So many of us spend so little time thinking about the Lord and what He promised during the day, and yet we want to live with Him and His blessings forever, right!?
God’s Word has a bottomless supply of insights that are good for life, but social media captures so much more of most people’s attention these days (and I use that too).
I like how Noah remembered the Lord and what He said – it was his priority – after reaching dry land with His big boat following the Flood. God brought him through it all to safety.
Noah didn't just hear from the Lord and think, "Oh, how nice" and stop there.
God's promises are not merely to be known about and admired—they are to be believed, obeyed -- yes, wisely acted upon. What principles of Scripture or verses do you currently apply?
One source told me there are some 7,500 promises in the Bible. Of course, they cannot be blindly claimed by every reader. But you can be saved here and now -- today. God delights to forgive and do that. Come as you are to Jesus Christ. KnowGod.org
Q: Can any mere human fully count all the promises in the Bible and not later on find some more? Many people have tried to.
There was this guy named Dr. Everek R. Storms of Ontario, in Canada. He spent a vast amount of time studying the promises of Scripture and then said:
“The Scriptures contain a grand total of 8,810 promises. How do I know? I counted them. All my life I have seen various figures quoted as to the number of promises in the Bible. The one most generally given is 30,000. Since this is a round number with four zeroes in it, I have always been a little suspicious about it. Furthermore, since there are only 31,101 verses in the Bible, it would mean that there would be practically one promise in every verse. I do not guarantee my count to be perfect, but it is the most accurate I know of."
He even classified the promises that he found in Scripture into eight kinds:
A.) There are 7,487 promises from God to man (those are about 85 percent of all the Bible promises).
B.) There are 991 instances of one person making a promise to another person.
C.) There are 290 promises from man to God.
D.) There are promises made by angels, most of them found in Luke.
E.) There are nine promises made by “that old liar, the devil.” (For example, his promise to give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if he would fall down and worship him.) He's one of those evil spirits (fallen angels), and..
F.) Two promises are made by some “evil spirit.”
G) Two are made by God the Father to his Son Jesus.
H.) Dr. Storms additionally found that one book of the Bible contains no promises at all—yep, that's Titus. Ephesians has only six promises. On the other hand, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel have over 1,000 promises each. What section of Scripture most impressed Dr. Storms? He wrote, “The most outstanding chapter as far as promises are concerned is Psalm 37. Practically every verse is a most wonderful promise.”
1. God's promises for you or me to take personally, well they accomplish nothing for us unless we believe and rightly apply them as He says to.
This may be his clearest statement on the subject.
"Promises do us no good unless we believe them and act on them."
He immediately points to Abraham.
God promised.
Abraham believed.
Then Abraham obeyed.
Faith was demonstrated by action.
This perfectly agrees with:
- Genesis 12
- Genesis 15:6
- Hebrews 11:8
- James 2:21–23
Application
Many Christians underline promises.
Fewer pray over them.
Even fewer rearrange their lives because they actually believe them.
Biblical faith always produces obedient action.
2. Faith means leaning your whole weight on God's promise.
I love this book! See Genesis 15:6, which explains:
"Abraham believed God... The Hebrew word translated 'believed' means 'to lean your whole weight upon.' Abraham leaned wholly on the promise of God and the God of the promise."
What a picture.
Imagine sitting in a chair.
You don't merely admire the chair.
You don't wonder if it will hold you.
You put your full weight on it.
That is biblical faith.
3. We are not saved by making promises to God.
One of Wiersbe's finest observations.
"We are not saved by making promises to God but by believing the promises of God."
Many people try to bargain with God (I don't advise that, but do ask for help in doing His clear will for you).
"Lord, if You do this..."
"I promise I'll..."
The gospel is the opposite.
God made promises.
Christ fulfilled them.
We trust Him.
Salvation begins with believing God's promise—not offering Him our own.
- John 3:16
- Romans 4
- Ephesians 2:8–9
- Titus 3:5
4. Faith always leads to obedience.
I say that we repeatedly join biblical faith and obedience together to glorify the Lord.
"God has wedded faith and obedience like the two sides of a coin; they go together."
That summarizes Hebrews 11.
Noah believed.
So he built.
Abraham believed.
So he left.
Joshua believed.
So he marched.
Rahab believed.
So she hid the spies.
