Preacher: Pastor (Dr) Otive Igbuzor
Text: 2 Peter 1:4, Num 13 Date: 14/04/24
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Introduction
God has a Covenant with His people. There are great promises and blessings that follow the Covenant. As his children, we should appropriate the promises of God.
There are 23,214 verses in the Old Testament and 7,959 verses in the New Testament making a total of 31,173 verses in the bible. Some scholars argue that every verse in the Bible is a promise. But concretely, there are 7,487 promises by God to man; 991 by one man to another and 290 by man to God.
What is a promise?
A declaration of some benefit to be conferred. God’s covenant goes with promises. For instance, God’s covenant with Abraham came with promise of three things: Land, Seed and blessing.
Gen 12: 1-3 -Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (KJV)
All of God’s promises are ratified by the blood of Jesus Heb 7:22-By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament (KJV)
On the day of your salvation, you entered into covenant with God and inherited all of God’s promises and became prosperous. But the sad reality is that many Christians live like spiritual and material paupers.
Content of the promises
The promises cover all aspects of life-spiritual, material, corporate and personal
The promises of God are great and precious 2 Peter 1:4-whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises…(KJV)
Great: large in size and dimension
Precious: something valuable and cherished.
Few examples to illustrate:
Relationship with God Rom 5:6-11 (Jesus died for the ungodly. When you give your life, you are reconciled to God)
Supply all your needs Matt 6: 31-32
Guidance Gen 24:7 (He shall send his angels before thee)
Possession Gen 28: 12-14
Sustenance 1 Kings 19:4-5; 2 Kings 1:13-15
Preservation: Dan 3:28- Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego
Courage Acts 27: 23-24
The surety of the Promises
He is faithful: Deut 7:9
He is not a man that He should lie
Most of the promises have conditions e.g. Is 1: 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.
Condition for claiming the promise:
Faith Gal 3:21
Fulfil the conditions Is 1:19
Illustrative stories from the Bible
The promise to Joshua and the people of Israel about Canaan: Joshua 1: 3 –I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.
Exploration of Canaan : Numbers 13
Lessons from the stories
You may pass through challenges and storms to claim the promises. Joshua had to lead the people of Israel to fight for every piece of land.
Two people can observe the same thing and see them differently. You can focus on the circumstance or stand on the promises of God. Num 13:33B We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.
Conclusion: As Children of God, we are into covenant with Him. God is faithful. He will keep His part of the covenant. He is committed to providing for you physically, emotionally and spiritually. He will keep all His promises. You can stand on the promises of God. The only thing you need is faith and fulfil the conditions.
SSS 877
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.
Stand…ing………………..Stand…ing
Standing on the promises of God my saviour
Stand…ing……………….Stand…ing
I am standing on the promises of God