2 Peter 1: Promises

Okay, so I want to start with 2 Peter 1. Maybe we'll go over it over the next few weeks and

do it as a series. 2 Peter 1. 2 Peter 1. Today we do verse 3 and 4. If you want a title for

it, call it promises. So let me read it. 2 Peter 1, 3 and 4. 2 Peter 1, 3 and 4. By His

divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received

all of this by coming to know Him. I'm reading from the NLT. By His divine power, God has given

us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all this by coming to know Him,

the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. And because of

His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are promises that

enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires.

Let's check another version. Let's go to NIV. His divine power has given us everything we need for

a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.

Through these, He has given us His very great and precious promises so that through them,

you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by

evildoers. One last one, message. Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been

miraculously given to us by getting to know personally and intimately the One who invited

us to God, the best invitation we ever received. We were also given absolutely terrific promises to

pass on to you, your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turn your back on a

world corrupted by lust. So, 2 Peter 1, 3 invites us to a realm

it invites us to a realm

that is full of assurances and promises.

So, we don't live, we as believers don't necessarily live in this realm of assurances and promises.

We don't live like that. We live perhaps in some doubt, some fear, some worry,

some seeking God, but we don't realize that the realm that we live in is a realm of assurances

and promises. We don't compute that, that Christianity, kingdom life is a life that is a realm

of assurances and promises. Even in the darkest, deepest times of Israel's journey through the

desert, one thing that always stood out was assurances. When they are squabbling and fighting

at Marah, assurance. What's the assurance? Here is a branch of a tree that I'm going to cut out,

I'm going to throw it into the water and the water shall turn sweet, bitter water is turning sweet.

There's always promises and assurances. That's what we live in. So, before we go on, I want you

to think of a promise in your life. And if we can't think of a promise in our lives,

then we need to wonder why we haven't begun to enter and live in that realm.

But is there a promise in your life? Are there promises? If you say no, open scriptures.

Scriptures are full of promises. Scriptures are full of promises. There's never an end to promise.

But think of a promise, because that will make, perhaps make this a little more practical.

So how shall we define promise? Or what do these promises do? Here's what these promises do.

Promises, why is God giving us promises? He gives us promises so that one, we can share or partake

or partake in his, in his divine nature.

One, we can share in his divine nature. Two,

two, so that we have everything we need

to live a life

that pleases God.

And three, based on the scripture we just read, three, we can escape

the corruption or the pollution of the world.

Guys, here's the crazy thing. In writing this and putting it up on the board,

this alone, this in itself is a promise.

Scriptures are replete with this. Scriptures are full of promises, of assurances.

But we don't live out of this matrix. Here itself are three guarantees that, listen,

here's the promise I'm giving you. Here's what God is saying, here is a promise I'm giving you,

that I'm giving you a lot of magnificent promises. He's promising promises.

And why? So that you can share in my divine nature, so that you can be like me. It's through

promises that we get to participate or partake or share or become like him, where Christ says,

this is who you will become because I am in you. The next one is, through these promises,

I'll give you everything you need to live a life that pleases me. Everything. Not a spiritual life,

because he does not divide life in a spiritual, physical, mental, emotional... Now,

he's talking about the entire person. When you die, you're not going to go heaven in your spirit.

It's body, soul, spirit. He doesn't clinically divide you. So he's saying, I provided promises

in the word that will be enough to live a life that pleases me. And the third thing he says is,

I'm giving you promises so that you can escape the way the world thinks. Because it's the way the

world thinks that corrupts our minds. That in itself is a promise. And so let's think of a few...

So what would you include under promises? Here are some of the things that can be included under

promises. Promises. We start with scripture. Scripture is full of promises. Someone's even

counted them. I don't remember. The nature of God revealed to you, where because he's love,

you know that there won't be a moment in your life when you will not be loved. Think of that.

The nature of God in itself is a promise. Because I am loved, there will not be a moment. It doesn't

matter how deep in sin I am, how I may flee into the darkness. It doesn't matter what I do. There

will not be a day because of the nature of God where I am not fully loved.

There will not be a day when I'm not present before the father. Why? Because I'm in Christ

and Christ is before the father. There will not be a day when the blood of Jesus Christ will not

cleanse me. It's forever. From the very nature of God, which is where scriptures come from. By the

way, the nature of God is where scriptures come from. What are scriptures? Scriptures are the

description of the nature of God. Scriptures are the description of the thinking of God.

