Thoroughly tested Promises

“Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them” (Psalm 119:140).

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible and virtually every verse praises some aspect of God’s Word. The Psalmist David seems to be in a crescendo of deep appreciation for the Word of God and yet the “Bible” he had would have been essentially the first five books of our present Bible - perhaps along with some of the historical books (hardly among our favourite sources of promises!)

“Your promises have been thoroughly tested.” Dr. Herbert Lockyer’s book titled “All the Promises In The Bible” lists over 8,000 promises. These promises are definite, explicit declarations God has made that we can all rely on. Notice, His promises are “thoroughly tested.” The actual Hebrew words convey ‘a poker that’s constantly in the fire’ - in the refining process of gold. The Amplified Bible states “tried, tested and well refined.”

Consider how these “promises”, that David had regarded as being “tried, tested and well refined,” have been around an additional three thousand years since his writing! And now we have the entire Bible as a source of revelation from God and a greater source from which to glean His promises. Notice, in the New Testament Peter writes of God’s “exceeding great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4). We’re certainly blessed aren’t we!

The Psalmist continues by expressing his attitude toward God’s promises, “your servant loves them.” When you love God’s promises, you can depend on them completely (as you continue to trust Him for every circumstance). His promises have been thoroughly tested - again and again! May God give each of us a great love for them and increase our faith as we see them being fulfilled in our lives. This will also help us to hold out for the promises that are yet to be fulfilled.

Bible teacher James Montgomery Boice has noted, “The God of the Bible is not weak; He is strong. He is the All-Mighty. Nothing happens without His permission, or apart from His purposes — not even evil. Nothing disturbs or puzzles Him. His purposes are always accomplished. Therefore those who know Him rightly act with boldness, assured that God is with them to accomplish His own desirable plans and purposes in their lives.” May His divine plan and purpose be accomplished in your life as you hold onto His “thoroughly tested” promises.

Therefore, whenever you’re dealing with tests and trials in your life, you must remind yourself to, “Hold tightly on to God’s thoroughly tested promises.” Because every promise from God is yes and amen!

I often give this advice to people, but more often than that, I give this advice to myself! With this in mind, here is a “Quick List” of my 7 favourite promises (mentioned in God’s Word). In some cases, the pronouns have been changed to first person to make the scriptures more personal to us as we declare them.

Promise 1 - (Proverbs 3:5-6) "I trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not to my own understanding. In all my ways I acknowledge Him and He will direct will direct my path."

Promise 2 - (2 Corinthians 4:18) "While I look not at the things that are seen but at the things that are not seen. For the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are not seen are eternal."

Promise 3 - (Philippians 4:19) “My God shall supply all my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Promise 4 - (1 Peter 5:7) “I cast all my care on You, O Lord, for You care for me.”

Promise 5 - (Philippians 4:13) “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Promise 6 - (Ephesians 3:20) “And now to You, O Lord, who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that I can ask or think according to the power that works in me.”

Promise 7 - (Mark 11:22-24) “When I have faith in God! What ever things I ask for when I pray, if I believe that I’ve received them, they will be mine.”

Feel free to add to or replace these promises with your own favourites. The point is to have several promises at the tip of your tongue to speak out loud during adversity. This way, you know without a doubt what “thoroughly tested” promises you are holding on to.

Remember, (Romans 10:17) “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” That’s why you say your scriptures out aloud. Your faith is empowered even when you hear yourself saying God’s revealed Word out aloud. The more you hear His Word the stronger your faith in the face of adversity. And soon the conditions around you will not intimidate you, because... “You are walking by faith, and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

May the Lord continue to bless you, and move mightily in your situation and life, as you hold firmly on to His tried, tested and well-refined promises.

Galatians 3:16 (New Living Translation) “God gave the promises to Abraham and His child. And notice that the Scripture doesn’t say ‘to His children’, as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says ‘to His child’—and that, of course, means Christ.”

2 Corinthians 1:20 (New International Version), “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.”

Here is a daily prayer for you: “Father, help me to meditate upon Your promises so that my faith is increased and my hope is renewed. When ever obstacles cloud my view or discouragement sways my trust in You, let me be reminded that Your thoroughly tested promises help me to look beyond the natural and trust You for the super-natural.”

Chris Demetriou, 01/11/2009