Teachings

Five Different Types of Promises in God’s Kingdom

December 10, 2025 /
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There are many types or kinds of promises in God’s kingdom.  I want to focus on five vital types in this article.

The Truths of the Cross

To start with, Jesus’ death on His cross opened the door for the believer to receive several powerful, eternity changingbenefits.  When Jesus said, “It is finished (John 19:30),” He extended to His believers several benefits.  The believers must cooperate and believe for these truths to be effective in their lives. The five promises of the cross found in Colossians chapter 1 and chapter 2, are what we will focus on.  They are the following: Redemption, Reconciliation, Crucified with Christ, Dead to the law, and Authority over demons won at the cross. These truths of the cross are one type of promise found in the Bible and New Testament. I will focus on these five truths later in this article.Some truths of the cross are hard to receive, but when one sees them with all of the other kinds of promises; they are easier to swallow.  Thus, we will save them until the end.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

A second type or kind of promise in the New Covenant and Bible, is the promise of the Holy Spirit (John 20:16 17 and John 20:21-22). After Jesus rose from the dead, He told Mary not to cling to Him (John 20:17)because He had more work to do.  He needed to ascendto the right hand of His Father; receive the Holy Spirt from His Father; and then send the Spirit down to His believers.  (Jesus previously told His disciples that the Spirit was with them and would soon be in them, in John 14:17). The Holy Spirit was first given to thebelievers in Christ on what we call Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks as the Hebrews called it.The Holy Spirit is now in His believers. With the believer’s faith and cooperation, the Spirit can and wants to impart the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23); and He can and wants to impart gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).  The Holy Spirit, also known as the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13), has an important ministry of helping us to understand the Bible(1Corinthians 2:10, 12; Ephesians 1:17-18; 1John2:26-27; Luke 12:12; John 14:16-17; Acts 7:51;John 16:13-15; and many more scriptures). We also can and should avail ourselves of counsel from other believers, so we can check and confirm what we think God showed us in the Bible.

Jesus depicted the Spirit as rivers of living water in John 7:37-39.  A river will disappear or become stagnant if it there is not a constant flow.  Believers have a responsibility to be filled with the Holy Spirit on a daily basis by faith. They are to surrender to the Lordship of Christ and His Spirit. Those who are lead by the Spirit, these are the sons of God (Romans 8:14, Romans 8:9-11).

I personally stand on many promises of the Spirit on a daily basis: the fruit of the Spirit (I started declaring daily Galatians 5:22-23 over myself, belatedly in my life); and I declare many gifting’s of the Spirit like wisdom, word of knowledge, gifts of healings, etc.). I also pray the “Ephesians 1:17-18” prayer, and many other like scriptures regarding the Spirit leading us into all truth. I’ve been declaring and praying this Ephesians 1prayer over myselfdaily, for almost 30 years. This started when the Holy Spirit clearly spoke to my heart and challenged me to pray this Ephesians 1:16-22 prayer daily.  The idea was to do it for as long as I could handle it. It’s been 30 years and I’m still doing it.

The Positive “If, Then” Promises

A third type or kind of promise is what one might call an “if, then” promise. All of God’s promises have an “if, then” aspect to them, but this type requires an act of obedience from the believer in order for God to fulfill His part of the promise.  The blessings of the law in the Old Testament were and can be an example of this (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Another famous example of this kind of promise is found in Malachi 3:8-12. Here, God told the Hebrews to test Him regarding the tithes and offerings. God told them to test and try Him by bringing all of the tithes into the storehouse.  He promised to open for them the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing on them that there would not be room enough to receive it.  He also promised to rebuke the devourer, and give the Hebrews great honor among the nations. Their obedience in this matter would release blessings from Heaven.  New Testament believers have access to this promise. The New Testament also has many of these “if, then” promises.  Galatians 6:7-10 teaches us that we will reap what we sow. Good seed or “sowing to the Spirit” reaps everlasting life; while bad seed or “sowing to the flesh” will reap corruption.  Galatians 6:7-8 also brings us to the fourth kind or type of promise.

The Negative “IF, Then” Promises

The fourth type or kind of promise relates to the judgments of God.  “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).  Vengeance and wrath belong to God.  In the book of Revelation, the martyrs were crying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth(Revelation 6:10)?”  God determines the times and the judgements according to His own counsel.  These judgments belong to Him.

