“If…My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
John 15:7
I have a distinct childhood memory of sitting in church and hearing a group sing “You can’t stand on promises if you don’t know what they are.”
The song asserts that “The only way your life will change is if you get into God’s Word!” That upbeat ditty left a lasting impression on my young mind. “How can I rely on God’s promises if I don’t know what they are?” I pondered, and I wish I had rushed home to memorize the entire Bible after that simple, yet profound, epiphany.
With the world in such disarray and turmoil, I have become even more impressed with the indescribable value of memorizing God’s promises. They offer us hope and success in every situation, whether in regards to our health, finances, family relationships, or a vice we may be battling, the Bible has a promise for it.
When Satan tempted Christ, the Lord of the Universe, in the wilderness, Christ did not combat him with celestial power but overcame Satan by proclaiming a promise: '"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4). If Christ had not studied and memorized Scripture, He would not have been able to stand during that trial.
So also, when temptation and trials come our way, we can overcome them by claiming God’s promises. But if we are oblivious of His promises, how can we be overcomers? What will our faith stand on when the world crumbles around us? Though “Heaven and earth will pass away, [God’s] words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Now that’s a promise you can stand on.
Not only will God's promises make us overcomers and give us a sure foundation, but if they "abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7). Wow! Jesus promised to grant all of our wishes! Remember, though, that this promise is predicated on two things: 1) abiding in Christ, and 2) Christ’s words abiding in us.
Call to Action
The first prerequisite for this amazing promise is that we have completely surrendered our life and will to Jesus, so that it is Christ that lives in us and not our sinful selfish nature. If you have done that, the next step will be a pleasure — having His promises abide in us! Because you can’t stand on promises if you don’t know what they are. Then, when you talk to God and claim His promises, remind Him what He has stated in His Word, pray the verses back to Him, and you will see your prayers answered.
May “the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16).
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
