I have heard that there are approximately over 7000 promises for us within the written Word of God. That’s incredible. I believe that the reason God makes us promises is to give us hope. I also believe that one of the ways we can strengthen ourselves in the Lord, is by believing that He will fulfill every promise that He has made us. The bible tells us that in Christ we already have a “Yes” and an “Amen” to all the promises of God.
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
2 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV
From my understanding, there are two types of promises God makes to His people in His word. These are unconditional promises and conditional promises. Let me explain:
- Unconditional promises are promises God has made to us where there is no prerequisite. In other words, we did not first have to meet any conditions in order to receive the promise. A good example of this kind of promise from Scripture is found in Genesis chapter 9. After the flood in Genesis chapter 7, God promised mankind that He would never again flood the whole earth. This promise was not based upon any prerequisite.
And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.
Genesis 9:12-16 NKJV
2. Conditional promises on the other hand have prerequisites from the Lord. This means that God requires something from us, and if we walk in obedience to His instructions, He will be faithful to fulfill these promises to us. Let me offer an example of this from Scripture.
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV
People have asked me in the past, “how do you know if a promise is from the Lord?” This is a really good question. In answer to this, I’d like to draw from my personal experience, what I have been told from other disciples of Jesus and of course what is revealed to us in Scripture.
The Lord knows what each of us will face in our lives and He knows the struggles, the challenges and the hardships we may have to endure. As we walk in a loving relationship with the Lord and we are trying our best to be obedient to His commandments, He will start drawing our attention to certain promises within His Word. The Lord has given me promises that I know with absolute certainty are from Him, because He has confirmed these to me several times. These promises have given me so much peace and hope because I know the Lord is faithful to fulfill them all. Therefore, no matter what I have to endure, I hold on to His promises.
If a promise is from the Lord, it will align with Scripture and He will send you confirmation of the promise. Let’s look at an example of this from Scripture:
Joseph had a dream about becoming a ruler, and because this was a promise from the Lord, God confirmed it to Joseph by giving him a second dream.
Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”
Genesis 37:6-7 NKJV
Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”
Genesis 37:9 NKJV
Some of God’s promises to me have already come into fulfillment, however I am still waiting for many others to be fulfilled. In His love and mercy, He frequently reminds me of the promises He has made me, and these really strengthen and encourage me to keep moving forward. His promises to us should give us hope, even when a situation looks hopeless.
For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
Romans 8:24-25 NKJV
Scripture shows us examples of people who were given great promises from God, but there was usually a time of waiting. I believe this will be true for us as well. Abraham waited for 25 years for his promised son Isaac to be born from the time that God first made the promise to him. Joseph waited 13 years for the promise from God to be fulfilled. During this time of waiting our faith may get tested, and it may look as if the promise is slipping further and further away. But, when the promise is from the Lord, we have hope (or a confident expectation) that He will fulfill it. Our part is to choose to believe God and hold on to His promises, no matter our current situation. He is good and He is faithful. Every promise He made to His people in Scripture came to pass, and so it will be with us. Thank You Jesus!
I’d like to encourage you to seek the Lord if you are in need of a promise from Him. One that will give you the needed hope and strength to endure any difficult situation you may be currently dealing with. Be patient and wait for Him to show you the promise. He will make sure that you know it is from Him by sending you confirmation. Thank You Lord Jesus.