God’s Promise — You Will Not Go Empty-Handed

My heart feels unusually heavy, sensing that many people in the body of Christ are under pressure, but God’s promise still holds true! Whatever your struggle, no matter how dark the season you are walking through, He is faithful. He will bring you out into a place of greater abundance, richer hope, and fuller freedom. How can I be so certain? Because God has not changed. He is faithful to all He has promised.

“…The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.”
Psalm 145:13-14

Though the enemy may press us, God stands in our defense. He gives us the strength, wisdom, and courage we need for every situation. We will not only come through, but we will come through with our arms laden with rich treasures secured by God’s great grace and favor upon us. He has not, and will not, abandon us. This season of drought and discouragement may not end like we think it should or hoped it would. Let’s remember that, through it all, nothing can detour God’s perfect plan for our lives.

Empty-Handed

God led Israel into Egypt to save them from famine. Four hundred and thirty years later, He brought them out again. In a single day, God decimated their cruel and fierce captors. For many of those years, the Egyptians brutally used and abused God’s chosen people for their own personal gain. Empty-handed slaves! Powerless and oppressed! Until God came to their rescue. And, oh, what a rescue!

“He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold, and from among their tribes no one faltered.“
Psalm 105:37

How would you feel if hundreds of years of backpay ended up in your mailbox overnight? Can you imagine? Everything the enemy stole, God said, “No way! It’s payday! Give it back!“

 “And I will grant this people favor and respect in the sight of the Egyptians; therefore, it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. But every woman shall [insistently] ask her neighbor and any woman who lives in her house, for articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and daughters. In this way you are to plunder the Egyptians [leaving bondage with great possessions that are rightfully yours].”
Exodus 3:21-22 AMP

May we not disqualify this as an ancient story of a people far away. This same God works on our behalf. He remains completely trustworthy to defend and provide for His own. His promises hold as true today as when He spoke them thousands of years ago.

Ask

It’s time to ask God to restore all the enemy has taken from us and our households — health, relationships, finances, hope, purpose, destiny … The thief has been plundering God’s people for far too long. The tide is turning. Let’s ask expecting God’s restoration, deliverance, and healing for us, our families, and our communities.

It is time to take a stand against the devil and his league. God told the women to go directly to their enemy, the ones who had misused and abused them, and ask big. “Insistently ask … for articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing.” This is far from a selfish ask for bigger bank accounts or luxurious houses. We ask for our “sons and daughters” — for the generations yet to come. Our freedom and breakthrough becomes freedom and breakthrough for those who will some day walk in our steps.

The Hebrews word, wə·šā·’ă·lāh, means to demand. Forget the polite litte, “May I … pretty please …” No! We ask big! We insistently ask, demanding all God’s promise be returned to us.

The enemy is nothing more than a freeloader and liar. He must comply to God’s Word. Jesus emphasized again and again how He holds all power and all authority. All means all! While the devil may boast, God still holds it all!

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.“
Matthew 28:18

God’s Promise

For far too long the people of God accepted their lot as slaves, while the promises of God remained buried in the dust-laden archives of forgotten years. The same can happen to us today.

We have the tremendous privilege of holding and reading the Bible and all God’s precious promises. But it is meaningless until we begin move upon His Word and step into HIs promises for us. The easy chair of idleness will keep us from climbing the mountain of faith.

A great evangelist, Reinhard Bonnke, said,

“I don’t want to play with marbles, when God told me to move mountains!”

Taking hold of God’s promise may feel like a mountain leap of faith. What God said, He will do. May faith arise in each of us to throw off the limitations of slavery. May expectation of God’s goodness take form in our lives, until we ask big, and ask often, and no longer settle for empty-handed living.

“You will not,” He speaks to each one of us. “You will not go empty-handed.” Whatever this difficult time has taken from you, “You will not go empty-handed.” Determine by His grace to walk out this circumstance with hands overflowing with God’s promise.

God’s people played an important role of direct action in accordance with His will and His Word. Were they apprehensive to demand so much from their oppressors? Probably. Did some ask too small? Undoubtedly. Did some refuse to believe God would be so generous and good-hearted? Maybe.

But those who believed God’s promise received God’s blessing. They came out full! Let’s leave the enemy sorry he every touched us and our familes.

“Not a single one of all the good promises the LORD had given … was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.”
Joshua 21:45

Oh, brave one, take courage!

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