Receiving Your Promise | Joseph Davis

We do that here at Glorious Way Church.

And so if you have your Bible, let's hold it up and make the devil man, make Jesus glad, and let's say this, Heavenly Father, thank you that every word in this book is honored by you.

And Father, we thank you that as we as we look into your word tonight and we receive your word and we do our part, Lord, you'll do yours.

Because you are faithful to your word.

And we give you the praise in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

God is faithful to his word, he's faithful to every promise in this book.

And I just want to encourage you this morning, as I was spending time in the word just reading, it just, you know, I've often heard people refer to the Bible as God's love letters to us.

And this morning, for the first time, I intentionally read it as his love letters to me.

And it's just amazing how things were so different as I begin to read it as his love letter to me.

My father, you know, as parents, sometimes we leave notes for our kids.

Well, this Bible is full of notes that the Father has left to us as kids.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

If you're watching tonight and you have a prayer request, I want to encourage you to send your request.

You can do it a couple of ways.

You can send it to staff at gwc.cc.

Or if you're online with us, uh watch joining us on Facebook, you can post it, and someone will watch it, uh, someone will watch for it, and we will take the opportunity to pray for you at the end of the service.

All right, let's get into the word here tonight.

You know, um, this is the year 2026.

Can you believe it's September already?

Wow, where has the time gone?

Where's the year gone?

Anybody else feel like it's just gone?

Well, you know, at the beginning of the year, Pastor shared a prophetic word that the Lord gave him about uh uh uh to the congregation here at Glorious Way Church, and he said that 2026 was the year of new things.

How many of you uh are still believing God for your new things?

Amen.

How many of you held on, grabbed a hold of that promise?

I know I did.

Flora and I grabbed a hold of that promise, and we've been hanging on to that promise, and we've been speaking to the promise and declaring and agreeing and decreeing, uh, and we are seeing and experiencing God's new things.

And so tonight I want to talk to you a little bit about um receiving the promise.

If you're taking notes and you want to write a message title down, the message title for tonight's message is called Receiving Your Promise.

And so tonight we're gonna study, we're gonna look at receiving your promise through the experiences or the activities that occurred around Abraham and Sarah.

How many most of you know the story where God uh spoke to Abraham and promised him a son?

Um, but it wasn't just the promise of the son, it was all of the things that came with that promise.

And so tonight we're gonna look at that, and as we dive into that, we're going to uh dig out a few nuggets on um things that you need to be aware of if you're gonna receive your promise from God.

Amen.

So turn with me, if you will, in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 17, and we're gonna start there.

Genesis 17 · chapter mention

I'm gonna read uh a good bit of this, and then we're gonna go back and we're gonna just dive into it and and um and dissect the notes and pull and dig out the nuggets.

How many of you like to go treasure hunting?

I love treasure hunting.

All right, so in Genesis chapter 17, started at verse 1, it says, When Abram was 90 years old, was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, I am Almighty God, walk before me and be blameless, and I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.

Genesis 17 · chapter mention

Then Abraham fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall know, and you shall be a father of many nations.

No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be called Abraham.

For I have made you a father of many nations, I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you, and I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant.

To be and to be God to you and your descendants after you, also I will give you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.

And God said to Abraham, as for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you through their generations.

This is my covenant which you shall keep.

Between me and you and your descendants, after you, every male child.

And so he goes on to talk about what the requirements are of the covenant in order to receive the promise.

God said, I'm gonna make some, I'm gonna do some things for you.

I'm promising you.

That's what the covenant means.

I'm gonna make a promise to you.

You know, the dictionary of the word, uh the definition of the word promise means uh a declaration that something or something will or will not be done or given.

That's one definition of the word promise.

There's another definition of the word promise is an express assurance on which expectation is to be based.

Now, the definition of covenant means an agreement or promise, usually formal, between two or more people or groups, to do or not to do something specified.

In other words, a covenant or a promise is to agree as in a contract or pledge.

And so God has said to Abraham, I'm gonna make a promise.

I'm gonna cut a covenant with you.

And in order to receive the benefits of the covenant, here are some things that you must do.

And so let's go back and let's look at some of the things that are necessary in order to receive your promise.

How many of you have received a promise from God?

Maybe you found something in the Word, you're believing God for something, maybe the Lord has spoken something to you during your quiet time with him, maybe you've gone to the Lord to put a petition before him, or maybe you're believing God that 2026 is your year of new things.

All of those are promises from God.

And so it's important if we're going to receive our promises from God that we need to understand that there are some things we must do.

