If you’re looking for more sermon ideas on promises, be sure to head over to SermonSearch.com to find 100’s of sermons on promises to help you out!

1.0 What are Promises-God’s Promises?

1.1 God’s promises have power!

  1. They extend God’s lifeline of hope.
  2. He offers them before you’ll ever need them.
  3. They buoy you up when things look bleak.
  4. They are answers your life needs.
  5. God’s promises are solutions to your problems-current and future ones.

Jacob’s Backstory

(1) He’d been victimized for the past 20 years by Laban, his father-in-law.

(2) Jacob worked for 14 years tending Laban’s flock and his compensation was the hand of Rachel and Leah in marriage, Laban’s two daughters.

(3) The last six years Laban changed his compensation many times in order to find a good way to take advantage of him.

(4) God speaks to Jacob to return home-the land of promise-and he along with his household and flock take-off without telling Laban.

(5) Laban discovers it; but in a dream God tells Laban to not try to harm Jacob.

(6) Jacob and his family began the 400-mile journey to Canaan only to learn that his brother Esau and 400 men were riding to meet him.

(7) Esau wants to kill Jacob for what he did 20 years ago.

(8) Jacob retreats into a private space to pray armed with God’s promise.

How Do You STAND on God’s Promises

When Things are a Mess?

2.0 To Stand On God’s Promises, KNOW:

2.1 The Promise is for ME (Gen. 32:9-12).

Gen. 32:9-”Then Jacob prayed, ‘O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, ‘Go back to your country you’re your relatives, and I will make you prosper.””

  1. Recognize and understand God’s promise.
  2. Jacob knew what his inheritance was-the Promised Land.

God’s Promise (Gen. 12:2-3)-The Abrahamic covenant was at stake. Abraham, Jacob’s grandfather was told by God, ”I will make you a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Jacob had been meditating on it for years and he finally got the go ahead to return home and possess the land.

Jacob understood God’s promise to be pleasant and delightful. He knew enough to know its relevance and value to his destiny.

Media: Show Psalm 119:103 on screen.

Psalm 119:103-”How sweet are your promises to my taste, more than honey to my mouth!”

Note: The word sweet means smooth, pleasant.

Jacob also knew that God’s promise was tailored made for him and he loved them.

Media: Show Psalm 119:140 on screen.

Psalm 119:140-”Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.”

Comedic example: The book, ”Satan, you can’t have my kids” became a bestseller while the sequel, ‘Satan, you can’t have my marriage’ fell flat on its face.” What are you saying when you don’t aggressively pursue God’s promises?

Do You really LOVE God’s Promises?

Enough to Fight for them?

Action

(1) Interface with the Promise box, showing how it’s a priceless gift from God.

W. Tozer said, ”The man who believes the promises of God expects to see them fulfilled.”

(2) Speak of its relevance and how when your life has a need-a real need, God’s promises are not only invaluable, they are a lifeline. You must love them!

Spurgeon and Unused Promises: ”There are some promises in the Bible which I have never yet used; but I am well assured that there will come times of trial and trouble when I shall find that that poor despised promise, which I thought was never meant for me, will be the only one on which I can float. I know that the time is coming when every believer shall know the worth of every promise in the covenant.”

2.2 The Promise has conditions (Gen. 32:9-12).

Gen. 32:9-”Then Jacob prayed, ‘O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper.”’

  1.  I must do MY part!
  2. Jacob had to return home. So he:
  3. Made the hard decision to move.
  4. Gathered the family together and had a candid conversation.

iii. Worked through the fear and other awkward feelings and emotions.

God’s Promise to Bible characters has their primary significance to that person(s).

However, God is no respecter of persons. He’s able to do the same for you when you approach Him.

You must meet the conditions. If repentance is needed, repent.

Promise: God is a healer.

James 5:16-”Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

Condition: Repentance is needed, first.

Outcome: Danny Ortiz’s father was healed when he confessed he hadn’t forgiven his wife and kids.

iii. If a declaration is needed, make it!

