Unfulfilled Promises

by Peggy Fry

A few weeks ago in my daily devotional time, I was reading the story of Abraham in Genesis 15, where he was reminding God that he had no offspring: “Then He brought him outside and said, ‘Now look toward heaven’ (verse 5).

Then it hit me: We must come outside of our tent — that is, the tent of our circumstances, our comfort zone, our familiarity, our ministry and our security.

And we must look up. When Abraham looked up, he saw a myriad of stars in the heavens, and God said, “Count them, if you can number them.” God said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And verse 6 says, “Abraham believed the Lord.”

May I ask you something today? Have your promises been fulfilled?

As I pondered these same questions myself, the Lord showed me five steps to experiencing the fulfillment of His promises:

1. Receive His promise

2. Believe His promise

3. Trust Him with the promise

4. Persevere for the promise

5. Wait patiently for His timing in the fulfillment of His promise

So…receive, believe, trust, persevere and wait patiently!

The most challenging step, I would suggest, is to persevere. If there is testing, if there is difficulty, if there is disappointment, thank God for them. He is working in us and through us to align everything in order. Remember that we are victors, not victims. Don’t surrender to your circumstances. We will not be defeated. What He promises, He WILL deliver.

I remember as a child hearing this little Bible song:

Every promise in the Book is mine,

Every chapter, every verse, every line.

So I’m trusting in His love divine,

Every promise in the Book is mine!

We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!

So what do we do when we know God has said it…and yet nothing is happening? Keep walking with God, keep studying His Word, keep praying, continue listening to His voice and just doing the next thing He gives you to do — taking care of the responsibilities of life and waiting for the next step.