And so let's learn some, let's learn from Abraham and Sarah.

So the first thing I want to point out to you is this.

In chapter 17, verse 1, the very first thing that God lays down, or God says it's this.

When Abraham was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, I am Almighty God.

Walk before me and be blameless.

And so the first thing I want to point out about receiving your promise is this.

Your promise has T's and C's.

Now, some of you are saying, well, what are T's and C's?

Terms and conditions.

How many of you know that we serve a God that's and if then God, you know, there are scriptures in the Bible.

One says that if you abide in me and my word abides in you, then you will ask what you will and it shall be given.

If ye be willing and obedient, then ye shall eat the good of the land.

And so we see that God requires us to do some things in order to receive from him.

And so the first thing we see is that there are some terms and conditions, and he puts those up front.

He says to Abraham, I am the Lord God Almighty, and I need you, I want you to walk before me and be blameless.

In other words, I need you to live a holy life without sin.

And then he goes on in verse 2, he says, Now, if you will do that, I will make my covenant between you and me, and I will multiply you and exceedingly.

So immediately after he says, Here are the requirements.

Now let's talk about the benefits.

So if you're going to receive a promise from God, not only is God gonna give you the requirements, but he's also gonna show you the benefits.

How many of you know that there are benefits in serving God?

David said in Psalm 103, Bless the Lord, all my soul, and all that's within me, bless his holy name, bless the Lord, all my soul, and forget not all of his benefits.

Now, what I love about that scripture is he didn't say, forget not one of his benefits, or there's only one benefit.

He said, forget not all of his benefits.

And so there are many benefits.

And so immediately God tells him, Here are the conditions, here are the terms, but here are the benefits.

Verse 3, then Abraham fell on his face and God talked to him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.

Did you know that the promise that God has given you has a purpose?

Did you know that?

The promise that you believe in God for is not just so you can get something from Him, but there is a purpose behind that promise.

There is a purpose tied to that promise.

There is something that God wants to do beyond you.

And if you're gonna receive your promise from God, you need to understand that the purpose of the promise is that it has a purpose.

Can I say that again?

I know that sounds like a word, salad.

The purpose of the promise is that it has a purpose, but the purpose of the promise is that it has a purpose.

And so every promise that God has given us has a purpose.

I mean, you know, God doesn't waste any opportunities, He doesn't waste anything.

And so every promise has a purpose.

Verse 5 No longer shall you be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.

Now here's something else I want to point out about the promise.

With the promise comes change.

Notice what God said to Abraham as part of the promise or one of the conditions or things that was going to occur is I'm going to change your name.

So your promise has a change attached to it.

Well, what's the change?

Whatever God wants to do in you and through you.

How many of you know that oftentimes when God does a work in us, it's not just for him to do a work in us just for the sake of doing a work in us, but the work is done to bring about a change in us.

Now, can I let you guys in on a secret, especially to the husbands?

Early in my marriage, and my wife's probably gonna get me when I got when I get home, but uh, but she's not here, so I can tell it.

But early in our marriage, one of the um, you know, we were young, newlyweds, and I remember one time uh I married way above my pay grade, way above my pay grade.

And so Flora and I were having a little discussion, and I figured that, okay, if I'm gonna win this discussion, it wasn't an argument, it was a discussion.

But if I'm gonna win this discussion, I'm gonna have to speak louder and faster.

And then, well, when that didn't work, I got a little aggravated, and I remember saying, Lord, you're gonna have to change her.

You have to do something about her, you have to change her.

Okay, now we're newly married.

But let me tell you what God did in that.

The change that I was desiring, or the change that I that I spoke to the Lord about changing her, let me tell you how that works.

The Lord pulled me to the side and said, first of all, I didn't give her to you to change her, I gave her to you to love her.

And if you will allow me to change you, then the change you're talking about in her will occur.

So, guys, let me save you a little heartache and a little frustration, a little angst.

Just allow him to change you and then he'll change your wife.

Why?

Because she'll see the change in you and it'll bring about a change in her.

Flora, you still love me?

But every promise has a purpose.

Every promise comes with a change.

And not only does that promise come with a change, but that promise comes with a new name.

What does that mean?

That means that the person that you once were.

When the promise takes place, and as the process of receiving the promise, when that happens, what happens?

You change.

God does a work in you and brings about a change.

We see that when God began to bring the promise into play with Abraham, he said, no longer will your name be Abram, but your name will be Abraham.

What is that?

And father of many nations.

Now, in order to receive your promise, you're gonna have to be able to be willing to receive a new name.

