Today we continue our series entitled, “Back to the Bible,” with Part 23. We have been looking at Psalm 119. Today we will look at verses 49 and 50 from The Passion Bible Translation (TPT).
David said:
(v.49) Lord, never forget the promises you’ve made to me, for they are my hope and confidence.
(v.50) In all of my affliction I find great comfort in your promises, for they have kept me alive!
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God’s promises give us hope and confidence. David said, “Lord, never forget the promises you’ve made to me, for they are my hope and confidence.” (Psalm 119:49 TPT).
a) The promises of God give us something to live for. David knew God would never forget what He promised him and that God would ensure His word came to pass in his life. This is what kept him going when life got rough.
b) The Bible tells us that God is NOT a man, so He does not tell a lie. He is not a human being, so He does not change His mind. If He speaks something, he does it. If He promises it, He will make His Word good (Numbers 23:19). The reality of God’s steadfastness, especially as it relates to making His promises good, is what kept David going. Whenever David needed hope, he thought about all the things God’s had promised him. Whenever he was lacking confidence, he meditated and medicated on the promises of God. If you ever need hope or confidence, you can do the same! It was worked for me many times.
c) Sometimes you need to encourage yourself. Some of the best encouragement you will find is in the Word of God. If you go over all the things God has promised you, it will give you hope in times of despair.
d) If you keep track of all the promises God has made you and you routinely go over those promises, you will live with both hope and confidence. Even when times are tough, you will have hope, because you know God will do what He said He would do in your life. And if your confidence level is ever low, reminding yourself that God is committed to you and that He will never turn His back on you, will quickly restore your confidence level to where it needs to be. This is not about self-confidence. This is about God-confidence. If you have God-confidence, your self-confidence will never be an issue.
2. God’s promises keep us going through troubled times. David said, “In all of my affliction I find great comfort in your promises, for they have kept me alive!” (Psalm 119:50 TPT).
a) David had to endure tremendous pain and overcome many challenges to become the king of Israel. He then faced many challenges as the king. Do you know what kept him going? It was reminding himself of all the promises God made him. Learn from David. You can do the same!
b) When you are in the middle of a bad situation or an extremely challenging time, you can find amazing comfort in reminding yourself of all the promises God has made you that have not come to pass yet. Those promises of what is to come help you lift up your head when it is down. Those promises of what is to come provide fuel to your fire when your passion is low. Those promises of what is to come help provide the perspective you need to overcome the challenges you face.
c) If you look at the people God has used in amazing ways you will find a common thread. It’s not that they did not face opposition. In many cases they faced extreme opposition. It’s just that they never gave up. They kept going. They got up after every knockdown. Do you know why? Because what was AHEAD of them was greater than what was IN FRONT of them. They were able to look past the PROBLEM long enough to see God’s PROMISE! Will you do the same?
d) There is an amazing life waiting for you on the OTHER SIDE of your challenge. But if you fail to keep going you may never experience it. Some have forfeited their eternal destiny because they could not endure temporary pain. Don’t let this be you. Pain is part of life. No one is exempt. Those who succeed are simply the ones who kept going!
Closing Confession:
Father, this is a season of expectation for me. I expect to experience everything You have promised me before I die! You are not a man that You should life. You do not change Your mind. You said it and You will perform it. You promised it and You will make it good in my life. Whenever I need hope or confidence, I meditate and medicate on the promises You have made me. The hope of what is ahead of me keeps me going past what is in front of me. I look past the pain, I look past the problems, and I focus on Your Promises! This is what keeps me going! Living this way, I shall never give up, never cave in and never quit! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