And therefore, if you want to interpret scriptures accurately, you have to know his nature.

Just think of that for a second. If you don't have a grasp of the nature of God, and it's very easy.

You don't need to go to Bible school for this. What is the nature of God? Very simple. He is a

is a

father. The nature of God dominantly, preeminently is that of a father.

It is critical that we read scriptures as things being written to us from the heart of a father.

You read it any other way, we will misinterpret it.

And so, promises, scripture, nature of God, prophetic,

personal assurances that God gives directly to you.

From the word, by the Spirit, and through the bride. Three things that always agree.

Three things that always agree. The word, Spirit, and the bride.

The word and the Spirit, really. But we need to understand that he's coming back for the bride.

This encompasses all of this thing called promise. When God says something,

here's a question. When God promises you something, when God promises you something,

when God promises you something, do you take

God for granted?

When God promises you something, do you take God for granted?

Religion will convince you that no, no, no, no, no, don't take God for granted. That's a wrong thing.

Hey, anybody ever said that about your dad or mom? Hey, listen, your dad, be careful, Joey.

Don't take him for granted. Now, when God promises you something, do you take him for granted?

My answer is, not always. I got my doubts and suspicions about him.

When God promises you something, when God promises you something, when God promises you something,

so much easier if we have abbreviations for everything. When God promises you something,

he is creating a space for me to step into his intentional plans prepared

prepared before the foundations of the earth. Hey, this is a new way of doing notes, man. I kind of like it.

Soon there will be letters all over the place. I just hope I remember.

When God promises something, do you take God for granted?

When God promises you something, do you take God for granted?

Soon there will be letters all over the place. I just hope I remember.

When God promises something, WGPS, which is a common thing that we use on Instagram and all those fancy other things.

The first time someone sent me LOL, I thought it meant lots of love and it was from someone in the church who was a female and I didn't know what to do.

I just panicked. I thought, why is she saying this? She's not in this church anymore, so don't even try guessing.

WGPS, when God promises something, he is creating a space for me to step into his intentional plan prepared before the foundations of the earth.

I mean, every time God promises me something, he's saying, hey, Jacob, I've created a space here.

I thought of this space before you were born. I think you're the right person to step into this.

I'm promising it to you. He's creating a space for me. That's how we need to see promises.

All promises are that way. His promise to Israel, his promise to Jacob, his promise to Noah, his promise to David, his promise to Paul.

It doesn't matter who he takes. He creates a space for them to step into and then he announces it.

What is a promise? A promise is the announcement of God's intent or God's heart.

I want you to take these words.

Imagine God saying to you, I love promises.

I put all my heart into each promise.

I am deeply committed to what I say to you.

My passion yearns for you to receive it.

Just imagine that. Think of some of the promises that haven't come to pass, that you recently received.

Then think of this.

God is saying, I love promises.

It's my means of assurance. It's my announcement of intent.

It's the way I put my heart into words.

I've done it in Scripture again and again.

I also do it prophetically.

I do it through the Word.

I do it through speaking to you in the middle of the night.

So, I love promises.

I put all my heart into each one.

Be it in the Scriptures, be it prophetically, be it through you reading the Word, be it through assurances given to you.

I put all my heart into each one.

I'm deeply committed to what I say to you.

Crazy, eh?

I'm deeply committed to what I say to you.

And the last one, my passion yearns for you to receive it.

His passion.

It's unstoppable passion.

My passion yearns for you to receive it.

This is how he thinks.

A promise always reveals his presence, eh?

A promise always reveals his presence.

Whenever he gives a promise, he gives it.

He gives it.

He gives it.

He gives it.

He gives it.

He gives it.

Whenever he gives a promise, he does it with presence.

So, you go to Genesis 15.

He says to Abraham, I am your exceeding great reward and shield.

And then what does he do?

He turns up.

You go to Gideon.

Gideon's parents are there and he speaks to them and then he turns up.

To Samson's parents, he turns up.

To Mary and Joseph, he turns up.

To Saul, who becomes Spall later, he turns up.

To David, he turns up.

This is a God who loves backing promise with presence.

One of the other displays is on Mount Sinai.

He's giving a nation its constitution.

What does he do?

Turn up.

Turn up in power.

Turn up in presence.

Turn up in fire.

With every promise, look for presence.

With every promise, look for presence.

