiming God’s promises involves a dynamic relationship with God, characterized by faith, obedience, prayer, and confession. Believers are called to trust in the faithfulness of God, who is unchanging and true to His Word.

The problem that arises most often from claiming promises is that most Christians will pick and choose which promises the will claim and fail to recognize that just saying it or claiming it will not make it so – not even in the least. Then, when the ‘promise claimer’ doesn’t get what they wanted or claimed, often doubt creeps in and faith falters. Perhaps they assume God isn’t listening or it just doesn’t work, so they just forget it and move on? But they don’t just move on. They carry the doubt of failure with them. It affects their walk with God thereafter.

So where do we go from here?

God’s promises are real. They are found in His Word and in His Covenants. The Greek noun for covenant, “diathéké”, traces the unifying thread of God’s saving plan from Genesis to Revelation. It portrays a binding arrangement initiated by God, ratified by blood, confirmed by divine oath, and designed to secure the relationship between the Creator and His people.

Each biblical occurrence deepens the portrait of a God who commits Himself irrevocably to mercy and holiness, culminating in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But – and please hear me here – they are not ‘standalone’ Covenantal Promises. They are part of the entire Word of God. You cannot pick and choose in God’s Word. His Word is all inclusive. His Promises and His Commandments. His offerings and His Requirements. The Blessings and the Warnings.

God has made clear in His Word, even if you haven’t read all of it, that we will face good times and rough times in life. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. It is through these times that God’s Promises sustain us. It is during trials, failures, sickness, loss and the like that ALL THINGS ARE WORKING TOGETHER FOR OUR GOOD, for those of us who love God and are called according to His purpose.

In order to achieve this end, which your sanctification which prepares you to be able to receive the Promises of God, comes only through being consecrated by God, which result in practical holiness of life. It embraces both the decisive setting you apart for God’s own use, that occurs at conversion and the ongoing transformation that conforms believers to the image of Christ.

Biblical consecration refers to the act of setting a person apart for sacred use or service to God. It signifies a commitment to holiness and devotion, often involving specific rituals or ceremonies to dedicate them to divine purposes. But it is not something we can do on our own or of ourself.

And please listen – the work of sanctification is not a simple process nor is it always a pleasant experience. It can be difficult, even painful and bewildering at times. But, as Daniel 12:10 states, through this process, “Many will be purged, cleansed, and refined.” The old ‘you’ will have to die a thousand deaths so you can be transformed – born again – made into a new creature, in His image.

One of the first examples of this process can be found in Matthew 4 :1-11. when Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted or tested and prooved. Jesus, of course, would pass the test, but it was done as example for all who would believe in and follow Him. Everyone who would follow Jesus, will be subjected to this same testing, tempting and proving. It is part of the entire process of God’s work of sanctifying and consecrating the believer and transforming them to the image of Christ. A radical transformation, a remaking of a person into a new creature – it is indeed being born again!

Read this one example of the process of sanctification from Matthew ch. 5:

Verse 1, Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. Verse 2. And He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

Verse 3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (“Poor in spirit”, ptóchos from the Greek, from the base word, ptosso, meaning to crouch; a beggar, as cringing, a pauper. Without any material, financial, social, mental, emotional resources for help; without hope.)

Verse 4. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Comfort from God is the promise of God. It need not be claimed, as one would consider ‘staking a claim’. Just know it and believe. And if saying it to oneself is helpful, then by all means say it. If saying it to oneself is to be considered as “claiming the promise” then so be it.)

Verse 5. “Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth. (This is both the result of being made “poor in spirit” and the promise of God that follows. It is a prophetic command that need not be “claimed”. It is a gift of God).

Verse 6. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. (Once again, both the result of being made “poor in spirit” and the promise of God that follows.)

Verse 7. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

Verse 8. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Verse 9. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Verse 10. “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (the word ‘persecuted’ comes from two complementary currents, an energetic pursuit or a hunting down and hostile persecution.)

Verse 11. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Verse 12. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Once again, both the result of being made “poor in spirit” and the promise of God that follows.)

Furthermore, Romans 10:17 tells us – Promises us – that faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So, if repeating the promises of God to yourself builds your faith that His promises are true and meant for you, then by all means repeat them, meditate on them, pray them, say them aloud. And if this, to you, is “claiming the promises of God”, then yes, claim them in this way!

