Possessing God's Promises: Faith, Patience, and Gratitude
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into Hebrews 6 and Deuteronomy 8 to explore the theme of possessing the promises of God. We began by reflecting on the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, drawing parallels to our own spiritual journey. God promises us peace, empowerment, and success in various areas of our lives, but we must actively resist the enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus came to give us life abundantly, and our fight is to see God's kingdom manifest in our lives.
We discussed the importance of not becoming sluggish in our faith but imitating those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. This involves a heart that is fully dependent on God, has dominion over sin, holds onto God's promises, and remembers God's past faithfulness. We emphasized that God is more interested in the condition of our hearts than the immediate fulfillment of our prayers. The wilderness experience of the Israelites serves as a metaphor for the process God uses to humble and test us, revealing what is in our hearts.
In Deuteronomy 8, we saw that God led the Israelites through the wilderness to humble and test them, to know what was in their hearts. Similarly, God uses our waiting periods to develop our character and faith. We must trust in God's goodness and depend on Him fully, recognizing that our own efforts are insufficient. We also need to have dominion over sin, understanding that through Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin but are empowered to live righteously.
Holding onto God's promises is crucial. We must dream and envision the future God has for us, believing that His promises will come to pass. Finally, we must remember and be thankful for what God has already done in our lives. Forgetting God's past faithfulness can lead to pride and self-reliance, but a heart of gratitude keeps us humble and dependent on Him.
### Key Takeaways
1. Dependence on God: True spiritual maturity involves recognizing our complete dependence on God. Trusting Him with all our heart means not leaning on our own understanding but acknowledging Him in all our ways. This trust is built on the belief that God is inherently good and has our best interests at heart. [23:09]
2. Dominion Over Sin: Through Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin. Our old self has been crucified with Christ, and we are called to live in the newness of life. This means actively rejecting sin and embracing our identity in Christ, who empowers us to live righteously. [38:42]
3. Holding Onto Promises: Believing in God's promises requires faith and patience. We must dream and envision the future God has for us, holding onto His promises even when circumstances seem contrary. This involves actively seeking God's word and making His promises personal in our lives. [48:54]
4. Gratitude and Remembrance: A heart that possesses the land remembers God's past faithfulness and remains thankful. Forgetting what God has done can lead to pride and self-reliance. Regularly recalling and thanking God for His past deeds keeps us humble and dependent on Him. [52:41]
5. The Process Over the Answer: God is more interested in the process that shapes our hearts than in the immediate fulfillment of our prayers. The waiting periods are designed to humble and test us, revealing the true condition of our hearts and preparing us for the promises He has in store. [11:08]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:09] - Introduction to Hebrews 6
[02:22] - Jesus Came to Give Abundant Life
[03:44] - Freedom from Sin and Sickness
[05:23] - The Danger of Forgetting God's Promises
[06:52] - Warning Against Sluggishness
[08:02] - Faith and Patience
[09:54] - The Heart That Possesses the Land
[11:08] - The Importance of the Process
[12:36] - Obedience and Righteousness
[14:02] - Living Out of Jesus in Us
[15:41] - Humility and Testing in the Wilderness
[17:33] - The Value of the Process
[19:00] - God's Promises for a Good Land
[20:28] - Gauging Our Hearts
[21:45] - Dependency on God
[23:09] - Trusting God Fully
[25:52] - Rolling Our Burdens onto God
[27:32] - Practical Steps to Trust God
[28:50] - Believing in God's Goodness
[30:18] - Eliminating Worry
[31:33] - Dominion Over Sin
[33:32] - Choosing God's Ways
[35:25] - Grace and Freedom from Sin
[38:42] - Reckoning Ourselves Dead to Sin
[40:23] - Separating Ourselves from Sin
[42:54] - Personal Testimony of Overcoming Sin
[44:17] - Holding Onto God's Promises
[45:24] - Dreaming and Believing God
[48:54] - Knowing What You Believe God For
[50:08] - Remembering God's Faithfulness
[52:41] - The Discipline of Thanksgiving
[54:07] - Warning Against Forgetting God
[55:24] - Promises Right Around the Corner
[56:50] - Gauging Our Hearts and Trusting God
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Hebrews 6:12 - "We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."
