Standing on God’s Promises

Avondale Church of God Service

Date: Wednesday Evening, February 12, 2025

Speaker: Brother Ward

The Assurance of Forgiveness

Brother Ward began his message by affirming one of the foundational truths of the Christian faith: God’s complete forgiveness. Emphasizing 1 John 1:9, he reminded the congregation that when a person sincerely confesses their sins, God is both faithful and just to forgive them and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness. This is not a partial cleansing, nor does it leave any room for condemnation. The sins are forgiven, cast into the sea of forgetfulness—never to be remembered by God again.

Yet, as Brother Ward cautioned, the enemy of our souls often tries to bring back memories of those very sins. He warned against entertaining those thoughts, noting how the devil uses them to sow doubt. Questions may arise: “Did I really repent of that one?” or “What if God didn’t forgive me for this specific thing?” These thoughts, he said, must be rejected. Forgiveness is not based on feelings or memory—it is based on the word of God, and God does not deal in partial grace.

Brother Ward urged the congregation to stand confidently in the finished work of forgiveness and to begin each day as a new start—a clean slate, a fresh opportunity to walk in victory.

God’s Faithfulness and Human Responsibility

Turning to 1 Kings 8:54–61, the message then focused on Solomon’s dedication of the temple. Solomon praised God for keeping His word to Israel, affirming that “not one word” of all God’s promises had failed. Brother Ward highlighted this as a model of God’s character: if God has promised something, He will bring it to pass. His nature is one of consistency and truth.

But the application did not stop there. Just as God is faithful to keep His word, He expects His people to do the same. Brother Ward drew a parallel between God’s faithfulness and human commitment. He pointed out that walking in God’s statutes requires more than religious talk; it demands a changed heart and an active desire to live in obedience.

“God keeps His end of the covenant,” he said, “and we are responsible to keep ours.” This relationship is built not on performance, but on trust and love—on making God’s will the first priority.

Abraham’s Promise and the Patience of Faith

Brother Ward moved into a theological core of the message with Galatians 3:14–18. He unpacked the promise made to Abraham—that through his seed, the Gentiles would also receive the blessing of salvation. He noted that while Abraham was promised descendants as numerous as the stars, he died with only one son of promise.

This, however, did not invalidate the promise. “The fulfillment was still in progress,” Brother Ward explained. “Time did not cancel the covenant—unbelief is what breaks connection with God’s word.”

This section transitioned into Romans 4:16–25, where the preacher presented Abraham as a model of faith. Despite natural limitations—his and Sarah’s age—Abraham did not stagger at the promise. He was “fully persuaded,” trusting that God could perform what He had spoken. His faith, not his situation, defined the outcome.

Brother Ward made it clear that God’s promises are not restricted to timelines or logic. Faith means believing even when there is no visible reason to do so. “Waiting doesn’t mean the promise is dead—it’s a test of trust.”

Scoffing, Unbelief, and the Dangers of Doubt

Referencing 2 Peter 3:3–9, Brother Ward discussed how some in the last days would scoff at the promises of God, especially the promise of Christ’s return. “They’ll say, ‘Everything’s the same—it’s been this way forever,’” he paraphrased. This skepticism, he warned, is not innocent questioning. It’s willful ignorance that underestimates God’s patience and longsuffering.

Delays in promise fulfillment are not proof that God has forgotten. Rather, they reflect His mercy—allowing time for souls to repent. But when people interpret divine patience as broken promises, they endanger themselves spiritually.

“Waiting on the promise doesn’t mean you lack faith,” Brother Ward said. “It’s actually the evidence of faith—hope in action.”

Faithful Through Suffering: Peter and Paul

At this point, Brother Ward turned the congregation’s attention to the lives of Peter and Paul. He reminded listeners that Christ told Peter he would live to old age and eventually be carried where he would not choose—foreshadowing his martyrdom. According to history, Peter was crucified under Nero, requesting to be hung upside down, feeling unworthy to die like Christ.

Paul, likewise, suffered deeply, not because he was out of God’s will, but precisely because he was in it. Citing 2 Timothy 3:12 and 2 Corinthians 11:24–28, Brother Ward listed Paul’s hardships: stripes, shipwrecks, beatings, hunger, and betrayal. These trials did not contradict God’s calling—they fulfilled it.

