The Promises of God are Yes and Amen
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Promises are possibilities waiting to happen.
2 Corinthians 1:20 APNT:
For all the promises of God in him, in Christ, are yes. Because of this by way of him, we give an “Amen” to the glory of God.
Many people think “yes and amen” go together, but “amen” actually applies to the second part of the verse.
2 Corinthians 1:20 TPT:
For all of God’s promises find their “yes” of fulfillment in him [Christ]. And as his “yes” and our “amen” ascend to God, we bring him glory!
What are promises?
Promises are an invitation to a journey to see it come to pass.
Promises come with potential. When God says he will supply all your need, the potential is there for all your need to be supplied.
In Aramaic, there are two words for “promise.” When there are two Aramaic words for one Greek word, it’s time to pay attention.
The first is the verb, melak, and the word for “promise” is mulkana. We get many different words from melak, such as the word for king, kingdom, decree, and promise.
The verb form of Mulkana means to make an arbitrary declaration by an absolute owner, as a king might issue a decree.
The primary kind of promise in Scripture is the kind of promise that He made to Abraham. God promised not only that he would inherit the land, but that from his seed would come the Messiah. And that he would be the father of many nations.
Galatians 3:16–21 APNT:
16 Now the promise was promised to Abraham and to his seed. And he did not say to him, “To your seeds” as to many, but to your seed as to one, who is the Messiah.
17 And this I say, that the covenant, which was previously established by God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, is not able to set it aside and make the promise void.
18 Now if the inheritance was by the law, then it was not by promise. But God gave it to Abraham by promise.
19 Why then [was] the law? It was added because of transgression until that seed should come to whom was the promise. And the law was given by way of angels, by the hand of a mediator.
When Christ came, there was a fulfillment of part of this promise. This “promise” is the Aramaic word shudaya. It’s from the verb yada, to praise or give thanks. Shudaya is extra intensive, like this is absolutely going to come to pass. The emphasis is on the fulfillment of what you are praising about.
You can see the difference between mulkana and shudaya in Luke and Acts.
Luke 24:49 APNT:
and I will send to you the promise [mulkana] of my Father. But remain in the city, Jerusalem, until you be clothed with power from on high.”
Acts 1:4 APNT:
And as he ate bread with them, he commanded them that they should not leave Jerusalem, but that they should wait for the promise [shudaya, emphasis on the fulfillment] of the Father, about which [he said], “You have heard from me.
Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of the promise.
Hebrews 6:11–12 APNT:
11 But we want each one of you to show this diligence to the completion of your hope up to the end
12 and to not be discouraged, but to be imitators of those who by faith and long-suffering have become heirs of the promise [mulkana].
The first key to receiving a promise is to not be discouraged.
Joshua 1:5–9 ESV:
5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
The second key to receiving a promise is to meditate on the Word.
Hebrews 6:12 APNT:
and to not be discouraged, but to be imitators of those who by faith and long-suffering have become heirs of the promise [mulkana].
The word picture for “faith” is to give strong water to the seed. One little peach seed can produce a tree that provides many, many peaches, year after year. Think of a promise as a seed. As you tend that seed, eventually that promise will produce all kinds of fruit. Make it your profession to be a great gardener.
The promises of God are not just for us to have things for ourselves; they are for giving.
Hebrews 6:13–15 APNT:
13 For when God promised Abraham, because he had no one who was greater than himself by whom he could swear, he swore by himself
14 and said: I will certainly bless you and I will greatly multiply you.
15 And so he was long-suffering and received the promise.
The emphasis is on continuing, persevering. Keep on seeking. Keep on asking. Keep on knocking. God has his part, and we have our part. Our part is the pursuit and the perseverance. Abraham waited 25 years before he had Isaac.
Every time God reiterated the promise to Abraham, He gave him a new picture to hold in his mind. God showed Abraham the stars and said his seed would be like that. Every time Abraham looked at the stars, it reiterated God’s promise to him. God told him his children would be like the sand in the sea. Abraham saw a lot of sand in his life; what do you think that reminded him of?
Hebrews 6:16–18 APNT:
16 For men swear by that which is greater than them and concerning every controversy that happens among them, the certain end of it is by oaths.
17 Because of this, God especially wanted to show to the heirs of the promise [mulkana] that his promise [shudaya] would not change, so he bound it with oaths,
18 that by two things that are unchangeable in which God is not able to lie, we who have sought refuge in him may have great comfort and may hold fast to the hope that was promised to us,
The third key is to be longsuffering, to continue, to persevere.
The Murdoch translation from the Peshitta of verse 17 is: “Therefore, God, being abundantly willing to show to the heirs of the promise, that his promising was irreversible, bound it up in an oath;”
Isaiah 55:10b ESV:
…giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
2 Corinthians 9:10a ESV:
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food…
Hebrews 6:18–20 APNT:
18 that by two things that are unchangeable in which God is not able to lie, we who have sought refuge in him may have great comfort and may hold fast to the hope that was promised to us,
19 which we have as an anchor that holds our soul, so that it is not shaken and it enters within the veil,
20 where Jesus previously entered for us and became a priest forever in the likeness of Melchisedec.
The fourth key to receiving a promise is about hope. Hope gives you access. Go into the sanctuary.
Some keys to receiving a promise:
- Don’t be discouraged.
- Meditate on God’s Word.
- Continue, persevere. Keep on seeking, asking, knocking.
- Enter into the sanctuary, the holy of holies, into God’s presence.
2 Corinthians 1:20 TPT:
For all of God’s promises find their “yes” [assurance] of fulfillment in him [Christ]. And as his “yes” and our “amen” ascend to God, we bring him glory!
Scripture References
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (TPT) are from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018, 2020 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com.
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