God’s Promises Aren’t Automated, They’re Activated

He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, … 2 Peter 1: 3-4 NIV

Have you ever heard people say, “Why did God allow that to happen?”, or “Why did it happen to them, they’re such good Christians?”

We’ve all had life experiences that we know aren’t ‘God’s best’, and watched others suffer spiritually, emotionally and physically in ways we know are also not ‘God’s best’ for them. This is because the promises and blessing of God are not automatically fulfilled in our lives, they need to be activated by faith, prayer and works of faith.

To activate God’s promises in your life, we need to be fully convinced that His Word is true and what He has promised is His will for your life.

In Hebrews Chapters 3 and 4 we read that the children of Israel missed out on the Promised Land, because of their unbelief. God had brought them kicking and screaming out of Egypt, showed them His power in the wilderness and yet they failed to walk into the promises of God, because of unbelief.

Unbelief is the decision to believe in things that you fear, rather than the promise of God. James says the ‘double-minded’ can expect to receive nothing when they pray. 

When you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. James 1: 6-8 

The first step to activating the promises of God in our lives is to believe His Word, His promise is true, and refuse to allow doubt to occupy your thoughts.