“Being in the center of God’s will does not mean you’ll be spared suffering,” he said. “But it does mean your suffering will glorify God.”

A Lesson from the Storm: Trust in Process, Not Just Outcome

Brother Ward then focused on Acts 27, where Paul endured a harrowing shipwreck. Paul encouraged his shipmates not to flee, warning, “Unless you stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Even though the ship was going to break apart, Paul clung to God’s promise that he must stand before Caesar.

This passage served as a metaphor: sometimes deliverance comes not through rescue, but endurance. Brother Ward pointed out that Paul had to endure the storm to fulfill his calling, and his confidence came not from the forecast but from God’s word.

“God promised Paul he’d get to Rome,” he said. “That promise didn’t prevent the storm—it carried him through it.”

Faithfulness to Our Own Promises

After establishing God’s reliability, Brother Ward brought the message full circle with a focus on human responsibility. “If you’ve made a promise to God, are you keeping it?” he asked. He warned that broken promises at the altar can be forgiven, but unfulfilled vows at the judgment could have eternal consequences.

The message was not intended to condemn but to awaken. He extended an altar call, inviting anyone who had grown discouraged or had stopped believing to recommit their trust. “God doesn’t fail,” he said. “Have you stayed faithful to what you committed?”

Testimony of Delayed Fulfillment

A personal testimony was shared during the service to reinforce the sermon. A brother recounted how he had received a promise from God about a job promotion. Despite a strong interview and apparent favor, the position was given to someone else, and he had to take a demotion. For three years, he waited, standing on the Scripture God had given him—1 John 5:14–15.

When the opportunity finally came, it was sudden. The very job he had claimed was opened, and he was told to report the following Monday. “Did God keep His promise?” the brother asked. “Yes. Just not on my schedule.”

This moment drove home the message: trust in God’s timing and keep your promises in faith, even when the wait feels long.

Conclusion: A Call to Steadfastness

Brother Ward concluded with a straightforward charge: hold to what God has told you. He read from 1 John 2:25—“And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” This, he said, is the ultimate assurance. God’s promises are sure. The issue is not whether He will keep His word—it’s whether we will remain faithful while we wait.

📖 Scripture References

• 1 John 1:9

  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins…”

  This verse affirms God’s readiness to forgive completely when confession is sincere. It grounded the message’s opening reminder that forgiven sins are not to be re-lived in our minds, but to be left behind.

• 1 Kings 8:54–61

  Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the temple includes praise that not one of God’s promises to Israel had failed. Used to show that God’s faithfulness to His word is consistent and complete—and serves as a model for human commitment.

• Galatians 3:14–18

  Paul teaches that the promise made to Abraham is fulfilled through Christ, making salvation available to all. The message used this to stress that God’s promises transcend time and circumstance—they may not be fulfilled immediately, but they are never void.

• Romans 4:16–25

  This passage praises Abraham’s faith, noting he did not waver at God’s promise despite impossible odds. It underlined that unwavering belief, even when fulfillment seems unlikely, is what God honors and uses.

• 2 Peter 3:3–9

  Peter warns that scoffers will question the delay in Christ’s return, failing to understand God’s long-suffering. The passage framed the warning against interpreting delayed promises as broken ones.

• Acts 27

  The account of Paul’s shipwreck shows how God’s promise to bring him before Caesar was not voided by a storm. Instead, God fulfilled it through adversity. Used as a central illustration that remaining in “the ship” (God’s will) leads to salvation.

• 2 Timothy 3:12

  “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

  A clear statement that suffering is part of the Christian walk. It reminded the congregation that trials are expected, even for the faithful.

• 2 Corinthians 11:24–28

  Paul recounts the many sufferings he endured for Christ. Referenced to show that even those walking closely with God face severe hardship—but that endurance is a form of glorifying God.

• 1 John 5:14–15

  These verses assure believers that if they ask anything according to God’s will, He hears them. They were used in the testimony about standing on a delayed promise and remaining faithful despite timing.

• 1 John 2:25

  “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”

  The eternal perspective—God’s ultimate promise. This verse closed the message with the reassurance that God’s greatest promise to believers is secure.

• Isaiah 58:8

  “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning…”

  Often connected to healing and restoration, this verse was cited in the testimony about physical affliction. It affirmed that God’s word holds even when circumstances remain unresolved.