You're gonna have to be willing to receive a name change.

Now, now what does that mean, Pastor Joseph?

Whatever God needs that to be.

Maybe the new name is a person that maybe you're known as grouchy, and now you're known as a loving person.

Whatever that name change needs to be, just allow God to do it during the process of receiving your promise.

Verse 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you, I will make nations of you, and kings shall come to you, and I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you and their generations for an everlasting covenant to be God to you and your descendants after you.

Also, underline also, that tells me that God had more than just what he spoke initially.

How many of you know that God is an exceedingly abundant above all that we could ask or think kind of God?

In Ephesians 3.20, kind of God?

Also, there's more.

Wait, there's more.

Also, I will give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.

All of this is part of the promise.

Well, imagine if that's what God spoke to Abraham that he wanted to do in his life.

Imagine what else is included in the promises that he has for you.

All the promises that he's spoken to you.

This promise was so deep that it wasn't just about one man, but it was about generations to come.

That's an important point.

Your promise is for generations to come, not just for you and now, but for those coming up after you.

Think about whatever you're believing God for, whatever your promise is, whether it's healing, whether it's finances, whether it's relational, whatever that is, it's not just about you and what God wants to do in you, but it's about those that are going to be coming up behind you.

Verse 9.

And God said to Abraham, As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout your generations, throughout their generations.

This is my covenant which you shall keep between me and you, and your descendants after you.

Every male child among you shall be circumcised, and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and ye, between me and you.

Now God goes on to tell Abraham, in order to receive the promise, he's already said, I'm gonna need you to walk upright before me and be blameless, but there's something else that I'm gonna need you to do.

In order to receive your promise, there are things that God's gonna ask you to do.

One of those things may be that there is going to be a cutting away of things in your life.

You believe in God to make a change, you believe in God to heal, you believe in God to deliver, you believe in God to provide.

And maybe one of the things that God needs to do in order to do those things or for you to receive that promise is there needs to be a change or a cutting away or letting go of something in your life.

In this case, he told Abraham, listen, in order to be to receive the covenant, I'm gonna require a cutting away.

Now, that cutting away of the of the foreskin in those days meant a dealing with the flesh, putting, dealing with the flesh, putting it under.

And so God is going to require you to there will be a cutting away of things in your life.

Maybe things in your flesh, maybe things in your heart, maybe, maybe a mindset, maybe an attitude, maybe the way you speak about things.

There's going to be a cutting away.

There's a requirement.

And he goes on the same verse 14 and the uncircumcised male child who is not circumcised in the flesh or of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people.

He has broken my covenant.

Here's another nugget.

In order to receive the promise and not be disqualified, you have to do, there has to be a cutting away.

No change or no cutting away makes you ineligible for the promise.

Remember, God is an if-then God.

If you abide in me and my word abides in you.

If you be willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land.

And so if you're not willing to make the change, then why should he, why should he?

And actually, what we need to understand about the requirements of the change that God requires in us when he's doing a work in us, when we're believing him for a promise and he's taking us through the process, these are good changes.

They're not bad changes, they're good changes.

Verse 15 then God said to Abraham, As for Sarai, your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.

Wow.

So he's already told Abraham, listen, Abraham, listen, Abram, your name is no longer Abraham is Abram.

You know, your name is no longer Abram is Abraham.

And the reason your name is Abraham is because you are a father of many nations.

And so we see that oftentimes we see right here that the promise that he made for her, made for him, also included her.

So here's another nugget.

The promise just doesn't, it's not just to change you, but it's to change everyone in your household.

As you go through the process of receiving your promise from God, know and recognize that that prompt that process is not just for you, and it's not going to just affect you, but it's going to affect everyone in your household.

Your entire household will be blessed by the promise that you receive from God.

We see that God said, and I will bless her.

Verse 16.

And also give her a son by her, give you a son by her, and I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations, kings of people shall come from her.

And so we see that that was a great benefit, not just for Abraham, but his entire house, his wife.

And Abraham fell on his face and laughed.

He said in his heart, Shall a child be born to a man who is 100 years old?

And shall Sarah, who is 90 years old, bear a child?

Now this is very important.

When you start thinking about receiving your promise, do not allow circumstances to speak contrary to the promise.

God has given you a word.

God has said, I'm gonna do something.

You've got a promise.

Maybe you found a scripture in the Bible and you're holding on to it and you're standing before God.

Do not allow the circumstances of life or whatever you're going through to speak louder than the promise.