Whenever you receive something that is from God, be it a word that resonates with you,

be it a scripture that leaps out at you from the Bible, be it an assurance,

as soon as you receive a promise, start chasing the negative thoughts,

the things that people say, start chasing away because God is going to come.

Genesis 15 is your format for it.

As soon as Abraham hears that you are my exceeding great reward and shield,

vultures are coming because he's divided a sacrifice that's there,

and the birds of prey are coming and he's chasing them away,

and then a sudden darkness comes, and a torch comes, and God is there.

And Abraham is never the same again.

There's something to this, guys.

What a way to start the year with 2 Peter 1 and starting with the promises of God.

Remember, there's something in the Bible called the principle of first mention.

When something is first mentioned, take it seriously,

because the first time it's mentioned, it's mentioned in clarity,

in originality, without any mixture.

And I would like to say to you today that most of the things

that will unfold during the service, you need to think of like that.

I need to think of like that, because I'm not planning as we're going.

Blessed people we are, man.

Amen! Don't shout so loud. Don't shout so loud.

That is overwhelming. Principle of first mention, eh?

A promise reveals its presence, and once it reveals its presence,

you must engage or encourage.

Conversations and awareness.

Only a people who want things run with a promise.

Everyone else runs with the one who gives the promise.

At the end of the day, what happened to the faith movement?

That the faith movement is not a religion,

at the end of the day, what happened to the faith movement

that was trashed for years?

What was its main fault?

It was grab it, blab it, name it, claim it.

It was, I got a promise, now I got to stand on it, run with it.

Nobody engaged the one who gave the promise.

There were no conversations. There was no awareness.

The intent is, if I give you a promise,

wouldn't you come to me and start talking about, so how does it work?

How did this happen? Why me? Why did you pick me?

And now that you picked me, how am I supposed to open this?

And when I open it, how do I activate it?

That begins the conversation.

And in the conversation, you get richer.

Because with every promise, God increases his relationship with you.

With every promise, God elevates his relationship with you.

With every promise, God elevates his relationship with you.

Any questions before we go on?

Any questions?

And if your question is what about the fact that we've been waiting,

we'll deal with that in the end.

Any questions on what has been said?

Most of the time, our struggle with faith,

with regard to promises,

is rooted in our inability

to trust and rest.

Guys, if this is trust,

this is faith.

Faith is a part of this massive thing called trust.

We trust a person, we trust his nature.

And then we put faith in the words he speaks,

because we trust his nature.

That's why you need faith as small as a muscle.

That's why you need faith as small as a mustard seed,

because your trust is the size of an acorn tree.

If I trust Vivek,

then anything he says is easy to have faith in.

But if I don't trust Vivek's nature,

then everything he says has to be backed up

by confirmations, promises, signs, repeatedly.

But if I trust his nature,

I can exert faith.

Now, where do you find his nature?

Again, in the word.

What is his predominant nature?

That of a father.

Any questions?

Any questions?

So our intent should be,

can I trust his nature more and more?

Can I trust his nature?

And look for the areas where there are weaknesses in your trust.

Look for the areas that you find it difficult to trust him in.

Work on those.

Otherwise, we'll have people who have tremendous trust

in some areas of his nature, and none in the other.

My hope is that by the time we traverse the earth,

in our life here,

that we have begun to trust

the many-splendored nature of God.

And know that you can only trust him

in your present circumstances.

Your circumstances, my circumstances,

are where trust and faith grow and are exerted.

So I'm not saying, thank God for all the miserable circumstances

you're in,

but thank God that you now have an actual arena

to work this out in.

And for every circumstance you are in,

know that he knew it before you were born,

and that he has assurances, promises,

and a passion for you to receive what he had planned for you,

regardless of how you got there.

You know how people end up in the wilderness?

Strange.

Sometimes God leads them into the wilderness.

Jesus.

Sometimes you sin and are left in the wilderness.

Israel.

Sometimes you are sent into the wilderness,

but you're marked so that nobody touches you.

Cain.

Sometimes you go into the wilderness like Paul did

so that you receive a revelation of God.

Sometimes you run into the wilderness like Jesus did.

Jesus did.

Jesus did.

Jesus did.

Sometimes you run into the wilderness like Elijah

because you're tired of living with people.

Doesn't matter how you get into the wilderness,

guess what happens there?

In every wilderness experience in the Bible,

the one person who appears larger than life is God.

Because his intent is,

hey, this is exactly where my promises work the best.

