God places conditions on promises to:
- motivate us- test us
- train us
- test our faith
- test our sincerity
- test our desire
God delights to hear our prayers, and they are like music to Him. That is one reason why He wants us to pray without ceasing. He want to commune with us. He wants to be brought into and be part of every aspect of our lives.
John 14:6 says:
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
2 Corinthians 1:20 says:
"For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us."
Has God ever given you promises, that you are waiting to be fulfilled?? Or have you ever asked Him for something, and are waiting for an answer?
Hebrews 6:12 says:
"That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."
This means that we are not to just 'wait' around for the promise, but to be diligent while we wait, doing whatever God brings for you to do, with patience and faith. Then we will inherit the promises (or receive an answer, whatever that may be).
With each promise, there are conditions given, and then results. For instance:
PROMISE CONDITIONS RESULTS
(John 3:16) (Believe) (Eternal Life)
Another example is 2 Chronicles 20:1-30, where "a great multitude" (including the Moabites & Ammonites) came against Jehoshaphat to do battle.
In vs. 3, 6-12, Jehoshaphat sought the Lord:
"And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah....And said, 'O LORD God of our fathers, art not Thou God in heaven? and rulest not Thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in Thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand Thee? Art not Thou our God, Who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before Thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham Thy friend for ever?
And they dwelt therein, and have built Thee a sanctuary therein for Thy Name, saying, 'If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword judgement, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in Thy presence, (for Thy name is in this house,) and cry unto Thee in our affliction, then Thou wilt hear and help.'
And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom Thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of Thy possession, which Thou hast given us to inherit.
O our God, wilt Thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon Thee."
"Then...came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; And He said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's."
In vs. 18, Jehoshaphat responded: (showing evidence of his belief)
"And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD."
In vs. 20, Jehoshaphat encouraged his people:
"And they rose early...and went forth into the wilderness...and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper."
In vs. 22, 27, we see the result:
"And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies."
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