Abraham took the opportunity and said in his heart, Now, now there's something here that's important.

Where did that start?

In his heart.

Now, why do you think that's in there?

Why?

Because out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

So do not allow the circumstances to get into your heart.

Do not allow the circumstances, in other words, don't allow the circumstances to have a say in the situation.

Sometimes you have to put the shut to the up to the circumstances.

Amen.

Sometimes you just have to sell the circumstances.

Be quiet.

Listen, when you are walking through the process of receiving your promise from God, the circumstances are going to always show up and they're going to bring a few friends to have a party.

But it's your responsibility to make sure to shut the party down.

Why it's not the right kind of party.

And so do not allow the circumstances.

Well, can listen, am I really going to be able to father a child at a hundred?

And is Sarah really who's 90 going to be able to conceive and carry her child?

Now God didn't like God didn't send that word and say, wink, wink, maybe, maybe we'll do that.

And so don't allow the enemy to derail or to sidetrack you receiving your promise.

In other words, do not allow your faith to waver.

Do not allow your faith.

You've been standing on the word, you've been believing the word, you've been speaking the word.

Don't allow our circumstances to come in and to derail you from receiving your promise.

Verse 18, and Abraham said to God, Oh, that Ishmael might live before you.

In other words, now, oh, that Ishmael might live before you.

And God is thinking, Are you kidding me?

Did you not hear what I just said?

Did you not hear that part about I'm gonna give you a son through your wife Sarah, not your handmaiden Hagar, because you thought I couldn't deliver, so now you're gonna, okay, so let me just cut to the chase here.

God does not need your help, but he does require your cooperation.

Now, how do you fully cooperate with God?

Through standing firmly on his word, standing in faith on his word, believing his word, not doubting, speaking his word, confessing his word.

And by doing that, you are agreeing with God and you are saying, Hey, circumstances, my God is greater than what I'm standing up against.

My God is greater than what's being presented.

My God is greater than a 100 year old body and a 90 year old body.

My God is able to do.

With God, all things are possible to those who believe.

And so do not allow, do not find yourself trying to.

Help God.

God does not need your help.

He's God.

But he does require your cooperation.

Now, just to kind of side step away for a minute and talk about how serious this whole thing about helping God was when Abraham decided to help God with the son.

Actually, it was Sarah because she didn't have enough faith to believe that she could bear a child, and so she sent her handmaiden Hagar in.

And of course, between Hagar and Abraham, they conceived a child.

Did you know that the problems that we're still dealing with in the Middle East are tied back to this time?

What's the scrimmage about?

Birthright?

All Abraham and Sarah had to do was stand with the promise.

Stick with the promise.

You're going to have an opportunity to say, God, you know, I know you're able, but.

No, there's no God, I know you're able, but.

Right?

Now there is a but God.

But there is no God, I know you're able but.

Don't let the butts get you.

And so we go, we go to chapter, let's go to chapter 18.

Because this is good.

And so we see in chapter 18 where Abraham is sitting out by a tanterberry tree, and he's sitting there next to the tent, and he sees some people, some men passing by, and they stop.

And Abraham invites him in, and he says, If I've found favor in your sight, in your sight, please come, stop, come to my house and be refreshed.

Let me prepare a meal for you.

And so at verse 6, after they said, Sure, we'll dine with you, we'll stop and rest.

And so in verse 6, Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, Quickly make three measures of fine meal, needed and make cakes.

And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to the young man, hastened to prepare it.

So he's preparing a feast for these men.

So while they're waiting, and so they're sitting there under the tree and they're eating, they're partaking, and they're receiving.

So then they said to him, Where's Sarah, your wife?

Just when you least expect it, God's gonna send the word.

He'd already given the word.

Now he's about to reinforce and he's about to confirm the word.

He's about to make it happen.

And so he says, Where is Sarah, your wife?

And so Abraham says, Here in the tent.

And he said, I will certainly return to you according to the time of life.

And behold, Sarah, your wife, shall have a son.

Now, there are a couple of things I want to point out here as you as we talk about receiving your promise.

First of all, understand that your time and God's time oftentimes will not be the same.

Can I say that again?

And I'll say it with a smile on my face.

Your time and God's time are oftentimes not the same.

Just because you have a promise doesn't mean that it's going to happen like that.

Now, the good news is it will happen as you stand and you believe and you stay in faith.

But it may be, this says when the angels came and when the men came and spoke to her, they said, I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, basically a year later we'll come back, and you're gonna have a son.

