Activating A Promise Of God
Jan 10, 2022
2 Corinthians 1:20 AMP - For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are [all answered] “Yes.” So through Him we say our “Amen” to the glory of God.
Today I want to share with you how to activate a biblical promise into your life. Many of you have some big problems you are praying about, so I want to help you to be able to stand on God's Word and see your prayers answered.
One thing for sure, God's not moved into action by our needs alone. If that were true, there would be no lack in this world. We wouldn't even need to pray. A prominent pastor once told me, "Gerald, everything God's ever going to do for you has already been done for you through through Word of God".
That statement is so true, God's already done His part through the Word and the power in the Word, now it's time for us to do our part. Most of our prayers will get answered or manifested while we are on earth, but some will get answered when we graduate into heaven. (Hebrews 11:1) Our sovereign God controls the how and when.
When my ten year old son Alec was in the hospital dying, I asked God to heal him. God did heal him, but not here on earth. Alec is 100% alive and healed in heaven. The morning of my son's celebration service, God spoke to me so clearly, He said "Your son Alec is alive and healed, He is so happy here with me, I have answered your prayer with a better outcome than you had in mind. After all, no one in heaven wants to go back to earth. Son, finish your work I have put before you and one day you will be reunited with Him."
So that's what I'm doing this morning with this message for you, I'm finishing the work of service God has called me into.
More than that, I want to help you with a prayer and faith strategy. There are over 6000 plus promises in the Bible for you. And God promises to answer every one that you activate with these two ingredients, prayer and faith. He even has a promise guaranteeing that He will answer His promises.
2 Corinthians 1:20 AMP - For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are [all answered] “Yes.” So through Him we say our “Amen” to the glory of God.
So Here's The Strategy.
- See what the Word says about whatever you are praying about. If you want to understand God's will for your life, search the Word FIRST. You can google "biblical promises for whatever" and you'll get an endless list of biblical promises. Spend some time studying these scriptures, meditating (thinking about them) on them. Make a list, definitely write them down. Pray about them, ask God to clarify them if you have any questions.
- Then develop a prayer. For major issues in my life, I like to write them down. I insert the biblical promises throughout my prayer.
- Pray the prayer. At the moment of your prayer, receive it by faith. God's answer is always Yes to a biblical promise.
Mark 11:24 NIV - Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Hebrews 11:1 AMP - Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].
- WHATEVER you ask for
- Believe that you have received it
- And it will be yours
- Faith is the title deed
- Faith is the confirmation
- Faith is divinely guaranteed
Remember, now you'll have to trust God for how He will answer your prayer, and when He'll answer you prayer. You'll NEVER have to pray that same prayer ever again, IF you've received it by faith.
Think of this this way, if you come to my house for a chicken dinner and you ask for some chicken, know that my answer is yes, even before you ask.
"Gerald can I have some chicken?" Me: "Yes."
"Gerald can I have some chicken?" Me: "Yes."
"Gerald can I have some chicken?" Me: "Yes."
Me: "JEEZ, why do you keep asking me over and over again, I said YES, don't you believe me?" "Take some chicken, pleezzzze!"
Get the point? - Now I want to give you three types of prayers while you are waiting for God to answer your prayers and deliver on His yes.
- Pray prayers of praise. Begin thanking God for what is done, even though it's not delivered. This will glorify God, increase your faith and peace.
- When you find yourself waiting and waiting and waiting, you'll also find yourself in the fight of faith, your feelings will be all over the place. Take this to God. Example: "Lord, all this week I have been experiencing feelings of doubt, but Lord I'm not moved by my feelings, I'm moved by my faith and I believe in your promises." Then begin declaring the biblical promises you are standing on. Yup, speak the Word. That's what Jesus did when satan was tempting Him.
- It's perfectly OK to pray, asking God to hurry up. It's actually acknowledging He is in control and has the power to do so. This is all throughout the Psalms:
But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! (Psalm 22:19)
Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation! (Psalm 38:22)
Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! (Psalm 40:13)
You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God! (Psalm 40:17)
Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! (Psalm 70:1)
But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay! (Psalm 70:5)
O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! (Psalm 71:12)
O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you! (Psalm 141:1)
Here's why having a faith and prayer strategy is so important. The enemy, satan, also has a strategy. His strategy is to steal the Word of God from your heart. This is how people fall out of faith and right into doubt, giving up on their faith in God's Word. In John 10:10, Jesus says that satan has come only to kill, steal and destroy. Do you know what satan is out the steal? He's out to steal the Word from you? Jesus lays this out in the parable of the sower. (Mark 4)
He points out that this is the secret to the Kingdom of God. But look how this parable ends.
Mark 4:20 NIV - Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
Thirty, sixty and a hundred fold is the abundance Jesus promises in John 10:10. Your prayers and your needs are important. They are important to God, to you and to me. Whatever it is you are praying for, I am standing in agreement with you every day of the week. Remember, praise is the language of receiving.
Satan has a plot, you should have a plan.
-Gerald
