The Unfailing Promises of God
Base Text: 1 Kings 8:56 (NKJV) “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.”
Introduction: The Impossibility of Failure
A. The triumphant declaration by King Solomon after the temple dedication rings true through all generations: God has always been faithful to His promises. He has never once lied, wavered, or failed in anything He has declared. The entire history of Israel, from the wilderness to the settled land, testifies to this reality. The Scripture confirms: “Not a single word of all the good promises the Lord had given to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled” (Joshua 21:45; cf. 23:14–15).
B. The integrity of God is the foundation of our hope. It is absolutely impossible for God to lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18). His faithfulness is not something He chooses to do; it is the very essence of His perfect, unchanging character.
C. While the promises of God are secure, they are often conditional. God perfectly fulfills His part of the covenant when we remain faithful to our part—walking in obedience and faith.
Let us examine five of these great promises that are fulfilled in the life of every faithful believer.
I. God Has Promised His Presence
Text: Matthew 28:20 (NKJV) “...and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
1. His Presence Brings Strength and Courage
The first promise God makes to anyone He commissions is His presence. To Moses, He said, “Go, for I will certainly be with you” (Exodus 3:12; 33:14). To Joshua, He pledged, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you” (Joshua 1:5). Even in the most severe trials, God offers this comfort: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:2).
2. His Presence is Protection and Defense
The very presence of God provides a supernatural shield. Israel was assured: “For the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you” (Deuteronomy 20:4). We never fight alone; we simply stand in the battle line while the Commander of the host fights on our behalf.
3. His Presence Consoles in Affliction
God feels our pain. “In all their affliction He was afflicted” (Isaiah 63:9). Angels strengthened Jesus after the temptation (Matthew 4:11). Paul was strengthened by the Lord Himself in prison (Acts 18:9–10; 2 Timothy 4:16–17).
Application: We have the sure promise of God’s presence at every moment. He will never allow us to face temptation without providing “the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
II. God Has Promised His Peace
Text: John 14:27 (NKJV) “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
1. The Purity and Nature of God’s Peace
The peace offered by Christ is pure, eternal, and completely independent of our outward circumstances. It is an internal stability—a peace that the turbulent world can neither give nor take away, nor truly understand.
2. Peace in the Midst of Tribulation
Jesus did not promise a life without trouble; He promised peace through trouble. “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
3. Evidences of This Peace
This peace is reflected throughout Scripture:
• David: “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).
• Lovers of God's Word: “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:165).
• It is the calling of the church: “God has called us to peace” (1 Corinthians 7:15; 14:33). This peace guards our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7; Colossians 3:15).
Application: Only in Christ do we find true peace—not a momentary cease-fire, but an eternal tranquility anchored in the knowledge that He is Lord.
III. God Has Promised His Power
Text: 1 Peter 1:5 (NKJV) “who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
1. Power Manifested in Creation
We see the evidence of God’s power everywhere. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead” (Romans 1:20). The heavens themselves declare His glory (Psalm 19:1).
2. Power Working In and Through Us
Though we are merely “earthen vessels” (2 Corinthians 4:7), God’s magnificent power acts in us. This is the same power that raised Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1:19–20), and it is the power that strengthens us inwardly (Colossians 1:11; Ephesians 3:20).
3. Power Activated by Active Faith
God has not given us “a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). A timid or weak faith will limit the magnificent work God desires to do through us. A firm, active faith is what unleashes God's saving, sanctifying power in our lives.
IV. God Has Promised His Provision
Text: Philippians 4:19 (NKJV) “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
1. The Call to Trust, Not Worry
Jesus taught us that if we seek the Kingdom of God first, all the necessary things of life—food, clothing, shelter—will be added to us (Matthew 6:25–33). Worry shows a lack of trust in the One who clothes the lilies.
2. Examples of Divine Provision
The Bible is filled with stories of God supplying when all human means failed:
• Water in the desert (Exodus 15:22–25).
• Manna from heaven (Exodus 16:4, 13–15).
• Quails to feed a hungry multitude (Numbers 11:31–32).
• The ravens feeding Elijah by the brook Cherith (1 Kings 17:1–7).
3. Principles of God’s Provision
The principles of His provision are clear: “I have not seen the righteous forsaken” (Psalm 37:25). “He fills you with the finest of the wheat” (Psalm 147:14). We have the guarantee: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
Application: God will always provide what is necessary for our lives and our mission if we remain faithful to Him.
V. God Has Promised Eternal Life
Text: Titus 1:2 (NKJV) “in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.”
1. The Reward of the Faithful
Eternal life is the ultimate promise and the glorious reward awaiting the faithful believer. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life” (John 3:36; 6:47). Jesus assures those who sacrifice for Him that they will “receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29).
2. Perseverance is Key
This promise of life is for those who “by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality” (Romans 2:7). It is the sowing of the Spirit that produces this everlasting fruit (Galatians 6:8).
3. The Certainty of the Hope
“And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life” (1 John 2:25). This hope is certain, relying not on our perfection but on God’s fidelity. However, we must remain faithful to God until the end, securing our final prize.
See Also
Conclusion: Trusting the Faithful One
A. All the promises of God—His Presence, His Peace, His Power, His Provision, and Eternal Life—are absolutely true and sure. He does not fail.
B. But the fulfillment of those promises is contingent upon our faithfulness to the covenant He has established.
C. If we remain firm in our devotion and obedience, we will inevitably see the fulfillment of every good promise in our lives.
D. Do we truly want to enjoy the full riches of God’s promises?
— Then let us be faithful to Him, and His word will be perfectly fulfilled in and through us.