Faith always has feet.
5. Faith obeys before seeing the outcome.
One of his most quoted statements says:
"Faith is not believing in spite of evidence; it is obeying in spite of consequence."
Notice what he is not saying.
Biblical faith is never irrational.
Rather, faith obeys God even when obedience appears costly.
Abraham offered Isaac.
Daniel entered the lions' den.
The apostles preached despite persecution.
Their confidence rested in God's Word, not in favorable circumstances.
6. Trust means acting according to God's Word—not your emotions.
"Trusting God means thinking and acting according to God's Word in spite of circumstances, feelings, or consequences." ~ Warren Wiersbe
That describes nearly every hero of Hebrews 11.
They did not deny reality.
They simply believed God's promise was more certain than what they presently saw.
7. God reveals His will to obedient believers.
"God does not reveal His will to those who are curious. He reveals His will to those who are obedient."
Many Christians want guidance.
God often gives guidance while we are already obeying what He has clearly revealed.
Obedience brings increasing light.
Psalm 119:105
John 7:17
8. God's Word is enough for every step.
One of my favorite passages from Prayer, Praise & Promises says:
"God says, 'You're going to learn to walk by faith... by My promise.' The Word is dependable. That lamp of the Word will not go out, and it will not lead us astray."
Notice the progression.
God gives a promise.
Faith believes it.
Obedience follows.
God gives the next step.
He rarely shows us twenty years ahead.
He usually gives enough light for today's obedience.
Psalm 119:105
9. God's promises never fail because God never fails.
God's Promises Never Ever Fail.. No Not Ever!
Here Solomon's words:
"There has not failed one word of all His good promises." (1 Kings 8:56)
He contrasts God's promises with human promises.
People break promises.
God never has.
Never once in biblical history has God failed to keep a single promise He intended to fulfill.
That agrees with:
- Joshua 21:45
- Joshua 23:14
- 1 Kings 8:56
- Hebrews 10:23
- Titus 1:2
10. We Should By Faith Claim God's Promises
Drawing together his writings, his practical counsel would sound something like this:
- Know the promises. You cannot trust what you do not know.
- Read them in context. Understand who God was speaking to and why.
- Believe God's character. His promises rest upon His faithfulness.
- Obey what He has already said. Faith acts.
- Trust His timing. God's delays are never His denials.
- Walk by God's Word, not by your feelings.
- Leave the results with God.
That is essentially Abraham's life.
God spoke.
Abraham believed.
Abraham obeyed.
God fulfilled His Word.
Any Bible Characters.. as Examples
Americans, let's get back into the Word (the Bible) and see how faith in believers will embrace God's promises:
| Person | Promise | Action of Faith |
|---|---|---|
| Noah | Judgment downward and deliverance | Built the ark before rain & floods came. |
| Abraham | A land, descendants, and blessing | Left home, waited, offered Isaac. |
| Moses | Deliverance for Israel | Returned to Egypt despite fear. |
| Joshua | Victory over Canaan | Crossed the Jordan and marched around Jericho. |
| Rahab | Salvation for her household | Hid the spies and tied the scarlet cord. |
| David | God's presence and covenant | Faced Goliath trusting the Lord. |
| Paul the Apostle | Christ's continual presence | Preached despite imprisonment and suffering. |
Is There a Theology of God's Promises?
If I had to summarize Wiersbe's teaching in one paragraph, it would be this:
God's promises are not magical formulas to get what we want. They are expressions of God's faithful character, given to accomplish His will in our lives. Faith is taking God at His Word, relying on His promises, obeying Him regardless of circumstances, and leaving the results in His hands. The believer's confidence rests not in the strength of his faith but in the faithfulness of the God who made the promise.
Which Promises of God Can I Rightly Claim?
One of the most encouraging truths in all of Scripture is that God always keeps His Word. Human beings often make promises they cannot keep, forget, or simply choose to break. God never does. His character guarantees His faithfulness.
"God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?" (Numbers 23:19)
Yet this raises an important question.
How do I know which promises in the Bible belong to me?
That is a wise question, because sincere Christians sometimes make an unwise mistake. They read a promise that God gave to a particular person or nation, immediately claim it for themselves, and then become disappointed when circumstances unfold differently. Worse still, careless handling of God's promises can confuse unbelievers and weaken a Christian's testimony before a watching world.
