We all believe something. Whether good or bad, there are thoughts we tell ourselves about our lives and the world around us. Promises are often broken.

“Follow your heart.”

“Just be a good person.”

“It will all work out.”

Like most blog posts, I like to begin with a question I am asking myself.

Which promises are actually true?
What does God have to say about my life?
What is God’s character?

God’s promises do more than comfort us, they reveal His character. We can’t just claim them; we have to know the One who made them. There is nothing we can do to earn His promises. They are more about Him than us—a lesson I’m continually learning. And, rest assured, friend, He will never break them.

What Are the Promises of God?

Maybe like me, you have heard a lot of phrases from Christians referring to the promises of God but never looked into it. Today is the day we break it down together. Let’s start with what a promise from God really is. The best place to look is Scripture.

A quick Google search reveals that there are literally thousands of promises God has made to His people found in the Bible. We have a head start when it comes to the promises of God, because we as people make promises ourselves… We know a thing or two. Perhaps the greatest difference between our promises and God’s is that He cannot break His for He “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2).

Simply put, God’s promises are His commitments to His character—expressions of His love that reveal He will do what He said.

While we won’t look at all of them today, we have a whole lifetime to continue to seek them out and see them at work in our lives and the lives of those around us.

Why Can We Trust God’s Promises?

All Scripture was given to encourage, instruct, and strengthen God’s people (Romans 15:4).

A careful study through the pages of the bible reveals He is faithful now and always has been. From Genesis to Revelation, He keeps His word.

God cannot change. He is faithful to His word.

He is good through and through.

Like a good Father, He desires our good, too.

Just look at what these verses have to say:

Bible Verse
Malachi 3:6	“For I the Lord do not change…”
James 1:17	“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
2 Timothy 2:13	“If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for He cannot deny himself.”
Psalm 145:9	“The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.”
Romans 8:28	“And we know that for those who *love God* all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

God’s promises remind us that He is greater than anything we face in life. They continually lift the eyes of His children unto Him.

They remind us that life is less about us and more about knowing and loving the One who created us, encouraging us to walk in a way that honors Him and giving us the encouragement to do so.

Are All of God’s Promises for Everyone?

When I first began reading the bible, I made the mistake of reading things out of context. In other words, I thought that everything I read was written directly to me and failed to see the bigger picture that reveals so much more.

With promises in the Bible, we can learn so much more when we understand the context. God has made different promises to different people throughout history. It’s important that we understand the context of a particular passage to understand the promise and who it is for.

Here are a few ways to help categorize His promises and better understand them in context.

Promises for All

Salvation for those who repent and believe (John 3:16)
“Steadfast love” (Psalm 136:1)

Promises to Israel

The promised land (Deuteronomy 31:23)
Rest and protection (1 Kings 8:56; Isaiah 54:17; Deuteronomy 33:29)

Promises to His Church

Eternal protection (Matthew 16:18; John 10:28)
The Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; John 14:16-17; Ephesians 1:13-14)
Eternal inheritance (Luke 12:32; 1 Peter 1:3-4; Hebrews 9:15)
Peace (Isaiah 26:3; John 14:27)
Provision (Philippians 4:19)

Every promise of God reveals His character and works to accomplish His will.

The Greatest Promise: Jesus Christ

A clear theme throughout the bible is redemption.

From Abraham (calling him out of darkness and barrenness to the promised land and fruitfulness)

to David (redeeming him from sin and promising a Savior through his lineage)

and the prophets (correcting sin, reminding the people of God’s promises, prophesying the coming of Christ)…

God had a plan to save His people.

It all pointed to Christ. He fulfilled them all

Take a peek at the promises we see fulfilled in Christ:

Forgiveness
Eternal life
Adoption
Reconciliation
The Holy Spirit
Resurrection

Friend, we can find such comfort in that he “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3). He loves us. He wants to save us. He wants these promises to be ours. But, we must “receive him” and “believe in his name” to “become a child of God” (John 1:12). These promises that Christ fulfilled above are available to all, but we have the choice to receive them or deny them.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Promises of God To Cling To

I know I mentioned it earlier, but it is worth noting now that God has thousands of promises. Here is a breakdown of a few that are worthy of note.

Like a child has to be continually reminded of the truth, so do I.

May these reminders of the truth bless you and remind you of the hope and comfort in our Lord.