2. Deuteronomy 8:2 - "Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands."
3. Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
### Observation Questions
1. What does Hebrews 6:12 warn against, and what does it encourage believers to do instead? [06:52]
2. According to Deuteronomy 8:2, why did God lead the Israelites through the wilderness? [15:41]
3. In Proverbs 3:5-6, what are the two actions we are instructed to take, and what is the promised result?
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of "not becoming sluggish" in Hebrews 6:12 apply to our spiritual lives today? [06:52]
2. What might be some modern-day "wilderness experiences" that God uses to humble and test us, as described in Deuteronomy 8:2? [15:41]
3. How can we practically "trust in the Lord with all our heart" in our daily lives, as instructed in Proverbs 3:5-6? [23:09]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually sluggish. What steps did you take, or could you take, to reignite your faith? [06:52]
2. Identify a current challenge in your life that feels like a wilderness experience. How might God be using this time to develop your character and faith? [15:41]
3. What are some specific promises from God that you are holding onto right now? How do you remind yourself of these promises daily? [48:54]
4. Think of a past situation where God was faithful. How can remembering this help you trust Him with your current struggles? [52:41]
5. Are there areas in your life where you are relying on your own understanding rather than trusting God? What changes can you make to depend more fully on Him? [23:09]
6. How do you practice gratitude and remembrance of God's past faithfulness in your daily routine? What new habit could you start to cultivate a heart of thankfulness? [52:41]
7. In what ways can you actively resist sin and embrace your identity in Christ this week? Identify one specific area where you need to take dominion over sin. [38:42]
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting in God's Goodness
Description: True spiritual maturity involves recognizing our complete dependence on God. Trusting Him with all our heart means not leaning on our own understanding but acknowledging Him in all our ways. This trust is built on the belief that God is inherently good and has our best interests at heart. When we fully trust God, we can roll our burdens onto Him and find peace in His promises. This kind of trust requires us to let go of our own efforts and rely entirely on God's wisdom and guidance. [23:09]
Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find it difficult to trust God fully? How can you begin to surrender this area to Him today?
Day 2: Living in Freedom from Sin
Description: Through Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin. Our old self has been crucified with Christ, and we are called to live in the newness of life. This means actively rejecting sin and embracing our identity in Christ, who empowers us to live righteously. Understanding that we have dominion over sin through Christ allows us to make choices that align with God's will and live a life that reflects His holiness. [38:42]
Romans 6:6-7 (ESV): "We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin."
Reflection: Identify a specific sin or habit that you struggle with. How can you actively reject this sin and embrace your new identity in Christ today?
Day 3: Holding Fast to God's Promises
Description: Believing in God's promises requires faith and patience. We must dream and envision the future God has for us, holding onto His promises even when circumstances seem contrary. This involves actively seeking God's word and making His promises personal in our lives. By doing so, we align our hearts with God's will and remain steadfast in our faith, trusting that His promises will come to pass in His perfect timing. [48:54]
Hebrews 10:23 (ESV): "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."
Reflection: What is one promise from God that you are holding onto? How can you remind yourself of this promise daily and trust in God's faithfulness?
Day 4: Cultivating a Heart of Gratitude
Description: A heart that possesses the land remembers God's past faithfulness and remains thankful. Forgetting what God has done can lead to pride and self-reliance. Regularly recalling and thanking God for His past deeds keeps us humble and dependent on Him. Gratitude helps us to see God's hand in our lives and fosters a deeper relationship with Him, as we acknowledge His goodness and provision. [52:41]
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV): "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
Reflection: Take a moment to list three specific things God has done for you in the past. How can you express your gratitude to Him today?
Day 5: Embracing the Process of Growth
Description: God is more interested in the process that shapes our hearts than in the immediate fulfillment of our prayers. The waiting periods are designed to humble and test us, revealing the true condition of our hearts and preparing us for the promises He has in store. Embracing the process means trusting that God is at work in us, even when we don't see immediate results, and allowing Him to mold us into the people He wants us to be. [11:08]
James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Reflection: Think about a current challenge or waiting period in your life. How can you see this as an opportunity for growth and trust in God's process?
