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Promises

By Matt Arnold, written 2000 - 2002

Here are some of the promises to the believer in the Christian bible. Consider what it is that would count as a violation of these promises to you.

Isaiah 41:10: “I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”

Psalms 91: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who shadow of the Almighty, will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.’ For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. Because you have made the LORD your refuge, the Most High your habitation, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent. For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot. Because he cleaves to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation.”

Luke 6:38: “…give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Malachi 3:10: “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, sayeth the LORD of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.”

2 Corinthians 9:6 and 8: “The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” “And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.”

Psalm 33: 18 - 19: “Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.”

Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, an he will make straight your paths.”

Palm 31 :19 -20 : “O how abundant is your goodness that you have laid up for those who fear you, and accomplished for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of everyone! In the shelter of your presence you will hide them from human plots; you hold them safe under your shelter from contentious tongues.”

James 5:14-16: “Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; [italics mine] and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.”

Mark 16:17-18: “And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” [Notice six uses of the unequivocal word “will”, not “might.”]

Have you ever had experiences which you thought might be breaking these promises? If you asked a pastor, perhaps you were given an excuse, or told that it didn’t apply. What should we expect to experience, or never experience, if these promises were true? Or if they were false?