Faith and Worship: Unlocking God's Promises in Drought

Devotional

Day 1: Faith Is the Ingredient That Activates God’s Promises

Faith is not just one way to please God, but the only way; it is the essential ingredient that brings God’s promises to life in our circumstances. Without faith, even the most powerful promises of God remain dormant, but when we choose to trust and act on His word—regardless of what we see or feel—His power is released in our lives. Faith is a decision to trust God’s word over our circumstances, and it is the starting point for anything meaningful in our relationship with Him. As we walk by faith and not by sight, we position ourselves to experience the fullness of what God has for us. [05:10]

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Reflection: What is one promise from God’s Word that you have struggled to believe? How can you take a concrete step of faith today to act on that promise, even if you don’t see immediate results?

Day 2: Declare God’s Promises Before You See Them

Faith often calls us to believe and declare God’s promises before we see any evidence of their fulfillment, just as the Israelites sang to a dry well in the desert before water appeared. This act of prophetic declaration—singing to the promise—demonstrates trust in God’s faithfulness and power, even when circumstances seem impossible or illogical. Instead of complaining in the desert, God’s people are called to worship and speak life, knowing that praise and faith-filled words can draw out God’s provision and breakthrough in the driest seasons. [13:15]

Numbers 21:16-17 (ESV)
And from there they continued to Beer; that is the well of which the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together, so that I may give them water.” Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well!—Sing to it!”

Reflection: Where in your life do you feel like you’re facing a “dry well”? What would it look like for you to declare God’s promises over that situation today, even before you see any change?

Day 3: Praise and Worship Release Breakthrough

Praise and worship are not just responses to God’s blessings—they are powerful spiritual weapons that release breakthrough, confuse the enemy, and unlock heaven’s supply even in the midst of trials. When we choose to praise God before the answer comes, we are making a prophetic declaration of trust, and God often moves in miraculous ways as a result. Whether it’s Paul and Silas singing in prison or believers worshiping in secret, praise in advance is an act of faith that brings God’s presence and power into our circumstances. [18:55]

Acts 16:25-26 (ESV)
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

Reflection: Think of a current struggle or area of waiting in your life. How can you intentionally incorporate praise and worship into that situation this week, trusting God for breakthrough?

Day 4: Let Go of Disappointments and Pass On Faith

Holding on to past disappointments can weigh us down and keep us from stepping into the new things God wants to do, but choosing to release those burdens and share our stories of faith is vital for building a legacy for the next generation. The act of remembering God’s faithfulness and telling it to others—especially the younger generation—strengthens the church and encourages all to keep trusting God, even when things haven’t turned out as hoped. Mature believers are called to model resilience and hope, showing that God’s promises still stand and that we can lay our disappointments at Jesus’ feet. [27:31]

Psalm 48:13-14 (ESV)
Consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.

Reflection: Is there a disappointment or painful memory you need to lay at Jesus’ feet today? Who in the next generation could you encourage by sharing a testimony of God’s faithfulness in your life?

Day 5: Sing to the Promise—Worship as an Act of Faith

There are times when the most powerful thing you can do is to worship and sing to the promise, even when you don’t feel like it or understand what God is doing. Singing to the promise is an act of surrender and trust, inviting God’s presence into your situation and declaring that His word will come to pass. Whether you are facing illness, financial struggle, family challenges, or uncertainty, choosing to worship in the midst of it all is a declaration that you believe God is able to bring life, healing, and abundance out of dry places. [30:50]

Psalm 118:17 (ESV)
I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to “sing to the promise” today? How can you make worship your response, even if your heart is hurting or you don’t see the answer yet?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered in a spirit of expectancy, recognizing the seriousness of the times we live in and the unique ways God is moving across our nation and the world. We prayed for the Kirk family and reflected on how God can turn what the enemy means for evil into a global stirring for His kingdom. As we continued our journey through the “Faith Forward” series, we were reminded that faith is not just one way to please God—it is the only way. Faith is the essential ingredient that activates God’s promises in our lives; without it, even the most powerful promises remain dormant.