Israel lived and breathed promises.

And they kept forgetting.

But doesn't matter how many times they forgot,

they lived and breathed promises.

I'm not trying to make your circumstances rosy.

They're very thorny.

But in that middle of those circumstances,

there's this amazing rose called the promise of God.

You can only try trust and faith in my present situation.

Any questions?

So be it parenting, be it finances,

be it relationships, be it sickness.

Doesn't matter, man.

That's exactly where this kicks in.

Any questions?

No?

Cool.

God gives you promises,

but he may

not describe

the provision of the Bible.

He may not give you much on how he will provide for the promise to be met.

So let's talk about provision.

Provision is, where's the source of God?

There's a promise,

but how do I get to the source from which this promise can come?

Where's the wisdom of God?

There's a promise,

but how am I going to do this?

Where's the platform of God?

You said this,

but I don't have a platform or a position to launch from.

Where's the opening of God?

You promised something,

but I don't see any opening.

I see a huge wall.

Where's the favour of God?

Nobody knows me,

people despise me.

I ain't going to get anything.

Where's the favour of God?

Where's the people of God?

The thing that you've asked me to do.

It's impossible without people.

Where's the money of God?

You want me to do this,

but I got no money to do it.

Where's the means of God?

I got no means to do it.

Familiar, eh?

And so these things then begin to play havoc with us

because one of the things that happens often to us

is that your provision

will always be contested.

Your provision will always be contested.

Who's going to be the one to do it?

Who's going to be the one to do it?

Your provision will always be contested,

which is why

God gives promises.

Your provision will always be contested,

as in don't have what it takes.

Exactly.

That's why God gives you a promise.

Endure.

Stick with it.

It's coming.

You know, when we read books,

when we read testimonies,

we hear it and we feel,

ah shucks, I wish it had happened to me.

What you don't know is the back story.

What you don't know is the scars on the back.

What you don't know is the sackcloth and the eye ashes.

What you don't know is the story that has transpired before.

And then, something amazing happens.

But in the process, we get to please God.

So, your provision will be contested,

which is why you have to have a promise.

One of the things I always look for

in a difficult situation,

be it created by me,

or be it created by somebody else,

or be it because of the fallenness of the world,

or be it a trial,

be it persecution,

be it a satanic attack,

it doesn't matter which direction it's coming from.

The one thing I must look for

and that I must receive from God

is in this, oh God,

what are you saying?

What's your perspective?

What's your promise?

What do I hold on to

while I wait for the provision to come?

Or for the opening to happen?

Or for the platform to be built?

Or for the source to be identified?

Or for the means or the money to do what is required?

Or for the favor

so that Mordecai ends up being the second in command

in a Babylonian kingdom?

Any questions?

Never settle for anything less.

Do not live below the standard of the kingdom

set for you by Jesus.

Standard of the kingdom.

Standard of the kingdom.

Standard of the kingdom.

Any questions?

Promises can get adjusted

because I took long.

Promises can get adjusted

because I've reached a point

of stubbornness and disobedience

where now things have to be tinkered with.

But otherwise,

I mean, look at the way

that the kingdom is being built

and the way that the kingdom is being built

I mean, look at a guy who

had to wait 25 years

from when he was told he would have a child

to when he had Isaac.

Look at the mistakes he made.

Look at the ishmaels

that were created along the way.

And yet, look at how God speaks of him,

how God was faithful

and how God brought to pass

the promise that he had spoken.

It takes a lot

to tease off

this God.

He ain't no

touch-me-not kind of God

that, oh, you sin,

that's it. No, he doesn't do that.

He's a strong God, man.

I mean, go back to those words.

I have a passion for you.

I have a passion that yearns

for you to receive

the things I have said

because I love making promises to you.

It takes a lot to lose a promise.

And even when you lose it,

he doesn't trash you,

he then reshapes it.

He takes the clay,

puts it back on the potter's wheel,

tries to create something else

that is beautiful out of it,

just like he did with Esau.

Esau sold a promise

for very little.

He knew.

He knew the enormity

of the promise that awaited him.

And for,

for the promise

to satisfy physical hunger,

he sells it.

And yet,

God doesn't abandon him.

All that happens is

the promises go to Jacob.

God doesn't abandon him.

Esau prospers, man.

And when Israel is going through

the wilderness

to take the promised land,

God tells Israel,

you will not touch Esau's land.

You will not touch it.

