DAILY DISCIPLINE #3
By Colleen Donahue

"For as many as may be the promises of God, in HIM (in Jesus) they are YES!"
2 Corinthians 1:20a

Several years ago in our part of London (Holborn) where we had our businesses, there was a homeless man that lived on a little triangle corner down from us. He was there day and night and literally had all his possessions in garbage bags surrounding him. For as long as I can remember he was there -- until one day he disappeared. For months he was missing and of course, we all wondered about him. We probably never would have known more except for a little article in the London Times. This man had been sought after for years because he was the recipient of a large inheritance. For years he had slept outside on his bench, scrounged the streets for food, and owned nothing when all the while he was rich! If you think this story has a pathetic note then consider that you may be just like this man!

God's word is full of promises, and as His children -- members of God's family -- we have a right to almost every one of them! They are ours for the taking. It's a sad story today that so many of us are content to live without all of God's promises and treasures. Don't let another day go past without claiming all that God has promised for you. This study will be a beginning for you and will get you started. First, it will make you aware of what is promised to you but then secondly you must claim it as your own.

The Bible says, "God is not a man that He should lie..." (Numbers 23:19). Therefore you can be confident that whatever the Lord promises you, will be fulfilled!

GOD'S PROMISES FOR YOUR LIFE

THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. Jesus knows that all of His followers will need the same power that He had if we are ever going to live our life to the fullest. WHO does he promise us?
John 14:15-17 / John 15:26 / John 16:7-15

What two names does Jesus give for the Holy Spirit?
(Note: Parakletos is the Greek word for an intercessor, comforter, and advocate.)

Where will He live? - John 14:17b

Who qualifies to receive the Holy Spirit? - John 14:15

What will the Holy Spirit do in your life? -

Too many Christians are satisfied to have their sins forgiven, but then go on to lead a frustrating life in their own strength. Do not live another day without the Holy Spirit for when He indwells your life He will be the wisdom and power enabling you to be victorious in your life. Ask Jesus now for Him and receive Him by faith.

2. The verses for today continue from yesterday about the promised Holy Spirit in our life. Read them through first before answering the questions.
Romans 8:11, 14-17, 26-27

WHO is to become the life of your body and WHY will that be? - verse 11

The Holy Spirit indwelling our own spirit leads us through life and when we follow His directives what does this make us? - verse 14

The Holy Spirit indwelling us changes our entire view of God. What are we apt to call God? verse 15
NOTE: Abba was the Aramaic term for Father, Daddy, or Papa. It's a loving, familiar term that a Jewish child would use with his father but never with God. The Holy Spirit wants us to see our Heavenly Father in a close and loving way.

What does the Holy Spirit in us confirm? - verse 16

And what does being part of God's family make us? - verse 17

We may be weak but the Holy Spirit within us gives us all we need to daily accomplish what we are given to do. What is he doing for us everyday? - verse 26,27

Don't live another day without the Holy Spirit!

3. The Holy Spirit is the new nature that Jesus promised to give his disciples after he had risen from the dead. He's so important to our lives that Jesus gave a firm directive to his disciples, and to us. What was it?
Acts 1:4-5

And why will we need Him?
Acts 1:8

The keyword in verse 8 is power. It's from the Greek word "dunamis" and refers to the miraculous ability and strength the Holy Spirit will be for us as we let Him live through us. It's why Jesus said in John 14:12 that we would be able to do the same works He did and even more. The same Spirit that indwelled Jesus is now to indwell us!

4. It is by the Holy Spirit indwelling our own spirit that we can know without a doubt that we live in God and He lives in us.
1 John 4:12-13

The same Holy Spirit that abides in the Father and in Jesus is now to live in us and therefore will be the reason that we can overcome the evil around us.
1 John 4:4

 

THE PROMISES FOR VICTORY OVER OUR CIRCUMSTANCES

5. When we find ourselves in a bad or a straightened circumstance, God promises to deliver us and set our feet again on a solid rock so that we can "sing" again. What will we need to do?
Psalm 40:1-3

6. Fear is one of the most crippling forces in life and King David faced wave after wave of fear. How was he able to get free from it?
Psalm 34:4

Weakness and inability often stand behind our fears. What four things does God promise to do for us?
Isaiah 41:10

7. Having someone with us in the trials of life makes all the difference. God promises to be that "someone".
Isaiah 43:1-2

