By Michael Hernandez
OXNARD—“Promises in the Bible mean an offer with a guaranteed result,” said New Life Pastor Steve Abraham on Sunday’s livestream church service. “God’s promises are 100 percent possible. When God says something, it will come to pass. My (earthly) father made a promise that he didn’t keep. I have made promises that I didn’t keep. When God makes a promise, it will always come to pass.”
Sometimes there is a “gap between hearing and receiving promises of God. I heard He is Jehovah Jireh—My Provider.” This is still so when “I have a bill, I lost my job, when I am asking when will I receive the money to pay the bills?
“I hear that God is the God of Peace (Shalom).” This is still so when I am “depressed.” “God heals—Jehovah Rapha—“The Lord who Heals.” Am I “receiving the healing He has for me? What does God offer you and me between hearing and receiving His promises?
He has given us the Word of God and in this Book (Bible) there are 3,000 promises.”
“Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.” (Joshua 21:45 NIV). “Those same promises can be fulfilled in your life and mine.”
Pastor Abraham speaking from Exodus 6:6-7 (NIV): “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment, I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.”
According to Pastor Abraham there are four promises in these two verses:
- God promises me salvation (“I will bring you out”):
“You come just as you are; and God will clean you up. I am not saved because I attend church, because I read the Bible, because I pray, because I volunteer. I am only saved when I recognize that Jesus Christ is the only basis for my salvation and when I say yes to Jesus—when I fully surrender my life to Jesus Christ. Have you fully surrendered your life to Jesus Christ? Have you responded to the promise of salvation? Have you done that?
- God promise me freedom (“I will rescue you”):
“Some 60-70 percent of people who love the Lord and are saved are not living the life of freedom. Have you been struggling with an addiction for years, for decades? Will you walk in the freedom God has for you? Freedom is coming to you in Jesus name. God wants to set you free from bondage and curses.”
- God promises me restoration (“I will redeem you”):
“Restoration means to redeem, restore, repay or win back. On the Cross, 2,000 years ago, God redeemed us. He went to the Cross and gave us righteousness. ‘God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become
the righteousness of God.’ (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV).”
“In Him, we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:11-12 NIV).
“God is saying He has a design for you. He created you to do something on earth. You are a son of the Most High God to fulfill His purposes.”
- God promises me a relationship (“I will take you as My people”):
“First, we have relationship with God; then we have relationship with people, with other believers, with God’s family. We are part of a local family—a local church.
“God wants to set you free today. Who the son sets free, is free, indeed. God is restoring what the enemy has taken from you. God is bringing back relationships and joy and peace.
“Today is the day for salvation and freedom. Today is the day the curse is broken. Today people are set free. God is the God of today. Will you stand on the promises of God today?”
Prayer: “Today, is the day of salvation and freedom. I surrender it all. Fill me, free me. The chains will come off in Jesus name. Today is the day the curse is broken. I declare this in Jesus name.”
“If you said, ‘Yes, to the Lord,’ we want to celebrate the freedom God has given you. I believe the best is yet to come. We want to talk to you about the next steps.”
(Editor’s Note: Those joining Pastor Steve Abraham in praying for salvation/freedom are asked to contact the church this week at: https://www.newlifeoxnard.com/ or by calling 805-983-1890. Israel Houghton who plays guitar and the keyboard led the Sunday worship. He has written over 400 songs and over 120 videos. To view the entire church service go to: https://www.youtube.com/c/NewLifeOxnard/live.)
Michael Hernandez, Co-Founder of the Citizens Journal—Ventura County’s online news service; editor of the History Makers Report and founder of History Makers International—a community nonprofit serving youth and families in Ventura County, is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor. He worked 25 years as a middle school teacher in Monrovia and Los Angeles Unified School Districts. Mr. Hernandez can be contacted by email at [email protected].
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