Because his protection

was still upon the sons of Isaiah.

And he says,

Isaiah.

Any questions?

Yep.

Yeah.

So, when a promise is given,

my statement was,

in every situation,

look for its perspective.

And look for what

he wants to give you.

In every circumstance,

look for his perspective.

What do you want me to do, Father?

Even in interpersonal interactions.

Father, this is what George is saying.

What is your perspective?

Oh, by the way,

please can we find

George a job quickly?

Like, he's got so much time

on his hands,

he's asking the men

to dress up.

Next week it'll be in a suit.

Yeah.

You're enjoying your time, right?

Absolutely.

I can see it on your face.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So, even in interpersonal reactions,

my thing should be,

okay, Father,

what's your perspective

on what George is saying?

And in this situation now,

what's the promise?

And once I have the promise,

then you take the action

that God is asking you to take.

Because we are supposed

to work out of trust and rest.

Sometimes all you can do

is throw a dart at a city

on the map,

because God told you

to throw a dart there.

That's it.

Mongolia is a classic example.

Threw a dart, bought a flag,

prayed for Mongolia

for seven years,

and then God said,

go to Mongolia.

But go there without asking

for any help,

go into a hotel,

and I will do what I need to do.

That's how provision comes.

Hey, this is not abnormal living.

This is normal kingdom living.

The other thing

is abnormal living.

Sometimes what we need to do

is just replace our heads

with one of Nick's bok choy.

The less we think,

the more kingdom

we become sometimes.

Is a bok choy

a big thing or a small thing?

I don't know.

I always find it

in all foods you gave.

Which begs the question,

you gave me really good food

yesterday,

but why the tomatoes?

Oh, okay.

I didn't know what to do with it,

so I gave it to Davand.

So guys,

stop thinking like the world does.

One of the things

promises does it,

it helps us escape

the corruption of the world.

One of the ways

the world corrupts us

is by asking us

to think like the world does.

That's one of the greatest forms

of corruption of the world.

Kingdom thinking

that is damaged

because we think like the world.

Provision

is often

a consequence

of a promise

believed.

Provision is

a consequence

of a promise

believed.

Provision is

often

a consequence

of a promise believed.

Sometimes

it is because

you believe so strongly

about something

that God has said to you

and you please Him

so ridiculously

that it is natural

for provision to flow

towards the fulfillment

of what God has intended

before the foundations

of the earth.

You know,

often when we stand in faith

and something comes

we say,

and I stood in faith

and praise God

that part is true

but think of it the other way.

Every time God says something

and you know it is God

either from scriptures

or through the prophetic

or through something

God has spoken to you

in your heart

and you decide

I actually trust you

God with regard to this

and I will exert the faith

that I need

because I trust your nature.

As you do that

provisions begin to flow

towards you.

Why?

Because God is pleased

and He says

but this is what I intended

for Jacob before

the foundations of the earth.

I have reserved things for him

that will now be supplied.

It's the most natural thing

for God to do.

You young men and women

that have come here

to study

begin to think like this.

Circumstances

can rot your head.

Can absolutely

rot your head.

Fill it with maggots.

Somehow

the ability to remove

the way we think

from the pressures

that begin to shape

mold the clay of our brain

to begin to think like the world

it's the most dangerous thing man.

Escape it.

And this is a good church

to escape it in

because there are people

that will help you

when your muscles begin to lag.

Faith is not absent here.

Presence is not absent here.

Council is not absent here.

The spirit of God

is not absent here.

Exampling is not absent here.

Help is not absent here.

Financial help has been given.

Companion help has been given.

Comfort help has been given.

And it will keep being given.

Next time someone comes

and says I want to leave the church

I'll give you a gift

to go.

Because it's the foolishest thing

when you open the gift

you'll see a sign saying

don't be foolish.

Really it's a good thing

we have going here.

And our boast is in the Lord

because no man can do this.

This bastard definitely cannot.

But my God as a people

we can and we have

and we keep going.

Strength to strength

glory to glory

faith to faith.

Guys his promise

is a weapon in your hand.

I've been practicing this.

His promise is a weapon

in your hand

and I'll tell you why

it's a weapon in your hand.

Because one of the things

that happens very often

is circumstances

try to negate the promise.

Circumstances don't

negate the promise.

Circumstances don't negate

the promise.

Use the promise

to reshape or negate

circumstances.

We'll talk about how.

