Day Twenty nine  -  Claim a Promise

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

                  The verse tells us that God has given to us exceeding great and precious promises.  Do we know what those promises are?  If they are as great as the Bible claims,  we need to know what God has promised us.  The verse continues by saying that the promises are a means to escape the corruption that is in the world.  Our desires causes us to succumb to the corruption,  but the promises overcome our desires.   Again,  if the promises are given so that we could overcome the world’s corruption,  then it is vitally important that we know and claim these promises. 

I said in a sermon Sunday morning,  that the job description of a prophet is to open the Word of God to know what God wants the world to hear,  and then to open our mouths and tell that message to those around us.   Every believer is a prophet in the sense that he gives God’s Word to others.  As a prophet he needs to search for God’s messages that bring power and strength into his or her life,  so that he in turn can show that strength to others.   We need to open God’s Word and find the promises of God.  We must see if the promise is given to us,  and then we must claim that promise asking God to provide that which He has given to meet a need in our life. 

One of the great promises in the Bible is found in 1 Peter 5.  The passage is written primarily to pastors,  elders.  But the promises is given to all who have a care.  He says, 

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

The verse is given in the context of the devil seeking whom he may devour.  We are told to resist him steadfast in the faith.  God has not left us to fight these battles alone.  In order for us to win,  we must first “humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.”  When we see our position before Him,  we also know that He is the power.  We cast our care upon Him,  because He cares for us.  If we do not cast our cares,  we are open to the “devouring” of the devil.   We resist him, not by engaging him in battle,  but by humbling ourselves under the hand of God and casting our care on Him.

 

An exercise to increase our Faith:  Read the last chapter of the book of Philippians.  Search for God’s promises and claim those promises to strengthen your walk this week.