Now, the Bible doesn't say how much time had transpired between the time that God talked to Abraham and told him this was gonna happen.

In other words, here are the benefits, here's the blessing, here's the promise, here's what I'm gonna do, here's what I need you to do.

And of course, we read that he did all of those things, and now all of a sudden, these men show up and they give a word to Sarah.

They deliver a word.

Sarah, you're gonna have a baby.

Now, Abraham had already allowed circumstances to speak, so what happens?

Now Sarah's allowing circumstances to speak.

And so Sarah was listening in the tent next to the door, which was behind them, and Abraham and Sarah were old and advanced well in age, and Sarah had the passage, was well past the age of childbearing.

And then Sarah laughed and said to herself, saying, After I've grown old, shall I have pleasure, my Lord, being old also?

Again, she basically said the same thing her husband said.

Now, let me just remind you that it's important to be in agreement, but not that agreement.

When you believe in God for a promise, they were in agreement.

They were both saying the same thing, but that's the wrong agreement.

When you are believing for your promise, make sure that you're in the right agreement.

And if one doesn't agree, help them get there.

How can two stand unless they agree?

Now, what I think is funny here is Sarah could have very easily, you know, they could have said, Well, fine.

They already called her out about it.

Basically, she lied when they asked her about it, what they said, and the Lord said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Surely I shall bear a child since I'm old?

Is there anything too hot for the Lord?

At the appointed time I return to you according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

The promise was absolute.

Your promise is absolute.

It doesn't matter what the circumstances present, it doesn't matter what it looks like, it doesn't matter what it sounds like.

Your promise is absolute.

Make up your mind.

God, you said it, I believe it, and that settles it.

I'm gonna hang on to what you promised me.

I'm gonna hang on till I receive what you promised me.

I'm gonna hang on until I receive my healing.

I'm gonna hang on until I receive my financial breakthrough.

I'm gonna hang on until I receive my deliverance.

I'm gonna hang on to that loved one, to that child or that spouse, or whoever you've been praying and believing God for, and you're holding up a promise, I'm gonna hang on until it happens.

So they asked, so the Lord asked Sarah, Sarah, did you really?

And Sarah denied it.

Said, I didn't laugh.

For she was afraid.

There's another point there.

The enemy will always use the fear tactic to talk you out of your promise.

Especially when the odds are insurmountable, or it seems like there's no way that's gonna happen.

Listen, in the natural, looking at Abraham and who was a hundred and Sarah, who was a 90, in the natural, there was no way that was supposed to happen.

But let me tell you something about receiving a promise from God.

When you have a promise from God and God is going to deliver on that promise, super and natural show up at the same time.

And while you're believing God for your promise, just begin to say, Father, I thank you that super and natural are going to show up at the same time.

And what seems impossible is about to be impossible, is about to be possible.

What seems like it cannot happen, it will not happen, is about to happen.

And we see that that happened.

And so in verse 21, of course, after Sarah, um after and and really because of her lack of faith, she could have, she should have lost the blessing.

But we see God was faithful.

Now, the Bible doesn't say Sarah repented, but there's something I want to point out.

When the minute you find that you're off track with your with your your mouth or your heart or your thoughts, repent.

Resist it.

Maybe a circumstance is coming, it seems like it's harder than and it's it's speaking louder than what you believe in.

Father, I know that's not from you.

I resist that.

Oh Lord, I repent for speaking contrary to what your word says.

Turn it around, get it right.

And so in chapter 21, we see, starting in verse 1, it said, For the Lord visited Sarah as he had said.

You can put your name there.

For the Lord visited Joseph as he said.

In other words, God's going to deliver on what he promised.

What has he said to you?

Write it down.

Father, I thank you that you're gonna do, you're gonna visit, you're gonna deliver as you said.

For the Lord visited Sarah as he said, and the Lord did for Sarah.

So he didn't just show up, but he delivered.

And the Lord did for Sarah as he had spoken.

For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the set time.

Now, it's important to understand again.

Let me just go back and visit about that set time.

Your timing and God's timing are often not the same.

And so here's how you can get how you can stay out of trouble with that.

Father, I'm gonna set my heart with your time.

And whatever the wait is, however long the wait is, I'm gonna wait in faith knowing that you're faithful to your word.

I'm gonna wait in faith knowing that you're faithful to that which you promised.

Why can we sit?

Why can we be so strong in standing in faith?

First of all, because in Numbers 23, 19 it says, For God is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent.

Has he not said it?

Shall he not do it?

Has he not spoken it?

Shall he not bring it to pass?