Quotes
1. "God wants you to be empowered from heaven to have success in that area of your life. God wants us to walk free from sin. He wants us to walk in fullness of life, fullness of peace and joy. The Bible talks about it. Jesus said, you know, it's the enemy that's come to steal and kill and destroy from your life. How many of you know that you got an enemy? There's a spiritual enemy that's out. And the Bible says that it's our job to resist him." [01:09] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The fight is to say, God, what have you promised me that I could walk in? What have you, you know, we can say, Jesus, what did you die for that I can live for, right? God, what did you promise me? Hallelujah. And we've looked at different passages in the Bible that talk about that. Remember Psalm 103? The psalmist, the writer of that psalm, he says, praise the Lord, O my soul. In other words, you know, praise God, I tell myself. I'm going to bring myself to praise God. I will. I will not forget his benefits." [02:22] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We live in a culture, a society that has been so incredibly blessed by God. You know, it's like winning a lottery to live in Canada. You know, like less than 1% of the world's population or something. And here we are in this vast and beautiful land. That is, it is the fruit in this land. Do you understand? Like we live in incredible blessing and it's easy for us to forget and just to live apart from God, apart from believing what his promises are, apart from realizing just how free from sin and how free from sickness." [05:23] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We kind of felt that coming out of COVID, remember that, remember that all happened, that wasn't a bad dream or something, remember all that, coming out of that, our church kind of went into a bit of a slump, and it was hard work for a lot of people that just kind of keep things going, and keep things happening, and we kind of felt that we weren't preaching the vision anymore of what our church could be and should be before God, we kind of felt that we had sort of like, it was like the embers of our faith were kind of like dying in a sense, and that it was time to make some noise again." [06:52] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "God already knows how he's going to come through for you, he knows where that next place is, he knows what that next vehicle is, he knows where those finances are going to come from, he knows where those finances are going to come from, he knows what's ahead, right, he knows how he's provided for you, can you agree with me with that, you following me, Brie, God knows, yeah, God knows, he knows the answer to your prayers, does God know the answer to your prayers, yeah, he knows, he knows, here's something, if you don't mind me saying it this way, here's something that he is waiting to see, something that he doesn't know, and it's the condition of your heart." [09:54] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "The heart that possesses the land recognizes dependency upon God. It recognizes a heart that is ready to receive the promise. It recognizes a dependency upon God. And we can see this here in Deuteronomy chapter eight, verse three. We read it, that God wants to make us know that man shall not live by bread alone. If you think of it this way, the bread alone is like, the provision that comes to you, that maybe the provision that you work for, maybe the thing that you know to do, maybe your own self-confidence, like, you know what? I know that I can fix this." [21:45] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "The heart that possesses the land has dominion over sin, dominion over sin. And I'm going to define sin. It's kind of a churchy Bible word, right? And I'm going to define sin as dominion over sin. I'm going to define sin as anything that misses the mark. God wants this, then sin is here or here or here or outright rejection of God. Yeah. Okay. So it's like whether it's like in the opposite direction, that sin is just missing the mark. The heart that possesses the land has dominion over sin." [31:33] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "The heart that possesses the land holds onto promise. The heart that possesses the land holds onto promise. All right. And you can see this in Deuteronomy eight, seven, and nine. We've spent a minute in already where God says, for the Lord, your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, fountains, springs that flow out of valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley and vines and figs and pomegranates. He paints this whole picture. The Lord, your God is bringing you into this land." [45:24] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "A heart that possesses the land remembers God. Remembers that it's God that did it. And I read this out of Deuteronomy chapter eight. When you have eaten in a full, verse 10, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which he has given you. Be aware that you do not forget the Lord your God by keeping his commandments and his judgments and his statutes will I command you to do. Yay. Look at that verse 11. Beware that you do not forget. It was God who did it. Remember we're depending on him, right? We're depending on 100%." [48:54] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "We must remember that it was God that brought us out from those enemies who were going to destroy us. We must. Do you remember? We have to remember that it was, that it's God who did it. I felt the press of God on this when I was studying this this week. We have to bring ourselves to this place of remembrance and this place of thanksgiving because if we think that a lack of thankfulness for what God has already done, if we think that with that we can go into the promised land and maintain a heart of thanksgiving into the future for what he's going to do. We've got another thing coming." [52:41] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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