Promise: God’s Financial Provision

Mal. 3:11-”and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops….”

Condition: Be faithful in tithing (Mal. 3:10)

Outcome: Wesley Duewel’s father’s walked out into his garden one day and went he looked around at his neighbor’s gardens; they were being destroyed by a potato bug. Their garden was next in line. His dad, who had been a faithful tither declared, ”God, You said: You will prevent pests from devouring my crops. Thank you for fulfilling this promise for my family.” The bugs stopped at the fence and they did not have one potato bug in their garden, Wesley testified. Pg. 146 Touch the World Through Prayer.

  1. Do your part and God will do His part!
  2. God’s promises invited Jacob to claim them as his inheritance.
  3. It’s your turn now.

Don’t leave this priceless gift on the table.

What do you need from the Lord?

Locate a promise that speaks to that issue.

Action

(1) Select and read the 4 Bible promises in gift box.

Media: Show Psalm 29:11 on screen. Need PEACE?

Psalm 29:11-”The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”

Media: Show Phil. 4:19 on screen. Need Resources?

Phil. 4:19-”And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

Media: Show Psalm 37:4 on screen. Unique needs?

Psalm 37:4-”Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Media: Show Acts 2:38-39 on screen. Need Salvation?

Acts 2:38-39-”Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…The promise is for you and your children.”

2.3 The Promise Can Be Activated (32:22-28).

  1. Activate them by confessing the Word.
  2. Jacob confessed what God promised.
  3. This made God’s promises REAL.
  4. This aligned his heart, hopes, dreams, plans, and actions with God’s promises.
  5. Activate them by waiting on God in prayer.
  6. God stirs us to remember His promises and to crave their fulfillment NOW.
  7. Jacob brought a sense of urgency to prayer.
  8. He entered the secret place with a warrior’s mentality. Denial was not an option. Delay was unacceptable.
  9. The promise awakens a deep sense of faith.
  10. I cannot be denied!
  11. God has to show up, show off, show out…for me.

iii. I need a victory was Jacob’s attitude.

Story: On July 20th, 2016, According to Time magazine an 86-year-old woman in England fought off a robber. The Greater Manchester Police, said that spry old lady had just withdrew some money at the ATM before heading to the supermarket.

She was apparently followed to the store, though, because a still unknown woman grabbed her shopping cart and demanded the cash. The police who posted the saga on their Facebook page said, ”she defended herself by repeatedly hitting the female offender over the head with a packet of bacon.” The thief ran off. My point is: when you’re ready to fight for the promises of God, like this old lady, you’ll battle anywhere and anytime against Satan and his hordes for ALL of God’s promises.

Source: http://time.com/4414870/this-86-year-old-woman-fought-off-a-thief-with-bacon/ Accessed, Sept. 30, 2016.

  1. Locate a Bible promise as your foundation to rest your prayer.
  2. Read it over and over until you own it.
  3. Claim it.

Oswald Chambers-the author of My Utmost for His Highest says in response to 1 Cor. 7:1, ”’Having therefore these promises.’ I claim the fulfillment of God’s promises, and rightly, but that is only the human side; the Divine side is that through the promises I recognize God’s claim on me.”

  1. Memorize it.
  2. Pray it section by section.
  3. Praise God with it.
  4. Wait for it with eagerness and delight.

Martin Luther says that ”when I get hold of a promise, I look upon it like a fruit tree-I shake it until the fruit falls.”

Charles Spurgeon said, ”[God] keeps His promise a thousand times”

Add your voice to the mix of champions who talked about God’s promises.

Speaker A said, ”God’s promises are worth fighting for!”

Speaker B said, ”I can’t stop fighting for God’s promises. They are too essential for my life.”

Speaker C said, ”This generation desperately needs God’s promises. I must do my part to acquire them!”

Speaker D said, ”God’s promises are my daily bread.”

Now, you will say, ”God’s promises are my hopes, my dreams, my life. I can’t live without them.”

I challenge you to dare to believe God!

Share this content with your peers!