God never intended us to treat His promises like fortune cookies, motivational slogans, or blank checks to satisfy every earthly desire. Instead, He calls us to understand His Word in its proper context, interpret it faithfully, and then trust Him completely.
Every Promise Reveals God's Beautiful Character
The greatest value of God's promises is not merely what He gives us. They reveal who He is.
Every promise displays another aspect of His unchanging character.
He is truthful.
He is faithful.
He is wise.
He is loving.
He is holy.
He is sovereign.
When God speaks, His Word carries the full weight of His perfect character.
As the apostle Paul wrote,
"For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him." (2 Corinthians 1:20)
Every promise ultimately points us to Jesus Christ, in whom God's redemptive plan reaches its fulfillment.
Please Learn To Read God's Promises Carefully
Some promises are universal.
Every believer may confidently embrace them.
For example:
God promises to forgive everyone who truly repents and believes in Christ (Acts 10:43; 1 John 1:9).
God promises never to abandon His children (Hebrews 13:5).
God promises wisdom to those who ask Him in faith (James 1:5).
God promises strength sufficient for every trial (2 Corinthians 12:9).
God promises to complete the work He began in every genuine believer (Philippians 1:6).
God promises eternal life to everyone who trusts His Son (John 3:16; John 10:27-30).
These promises belong to every Christian because Scripture clearly extends them to all believers.
Other promises, however, were given to particular individuals or groups for unique purposes in God's unfolding plan.
For example, God promised Abraham countless physical descendants (Genesis 12:1-3). That promise was not made to every Christian individually.
God promised Solomon extraordinary wisdom and unprecedented wealth for his role as Israel's king (1 Kings 3:11-13). That was not a universal promise for every believer.
Likewise, many covenant promises concerning the land, nationhood, and future restoration of Israel were given specifically to Israel. Christians benefit spiritually from God's faithfulness to those covenants, but we should not casually transfer every national promise to ourselves.
Sound Bible interpretation protects us from false expectations while strengthening genuine faith.
The Promises Every Christian Should Treasure
Among the richest promises every believer may confidently claim are these:
God's Presence
You never walk alone.
Jesus declared,
"I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)
Those words remain true whether you feel God's presence or not. Feelings fluctuate; His faithfulness never does.
God's Help in Trials
The Lord never promised an easy road.
He promised His presence on difficult roads.
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you... when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned..." (Isaiah 43:2).
Notice that Scripture says through, not around.
God often delivers His children through suffering instead of removing suffering altogether.
God's Coming Kingdom
Jesus also promised,
"I will come again and receive you to Myself." (John 14:3)
History is moving toward God's appointed conclusion, not toward chaos without purpose.
The Lord who faithfully fulfilled every prophecy concerning Christ's first coming will also fulfill every promise concerning His second coming.
God's Faithfulness to Israel Encourages Every Believer
Romans 9-11 reminds us that God has not abandoned His covenant purposes for Israel. His faithfulness to the Jewish people demonstrates something precious for every Christian.
God does not forget His promises.
If He remembers covenants stretching back thousands of years, He certainly has not forgotten His children today.
The God who keeps His Word to Abraham will keep His Word to everyone who belongs to Christ.
As Charles H. Spurgeon wisely observed,
"God is too good to be unkind, and He is too wise to be mistaken. When we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart."
Wise Principles for Claiming God's Promises
Before claiming any promise, ask yourself:
Who originally received this promise?
Is it repeated or applied to all believers elsewhere in Scripture?
Does it agree with the gospel and the whole counsel of God?
Does it point me toward Christ rather than merely toward earthly comfort?
Am I trusting God Himself more than I am seeking His gifts?
Biblical faith is never wishful thinking.
It rests confidently upon what God has actually said.
Living Biblically on God's Promises
Many Christians own Bibles filled with magnificent promises but then they live as though God had never spoken at all.
God's promises are not decorations on the pages of Scripture. They are invitations to trust Him.
Faith believes what God says before circumstances appear to confirm it.
Like Abraham, we are called to be "fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised" (Romans 4:21).
The safest place for every Christian is not merely knowing God's promises but knowing the God who made them.
The more deeply you know His character, the more confidently you will trust His Word.
Because God has never broken one promise, He will not begin doing that with you.
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