Trusting In God's Promises

What is trusting in God’s promises?
Believing that God’s promises and prophecies will be fulfilled; taking action that would fulfill God’s promises; obeying God when he tells you to take a step of faith on those promises; relying on God; resting without anxiety, knowing that God will fulfill his promises.

Jesus’ Passion:
Matthew 26:50-56
Jesus did not support fighting or striving to fulfill God’s kingdom or justice. Rather, he trusted that God would fulfill the Scriptures, and the only way the Scriptures were to be fulfilled was through submitting to the cross. Jesus fully trusted in God’s promises—that he would be vindicated and risen from the dead. And so any vain effort to fulfill justice their own way was pointless.

Luke 23:46
Jesus trusted that God would fulfill his vindication and so did not take matters into his own hands. Rather, he submitted himself to God and to God’s actions—that God would do all that was necessary.

Jesus’ Ministry:
Luke 4:16-21
Jesus began his ministry on one premise—that the word of God will be fulfilled now. All of his healings, his exorcisms, his teaching, they were all based on one idea—that it is time for God’s promises to be fulfilled. This is how Jesus lived and how he died.

Jesus’ teaching:
Matt 5:17-18
Jesus did not come to earth to take the Scriptures and throw them away. Rather, he saw the Hebrew Scriptures as something to be fulfilled. In whatever way they needed to still be completed, he would do it. He would be ready to have God fulfill all the Scriptures through him. He would be ready to do in righteousness what the children of Israel failed to do.

Matthew 21:21-22
Jesus taught his disciples that they were to have faith. Whatever God says he will do, he can do. The disciples just have to be ready to accept God’s word. They need to pray God’s promises and wait expectantly for God to fulfill them.

Other New Testament teaching:
Romans 3:21-22
Jesus redeemed us through his death, which demonstrated his faith. If we have faith in
God’s promises as Jesus had faith, then we will have a right standing before God. This only happens if we participate in Jesus’ faith.

Hebrews 11:39-40
Everyone who was righteous in the Scriptures were so because of their faith. They trusted in God—that is what is essential. And the only way we are going to be risen with these who had faith is if we ourselves have faith. And so we need to trust in God’s promises to us like they believed in God’s promises to them.

Promises of God

The righteous—those who are right before God— are those who have faith. Habakkuk 2:4

God will provide the needs of all the poor. Psalm 145:15-16

God will provide healing and liberation to the outcast. Isaiah 61:1-2

Whoever suffers innocently/unjustly will be vindicated by God. Exodus 22:21-23

God will redeem the righteous poor. Psalm 72:13-14

God will send a redeemer to save his people from their sins—and that redeemer’s name is Jesus. Acts 4:10-12

Jesus is the Son of God and Lord. Mark 1:9-11

God’s people will receive God’s Spirit. Ezekiel 36:26-27; Isaiah 44:3

God will destroy his enemies: those who rebel against him and those who oppress the righteous. Deuteronomy 32:41-43

God will destroy the kingdoms of the world and replace them with his kingdom. Daniel 2:44

God will judge between the innocent and the guilty before him. Psalm 75:2-3

Jesus will return with the angels of heaven as Lord of the earth and will judge all peoples. Matthew 25:31-32

All the Gentiles will worship God and honor him. Revelation 5:9

God will raise the dead. John 5:25-29

The righteous will be gathered to and will inherit God’s land. Isaiah 27:12-13

All the righteous will live in peace and prosperity—i.e., have all their needs met. Isaiah 65:17-25

All God’s people will dwell with him eternally. Isaiah 60:19-21