Satan and God’s Promises

Satan says, “I will be like the Most High.” He makes use of all kinds of things in order to be great; he even makes use of God’s promises. This is an area where we have to be doubly on guard, for this poses a great danger, especially to God’s children. Satan says, “Step out on God’s promises” while he lays out a way for the inner eye to see. There is no place in the Bible that says we shall step out on God’s promises. Satan wants to do what God does. He wants to explain the way of life to souls. He places a glorious, golden sheen over the way in a person’s thoughts by removing the cross and showing a wonderful result that would, in his mind, result from his work. Then he whispers so tenderly: “Now you must step out on God’s promises. When you go through the waters they will not overflow you, and when you go through the fire it will not scorch you; just go ahead for it is written that ‘He will give His angels charge concerning you, in their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ I am with you all your days,’” etc. Satan tempted Jesus in the same way. He wanted Jesus to step out on God’s promises by quoting scriptures to Him. However, Jesus says, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.” Stepping out on your own or Satan’s planned ways by reminding God of His promises and asking Him for help is to tempt God. It is tempting God to say, “I shall go on this way, relying on God’s promises; and if it is not His will, He will surely stop me and hinder me.” Then you want to have His help, but on your own ways. It is not written in the Bible that we shall step out on His promises, but it is written that we shall do His will. When we do His will by being obedient, His promises will always be at hand. Then we can advance boldly, fully believing. We shall “step out” according to God’s command.

I have witnessed someone step out on God’s promises in order to proclaim God’s Word. The wife had to stay home; she had to farm out two small children, and she herself had to hire herself out as a maid while her husband dared to step out on God’s promises. I have witnessed people speaking derisively about those who could not experiment in that way, calling them unbelievers. It is quite fashionable to step out on God’s promises. A woman who had this understanding wanted to minister to the heathen, but when she understood that she actually wanted to “step out” on God’s promises and not according to God’s command, she stayed home. When a person “steps out” based on God’s command, things often look so ordinary; we frequently see no way out; we have to walk in blind faith, moment by moment. When Satan wants us to step out on promises, he paints beautiful results in our imagination that might astound the entire world, casting a beautiful radiance over the way. He wants to be great himself, and it is his goal to plant his nature into souls. We have seen that many people have fallen into Satan’s snares on this point.