Inheriting God's Promises
And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:11-12 NASB)
God wouldn't have made all the promises in the Bible if He didn't want to give His children great blessings. Yet, we cannot be presumptuous and simply assume such benefits automatically belong to us. So how can we claim God's promises with the expectation He will take pleasure in answering our petition?
There are several questions we must ask in order to test the needs we bring before our heavenly Father:
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Does this promise meet my personal need or desire? When I request that God keep this promise, do I ask with the spirit of being submissive to His will? Can God perform this request without harming another person or interfering with His will in someone else's life? Does the Holy Spirit bear witness to my spirit that God is pleased with my petition? Will God be honored by fulfilling this promise? Does my request to claim this promise contradict the Word of God in some fashion? If God fulfills this promise, will it further my spiritual growth?
Once we have satisfactorily answered these questions, inheriting God's promises depends upon just three requirements. In the first place, we need to have faith. Our Father wants us to trust Him, and He rewards those who do. (Genesis 15:6; Hebrews 11:6) Second, we must be obedient to whatever we know is God's will for us—we will never attain His best if we knowingly disobey. And third, we must have patience and be willing to wait for the Lord's perfect timing. It is well worth our while, considering the blessings He longs to give us.
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