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14 Promises From God Athletes Should Know
God’s promises to cling to now and forever
Liz Newell
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How are you?
The words “I’m fine” may be crossing your mind, but I am not sure that right at this moment you really believe them. That’s what we say when we just lost the championship game in the NCAA tournament and we want to pretend like it wasn’t that big of a deal.
Maybe it isn’t the loss of an athletic competition but the loss of a loved one. Or maybe this phrase has been used more recently when we don’t know what to say because an unexpected, abrupt end just came to a season that was projected to be so great. Now it is no longer.
We utter this phrase to everyone around us, to ourselves, and maybe even to God, but we know deep down that it isn’t true. So what are we to do about it?
In order to fight this internal battle that may be waging war inside of you, Ephesians 6:10-19 says that we are to put on the “whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”
In order to do this, we have to remember who God is and what He promises to His Beloved…that’s you and me. From Genesis to Revelation, God illustrates His unwavering love for us in that “while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Below are just a few of His promises that we can cling to now and forever.
GOD PROMISED THAT A GREAT NATION (ISRAEL) WOULD COME FROM ABRAHAM. HE PROMISES TO MULTIPLY.
“Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 1:1-3).
GOD PROMISES TO PROVIDE WHEN WE TRUST/OBEY HIM
“After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son, Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar on top of the wood.
Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” and He said, “Here I am.” He said,”Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not witheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided” (Genesis 22:1-14).
Recognize that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
“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” (Joshua 1:9).
“And Jesus came and said to them,”All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).
GOD IS ALL KNOWING AND PROMISES US A HOPE AND A FUTURE
“For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
AT HIS RIGHT HAND, GOD PROMISES HIS CHILDREN PLEASURE
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).
GOD PROMISES TO LEAD US AND GIVE US EVERYTHING WE NEED
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1-3).
GOD PROMISES US COMFORT IN TREACHEROUS TIMES
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23: 4).
GOD PROMISES US PROTECTION
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5).
GOD PROMISES US A NEW NAME BY ADOPTION
“For my father and mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in” (Psalm 27:10).
GOD PROMISES TO SUSTAIN THE RIGHTEOUS
“Cast your burden on the lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22).
GOD PROMISES SUFFERING & RESTORATION
“But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake you will be blessed. Have no fear of them nor be troubled, 15but in your heart honor Christ as holy, always being prepared to give a defense for the hope that is within you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:14, 15).
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10).
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).
“For I consider the suffering at the present time does not compare to the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).
GOD PROMISES REDEMPTION
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
Challenge
pick 5 of God's promises to memorize
GOD PROMISES SALVATION AND FREEDOM
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).
“Fear not for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17).
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).
“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with Him” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10).
“And we know for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
GOD PROMISES TO KEEP HIS PROMISES
“In hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began” (Titus 1:2).
“And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
The other day, I watched a Zoom call that a few of my coworkers recorded. I learned that what we are called to do as Christians is first grieve and then worship. So much of our instinct is to keep pushing through the battle instead of sitting at the table He has prepared for us in the midst of our enemies (Psalm 23:5).
In the midst of anxiety, fear, doubt, grief, loss, unknowns, and other “enemies” you may be dealing with, I encourage you to truly grieve and invite God into where you are. Recognize that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. His faithfulness is great. He is our portion forever, therefore we can hope in Him. We have the powerful, mighty, all knowing, and sovereign God who says, “I am the Alpha and Omega, …who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” on our side (Revelation 1:8).
That alone is reason to praise Him.
Grieve, fully surrender control of what is next, and then worship Him by being diligent in your school work, reading scripture, doing your best to train where you are, meet with your community virtually, listen to worship music, and pray! Only then can we experience true freedom and strength to move forward.
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