Precious and Very Great Promises
Precious and Very Great Promises
By Dave Dussault
Northpoint Prayer Ministry
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” – 2 Peter 1:3-4
Hello Church Family,
Christians are more than people of faith. We are people who trust in Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, was buried, rose from the dead, and has ascended into heaven. Our living Savior reigns today.
Before He died on the cross, Jesus predicted what He would do. That prediction was a promise He fulfilled. Knowing God is more than knowing theology. It’s knowing Him by faith, believing his promises, trusting them, living by them, and proving in our lives that they’re true.
Holiness comes by faith in God’s power. True freedom—freedom from sin, not just punishment for sin—comes from walking by faith, or “Standing on the promises of God.” It means taking what Paul says seriously every day. “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things” (Romans 8:31a-32).
God has promised in his Word that we will …
• Partake of His Nature: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
• Escape Corruption: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. … And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:33b-34).
• Escape Sinful Desire: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. … And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:16, 24).
• Partake of His Nature: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
• Escape Corruption: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. … And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:33b-34).
• Escape Sinful Desire: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. … And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:16, 24).
God has promised in his Word that He will …
• Provide All We Need: “But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith” (Luke 11:28)!
• Give Us Good Things: “No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11b). If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him” (Matthew 7:11)!
• Protect Us: “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7).
• Supply All Our Needs: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, … who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalm 103:2-5).
• Answer Our Prayer: “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).
• Give Strength in Our Weakness: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).Growing as a Christian means getting to know God better. Sound doctrine is essential to discerning truth from lies about who God is. But Christian growth means learning to walk in that truth. “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” (1 Peter 2:2).And prayer is an exercise that’s essential for living for Christ and to the praise of his glory.
• Provide All We Need: “But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith” (Luke 11:28)!
• Give Us Good Things: “No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11b). If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him” (Matthew 7:11)!
• Protect Us: “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7).
• Supply All Our Needs: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, … who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalm 103:2-5).
• Answer Our Prayer: “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).
• Give Strength in Our Weakness: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).Growing as a Christian means getting to know God better. Sound doctrine is essential to discerning truth from lies about who God is. But Christian growth means learning to walk in that truth. “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” (1 Peter 2:2).And prayer is an exercise that’s essential for living for Christ and to the praise of his glory.
Praying on the Promises
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).
Ask God to teach us as a church to take Him at his Word and trust in his promises. Pray that we will learn to see our circumstances in light of what He has promised to do and trust Him to do it. Pray that He will do this in your life and in our life together as a church. Pray for your small group, your friends, our congregation, and our leaders.In Him,
Dave Dussault
Northpoint Prayer Ministry
– Each week, Dave updates a monthly Bible reading plan and writes a Bible and prayer focus, Prayer Life. The preceding is a recent installment. You can pick up both offerings at the Information Center in the Foyer on Sundays, or sign up there to receive them via email. You can also click here to find the archive: https://northpointcorona.org/ministries/prayer/