God Promises Salvation

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Romans 10:9

“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

God Promises Forgiveness

1 John 1:9

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Ephesians 4:32

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you”

God Promises His Presence

Hebrews 13:5

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Matthew 28:20

“… And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age”

God Promises Peace

John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Philippians 4

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

God Promises Wisdom

James 1:5

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Proverbs 2:6

“For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;”

God Promises to Provide

Philippians 4:19

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Matthew 6

“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

God Promises Strength

Isaiah 40:29-31

“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint”

Exodus 15:2

“The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

God Promises The Hope of Eternal Life

John 10:27-28

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Revelation 21:3-4

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

How To Remember The Promises of God

There are countless ways to study and remember these truths of God. Here are some ideas I’d love to share with you.

Memorize verses
Categorize (see the list above)
Place sticky notes in places you will see
Say it, and share it. Research shows that by doing so, we are more likely to remember.
Restate the promises of God (see the pic below)

How Should Christians Respond to God’s Promises?

Know God’s promises.
Believe God’s promises.
Meditate on and pray over God’s promises.
Trust His perfect time.
Encourage others with the promises of God.

By doing these things, we can partner with the Lord in the work of being “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2)

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).

Nursing Note:

One of the most fascinating things I learned in nursing school was the power of the brain. Simply put, God designed our brains to be plastic. In other words, they have the ability to change. Over time, we dig pathways in our brain that shape our reality by the way we think. Negative thoughts lead to an unhealthy mind, but truthful thoughts lead to a healthy mind. We essentially become what we believe.

Even modern psychology has recognized this. They implement something called cognitive behavioral therapy where they essentially ask their patients to identify the triggering thought and replace it with the truth. With time, the brain rewires itself and becomes a more positive place. Think of how powerful our minds could become if we replaced old trains of thought (i.e., neural pathways) with the promises of God.

The Truth About The Promises of God

God’s promises are not magic formulas.

He does not promise to give us what we want but instead promises us what we need (Philippians 4:19).

God doesn’t promise an easy life.

Jesus tells us we will face troubles in the world, but that “I [Jesus] have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

God uses these trials to produce steadfastness, character, and hope in us (James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-4)

God doesn’t promise to give us what we want.

James has something interesting to say to a group of early Christians who were likely using prayer as a way to get their selfish desires fulfilled. James tells them the following :

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions” (James 4:3)

God’s timing is always perfect.

Psalm 27:14

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Galatians 6:9

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

How to Study God’s Promises in Scripture

Identify who wrote the book, when, and to whom
Read the surrounding context
Identify who the promise was given to
Compare Scripture with Scripture
Utilize trusted bible commentaries (I find it helpful to read the works of a few trusted people since opinions and background differ.)
Listen to a sermon from a trusted preacher (John MacArthur and Stephen Armstrong do a wonderful job at explaining the historical context and application for us today)

Here is a great sermon on the The Christian’s Confidence from God’s Promises (John 15:26–27)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many promises are in the Bible?

Thousands!

What is God’s greatest promise?

His Son, Jesus Christ.

What promises did Jesus make?

To bring us peace (John 14:27)

To be with us (Matthew 28:20)

To prepare an eternal place for us (John 14:3)

To come back for us (John 14:3)

To keep us (John 10:28-30)

To lay down His life for us (John 10:14-18)

To give us abundant life (John 10:10)

To bear fruit in our lives when we abide in Him (John 15:5)

What if God’s promises seem delayed?

Remember that He loves us with an everlasting love, and He will give us what we need. His ways are greater, and He knows what we need and how to supply it.

Are His promises for everyone?

God’s character does not change, and neither do His promises.

Over time, He has promised different things to different people.

Those who have accepted Christ can rest in the gift of promises of God.

He is always faithful.

Why do His promises matter?

God’s promises remind us of His character.

They lift our eyes off of ourselves and onto Him.

His promises tell us the truth.

The promises of God are a mighty tool in encouraging those around us to see God’s faithfulness to fulfill them and give the hope to endure in the waiting.

The Big Idea

God’s promises aren’t just encouraging words to cheer us up. They are powerful statements made by our Creator that reveal His love and character. God is faithful, so His promises are trustworthy.

I would love to encourage you to spend time in Scripture, not simply collecting verses but getting to know the One who wrote. Open the pages and see His character unfold as you understand who God is and the love He has for us all.

Jesus is the greatest promise of all.

It’s the greatest story ever told, and He wrote it with you in mind.

Here’s a little something I wrote on the gospel in more detail.

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