10 Key Points: Promises of God, Habakkuk 1:1-5

by | Nov 17, 2023 | Sermon Recap

10 Key Points: Promises of God, Habakkuk 1:1-5

God Promises to Work Beyond Our Expectations

 

 

1. Approach God Vulnerably:

There is great value in coming before God in complete vulnerability, shedding all pretenses, and sharing one’s deepest fears and doubts without hiding anything. 

    • Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

 

2. Focus Faith on God, Not Circumstances:

We must shift our faith away from being solely influenced by circumstances, as anchoring faith in God elevates your ability to endure and thrive despite life’s challenges.

    • Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

 

3. Understanding God’s Sovereignty:

God’s sovereignty can be a challenging thing to make sense of, but you can trust God’s authority, power, and control in all things, is always at work and often beyond our understanding.

    • Jeremiah 32:27 – “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?”

 

4. Reactions Reveal the Heart:

Our reactions in unexpected situations often reveal our true character, which is shaped by what fills our hearts and minds.

    • Luke 6:45 – “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

 

5. Deepening Relationship with God:

Christians ought to continue deepening one’s relationship with God through consistent engagement with the Bible, prayer, and sharing about God’s impact on our lives with others.

    • Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

 

6. God’s Unexpected Ways:

Do not be surprised that God often works in unexpected, unconventional ways, challenging our limited understanding but ultimately revealing His greater plan and order.

    • Isaiah 55:8-9 – “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

 

7. Intimacy through Vulnerability:

You can experience intimacy with God through total vulnerability, illustrating that the act of sharing with God benefits us by fostering a deeper connection.

    • 1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

 

8. Trusting God’s Unfolding Plan:

We need to trust in God’s plan, even when it seems incomprehensible, as His ways and intentions extend beyond our immediate understanding. Even when events in life appear to go awry, put your confidence in God that he’s handling the process. 

    • Proverbs 16:9 – “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

 

9. Power of Gratitude in Adversity:

There is great power in gratitude, even in dire circumstances, revealing that unforeseen elements might actually be a part of God’s greater plan.

    • 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

 

10. Trusting the Unknown Future to God:

It can appear nearly impossible to trust in God despite uncertainty. Yet we are drawing strength from the knowledge that God holds the future, providing a sense of security and comfort in life’s uncertainties.

    • Jeremiah 29:11 – “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.”