But once again, just remember that receiving the Promises of God is not what we ‘do’. It is what God has already done as He prepares us to receive His promises by His sanctifying work.

Matthew 5:13-16 tells us – Promises us – “For you are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people.

“You are made the light of the world. A city set on a hill and you cannot be hidden; nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Your light – the promises God has granted you – must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Now, let’s walk in His Promises,

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

The COVENANTS of God – What are they? What do they mean to me?

(Also see 100 promises of God to you, the believer).

DO YOU BELIEVE – OR DO YOU JUST BELIEVE IN?

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

DO YOU

Can you say…

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.

He descended to the dead.

On the third day He rose again.

He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Universal Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Do you also believe in…

         

Please listen, dear friends, Many will say to Jesus on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then He will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

There is an important difference between believing IN something and BELIEVING. Those who BELIEVE Jesus, what He said and how He lived and what He has commanded us, are the ones who obey and keep His words.

But, those who do things because they just “BELIEVE IN” them, are the ones who are ‘practicing lawlessness’, and this is because they do things by their own will and volition.

So, if you say you believe IN Jesus, but do not do what He says, the way He says it, perhaps you simply believe IN Him.

The demons believed IN Jesus and shuddered, (see James 2:19). Interestingly, however, they shuddered because they also BELIEVED HIM. They BELIEVED and KNEW that Jesus meant every word He said, and He had the authority to do what He said.

Do you believe In Him – AND – Believe Him at His Word?

Do you know that Jesus said what He meant and meant every word He said – exactly as He said it?

Do you know and believe Jesus has the authority to DO what He said – and He will do it?

Do you ever shudder at the words of Jesus – knowing He will do what He says?

The Apostle James explains to us that, “faith works WITH your works. It is the result of your works that faith is perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called a friend of God. You see, that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone”. (see James 1:22-24).

So, if you say you BELIEVE IN Jesus. But do you really BELIEVE HIM, if you neglect to DO exactly what He has said?

Not everyone who says to Jesus, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of His Father who is in heaven will enter.

You might say, “this isn’t fair. I am trying to do what He has commanded. I love Jesus. I honestly love Him!”

Okay, let’s talk about loving Jesus.

Jesus says, “If you LOVE ME, you will KEEP My commandments”, (see (John 14:15). In fact, a deeper look at this verse you will discover that the word “keep”, “téreó” in the Greek language, means to guard and to watch over, to continue to observe. This can be compared to the relationship between a baby and his or her mother. The mother watches and guards over the infant, lovingly nourishing her baby emotionally and physically. And the baby watches his or her mother intently, attaching to her in every way, until the infant, out of the deepest love only a baby can have for a mother, begins to reflect and imitate the mother’s expressions and behaviors which will endure of its lifetime.

So it is with us, who truly LOVE Jesus. As He watches over and guards us and nourishes us in every way, we watch Him in a true love relationship that only a born again believer can experience, until we begin to take on His attitude, expressions and behaviors out of a love only a child of God can truly know.

Additionally, this word “keep” could also be used to mean “obey”. For example, John 14:21 says, “The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be LOVED BY My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” This is from the word, as we have discussed, “téreó”.

There is the word, “peithó”, as used in Hebrews 13:17, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account—so that they may do this with joy, not groaning; for this would be unhelpful for you”. This word means to “obey” in the sense of obligation through persuasion. An external influence and control.

There is also the word, “hupakouó”, found in Ephesians 6:1, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right”, which is to “obey” and authority figure out of duty. This is also used as a soldier would obey orders. Again, and external influence and control.

There are other meanings and uses of this word “obey”, all related to external commands.

But God is using the word “téreó” to express obedience through a relationship built on love and trust.

It is the one who not only BELIEVES IN JESUS, but the one who both BELIEVES IN HIM and BELIEVES HIM is the one who LOVES Him

The one who BELIEVES Jesus is the one who is the child of God. (John 1:12).

The one who BELIEVES Jesus is the joint-heir with Christ. (Romans 8:17).

The one who BELIEVES Jesus is called a friend by Jesus. (John 15:15).

The one who BELIEVES Jesus is the one who shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 5:3).

Conversely, and in love,

If you think you are important in the Kingdom of God, then you are not.

If you think you are not arrogant, then you are.

If you are proud of your accomplishments in the Church, you are simply proud.