The other thing you do

one of the ways you do it

is by rejoicing in the promise.

Rejoicing in the promise.

Rejoicing in the promise.

Rejoicing in the promise.

Avoid figuring out

how and when.

Avoid figuring out

how and when.

You'll drive yourself crazy.

Avoid figuring out how and when.

Romans 4, 17-21.

He began to rejoice

in the promise.

What's the promise?

Guy is 99.

What's the promise?

You're going to have a son.

He begins to rejoice in it.

How do you rejoice

in a promise?

We'll talk about it.

That's how we'll conclude.

We'll talk about it.

How do you rejoice

in a promise?

But as you begin to rejoice

in your promise

an odd thing happens.

You know, rejoicing

in any situation

creates a thermal current

that you can enter

and you can begin to climb

and you can zoom out.

Every time you rejoice.

Every time you rejoice.

It doesn't matter what it is.

You take any circumstance

and you start rejoicing.

What does rejoicing look like?

Rejoicing begins

with your confession

of who God is.

That's how rejoicing begins.

Rejoicing is not

at the circumstance.

Rejoicing is that

in the fire

there is a fourth man

and his name is Jesus Christ.

I see you, O God.

You're with me here.

I feel abandoned

but I know you're here.

I know you're a father.

I know you're fair.

I know you yearn

to bring to pass in my life

the things you have promised

for 35 to 37 years.

I know you only as faithful.

I know you only as able.

I know you only as God.

I know you only as father.

I know your voice.

I'm your sheep.

You're my friend.

You are here.

Now see what happens.

You begin to create

a thermal current

and you begin to soar

and you zoom out

and you look at your Italy

and you look at your Italy

and you look at your Italy

piddly problem.

Italy is the thing

you eat in India.

Piddly is something else

and you zoom out

and you look at the thing

and you think to yourself

ah shucks

you are Alpha

and Omega

we worship you.

O God, you are worthy

to be praised.

That's how rejoicing starts.

Once rejoicing starts like that

then you move from your feelings

to the truth using words

and some of those words

are the very promises

that God has said.

This is true at 99

this is true at 9.

Any questions?

It's true at 19

Italy piddly?

No.

Yeah.

Once you begin to rejoice

you move from the way

you are feeling

to the truth using words

and the words you use

are words of promise

that God has spoken

and he who is holy

and is true

is faithful

and loves

and yearns

to bring to pass

the things he has spoken.

30-35 years ago

which is like a fraction

before God

they begin to wrap around you.

Some of you need to go back

to when you heard those promises.

Some of you need to go back

to the place

where you saw

the axe head disappear

and you need to go

and take the stick of the axe

that is this teaching today

and throw it there

and the axe head will float up

and if you don't do it

you'll have to wait

for another second

and then you'll have to

wait for another sermon.

Some of you need to do it tonight

saying, oh God

I remember when I came

Jeevan was here

I remember when I came

this guy was here

I remember when I came

this was spoken over me

I remember when I came

come on now!

Awaken those promises!

Awaken those promises.

They were spoken over you

by men and women

of no repute

My God, when you heard them

you knew it was God.

It was spoken by a grandfather

it was spoken by a pastor

or a priest

who was in Pentecostal

but you knew

that when they spoke

it was God.

Call to remembrance

the things of God

at this present time

because you are at the beginning

of the year

and God yearns

to bring to pass

what He purposed through you

before you were born

Do not look at your age

Do not look at your bank account

Do not look at your diseases

Do not look at your expired passport

Do not look at your job

Do not look at your marriage

or your singlehood

Do not look at your degrees

or the lack of it

Do not look at your job

So, what happens as we wait?

What happens as we wait?

Promises are God's currency

Promises are God's currency

That's one of the ways

He makes things happen

He opens things

both in relationship

and in what He wants to do

Remember, He is supremely happy

to give you what He said

He loves the idea

of being responsible

to His children

Promises are not wages

Promises are gifts

Promises are not wages

Promises are gifts

God is supremely happy

to give to me what He said

He'll do everything in His power

to help me become

what I need to become

He can give me what I need to have

for His sake

He is supremely happy

to give it to me

He loves the idea

of being responsible

for what He said

to His children

He loves the idea

of being responsible

to what He said

for His children

So, when things aren't happening

why haven't promises

come to pass yet?

Why the widening gap

between the promise received

and how it's not been fulfilled?

