The Power of a Vow

Publish date: 03/26/2007

And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."  Genesis 28:13-15 NKJV

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. 22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."  Genesis 28:20-22 NKJV

God made Jacob a promise and Jacob made a vow to God. God promised to bless, protect, and provide for Jacob and his children and Jacob vowed to serve God and to tithe on everything God gave him. God and Jacob made, committed to, and kept, a covenant with one other. Modern day Christians don't seem to understand the significance of a covenant made with, or a vow made to, God. God does not take it lightly and neither should we. When you enter into a covenant with someone, what is yours becomes theirs and what is theirs becomes yours. Whether you realize it or not, when you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you entered into covenant with God.

When you received Jesus, you had nothing to offer Him. He took your death and gave you His life; He took your sin and clothed you in righteousness; He took all your sickness, all your disease, all your lack, all your junk, and all the bad things in your life, and offered you all of His health and blessings.

God always keeps His covenant promises, but He can do nothing for us if we don't keep ours. You must realize that your giving, your tithing, and your making and keeping your vows to God, all enable the Lord to move on your behalf, protect you from the devil's plans for you, and mightily bless you!

If you return to the Almighty [and submit and humble yourself before Him], you will be built up; if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents, 24 If you lay gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brook [considering them of little worth], 25 And make the Almighty your gold and [the Lord] your precious silver treasure, 26 Then you will have delight in the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God. 27 You will make your prayer to Him, and He will hear you, and you will pay your vows. 28 You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light [of God's favor] shall shine upon your ways. 29 When they make [you] low, you will say, [There is] a lifting up; and the humble person He lifts up and saves. 30 He will even deliver the one [for whom you intercede] who is not innocent; yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.  Job 22:23-30 AMP

When you make God your precious treasure, you give Him His rightful place in your life; you delight in Him; you adore Him; you worship Him; you look to Him alone as your source and supply; you give Him your best. All these things work together to get God's attention and to cause His promises to you to be activated, and His blessings to be released onto your life.

When you are faithful to keep covenant with Him and pay Him what is owed to Him – the things He has asked you for and the things you promised to Him – you will lack nothing. God's favor will be upon your life. You have honored Him and He will honor you. When you ask for something, He will do it for you. He will even listen to you when you stand in the gap to pray a prayer for someone who is not deserving of His mercy. If you honor Him with your best, you position yourself as a person of covenant, a person after God's own heart, and a friend of God Almighty, Himself!

Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High, 15 And call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor and glorify Me.  Psalms 50:14-15 AMP

When you are faithful to keep your promises and pay your vows, God will be prompt and diligent to deliver you whenever you are in trouble. Then you will have yet another reason to praise and thank God. Keep your vows to God and He will keep the promises He has made to you!