You might consider these judgments the negative side of the “if,then”  promises, mentioned third in this teaching.  In the blessings and cursing’s of the law covered in Deuteronomy chapter 28, the blessings for obedience would apply to our discussion of the positive “if, then” promises.  With obedience to God’s commands, the believer can have positive expectations of what God will do for him. With disobedience to God’s commands, the believer can expect curses and judgments. One reaps what he sows.  “7 Do not be deceived.  God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh  reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life (Galatians 6:7-8).” These judgments are the fourth kind of promises in this teaching.  These judgments are the opposites of the blessings for obedience.  They are the “if,then” in the negative.

In the Old Testament God’s people were warned about the curses that would come upon them for disobedience; especially willful, stubborn, and continual disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). These are powerful judgements.Just as there are blessings for obedience (Deuteronomy 28:1-14), the exact opposite are God’s judgements for disobedience.  The Holy Spirit is given to the New Testament believer so they can live for God.  At the cross the believer is given authority over his flesh.  Romans 6:1-11 is one example of this authority described in the New Testament. 

Mistakes are one thing; and they are bad enough. God makes provision for us to confess our sins and receive forgiveness to put them behind us(1John 1:8-10). But, practicing sin is something else completely (Galatians 5:21, 1Corinthians 7:9-11, Matthew 7:21 and 23).  Practicing sin gets to the point where the sin or sins define who we are. Lying to someone is bad enough. Lying and practicing lying to the point where you are a liar; this requires calling on the Savior for help and genuine salvation and deliverance.

The book of Revelation describes many judgements from God. The seven trumpets described in Revelation will be God’s judgements on a sinful world.  The seventh trumpet encompasses theseven more terrible, bowl judgements which will be from God on this rebellious world.  Mystery Babylon is judged (Revelation 17:1-2).  The book of Revelation describes the judgements on the false prophet, the beast, and the devil who is Satan (Revelation 19:20 and Revelation 20:1-3, 10). Finally, all of humanity from the beginning of the world until the end of the ages, are judged (Revelation20: 11-15).

In fact, judgement starts with the house of God first, according to 1Peter 4:17.  Jesus was with “…eyes like a flame of fire” in Revelation 1:14; and “His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace… ,”in Revelation 1:15. Jesus was ready to judge His seven churches (Revelation chapters 2 through 3). The fire and the brass speak of judgement.  Jesus said to the church of Laodicea, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent (Revelation 3:19).”  John 15:2 and Hebrews 12:5-11are other examples of the Father’s chastisement (spankings) for His children.  All seven churches in the book of Revelation were first evaluated and judged by Jesus; this happened before the rest of the judgements mentioned above in the book of Revelation.

The Promises of Agreement

A fifth kind or type of promise found in the Bible relates to the unity of the believers.  In Matthew 18:19-20 Jesus says, “19 Assuredly, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.’”  This is a promise, based on the unity of the believers.   This kind of promise requires at least two believers in agreement.

The church at Corinth gathered together and had to address a disciplinary problem by a member.  “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,…”(1Corinthians 5:4).  When they gathered together, the power of the Lord Jesus Christ showed up also in a special way.

Psalm 133:1 declares, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity!”  Psalm 133:3 declares, “…For there the Lord commanded the blessing­­–Life forevermore.”  God does something in a unified body that cannot be replicated anywhere else, as far as I know.  God does something for two believers in agreement that cannot be accomplished by just one believer.(Real quickly here; some of the main hindrances to fellowship in the body of Christ are the following: plain old sin; self-righteousness and pride; and false teaching.Self-righteousness and pride tend to accompany being under the law.  The Pharisees were a great example of being under the law, and being full of pride and self-righteousness.)

The Truths of the Cross (Continued)

Now let’s go back to the truths of the cross.  This is the first type of promise mentioned at the beginning of this article.

11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, Who raised Him from the dead.

13 And you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh.  He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.  And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.  Colossians 2:11-15

There are four benefits of the cross of Christ mentioned in this section of the book of Colossians.  A fifth truth of the cross regarding reconciliation is mentioned in Colossians 1:20-22.

 In verse 11, Paul is referring to how the believer has been crucified with Christ so that he does not have to be a slave of sin. The believer can develop a confidence(not a self-confidence)that he is dead to, and therefore no longer a slave to sin;this confidence is because he died with Christ by faith(Romans 6:1-11, Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17; and many more).  Romans 6:6 declares that the believer no longer has to be a slave of sin; this does not mean that the believer never sins. There is a difference between being a slave of sin or a particular sin; and making a mistake.  There is a difference between practicing a sin, and making a mistake (Galatians 5:21, Matthew 7:23, 1Corinthians 6:9-11).If one sins, he can confess his sin and receive forgiveness and cleansing (1John 1:9).

