The teaching centres on God’s promises and what it actually means to stand firm on them in one’s life. It challenges the vague way in which promises are often discussed, where one simply repeats that one must stand firm, without really knowing what that entails. Andreas Slot-Henriksen teaches here how God’s promises become a concrete foundation upon which one can build one’s daily life, faith and prayer, so that they are not merely pious words, but a practice that sustains us through both struggle and joy. The starting point is the realisation that many Christians know full well that God has promised salvation and eternal life, but find it difficult to name more than a handful of specific promises when asked. It is therefore necessary to explore the Bible and systematically identify what God has actually promised, and how these promises can be translated into faith and action in the life of the individual.
It is emphasised that when we stand firm on God’s promises, we are not merely standing firm on individual sentences or vague phrases, but on God Himself as our foundation. God’s character, faithfulness and truth are inextricably linked to His promises; if He has said something, it can be taken at face value. Therefore, the core is not merely what we dream of receiving from God, but who He is, what He has done, and what He has spoken. A key scripture highlighted reads: ‘O Lord Almighty, my God, your words can always be relied upon, and you have given me good promises for the future.’ (2 Samuel 7:28) This verse serves as a heading for the entire teaching: God’s word and God’s promises are stable and trustworthy, even when everything else is shaking. It is emphasised that without concrete promises to stand on, the Christian life easily becomes unstable and feels more like vague hopes than a life built on a firm foundation.
The teaching explains how, through dedicated study of the Bible, around 170 promises have been compiled, written down as short sentences with accompanying Bible references. The point is not that the list itself is ‘magical’, but that seeking out, reading, meditating on and praying over the promises opens the way to a deeper understanding of God’s nature and will. When you look up the scriptures yourself and reflect on them, something happens in your heart: faith grows, trust is strengthened, and your perspective shifts from your own limitations to God’s possibilities. The promises thus become a source of new courage, renewed hope and a more confident faith amidst the challenges life presents. Emphasis is placed on the fact that God has made promises regarding everything from healing and protection to presence, peace, guidance and provision, and that this is far richer than what many immediately perceive.
A key focus is on how one can practically apply God’s promises in daily life. Instead of allowing the promises to remain theoretical knowledge, readers are encouraged to use them actively in prayer, as a tool in spiritual warfare and as a way to renew the mind. Examples are given of how one can take an area one is struggling with – for example, fear, self-condemnation or illness – and consciously look up words such as ‘fear’, ‘peace’ or ‘healing’ in one’s digital Bible, allowing the verses found to form the basis for prayer and confession. In this way, God’s Word enters and challenges the lies and thought patterns that bind us, and the promises are allowed to define reality more than our emotions do. It is emphasised that there is “power in the tongue”, and that the words we speak can bring life or death; so when we pray with God’s promises, we speak life into situations.
One practical exercise described is what is called a “promise prayer” or “promise wave”. Here, you take the list of promises, open it at random and begin to formulate prayers directly from them. It might sound like: “God, thank you for promising that I need not be afraid, nor lose heart, for you are with me” or “Thank you that what I have lost, you will replace in my life.” In this way, the prayer is filled with God’s word and not merely with one’s own thoughts and desires. This form of prayer strengthens both the spirit and the body, because it links faith to specific, biblical statements. It discusses how this can transform the nature of prayer from being hesitant and characterised by lack to becoming bold, grateful and full of expectation that God will act in accordance with his promises.
At the same time, the teaching challenges a narrow focus on just the one area one wishes to see changed, for example healing. It points out that one can easily become so preoccupied with ‘what one wants’ that one forgets everything else God has already given and will give. Therefore, we are encouraged to lift our gaze and seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness first, rather than focusing one-sidedly on our own needs. This involves embracing a broader spectrum of promises: concerning God’s love, presence, guidance, joy, hope and identity. When the focus shifts from “give me” to “how can I live for you, God?”, it often happens that some of what one longed for comes “on top” without it having been the main point. The promises then become not merely means to obtain specific gifts, but paths to a deeper fellowship with God.