Father, my heart is no longer aligned with You

Oh God, I no longer engage my heart

with Your promises

because it's been so long

that I've given up on it

Well then, here are some simple steps

to get back

One

Hear the unchanging commitment

Hear the unchanging commitment

of God

in His promise

Hear it again

Every time He promises something

He is making a claim

here on earth

through my life

And if He is doing that

you must stake your claim

on His resources

and by resources

I just don't mean only money

wisdom, people, favour

Hear the unchanging commitment

of God in His promise

How can we hear the unchanging commitment

of God in His promise?

How can we hear the unchanging commitment

of God in His promise?

How can we hear the unchanging commitment

of God in His promise?

Write it down or record it

How will you hear it

if you haven't recorded it?

How will you hear it

if you haven't written it down?

But Jacob, I've heard so much

in the last many years

What is common to everything you have heard?

What do you keep hearing again and again

and again and again about you?

Doesn't matter whether it's your cat

or whether it's a person who speaks

You keep hearing the same thing

Write it down

See God's unchanging commitment

Hear His unchanging commitment

That Jacob, it's always been this way

Jacob, guys, you may think

you've lived 35, 40, 60, 70 years

But for God it's nothing

It's like yesterday

So, hear the unchanging commitment

of God in His promise

He is making a claim

here on earth through you

Remember, you may think

Oh, I need money so I can live a godly life

No, yes you do

But He is giving you your resources

giving you wisdom, giving you a job

giving you an opening, giving you a platform

Because He has things to accomplish here on earth

That's His reason

That's His reason

And then besides that He says

Oh, don't worry, the Father takes care of shelter, food, clothes anyways

And remember, I said this last week

He gives us not according to our needs

He gives us according to His riches in Christ

He does not give us according to our needs

He gives us according to His riches in Christ

We, for us, God is at most mid-sized

If you're really full of faith

He goes, we supersize Him

And so now He's like a medium-fries

But at the end of the day

At the end of the day

He owns all the potatoes in the world

And so when He gives

He gives out of all the potatoes in the world

while we are looking for the bit

So we have to remember

that He gives according to His riches in Christ

Think of this guys

Just look around you

As you look at the people around you

Don't you realize that these have been given to us

according to the riches of Christ?

That there's a Wayne there

There's a May there

There's a Pawan there

There's an Iris there

There's an Emily there

There's a Tooney there

There's a hip there

How you think these are not riches?

These are the treasures of darkness

that God pulled out into His kingdom

Sometimes I need to look around and realize

that oh my God

According not to my needs

but according to His riches

You know what my needs were when I planted Acts 29

The church that initially sponsored Acts 29 said

Can you give us a business plan?

I gave them a business plan

It was splendid

In the first six months we were 80 people

By the end of 18 months we were 250 people

I'm still waiting for 80 to happen after 17 years

But that was according to my needs

But this is according to the riches of Christ

Is there anybody here?

Honestly, I ask myself this question right now

and I've asked this before

Is there anybody here that you would think

should not be here, is not necessary here, we can do without?

This is a crazy thing

Not one of you

That's how this works according to His riches

So first, hear the untrained commitment

Hear Him saying

Hey listen Jacob, this is my dream for you

And these are the promises I'm going to give you

So that my dream through you may be done

Second thing, this is very important

Use your voice

Use your voice to agree with Him

Use your voice to agree with Him

So, listen to Him

Use your voice to agree with Him

Use your voice to agree with Him

Use your voice to agree with Him

There is power in agreement

Let me put it this way

Only when you use your VC

Yeah?

Vocal cords

It is critical that we use our voice to agree with Him

If you don't use your voice to agree with God and His promises

Know that it is almost impossible to agree with Him

There is power in agreement only when you use your vocal cords

This is what God has said

And I begin to say it

You take anybody

Take any of the books in the Bible

It doesn't matter whether it's Esther saying

Mordecai saying to Esther

Perhaps for a time such as this

It doesn't matter whether it's Saul saying

King Felix and therefore Jesus said to me

That I will go to Rome

And I want to say to you that I'll be going to Rome

Abraham saying loudly

Sarah from now on I will call you Sarah

And you must call me Abraham

Because in the speaking there is agreement

Every place you see it

And as you begin to agree you then have the courage to speak it publicly

Speak it openly

Nehemiah, Ezra, David

What? These guys spoke quietly?

