PRAYING GOD’S PROMISES

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” – John 15:7

PRAYING GOD’S PROMISES is the third step to entering into their perfection. The Lord Jesus assures us: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (Jh.15:7). Again, He says: “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (Jh.14:13-14). This statement goes beyond just tacking on “in Jesus name” to a selfish or fleshly prayer. It means that we are praying in the will of God – praying as Jesus would pray: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1Jh.5:14).

In preceding devotions, we examined the prerequisites to praying God’s Promises, namely: KNOWING and BELIEVING. To KNOW God’s promises requires searching the Bible to personally discover and thank Him for each of them: “At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, because of Your righteous judgments” (Psa.119:62). To BELIEVE the promises of God demands MEDITATING on them: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Jos. 1:8). To meditate means to think deeply, carefully, and extensively about something. It requires focusing your mind on the promise that you trust God for, and thinking about how great the God you serve is!

Here are three vital aspects to Praying God’s Promises

Personalize His Promises: The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law (Deut. 29:29). Personalizing God’s promises means to make the promises yours. For example, believing God for healing, you could pray based on a verse like Isaiah 53:5: “… He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”

Prophesy, Declare and Decree His Promises Daily in Faith: “And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak (2 Cor. 4:13). Our words are like seeds that govern what we eventually receive as harvest: “You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you…” (Job 22:28a).

Patiently hold fast: “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise” (Heb. 10:36). Regardless of what your situation looks like today, remember that God is faithful, and He has promised to never leave or forsake you (Heb.13:5).

Consider these further assurances from our Prayer-answering God:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Mt.7:7).

“And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Mt.21:22).

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mk.11:24).

“…Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (Jh.16:23b-24).

God’s Promises in the Scriptures cover all dimensions of life and destiny, among which we have highlighted His Presence, Power, Protection, Provisions, and Peace. Other promises that we can believe God for in prayers include, but are not limited to: salvation of souls, deliverance, victory, healing and health, marriage, home, family and children, prosperity, promotion, breakthroughs in career, business, finance, and ministry, enlargement, increase, overcoming opposition and life’s problems and challenges, knowledge, wisdom, understanding, direction, spiritual growth and gifts, revival, and God’s unfailing love.