Appointed To Bear Fruit: A 90 Day JourneyНамуна

Confidence in His Promises

Jesus left His disciples to go to heaven because He knew that we would be given all that we needed to continue His mission on earth. One thing that He gave us was the assurance of our salvation: “You know the way to where I am going.” We boldly testify for Christ in spite of the dangers we face, because we are certain of our salvation. If I was not certain of God’s promises, it would be far better for me to prioritize my own comfort. Knowing that I have a great reward in heaven, I don’t need to seek riches on earth. For people who don’t have the certainty of heaven, when they die, it would be better for them to just stay in their house because the world is a dangerous place. There are car accidents, plane crashes, murders, and the list goes on. If you aren’t convinced that your life is in God’s hands, then it’s best to just play it safe and stay home. When God calls me to heaven, I know I will go straight to the Father’s House. What a comfort that is for the believer. 

Because of His promises, I am willing to attempt what many deem as impossible for God’s glory. He has promised that His Word would not return to Him empty (Isa. 55:11); He has promised that He will send us out and be with us, to name a few. Therefore, I boldly proclaim the gospel because I know that it is not I who work, but God who is working through me to bring people to faith. We can be daring in our faith because of the promises of God. To be faithful in ministry, we must be willing to risk our lives based on His promises.

It’s not only our own lives that are at risk, but also our families. As a parent, I know what it’s like to struggle with worry over my children. I want them to be safe just as I trust God to provide for my needs and keep me safe. It’s easy for me to trust God with my life, but difficult for me to trust Him with my children’s needs. If God is leading my life, why can’t I trust that He is also leading the lives of my children? Likewise, we can also struggle to believe that God will faithfully take care of our disciples. Remember, the Holy Spirit that is in your life is also in the lives of your disciples. He is present to the same degree with the same power. It can be easy to doubt God’s love and care. But our worries over our children’s or disciples’ futures means we’re not fully trusting God. God wants us to trust Him with every concern of our heart. 

Don’t limit your faith only to yourself. You can be confident that God’s promises will extend not only to your own life, but also to the lives of other believers. Wanting to help a fellow believer is commendable. So, when you see people in difficulty, you should have compassion for them just as Jesus does. In fact, by doing so, you could be God’s answer to their prayers as you meet their needs. But you will also need to be praying for wisdom. Sometimes God is using a situation in their lives to strengthen their faith so that they learn to trust in God’s promises. In that case, you want to be careful not to be too quick to step in and short-circuit God’s work in their lives. The Spirit will lead you as you seek Him. For example, a person needing help may think that “If only I had more money, then I wouldn’t have any problems.” If that were the case, God would have put an ATM machine with an unlimited supply of free money in every church. But He didn’t. The solution for that person is to seek God, discover His will, and trust in His provisions for them. It’s the task of every disciple to learn to trust and depend on God alone so that their faith will grow. And, by doing so, they will be ready to do greater works for God. 

Application:  What are God’s promises and are you believing in them?