Another important theme in the teaching is the struggle against self-condemnation, which many experience particularly in relation to illness, a lack of breakthrough, or prolonged struggles. It is explained how thoughts such as “I am not good enough”, “others get well, but not me” or “I am a bad Christian” are often the devil’s lies, designed to push people away from God and make them give up holding fast to the promises. Instead of letting these thoughts define the truth, we are encouraged to let God’s promises have the final say. This involves distinguishing between God’s loving conviction and our own or the enemy’s condemnation: God does not use condemnation to drive people away from himself, but to draw them closer. By consciously embracing promises of God’s love, grace and election, one can stand against the lies and maintain that God is faithful, even when one does not see the desired result immediately.
Emphasis is also placed on the fact that God’s promises are not given in a vacuum, but are often linked to a “when you do this, you will experience that”. Many scriptures contain a connection between obedience and promise, for example, honouring one’s father and mother to experience a long and good life, or seeking first the kingdom of God to have all else added unto you. It is emphasised that this is not about having to “earn” God’s love, but that God’s spiritual laws are at work in the world. When we walk in them, we are allowed to experience their fruit in our lives. The problem arises when one takes the promises out of context and simply demands the result without taking part in the walk or character transformation that goes with it. The teaching therefore calls for reading the whole context, not just the part of the verse one spontaneously likes best.
Another theme is the difference between knowing God’s promises in one’s head and carrying them in one’s heart. It is explained how one can know many verses and phrases by heart, quote them impressively, and yet fail to have them incorporated into one’s very way of life and faith. What God seeks is not primarily intellectual ability, but a heart that has allowed His word to take root. Moving the promises from the head to the heart happens through time, repetition, reflection, prayer and practical obedience – by returning to God’s word again and again, meditating on it, and acting upon it. The promises are not intended as headings in a list, but as living words with the power to shape thoughts, patterns of behaviour and expectations.
The teaching also clarifies to whom God’s promises actually apply. It is emphasised that the promises do not automatically apply to all people, but to those who have accepted Jesus, made Him Lord of their lives and been baptised to belong to Him. Only then does one enter into the people called God’s own people, and thus come under the promises God has given His people throughout history. This means that one cannot speak uncritically of identity in Christ and God’s promises to people who have not surrendered their lives to Jesus. At the same time, it is emphasised that as soon as a person accepts Jesus Christ and makes Him Lord, all the promises also apply to that person. Identity is transformed in Christ, and the promises become personal, not merely general statements addressed to ‘someone else’.
The teaching encourages spending time looking up the scriptures, reading the full context and allowing the Holy Spirit to speak through them. Instead of merely reading a list of statements about what God has promised, we are encouraged to look for what the verses say about God’s character, humanity’s response, and the process into which God invites us. For example, the promise “When I come to Jesus, He will give me rest” can open the door to a deeper understanding that rest is not something one simply receives in isolation from fellowship with Jesus, but something one enters into by seeking His presence and living in intimacy with Him. In this way, the promises allow us to shift our focus away from the pursuit of specific gifts and back onto the relationship with God itself.
In conclusion, it all comes together in a call to know God’s promises, to get to know them, to use them actively in prayer and thanksgiving, and to let them transform our prayer life and daily existence. The promises are described as full of life, power and vitality – something that transforms from the inside out when one holds fast to them and does not give up, even when the struggle persists. Emphasis is placed on the fact that faith can rise up like a warrior within, when one both imagines God’s victory in one’s life and confesses the promises aloud. The teaching challenges us to let go of comparing ourselves to others, to drop self-condemnation, and instead to stand firm on the promises God has given to each of us individually, in the awareness that everyone is different and that God has a unique task for each person. In this way, God’s promises become not merely words of comfort in difficult times, but a way of life in which one lives daily by what God has said, and expects Him to make His words come alive and take effect.
Quote from the teaching: “When we hold fast to God’s promises and pray with them, faith rises up like a warrior within and transforms both our prayer and our lives.”
Relevant keywords:
God’s promises – standing firm on God’s Word – faith and action – prayer and promises – God’s foundation – spiritual warfare – healing and promises – fear and peace – identity in Christ – God’s people – promises and obedience – meditating on the Bible – promises in everyday life – power in the tongue – praying with Bible verses – seeking God’s kingdom first – self-condemnation and grace – resting in Jesus – God’s Word and faith
