This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare. —1 Timothy 1:18 (NKJV)
Some years ago I met a man who was discouraged. He said, “All the promises God has made to me—I have not seen one come to pass.” Another confessed, “All the promises in the Bible—I haven’t seen them in my life.” Those words come from frustration, but they reflect a common problem: many Christians expect God’s promises to leap off the page and land in their laps. That’s not how it works.
When God gives His word, He declares His desire for you. But it becomes your responsibility to contend for it and lay hold of it. Taking possession of a promise often demands cost and effort. When God promised the Israelites the land of Canaan, it was “a land flowing with milk and honey,” yet it was inhabited by people—giants. To inherit it they had to fight. Likewise, the promises God has spoken over your life will require you to contend—spiritually, mentally, and practically—until they manifest.
Contending means more than wishing or passive hoping. It means prayer that refuses to quit, obedience that persists, faith that acts, and decisions that align with God’s word. It means engaging in the “good warfare” Paul charged Timothy to wage: standing against doubt, resisting compromise, and moving in faithful obedience until the promise is secured.
So be prepared to contend. Identify the promise you believe God has given you. Pray, fast if needed, take deliberate steps of faith, and refuse to be deterred by delay or opposition. God’s promises are real—but many remain only promises until someone wages the fight to possess them. Fight well, and the inheritance will be yours. Praise God!
Today’s Rhema
Until you contend for the promises of God, they will remain promises and not realities in your life.
Confession for the Day
I receive grace, wisdom, and discipline to contend for the promises God has spoken over my life. As I contend in faith, they manifest effortlessly in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen!