We explored the story from Numbers 21, where the Israelites, weary and thirsty in the desert, encountered a dry well. God promised them water, but the well was empty and filled with debris. Instead of digging, God instructed them to sing to the well—a strange command to the natural mind, but a profound spiritual principle. Their song of faith became the shovel that drew out the water. This act of prophetic worship, declaring God’s promise before seeing its fulfillment, is a model for us. Faith often looks foolish to the world, but it is the very thing that brings God’s provision and breakthrough.

We saw that worship and praise are not just responses to God’s blessings but are often the means by which His blessings are released. Singing to the promise—declaring God’s faithfulness in the midst of dry, disappointing, or impossible circumstances—confuses the enemy and unlocks heaven’s supply. This is not just a historical lesson but a living principle for today. Whether facing personal droughts, disappointments, or waiting on long-held promises, we are called to praise in advance, to sing to the dry wells in our lives, and to trust that God will bring water in the desert.

We also reflected on the importance of legacy—how the older generation’s stories of faith and perseverance are vital for the next generation. We are encouraged to stop rehearsing past disappointments and instead fix our eyes on the One who cannot fail. In every area—health, finances, family, and spiritual life—we are invited to make declarations of faith, to sing to the promise, and to believe for God’s supernatural supply and breakthrough.

Key Takeaways

1. Faith is the non-negotiable starting point for a meaningful relationship with God. It is not a feeling but a decision to trust God’s word over our circumstances. Without faith, even the most powerful promises of God remain inactive in our lives; faith is the ingredient that brings them to life. [05:10]
2. God often calls us to act in ways that defy logic and human reasoning. Singing to a dry well, marching around walls, or praising in prison all seem foolish to the natural mind, but these acts of obedience are the very steps that release God’s miraculous provision. Faith acts when logic hesitates, and obedience in faith brings breakthrough. [11:55]
3. Worship and praise are not just responses to God’s goodness but are prophetic declarations that release His power. When we praise before the breakthrough, we confuse the enemy and open the way for God’s supply. Our worship is a spiritual weapon that brings unseen life and revival, even in the driest seasons. [14:40]
4. The act of remembering and sharing stories of God’s faithfulness is crucial for building a legacy of faith. The older generation’s testimonies and involvement are vital for the spiritual growth of the younger generation. By refusing to dwell on past disappointments and instead declaring God’s promises, we position ourselves and others for new seasons of blessing. [27:31]
5. Singing to the promise—declaring God’s faithfulness before seeing the answer—is a powerful act of faith. It is easy to praise after the miracle, but true faith praises in advance, trusting that God will bring water in the desert. In every area of need, we are called to worship, declare, and believe for God’s supernatural intervention. [30:50]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - Praying for the Kirk Family and Global Stirring
[02:30] - Men’s Ministry and Youth Leadership
[03:27] - Avoiding Date-Setting and Staying Spiritually Awake
[05:10] - Faith: The Only Way to Please God
[07:00] - The Power of Mixing Faith with God’s Promises
[09:53] - God’s Promise at the Dry Well
[10:23] - Our Role: Mixing Faith with the Promise
[11:55] - Strange Acts of Faith in Scripture
[13:15] - Jesus, the Living Water
[14:40] - The Power of Worship and Prophetic Declaration
[16:29] - Faith Believes Before Seeing
[17:40] - Faith Acts When Logic Hesitates
[18:55] - Praise Confuses the Enemy and Releases Miracles
[20:38] - Singing to the Promise in Difficult Seasons
[23:23] - Faith Activation and Historical Revivals
[24:40] - Worship in Persecution and the Power of Advance Praise
[27:31] - Legacy, Disappointments, and Passing on Faith
[29:32] - Declarations for Health, Finances, and Family
[30:50] - Singing to the Promise and Responding in Faith
[32:00] - Invitation to Salvation and Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Numbers 21:16-18 (ESV) — > 16 And from there they continued to Beer; that is the well of which the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together, so that I may give them water.”
> 17 Then Israel sang this song:
> “Spring up, O well!—Sing to it!—
> 18 the well that the princes made,
> that the nobles of the people dug,
> with the scepter and with their staffs.”
> And from the wilderness they went on to Mattanah.