And so however long you have to wait, know that it's going to be worth the wait.

Now, what's interesting is what God, what God was faithful to deliver.

And the very thing that Sarah spoke about, well, shall I have joy in my old age?

Well, what did she name her son?

What does Isaac mean?

Isaac means to laugh or to rejoice.

When Abraham and Sarah first heard word that they were gonna have a child, he thought, oh God, you got jokes.

Really?

Do you know how old he is?

Do you know how old I am?

Listen, in God's eyes, age is nothing but a number.

All things are possible.

Is there anything too hard for God?

What are you believing God for?

What has he promised you?

Where are you standing?

And so they named their son literally after the very thing that she thought was not possible.

The joy of being a mother, the joy of conceiving and delivering a child.

The joy.

Wow.

And so it's important that you understand when you are believing and standing for your promise, that you recognize, and let's go back to those.

Let's go back.

First of all, your promise has benefits.

Your promise has a purpose.

It's not just for you.

It's your promise is not even, sometimes promises that and the things that God does in our life is well beyond even your house.

Why?

Because of the word, the testimony that goes forth.

Others see it, others hear it.

Did you know that one testimony, especially if you've been going through a difficult time and you believe in God to do something, and others are watching you?

And when the breakthrough finally comes, or the final the promise finally comes, and people remember what you went through, but they see how you got through it, and they see the faithfulness of God, that'll speak louder than anything you can say.

So understand that your promise has benefits, it has purpose.

Change comes with the promise.

Be prepared, be willing to change.

Your promise is for generations to come, not just for you and for right now, not just for now and today, but for days after that.

Recognize the importance of that.

To receive your promise, you must be willing.

There must be a cutting away.

There must be a letting go of something.

There must be a release of something.

There must be a change.

Be willing to change.

You know one of the hardest things that we as humans have to deal with?

What is that?

Change.

Be willing to change.

Whatever that is, whatever God requires, be willing to do it, be willing to change.

Understand that with no change makes you ineligible for the promise.

In other words, God can't work with someone who's not willing to obey.

Actually, he's not taking from you, he's trying to add to you.

And whatever it is he's saying to let go of is standing in the way, or it's it's taking up space.

Let's put it that way.

Anybody like to declutter from time to time?

Get rid of stuff that's in the, you know, after you tripped over it a few times, or it's collecting dust.

Well, what happens when you get rid of that or you let go of that?

You've set it out on the curve.

What have you just done?

You've made room for more.

You've made room for the fulfillment of the promise.

And so be willing, be quick to change.

Why?

Because he said, just as he said for Sarah, I want to bless her.

God is saying, I want to bless you.

Don't allow circumstances to speak contrary to your promise.

When you're standing and believing God, it doesn't matter what the circumstances are, it doesn't matter how loud they're screaming, just tell them to shut up.

Circumstances don't get to have a say.

Devil, you don't get to have a say in this situation.

Well, but did you hear what the doctor said?

Yeah, but do you hear what Dr.

Jesus said?

By his stripes I was healed.

Well, have you seen your bank account balance lately?

You're in the negative.

Way in the negative.

But did you hear what he said?

He was made poor that I may be made rich.

And my God supplies all of my needs according to his riches and glory through Christ Jesus.

Don't allow circumstances to have a say.

And then know that God is always faithful to deliver.

He's always faithful to do what he said he would do.

And when you get to that place where you've received the promise, the joy comes.

The joy comes.

Now, notice that Sarah laughed when she first heard.

So there was some type of joy, but it wasn't the right kind of joy.

This is the fullness of joy.

Make sure you don't get stuck at the wrong kind of joy.

Amen.

Amen.

Well, let's just pray.

Father, thank you for the word.

Thank you, Lord, that we're going to receive our promises.

Lord, we're going to receive promises that we've been standing on, that we're believing you for, that we're expecting, Lord.

Father, as a matter of fact, we're just going to turn up our level of expectation.

Whatever it is you believe in, God, for, just say, Father, I just turn up my level of expectation for that thing I'm believing you for.

I'm trusting you.

I'm believing you.

I'm standing on your word.

I will not allow circumstances to speak louder than your word.

I will not allow circumstances to have a say in the situation because you've already spoken.

And you, Lord, are faithful to that which you've promised.

Your word, Lord, does not fail, and it will not return unto you void.

It will not return unto you, having not completed what you sent it to do.

And so, Father, we thank you for the faithfulness of your word.

We thank you that your word is at work right now, and we shall receive the promise.

We shall receive what we're believing for.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.