Blog

Promise Keeper: Clinging to Our Guaranteed Promises in Christ

This blog was written and prepared by Connor Fellows before and during a season of suffering and trials. The image above was taken the night before his grandmother Barb’s funeral.


Knowing the promises of God can change hearts, give hope to the hopeless, provide words of encouragement for the speechless, and demonstrate the goodness and greatness of our God. However, we can be tempted to hold on to promises that God didn’t make or take His words out of context to mean something He never meant them to mean.

The “Promises” We Cling To

Well-intended statements meant to encourage us in difficult situations may cause us to cling to “hope” God never guaranteed. And when what we thought wouldn’t happen does, they can make us wonder if we can trust that God is good, in control, and a promise keeper. 

“God will never give you more than you can handle!”
“You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!”
What happens to these “promises” when you are pushed beyond your limit and to the end of yourself?

If you believe enough then God will say yes to your prayer because whatever you ask in His name He will do!’”
What happens to this “promise” when God does not heal the cancer?
Or when He doesn’t provide the spouse?
Or when your friend or family member does not come to Christ?

If we cling to and proclaim these pseudo-biblical promises, the implications can be devastating when God does not answer in the way we expect. 

If God does not heal, provide a good thing you want, or fix a situation then is it because you don’t have enough faith? Or maybe God does not care?

If you are discouraged by the weight of your circumstance and have no way out, are you are not depending on God’s strength enough? Or God is not trustworthy?

This is the danger of the “promises” we cling to.

The Real, Incredible Promises

I do not write against these pseudo-biblical promises to discourage anyone from believing God can change overwhelmingly difficult situations because He can and many times does.  Rather, I want to point to the incredible promises God has guaranteed through Christ that transcend the treacherous trials that will come.  These are promises God will always keep and we can trust to come true, 100% of the time.

King David, in 2 Samuel 7, expressed a good desire to build a temple for God.  After all, David was a king residing in a palace due to the blessings of God, and God was living in a tent.  Despite his request, David was not to be the one to build the temple, rather it would be his son Solomon. God said no, but He responded with a promise that he would establish David’s Kingdom, and one of his descendants would reside on the throne forever (which would be Jesus).  David praised God for that promise and responded that he “found courage to pray” according to the promise he heard.  

Like David, we can have the confidence to pray and trust God when we know the promises guaranteed in Christ that God has truly spoken. 

Verses that encourage me

The following verses are some of my favorite in Scripture. I pray they encourage you as well.  

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
— James 1:5

When I don’t know what to do in a difficult situation, I am tempted to fret over if will I make the right decision. 

When I lack wisdom, I am encouraged by this verse to seek God. It does not merely promise an ambiguous piece of advice like we would find in a fortune cookie, but rather an authentic, deep, generous portion of wisdom will be given to us. 

Wisdom is a way of life to apply specific truths and principles in any situation, and God promises to give this if we only ask.

Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
— John 15:3–5

My state before God is already clean because of the work of the cross. 

These verses also remind me the fruitlessness in my life if I do not root my life in Christ.  Conversely, if I seek Jesus first, spend time in relationship with Him, and ask Him to be the center of my life, then I will bear much fruit as God promises me in this verse.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
— 1 Peter 5:6–7

Sometimes I can be stubborn when push comes to shove, trying to do things my way and carry a burden I was never meant to carry. 

These two verses tell me to acknowledge my weakness and give God my burdens so that He may lift me up. This premise is predicated on the fact that God cares for me and desires that I give all my anxieties (no matter how big and small) to Him in prayer.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
— Ephesians 2:10

The calling for my life can be daunting.  When I see the passions and desires I have for my life, I feel an underlying doubt that even in God’s strength I will fail to live out my life the way He wants. 

This verse comes immediately after the section where Paul states salvation is a result of grace and not any work of our doing. In addition to providing salvation out of grace, God has prepared us to do good works. 

This does not mean I am meant to fulfill every dream that I have or will never fail; rather, God has provided me the tools to live out my calling to do good works to glorify Jesus Christ in whatever I do.   

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
— 2 Corinthians 9:8, 11

Paul praises the Macedonian churches for “their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.”  They gave not only “according to their means” but “beyond their means.” The context therefore for these verses refers to a group of people who are extremely poor yet see their meager provision as an abundant blessing that allows them to be generous.  

These verses reminds me of my Grandma Barb. She laid out an example of how to be overabundantly generous with whatever she had, and I aspire to follow in her footsteps. No matter how small or large my resources (skills, time, finances, etc.) are, I have excess provision from God that allows me to assist with the needs of others around me and advance the Gospel in the place where I am.

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
— 2 Corinthians 4:16–18

These verses do not minimize the struggles that I go through; the weight of a family member diagnosed with cancer, a friend rejecting Christ, or the uncertainty in a transitional state of life are very real and heavy. 

What this verse reminds me though, is how great eternal things are. Every part of our life gains infinite purpose when we consider the treasure that awaits us in the next life.  

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 
— Hebrews 10:19–22

This promise provides us with the assurance that we can enter God’s presence no matter what. Regardless of how faithful we have been to Him, He is always faithful to us.