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV) — > And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

John 4:13-14 (ESV) — > 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,
> 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Observation Questions

In Numbers 21, what did God instruct the Israelites to do when they found the dry well, and how did they respond?
According to Hebrews 11:6, what is required to please God, and why is this significant for our relationship with Him?
What connection does Jesus make between Himself and “living water” in John 4, and how does this relate to the story of the well in Numbers 21?
The sermon mentions that the Israelites sang to the well before they saw any water. What does this action reveal about their faith?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God asked the Israelites to sing to the well instead of digging or complaining? What spiritual principle is being taught through this unusual command?
The sermon says, “Faith is not just one way to please God—it is the only way.” How does this challenge common ideas about what it means to have a relationship with God?
The act of worship and praise is described as a “prophetic declaration” that can release God’s power. How might praising God before seeing the answer affect a person’s heart and circumstances?
The message highlights the importance of sharing stories of faith and God’s faithfulness with the next generation. Why is this so vital for building a legacy of faith?

Application Questions

The Israelites were told to sing to a dry well before they saw any water. Is there an area in your life right now that feels like a “dry well”? What would it look like for you to “sing to the promise” in that area this week?
The sermon says that faith is a decision to trust God’s word over our circumstances, not just a feeling. Can you think of a recent situation where you had to choose faith over what you saw or felt? How did you respond, and what might you do differently next time?
Sometimes God asks us to do things that don’t make sense to our natural minds, like singing to a dry well or praising in a hard season. Have you ever felt God leading you to take a step of faith that seemed illogical? What happened?
The sermon encourages us to stop rehearsing past disappointments and instead focus on God’s promises. Are there disappointments or hurts you keep replaying in your mind? What would it look like to lay those at Jesus’ feet and move forward in faith?
Worship and praise are described as spiritual weapons that confuse the enemy and unlock God’s provision. How can you make worship and praise a more regular part of your daily life, especially when you don’t feel like it?
The message talks about the importance of sharing testimonies and stories of God’s faithfulness with younger generations. Who in your life could benefit from hearing your story of faith? How might you share it with them this week?
The pastor led the church in making declarations over health, finances, and family. Is there a specific promise from God’s Word you need to declare over your life right now? What is it, and how can you begin to speak it in faith?

Sermon Clips

Notice, they didn't dig. They didn't dig. First, they sang first. They sang first. Why is that? Because the song of faith was the shovel that drew out the water. The song of faith was the shovel that drew out the water. [00:13:47] (16 seconds) #FaithCallsTheInvisible

Faith doesn't wait for visible proof. It calls the invisible into existence beforehand. That's really what faith is. How many know that our God is still more than able to bring breakthrough in our life? And He can still bring refreshing. Amen? He can bring resources even in a desert time and a desert season. [00:15:37] (21 seconds) #PraiseUnlocksPromises

Faith often calls us to believe before we see. Well, you ever heard this? Well, I'll believe it when I see it. Come on. It's in, it's just that, well, I'll believe it when I see it. Faith isn't that way. In the natural, it's crazy. There's no logic to it. And sometimes it even looks loony. It seems loony. But faith always looks foolish to the flesh. To the natural mind, it may look crazy. But faith sees what logic cannot see. [00:16:42] (30 seconds) #SingToTheWell

Faith acts when logic hesitates. What do you mean? Well, how many know Joshua, as we said earlier, he marched around Jericho for seven days without lifting a sword. That was the command of God. That was the rhema word of God. Logic said it was a waste of time. The enemy probably laughed at them, through stones at them. Say, what are they doing? Faith said obedience will bring the walls down. What does that tell us? That tells us today that faith always involves an action step that feels unreasonable until the miracle happens. [00:17:25] (32 seconds) #FaithOvercomesCircumstances

For many, even believing God for healing or other promises can come with real struggles. You know, as a pastor, you know, you have many stories and seasons you go through of people and their lives, and there's sometimes painful letdowns, things that just didn't turn out like we were believing for, and how many know that those memories can weigh heavy, and at times you may feel like, you know, this is an impossible situation. Here's the good news. The good news, we don't have to carry them alone. We can trust the power of the Holy Spirit in us, and we can just lay that weight in those burdens, those disappointments at Jesus' feet, and I still believe that his promises still ring true today. [00:28:06] (42 seconds)

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

What does singing to a dry well symbolize in faith?

How does praise activate God's promises before they manifest?

Why is it important to pass faith stories to younger generations?