Keith Battle - In God's Bag Pt. 1, A Promise

I’m starting a new series called «In God’s Bag,» and the idea of the series is that God always comes bearing gifts. He is a good God; He is so generous and gracious, and His love is overwhelming. Certainly, I cannot exhaust all the gifts that God has given us in four weeks—there’s so much more in His bag that I don’t have time to express. I mean, the gifts of God are precious and innumerable; it’s His generosity! But I want to start this week with a particular gift. Each week, I’m going to identify one gift from God’s bag, and this week I’m going to start with His promise. Everybody say, «He promised to me!» Yes, God made us a promise! Here’s the thing about God: when God makes a promise, you can bank on it; you can depend on it. Now, I can say this confidently; you can count on it!

When I was younger, if somebody gave you their word about something or said they would do something, you would strengthen the validity of their commitment by asking, «You promise?» Then they would have to affirm it; remember that? They would gesture like this. It’s called a pinkie promise! You didn’t have to say anything else; you just said, «You bet!» How many people remember someone doing that? Yes! We serve a God who doesn’t have to say anything. If you ask Him, «God, will you walk with me through this?» He doesn’t have to say yes; He just goes like this: «I got you!»

«God, will you be faithful to me to the end?» «I got you!» «God, will you keep my mind this holiday season from going crazy during these dark days? Will you keep my mind? You said You’d keep me in perfect peace if my mind is stayed on You.» And God doesn’t have to reply; He just goes like this: «I got you!»

I think we ought to have a T-shirt that says, «I’m hanging on to the promises of God!» Some of y’all may not agree, and the way you relate to God might be different. Not everyone is on the same level, but some of us in here are hanging on to the promises of God. We’re doing it our way now and saying, «God, if You said it, that’s what I’m going to stand on. I’m going to hold on to that!» You have some promises from Him: «Will You keep me in perfect peace? Will You work it out for me?» We used to cry out on our knees, and He says, «I got you!» «Will You open a door that no man can close?» «Yes, I got you!» «Will You close a door that no man can open?» «Yes, I got you!» «Will You love me when I let You down?» «I will never stop loving you!» «Will You ever leave me or forsake me?» «I will never leave you nor forsake you!»

Somebody give God praise real quick just because He made you a promise, and He’s a promise keeper! Yes, indeed! Yes, indeed! Yes, indeed! A promise, a promise, a promise! For this message, I want to go to Isaiah 41:10. I’m looking at one verse and want to unpack this verse as we examine not just the promise of God, but the concept that He is committed to His promises to us. This is what it says in Isaiah 41:10: «Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.» Woo, Lord! Open it up for us! Open Your word that we might see what You’re promising us!

In this verse, there are two directives that God gives us and five promises that He offers. I understand this: when God speaks to us in the scriptures, He may be talking to someone directly, but He’s always speaking to us indirectly. God doesn’t write a new Bible every day. He doesn’t have a 2019 Bible for people in Prince George’s County, or people in Prince William County, or people in the DMV in the United States. God wrote a word, and His word is still good! So when God said this to Israel in Isaiah chapter 41, it still stands. That’s why 1 Corinthians 10:11 says, «These things happened to them as examples for us; they were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.» Then Romans 15:4 puts it like this: «Such things were written in the scriptures long ago to teach us. The scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.»

What He said to them applies to us. He is saying this to us, and He gives us two directives. The first directive is, «Don’t be afraid.» Look at somebody and say, «Fear not!» Yes, that’s old King James: fear not! The second directive He gives us is, «Don’t be discouraged.» These are the two directives. But He says I have five promises to support why you don’t need to obey my directives. And the first promise is, «I am with you.» I am with you. The second promise is…