He wants us to come to Him with our problems, brokenness, anxieties, hopes, and dreams. He is not waiting for us to get our act together because Jesus has already provided a way for us to come to Him anytime.

So, press into Him in prayer and have the full assurance He will let you into His presence.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
— 1 John 1:9

My confidence to seek God is not based upon how well or poorly I perform on any given day.  Nor is anyone that I come across too far gone from entering the grace of Christ and seeking God’s presence. 

We can come just as we are, and, if we confess our sins, can enter His presence at any moment.

Verses from godly friends and family

This list provides additional hope from godly people I know. I asked them to provide on their favorite verses and write a summary of what they mean.

Special thanks to Zada Barnett, Taylor Flickinger, Morgan Foster, Dakota Low, Andrew Strang, Dakoda Thiemkey, and Trevor Wickes for providing these verses to encourage others.

Zada Barnett

I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
— Hebrews 13:5b (KJV)

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
— Psalm 46:1 (KJV)

God is with us and always stays true to His promises.

Taylor Flickinger

Many of us believe a promise is a proclamation God will follow through on no matter what. However many of God’s promises are also commands.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
— Matthew 6:33 (ESV) 

Many Christians subconsciously only hear the ringing of that last part “all these things will be added to you.” We see in earlier verses that this means we will have food, shelter, and be clothed. Modern day Christians May go further to add a nice spouse, good job, etc., yet we forget that first part of “Seek first the kingdom of God.”

If you don’t seek his kingdom first they won’t be added. 

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. — Matthew 11:28 (ESV) 

You want rest? Then every aspect of who you are that has not been yielded to Christ must come to Him. Otherwise you will not find the rest. You will be burnt out, and worrisome.

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit
— Ephesians 5:18 (ESV)

It is certainly a gift that the Holy Spirit has been given to us. But do we know how the Spirit equips us?

We are called to be filled with the Spirit, which is a daily thing we must ask 

Morgan Foster

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
— John 14:27 (ESV) 

Jesus says my peace I leave with you and I don’t give as the world gives. He is speaking to his disciples and just thinking in the context makes the verse more encouraging to think he was telling that to his companions to encourage them just before they were about to lose him.

Also, you can read verse 26 preceding and understand that when Jesus says he leaves his Peace he is saying that the Holy Spirit he said was coming is that peace. God’s peace comes in many different ways, but the Holy Spirit, as God, is Peace with a capital P. 

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
— Philippians 4:9 (ESV)

I was reading a book that explained the “the God of peace” in this verse is actually “the God of *the peace.” God is the God of true pure and perfect peace, not the peace of the world but divine peace that flows strong and eternal and pure. And God has gifted us this peace.

Often, we have to slow down in our busy lives and the stress we feel to remember and seek this peace that is already offered. We only have to knock so that the door will be opened (after we’ve sometimes closed it ourselves).

Andrew Strang

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
— Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

God’s plan can and will (because Jesus says so) includes suffering. In context, He’s telling people to get comfy in their suffering because it’s going to be a while before they have to get out. It’s still a comforting promise, but not in whatever context we want it to be.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
— Matthew 5:6 (ESV)

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.  He said that if I pursue righteous living (only possible through death to self and life in Jesus) I will not be disappointed. I WILL be satisfied. But am I willing to hunger and thirst? Am I REALLY hungry?

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
— Matthew 28:20b (ESV) 

He will be with us always.  Not “near” but He is IN us. Christ IN me the hope of glory! He lives in me, doing all the things that need to be done. He is my righteousness and my life.  I don’t have to strive to be right with God! He already did it and now He’s IN me and WITH me until the end of the age.  

Dakoda Thiemkey

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
— Joshua 1:9 (ESV)

God promises to be with Israel wherever they go, so He will never lead us somewhere He doesn’t want us at, and therefore we can be strong and courageous through the changes of life.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
— Romans 8:26-27 (ESV)

The Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we do not know what to pray.

 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
— John 3:16-17 (ESV)

The first verse is the most memorized verse of all.  However, the verse that follows is just as profound. Christ came in the world not to condemn it, but to save it.

Trevor Wickes

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
— Phillipians 4:19 (ESV) 

God will always meet my needs.  Not my wants, but my needs.

and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
— John 8:32 (ESV) 

The truth sets us free.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

 I am a new creation and have the hope of eternity.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
— 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)

God will give me more than I can handle so I rely on Him.


Next Steps

I pray these verses encouraged you to know the goodness and faithfulness of God in your circumstances. He wants us to cast our anxieties upon Him, and He has provided us with unchanging promises in line with His character. Cling to these words, and dig into the Scriptures for your own promises to rely on!

  1. What is your favorite promise found in the Bible and why?  How has it impacted your life in the past? How can it help you with your current struggles?
  2. What are some common examples of Bible verses taken out of context you hear and read? What are the dangers of misunderstanding the promises of God?
  3. Pick out a verse from one of the two lists to meditate and reflect on.  Take time a few times to reflect on this verse a few times a day this week.  You can do this by writing it on a sticky note in a place you would see it, write it on a notecard, or put the verse as your phone background.  

Leave a Reply