MY TESTIMONIES

CHAPTER TWELVE God’s Promise Is Always Fulfilled After graduating from university, Liam moved to Switzerland. A few months following his arrival, he started job hunting. So, the family prayed God would give him a suitable job. In November 2015, I heard from the Lord that Liam would get a job through the Church. In all honesty, it did not make any sense at all. Nevertheless, knowing the God I serve, I never doubted; instead, I prayed more and tried to worry less. Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” We have an unchangeable God. Malachi 3:6 “I am the Lord, and I do not change.” Believing and trusting that God’s promise is always fulfilled, I focused my prayer on that promise and stood on it. Sunday after Sunday, we went to church and attended prayer meetings, but nothing happened regarding the manifestation of God’s promise. In February 2016, Liam enrolled in a master’s programme without giving up on his job search. One Sunday in 2017, Liam, our daughter and I were in church when an announcement inviting newcomers to a welcome lunch after the church service was made. Interestingly, we had heard that announcement repeatedly but always left after church. That Sunday, however, the three of us agreed to stay for the welcome lunch. To get to know the other members of the congregation, we all had to introduce ourselves. A year later, Liam was invited for an internship interview. Up to this point, I still could not tell the church's role in this internship. He reported for the interview as scheduled. The first question to him was to talk about himself. While speaking, he noticed that the panelists seemed particularly captivated by his narration, which they later said sounded familiar. Apparently, even though the panelists had been attending our church for a long time, they had only stayed behind for the welcome lunch at the church once, and it happened to be on the very Sunday we decided to accept the invitation and when we introduced ourselves. Only when Liam told me what had happened at the interview did God’s promise that he would get a job through church make sense. Liam got his first internship. When God gives you a promise, it will come to pass no matter what your situation is. We thanked God for the internship and prayed for a new job opportunity before the first could end. Each time I passed by Liam’s office; I took possession of the building through prayer. I encouraged him to do likewise. Though this first internship was not extended, we continued praying expectantly for the Lord hears our cries and every prayer when we call on Him sincerely. One Sunday, during church service, I asked God to give Liam a job as my birthday present. By faith, I began thanking God for answering prayer. The following day, on my birthday, Liam was offered another internship. I praised God for His mercy never fails. In the same way, God fulfilled His promise concerning the first job; we strongly believed, in His faithfulness, He is working out a permanent job for Liam. Liam could only declare: How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds (John Newton, 1779) 1. How sweet the name of Jesus sounds In a believer’s ear! It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, And drives away his fear. 2. It makes the wounded spirit whole And calms the troubled breast; ’Tis manna to the hungry soul, And to the weary, rest. 3. Dear Name! the Rock on which I build, My Shield and Hiding Place, My never-failing Treas’ry filled With boundless stores of grace! 4. Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend, My Prophet, Priest, and King; My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, Accept the praise I bring. 5. Weak is the effort of my heart, And cold my warmest thought; But when I see Thee as Thou art, I’ll praise Thee as I ought. 6. Till then I would Thy love proclaim With every fleeting breath, And may the music of Thy name Refresh my soul in death. _______________________________________________ Commentary God continues to speak to us through visions, dreams, and promptings. When you hear from God, you must agree with Him; you just have to do what He said. God is speaking to you all the time. A.W Tozer said, “The facts are that God is not silent, has never been silent. It is the nature of God to speak.” It is the nature of God to speak.” He wants to have fellowship with you, and He wants you to hear Him all the time. Certainty in knowing that you are hearing God’s voice comes to you when you are united with Him: 1 Corinthians 6:17 “But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.” So, when you seek God earnestly, spend time fellowshipping with Him through prayer, obeying the commands in His Word, and you will hear His voice. God’s wise plans for His children are to give them hope and a bright future. Consequently, we can call on Him in confidence. Even when we are going through trying times, we need not despair because God is with us. Jeremiah 29:13 “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” According to God’s wise plan, His people were to have a future and hope; consequently, they could call upon Him confidently. Although the exiles were in a difficult place and time, they did not need to despair because they had God’s presence, the privilege of prayer, and God’s grace. If we seek God wholeheartedly, He will be found. Neither a strange land, sorrow, persecution, nor problems can break our fellowship with God. God promised to: 1. Supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19). 2. Be with us always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). Jesus was with the disciples physically until he ascended into heaven and then spiritually through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4). The Holy Spirit would be Jesus’ presence that would never leave them (John 14:26). Jesus continues to be with us today through his Spirit. We must make Jesus King of our life and worship him as our Saviour, King and Lord. Some of us just read these promises and claim them and wait for them to materialise. Instead, we must believe them with all our hearts, and they will come to pass. May God increase your faith in Him and our belief in His promises. Take Away God is a God of His Word. When He speaks, He does. He is reliable and faithful to do what He says He will do. We must believe and have faith in Him. When God speaks, we can trust He will carry out whatever He promised to do. Genesis 21:1 “The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised.” Our God is a promise-keeping God told Abraham: Genesis 17:19 “Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.” When God promises us, He is saying: have no doubt, this will happen. Nothing is too hard for the LORD. Not even causing a barren woman like Sarah to give birth at over ninety years old. God’s time is the best; we should learn to trust God and His timing. Genesis 21: 2 “She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would.” Sometimes when we pray long and hard about a situation in our life without receiving any answers, we must just learn to live with it. We go about our business, wondering if or when God will send the response. But God does hear those prayers, and He is working out the solutions even though we may not know all the details. Our situation can change suddenly—quickly without warning!