Gideon, Daniel

Openly

Use your voice to agree with Him

There is power in agreement when you use your vocal cords

Because your voice or your confession

Aligns your heart

Aligns your heart with the truths God spoke

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks

Well then, reverse it

I will agree with you, O God

And my voice or my confession will align my heart to what you have said

Even though my mind is struggling with me

I have the ability to use words

This is critical

It is such an essential part of seeing promises come to pass

Any questions on this?

Maybe doing teaching first is good

Nobody has questions

I think after worship you get so tired

It's like, let's ask a question

Who has a...

Yes, there are exceptions

Go ahead

Yeah, obedience, disobedience

But both of them...

One said no but did it

The other one said yes and didn't do it

But our confession is giving voice to our heart

And our obedience to the promise of God

So we are the good son

This is a critical part of it

Gideon

So, I know you probably alter the experience of people saying

This is what I believe by saying things

But then it has an impact

Are we going to hear it from our heart?

Or are we talking to what God is saying?

But it has an impact

The critical thing seems to be what is God saying

And not how much he is

So, I'm guessing that one way to do that is by

Adding yourself up on the body

So that you have something to do

What do you really do if I say something?

I don't want to be stepping out and something

Yeah, so when it's the nature of God it's easy

We can see it in the Bible

When it's the scriptures it's easy

We can see the scriptures in the Bible like for healing

It doesn't matter how long I wait

I know Jesus is a healer

There's no two ways to it

But when it comes to things that I have heard

Personally or sometimes even prophetic words from others

And they haven't come to pass

Yeah, then sometimes either I'm wrong

Or I'll have to go and ask God, how come? Why?

Yes, and one of the safeguards is to

Surround yourself with people that you can verify things with

So that when you go ask them

They can help you with it

Either shoot holes in it

Or sometimes not shoot holes and endorse it

Yeah, or give you caution

So yes, yeah

Any other questions?

Okay, third one

Oh, by the way, when you're in a situation

Are your words usually problem related?

Or is your language

Connected to what God is saying?

When you're in a situation that's really difficult

Is my

Are my words usually problem related?

Or is my language connected to what God is saying?

Which is my problem

Problem related or is my language connected to what God is saying?

Which is it more?

Just a question

Last

Third one, third point is

Declare

Your

Partnership

With God

By crafting

What he has said

In your words

And substantiating it sometimes with scripture

So now that you've begun voicing what God has been saying

Now that you've done it

Now begin to craft

What God is saying about you

Craft it

This is who God says I am

I'm going to craft it

Why? So that

Every so often I can go look at it

You do it at work, eh

Before you go to a new job

You quickly go over the job description

You go over what has been said

You check your parking spot

Because your parking spot is now closer to the CEO

You press the right button as you go up the elevator

Because you're almost three floors from the top

Everything changes but you

But you craft it

So I don't want to ask this

But if I ask this

There wouldn't be too many hands who have said

I have crafted what God has said to me over the last couple of years

Crafted

Why? Because you need to read it

How often?

Initially every third day or every second day

Then every week

Why?

Because the one person who doesn't believe what God has said is you

The hardest

I mean

I can believe

You can believe things for me

My parents can believe things for me

Derek can believe things for me

But do I believe it?

I am the hardest one to convince

Because I really know me

I know my flaws, my defects, my faults

My sins, my failures, my fears

My lack of courage

I know it all

And when God says things

It is so hard for me to believe it

You may believe it for me

But it is so hard for me to believe it

Therefore I need to craft it and I need to read it on a regular basis

And as you do

And as you do

It asserts

Your passion

It recalibrates

Your thinking

To his

You feel

The smile

And joy

Of God

As you

Agree

With him

Any questions guys?

Yeah

Once you

Once you write it down and you read it often

As you do it

It asserts your passion

As in when you're driving

When you're in situations

When you're in a situation

When you're driving

When you're in situations

When you're in hostile conditions

It asserts your passion

Your passion comes up

Saying yeah

This is how I used to react last year

But I know who I am

And I know what I'm waiting for

And I'm going to be passionate about it

In a way I've never been before

It recalibrates your thinking

As in it adjusts your thinking

So your thinking begins to match

And the moment thinking changes

Everything changes

At the end of the day that's all you need

The moment thinking changes

Everything changes

And then

Finally, Bria

Finally

You begin to feel

The smile and the joy of God

You just begin to know it

There's a warmth to God

You begin to know

Because you are agreeing with him

Any questions?