On the other hand, a dishonest man may make a promise that he doesn't intend to keep. Or, an honest man may make a promise that he cannot keep. A man may even make a promise but die before he has a chance to fulfill it.
Well, God not only has the ability and the disposition to keep every promise He's ever made, but He also cannot and will not lie (Heb. 6:18). Therefore, there is no possibility that the promises He has made to you will not come to pass in your life.
The Word of God says in Matthew 24:35, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my (Jesus') words shall not pass away." That means that whatever God said in His Word is still true today. If in the Old Testament God sent His Word and healed His children's diseases, then the Word of God will still heal His children today!
Do you believe that God parted the Red Sea, that He sent fire from Heaven to guide the children of Israel, and that He gave them manna, quail, and water when they didn't have anything to eat or drink?
Well, just believing all the things that God did in the Old Testament, or even the things that Jesus did in the New Testament, is not enough. You must believe that God can do them today! You must believe that He is the same right now as He has always been.
God: Always The Same
The Lord does not change (Mal. 3:6); He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). Many people are looking for a new revelation. But the only revelation that you need is that Jesus is the same today as He has always been. When you understand that, then you believe that He can and will do today what He did in the past! And what He will do today, He will do tomorrow.
There is a promise in the Word of God for your every need. Whatever your need may be, God's Word has the answer. God promises comfort, healing, deliverance, peace, forgiveness, safety, strength, wisdom - you name it, He has it! And if God has it, you can have it!
God said, "I am the Lord that healeth thee" (Exod. 15:26). God's Word says that by Jesus' stripes you were healed (1 Peter 2:24). So it doesn't matter how rich or poor you are, you must simply say in your heart and with your mouth, "I believe God!" And God's promise of healing will work for you.
Healing is just one of the 30,000 promises listed in the Bible. The Word of God also says that God will supply all your needs (Phil. 4:19). Do you think God really meant what He said in His Word? Well, if God means what He says, then why are Christians going around sick? Why are they going around poor or powerless?
Notice, I'm putting the responsibility back on us. You see, as long as we can jump and shout and get all "hyped" up, everyone thinks it's great. But when the responsibility is on us and when it's up to us to do something about the situation, sometimes we tend to pull back and say, "Well, now I thought we're supposed to pray the prayer of faith."
We Must Possess It!
You can pray the prayer of faith, but it won't do you any good unless your faith "reaches out" and "grabs hold" of God's promise. You can have whatever you need from God - regardless of what it is - but you have the responsibility of possessing His promise.
Today you may be in a situation like blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52) - needing a touch from God. You can sit by the road, listen to the crowd, and continue to say, "Lord, please come by here. Lord, help me, please. Oh, Lord, please. You know how I need to be healed."
Or you can do what blind Bartimaeus did. You can come to Jesus and receive by faith whatever it is you need.
Whose report will you believe? Will you believe the report of people, doctors, the world, or the devil? Or will you believe God? In His Word, He has already promised to meet your every need. So whatever your need may be today, God has promised the answer. If you want to see His promises fulfilled in your life, start by saying, "I believe God!"
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
Kenneth W. Hagin, President of Kenneth Hagin Ministries and pastor of RHEMA Bible Church, ministers around the world. Known for calling the Body of Christ to steadfast faith, he seizes every ministry opportunity to impart an attitude of “I cannot be defeated, and I will not quit.”