If you think your ministry is vital in the Kingdom of God, it is not – and you need to check your vitals.

You have heard it said to Love God first. I say, Love the Lord your God, alone. Only He is worthy.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and all your strength. Then, Love others as God loves.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(PS: I talk to many Christians who misquote scriptures or say, “but here is what I believe” with little or no scriptural basis for their thoughts. It is like driving a car for the first time, with no steering wheel.)

(PSS: These are things I also need to learn, and that, I pray, I am learning, late in life, but thanks be to God, He is still teaching, and it’s never too late!)

DOUBT NOT – A Prophecy

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

 

doubt.jpg

NOT!

 

Hear these urgent, prophetic Words of Jesus.

It seems we have been so inculcated by the thoughts, ideas, views and ways of the world, that our Christian thought has become muddled and mixed with error. This is fatal for a Christian. We cannot walk in the Spirit of God and see the power and presence of God in our lives if we spend our days, lingering in the world.

I would go as far to say, we have lost our way. We no longer run from sinful images or displays. We no longer shun evil.

We drink it in by what we watch on TV and at the movies. We revel in it by what we read, think and say. We consider the “old time religion” as too strict and legalistic. So, we stain ourselves with the sin of doubt and blur our vision with double-mindedness. We doubt.

The Apostle and disciple, James, warns us that we “must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

The Bible tells us instead, and yes, commands us, doubt not and to “have the mind in us which is also in Christ Jesus”. It is the only way.

Jesus tells us that we must not doubt.

Strong’s concordance (#1252) definition of DOUBT: (diakrino), means to

1) to separate, make a distinction, discriminate, to prefer

2) to be at variance with one’s self, hesitate, doubt

When it comes to God’s Word, we cannot make distinctions or discriminate or show preferences based on what we have learned from the world around us or by our life experiences. We cannot withdraw from doing God’s Word nor dispute what we must do in obedience to Him. We cannot be at variance with ourselves, nor hesitate or doubt in what God tells us we must do.

The world is against Christ and the world is teaching us to make up our own minds without regard to what God tells us. And as a result, our minds are being transformed by the world, by the media, by television programming, by the filth in the movies, by anti-God magazines, by hate mongering politics and more.

This is nothing new:

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from [a]any tree of the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  (Genesis 3:1).

The serpent told Eve to make up her own mind based on what she saw and thought according to the world around her. She gave the same advice to Adam, and they both ate, “and their eyes were opened.”

And they died. And, all humankind died.

Death manifested as a life ending natural death, followed by the horrors of spiritual death and eternal separation from God.

The serpent has been telling us, since the beginning, that we surly will not die. He continues to tell us the same lie, today.

And, we are dying. Our faith is dying, our witness is dying, our Spiritual walk is dying. Morality is dying, families and relationships are dying, and true wisdom is all but dead.

We take part in immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, every day. God has warned that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

This is the method of the Evil One. He is working to change our minds about God. He is telling us, “You surely will not die!”

But, God says for us to “wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

He is crouching at the door; and his desire is for you – but you must master him.”

DOUBT NOT.

Matthew 21:21–22, “And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

This is not just a “memory verse”. This is not a method or a program for success. This is not knowledge for knowledge’s sake.

This is the Word of Life. It is the Flesh and Blood of Jesus. Consume it. Drink it in.

We must practice the Presence and the Word of God, every waking minute, if we are going to do what God has commanded.

You and I must separate ourselves from this world at every chance. Turn off the news. Put down the newspapers. Turn off the television. Avert your glance from all that is evil or full of dissension.

We can and must retake the lost territories. Listen to the LORD. Here is how:

Joshua 1:3-8 “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.  From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory.  “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

If you are able, join me in a 30-day Spiritual diet of God and His Word. Start by rejecting the evil thoughts and images of this world. Do this until you can go for ONE MINUTE without dwelling a negative or evil thoughts.

If an errant thought come to your mind, quickly cast it out and turn your mind, thoughts and words to Jesus.

Do this until you successfully complete ONE MINUTE.

Then go for TEN MINUTES.

Then, go for ONE HOUR.

Then, go for, ONE WEEK.

Then, make it for, THIRTY DAYS.

The results will astound you.

Remembering that God has said that, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

This is something we can do, now. This is what God is willing for us to do, now.

Have Faith

Doubt Not

Ask in Prayer

Believe

Receive

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young