What do you do if God gives you a promise and time is running out and the promise has not be manifested yet? Is there a reason that a promise can be delayed, or is there some way we can activate the promises of God by faith and help them come into place in our lives?
Yes, there is something we can do that will release the power of God into our lives and activate the promises of God. We are going to look in the book of Daniel for the answers. Daniel chapter 9.
Daneil 9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the descendants of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; 2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood from the books the number of the years, of which the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
As Daniel began to search the Word of God, he realized that God had spoken through the prophets that their exile to Babylon would last 70 years and then they would be restored and returned to their land. But that time had passed and the promises had not been fulfilled. So Daniel began to seek the Lord as to why the promise had not come to pass.
3And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
The first thing you should do is seek God through fasting and prayer. How serious are you about seeing that promise come to pass? Are you serious enough to fast and pray? Maybe health issues keep you from fasting food, then fast TV, fast your favorite online game, fast your texting or phone communication. Food is not the only thing that you can fast. Pray about what God would have you fast, and spend some time in prayer. Ask God to reveal to you the reason your promise has not manifested. Ask God to move upon your life. Seek Him with your whole heart.
And what did Daniel pray during his fast?
7 O Lord, righteousness belongs unto you, but unto us shame of face, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries where you have driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against you.
He prayed a prayer of repentance. Do you want to find God's favor? Then pray a prayer of repentance from your heart. Do you want to find healing for your soul? Then pray a prayer of repentance. And be specific, confess your sins. Ask God to reveal to you your unknown sins, so that you can repent of them and be healed.
After repentance you are going to find that the promises of God begin to manifest in your life.
How many times do we hinder and delay the works of God in our lives because we fail to repent of our sins? We have the idea that we confess the Word of God, Quote the promises of God, rehearse the plans of God and decree the will of God manifest in our lives. Those things are not bad things to do, and we should do those things. But, all the confessing, decreeing and rehearsing is not going to help bring the promises of God in our lives if we are living a life of sin, or harboring sin in our hearts. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.
God's promises were being delayed, so, Daniel fasted and prayed and began confessing and repenting of sins, and pleading for God's mercy and grace. Can we do this over our lives, the lives of our children, over our nation. Yes, we can. Here in Daniel chapter 9 Daniel was confessing the sins of the entire nation of Israel and pleading with God to forgive and to remember his promises. We can confess the sins of our nation before God, and repent before him on behalf of our family or our nation, and ask God to have compassion and remember his promises. This kind of faith and confession will move both heaven and earth and those promises God gave you is going to come forth as you humbly ask God for forgivness and mercy.
Don't ever underestimate the power of repentance. It will activate the power of God quicker than anything else that you can do.
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