4 Ways to Believe the Lord’s Promises to You
I deliberately posted this verse as my Facebook cover for 2020. Why? Because I get chills every time I read it and I’m wild about the story behind it.
If you need to refresh your memory, this is the Christmas account where, beyond her wildest dreams, old-woman Elizabeth, is pregnant! Then—filled with the Holy Spirit when she sees Mary, also pregnant beyond her wildest dreams!—blurts out:
“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!” - Luke 1:45
Love, love, love!
We high-five each other about that at Christmas, what with all those fireside chats under cozy blankets, peppermint Christmas candles, and It’s a Wonderful Life bolstering us up. And of course, that very real account that drives truth deep into our souls each year. We think: God did that. He did do something amazing!
Then along comes the new year. The decorations go away. You wipe the place of every last piece of chocolate and caramel temptation, and now, are alone with the verse. The verse that gave you chills. The verse from 2,000 years ago that you claimed for today. From Elizabeth and Mary… to you.
“Blessed is she who has believed what the Lord has promised to her.”
I chose for my Facebook cover this lone tree against a blue backdrop for a reason: when all the fuss is diffused, it’s you and God. And the promise.
Here are four thoughts on how to make that verse a reality in your life today:
1. Identify the promise. You can’t believe a promise God hasn’t made to you. You can’t believe a promise you don’t hear. You may need to go back to the basic promises of God, but I’m talking about a more tailor-made promise over your life. So, think about it: Has God given you a promise?
2. Mark the promise. Write it down. Write it on an index card. Write it where you can see it and review it often. Trust me, everything will try to take you off course, distract, or debunk the promise of God over your life. Keep it before you.
3. Believe the promise. Believing what God has told you—maybe over and over again in the quiet of the night, through Scripture, through people and prayer, and in other weird and wonderful ways—is key. Believing God is not just a nice idea. It’s critical. Believe God.
4. Act as if you believe the promise. Believing isn’t just identifying and thinking about what God has said. Believing God means you put all your weight on it. You act as if you believe Him. You do the thing. You move. You advance.
Dear one, you have a choice to make: Will you believe God, or not?
I’m real because God is so real.
~ Nancy
CALLING
Add your name before the verse, as though Elizabeth and Mary, by the power of the Most High God, are saying it right to you. I’ll go first: Nancy! Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her.