In verse 12, the apostle Paul declares that by faith, the believer was buried with Christ through baptism ,and then raised with Christ. Often when the New Testament talks of being crucified with Christ, the next thought is that the believer was also raised with Christ.  Two big points to be made here: one big point is that you cannot rise with Christ in an experiential way, if you do not  die  ith Christ inan experiential way.  The second big point is that if you do choose to be crucified with Christ in an experiential way (considering  or thinking of yourself as being dead to sin, or dead to a particular sin; as promised in Romans 6:11), you must also rise with Christ by walking in the Spirit Who replaces your sin life.  The Spirit seeks to fill the vacuum left when youdie to and forsakes a sin or sins. These sins were your previous life.  Life in the Holy Spirit is now your new life (2 Corinthians 5:17, notice the context before this verse; i.e., 2 Corinthians 5:14-15).” We were raised up with Christ so that we can be filled with the Spirit; and bear fruit unto God (Romans 7:4,Galatians 5:22-23; etc.)You were raised with Christ to be avessel for God’s Spirit to help you do God’s will.

There is a progressive sanctification where the believer is making progress in their walk with Christ, but there is also anauthority over and deliverance from sin; that the believer is entitled to, because they were crucified with Christ. This truth of the deliverance of the cross, will require meditation on this word of deliverance; and will require much effort to apply it to one’s life.Romans 6:1-11 and other like scriptures are a great starting point to memorize and meditate on. Understanding one’s deliverance won at the cross by Christ, is a colossal, world changing revelation.  This authority over sin means that you do not have to live with any given sin.  A particular area of your life might be giving you trouble, but you can know that you don’t have to live with it, or be dominated by it. This confidence was won at the cross of Christ.  It is your privilege in Christ. The only problem you might have is wanting to be free from a particular sin.  You can ask the Holy Spirit to give you the “want to” regarding your deliverance from that sin.  Jesus set you free at the cross, but there might be some areas of sin that you enjoy and do not want deliverance from.  This is where the chastisement of the Lord can set in (Hebrews 12:8-11; Revelation 3:19; and more).

Also, walking in the Spirit involves all of the promises of the Spirit mentioned before in this article.  Also, being lead by the Spirit is criticalin experiencing what God expects from us. “For as many as are lead by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Romans 8:14).” “….Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His (Romans 8:9b).” The Spirit will help us and encourage us in our walk. He will provide times of refreshing  from the presence of the Lord(Acts 3:19) as we follow God.

In verse 13 of Colossians chapter 2, Paul speaks of forgiveness of sins won at the cross.  Forgiveness for and deliverance from sin, go hand in hand.  At the cross Jesus paid for our sins, extending to us forgiveness.  Also, at the cross we died with Jesus.  The very early church understood both truths, and knew them to complement each other.The reason I know this is because this is how the New Testament teaches these truths. As an example of this, Colossians 2:11-14 lists these truths of the cross together.

In verse 14 of Colossians chapter 2, Paul is referring to deliverance from the law.  This message is found in Romans chapter 7, where the whole chapter is devoted to it.  Consider Romans 7:4, 1 Corinthians 15:56, and Galatians 2:19.  In these scriptures, deliverance from the law is meant to result in us living for God (Galatians 2:19), and bearing fruit unto God (Romans 7:4-8). 

Romans 7:6 states that the law held or holds us.  “But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter”(Romans 7:6). The law (even though the law is perfect) relies on our self-effort. The law, even though it is perfect, exposes our rebellious nature (1Corinthians 15:16).  The law promotes and relies on sinful man to do God’s will (Romans 8:3-4).  The law becomes a ministry of condemnation to sinful man (2Corinthians 3:7-11).  Colossians 2:14, which is the scripture we are interpreting here, speaks of “…the hand writing of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.”  When we died with Christ by grace, we died to the law (Romans 7:4, Galatians 2:19) so that we can walk in the Spirt and bear fruit to God.

The Holy Spirit replaces the law in the believer’s life.Consider Romans 8:1-4; Galatians 5:22-23; and Galatians 5:18.  Galatians 5:23,regarding the fruit of the Spirit ends with this phrase, “…against such things there is no law.” The Holy Spirit and me, replaces the law and me.  Cooperation and reliance on the Holy Spirit replaces the self-effort and the self confidence that being under the law leads to. Humans are truly sinful. The law exposes this (1Corinthians 15:56, Romans 7:10-13) and is like a tutor who leads us to Christ (Galatians 3:19-27). I now rely and ask the Holy Spirit to help me live for God.  It is no longer, “I’m going to do this .”  It is now, “God help me do this.” It is now, “I with the Holy Spirit’s help am going to do this.”  And I will give God the glory for the victory. I will not take the glory for myself.