8. This entire world is under the authority of Satan because of Adam releasing his dominion of it through sin. And while it's true that Jesus has soundly disarmed him (Colossians 2:15), nevertheless, while this first world exists, Satan continues to work evil wherever he can because he knows his time is short. You can count on the fact that he'll try and defeat you. But God promises us that we will be able to stand firm in the evil day. How?
Ephesians 6:10-18

Why will these defensive and offensive weapons work?
Ephesians 6:12-13

9. When you become "born of God", you can have victory over the world around you.
1 John 5:1-6, 11-12

WHO can have this victory? - verse 1a, 5

So, if everyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God can overcome Satan's evil rule over us, how will this express itself in our lives? -verse 3

10. Once we are "born again" we become citizens of God's kingdom and members of the family of God. We know this because Jesus gives us His own Spirit to indwell our own human spirit. As a result of this new status, we have "insider knowledge". God promises to make Himself known to us.
1 Corinthians 2:9-16

How does God reveal things to us? - verse 10-11

What does our mind become? - Verse 16

11. Walking in victory with God over the sin and self of our former life, as well as a victory over adverse circumstances is what we all long for. And God promises just that for us. Read these verses slowly to unpack all that God promises to you.
Romans 8:1-11, 31-37

Once again we see that the key to victory and overcoming is having the life of the Holy Spirit indwelling our own. If we are just forgiven sinners without His life within us then what is the truth concerning us?
Romans 8:9

It's the Holy Spirit within us that confirms our status with God.
Romans 8:14

As one of God's sons or daughters, we are in His family and under his umbrella of protection. Therefore what can we boldly proclaim?
Romans 8: 31,37

12. God promises to extend his grace to you and to exalt you if you are willing to be humbled first.
1 Peter 5:5b-6 / James 4:6

God will allow plenty of circumstances in our lives that will remind us that we owe everything to Him and that all credit and glory should go to Him. Pride in our own abilities and achievements can easily lead to sin and God knows this. Therefore when we accept from His hand graciously the things that knock us down, then we can also count on God's hand to raise us up.

13. Is it possible in a world going as fast as it is and getting more stressful by the day to have peace? Yes! God promises it to us many times in His word. As you read these verses, write out how you are to get that peace.
Psalm 119:165 / Isaiah 26:3-4 / Isaiah 48:18 / John 16:33

What does Paul compare peace to?
Philippians 4:7

PROMISES CONCERNING OUR NEEDS

14. Because we live in this world still under the dominion of Satan for a while longer, we need protection. And God promises us protection. Read this psalm slowly and write out for yourself what you'll be protected from.
Psalm 91

Like many of God's promises, there is a condition for us to fulfill. - See Psalm 91:1,9,14

15. To know that we are safe and protected throughout our life enables us to live to the fullest. Here is another Psalm where God promises to keep you safe.
Psalm 121:1-8

What is the condition for us to fulfill?
Psalm 121:1-2

16. The longer we live, the more we need the wisdom to use the knowledge that we have. God promises this wisdom to us.
James 1:5

But this is another promise with a condition. What must we do to get this wisdom?
James 1:6a

If we ask God for wisdom but then doubt whether he'll give the wisdom -- it makes us two things. We become a doubter, and also an indecisive person who is unstable in all their ways.
James 1:6b, 8

If we don't stand firmly in faith that God will give what he says, then what will we receive?
James 1:7

17. King David in writing the world's most famous psalm is proclaiming the way the Lord was completely sufficient for his life. As you read, rewrite the psalm with yourself in the picture. It's only then that you'll see all that the Lord will be for you. Then you'll also boast, "The Lord is MY shepherd!"
Psalm 23

18. All of us have hopes, dreams, and desires in our hearts that only God knows because HE put them there. God promises to fulfill the desires of our hearts. How will He do that?
Psalm 37:3-5

On a personal note, I found that sometimes our desires aren't really what God knows is best for us. When I was claiming this promise for my own I asked God to change my desires if they weren't right and He did.

 

PROMISES TO HELP US FULFILL OUR WORK FOR GOD

19. Imagine someone telling you that you could do the same kind of work that Jesus did and even greater works! You'd say they were crazy. But that crazy man promising you this is Jesus himself.
John 14:12

WHO will be able to do the works that Jesus did?