When people are under the law, as many church people are, they cannot help but being self -righteous, haughty, condemnatory, and hypocritical (phony).Being under the law encourages people to take the glory for themselves. The Pharisees were the greatest example of being under the law; and they became all of what I just mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph.  Church people who are under the law, can live and be very much like the Pharisees. 

Also, self-esteem is an idea promoted by many today. Self-esteem puts a person under the law. Self-esteem is contrary to being dead to sin and the law, and being filled with the Spirit. Self-esteem does not give glory to God (Philippians 3:3, Romans 2:29).  Consider Philippians 3:3-14, where Paul considers his credentials and accomplishments that he had before Christ,to be rubbish in comparison to experientially knowing and being united with Christ in His death and His resurrection. I have found self-esteem teaching to eventually lead to head strong, foolish, supremely arrogant, and even dangerous individuals. Western society has many such people. Life in the Spirit promotes and is evidenced by sincerity,compassion, humility and reasonableness.

In verse 15 of Colossians chapter 2, Paul speaks of disarming demon powers and making an open spectacle of them through the cross of Christ. This is the fourth benefit of the cross mentioned in Colossians chapter 2.  When we believers start to experience the deliverance and forgiveness of the cross of Christ, the devil does not have the sway over us that he once had. When we embrace these truths of the cross in our lives, we are disarming the devil in our lives. When we start to experience the deliverance from the self-confidence promoted by the law, also won at the cross; we can bear fruit to God. With us walking in Spirit power and not self-power, the devil cannot toy with us,use us, and manipulate us so easily.

In Revelation 12:10 a loud voice from heaven spoke, calling the devil, “the accuser of our brethren.”  The blood of Christ’s cross and the forgiveness it offers, disarms the devil with his accusations. The devil’s accusations lose their impact on the believer. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives to the death (Revelation 12:11).”

In Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus was tempted by the devil to sin. In the Garden of Eden, the devils tempted Eve (Genesis 3:1-7) to sin and disobey God.  The apostle Paul wrote about the possibility of the Corinthians being tempted and corrupted by the devil (2Corinthians 11:3) like Adam and Eve were. In Ephesians 2:4, Paul writes, “in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience….”

The point of the scriptures mentioned in the paragraph immediately above, is that because of the cross of Christ we don’t have to be held bondage by the devil to do his will.  A particular truth of the cross regarding this is the truth that we have been crucified with Christ by faith. By working this truth into our lives and by applying this truth in our actual experience, the devil loses power over us.  The devil begins to lose his ability to dominate us in our preferred, habitual sins.Here, the devil is being disarmed.

Remember that at the cross of Christ, He redeemed us.  Also, at the cross of Christ, we died with Him, and we died to our self-reliance (the law) and self-righteousness, also.  The benefits of the cross of Christ disarm the devil in our lives. Also, when we rebuke the devil and command him to leave, we make a “…public spectacle of him…” (Colossians 2:15). When we embrace the cross and all of its benefits, this makes is much easier for the believer to command the devil to go and stay gone, in areas of weakness.Dominion over demons requires us to exercise our authority won at the cross, or found elsewhere in our salvation (as in the Word and by the Holy Spirit):

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, and against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the  heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:12-13)

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. (2Peter 5:8-9)

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

11 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Revelation 12:11)

And thus, to sum up this article, we dealt with five kinds or types of promises in the kingdom of God.  Undoubtedly there are more kinds of promises.  Possibly the activity of angels in the kingdom of God relates to another kind promise. Angelic help and activity could go hand in hand with some of what was covered in the five types of promises dealt with in this article.  I believe that angels are sent by God into our circumstances when we stand on God’s word, or when we simply ask God for help in times of need.  Also, the book of Revelation describes angels being involved in God’s judgements (Revelation 8:1-13, etc.).

And so, this article describes five kinds of promises in the kingdom of God:

  • the truths of the cross;
  • the promise of the Holy Spirit and all of His manifestations;
  • the “if, then” promises like the blessings of the law, and much more; positive “if, then,”
  • the judgements of God like the curses of the law for disobedience; negative “if, then,”
  • and the “unity” promises, or the promises of agreement.

       The truths of the cross all happened simultaneously and were completed when Jesus said, “It is finished,” in John 19:30. They do require our agreement, cooperation and faith.  All of the five kinds of promises do require our agreement, cooperation and faith.