WHY will we be able to do even greater works?

Note: The fact that Jesus would be going back to His Father means two things for us. He would be giving us his Holy Spirit to indwell our lives so we'd have the same power that He had (John 14:15-17). And secondly, Jesus would be interceding for us constantly as He now sits at the right hand of God.
Romans 8:34 / Hebrews 7:25

20. Then, to back up that promise in John 14:12 further, we have the mind-blowing promise that we can ask and Jesus will see that it's done for us! Read these verses and then let's look at them more closely.
John 14:13-14 / John 15:7-8, 16b

God has works for all of us to do throughout our time on earth. You might say we are on government business. So when something needs to happen in our department, Jesus invites us to ask for it. How are we to ask? It's repeated three times:
John 14:13-14 / John 15:16b

Jesus as the one with all authority in heaven and on earth is giving us the right to use his name when petitioning the Father for anything needed in our part of the family business!

Does Jesus put a limit on what we can ask for? Reread John 14:13014 and John 15:7, 16b

Since most of us ask very little of God, we get just that --- very little. But Jesus is challenging us to think BIG and ask WHATEVER. What will this do for the Father and then for us? John 15:8

21. Having the resources, ability, and energy to do what God wants us to do is something we all want. But God doesn't want us to do it without Him as Paul found out in his life.
Philippians 4:12-13, 19

God promises that we'll be able to do all that He wants us to do by His strength and His resources.

22. God has promised to provide all that we need. What will be required by us?
Matthew 6:31-34

23. Trying to walk or drive when you can't see the road is scary and stressful. Here God promises to turn our darkness into light.
Psalm 18:28

When God did that for King David what did this enable David to do?
Psalm 18: 29-36

Now reread these verses and put yourself in the picture!

PROMISES TO US AS MEMBERS OF GOD'S FAMILY

24. Being part of the family of God is a privilege. God promises that He will be a Father to you and you will be his son or daughter.
2 Corinthians 6:18

This privilege will come with a cost to you.
2 Corinthians 6:14-17

Paul isn't saying that we should never be in contact with unbelievers, as that would be impossible. But at the highest levels of commitment such as marriage or business, we must align ourselves with others committed to God. It will require us to "stand out" from the world around us when we would rather blend in.

25. To be considered a friend of God is another great promise and privilege that He extends to us. WHO is a friend of God?
John 15:14

And WHY is this a privilege?
John 15:15

26. Sooner or later, we all come to the place where we want to stop the treadmill and get off. We want to rest and recharge our batteries. Jesus promises to give us rest and He tells us here how to get it.
Matthew 11:28-30

PROMISES OF CHANGE AND WHOLENESS

27. With the sin of Adam and Eve, every child born comes packaged with an inherited sin nature that makes it natural for us to sin (or live independently from God). In a cosmic miracle, God put all of us into Christ on the cross. What was the purpose of this?
Romans 6:6-8

Once we could do nothing but sin. Now, since our old sinful nature has been crucified with Christ we have a choice. We still can sin, but we don't have to, and that is real freedom.

It is just a FACT that our old nature was crucified with Christ. But for this to have an effect on our life what do we need to do?
Romans 6:11

To reckon (or consider) is an accounting term. Numbers on a ledger sheet are looked at as fact by an accountant. We are to accept the fact of what God in Christ has done for our life and then we can count on this promise.
Romans 6:14

28. Once we are committed to Jesus and following Him, we start becoming more and more like Him --- even though all we might see are our own faults. But here God promises to perfect His love in us.
1 John 2:5

This is a promise with a condition. For God to do this work in us what do we need to do?
1 John 2:3-5a

How do we know that we are living in Christ?
1 John 2:5b-6

29. When God sent Jesus to deal with our sin, He also dealt with our sickness and pain so that we could be fully restored --- body, soul, and spirit.
Isaiah 53:4-5 / 1 Peter 2:24

 

THE PROMISE OF ETERNITY

30. Life beyond this one is a fearful, great unknown for so many. But it doesn't have to be. God promises that we can have an eternity with Him. What is needed on our part to receive this promise?
John 3:14-15,36 / John 12:25 / 1 John 2:17

As for the promises of God, these are only the tip of the iceberg. Keep reading God's Word and discovering them for yourself. May we all be challenged to reach by faith and receive all that God wants for us.

Daily Discipline Table of Contents