GOD SAYS YES! WILL YOU SAY AMEN!

How do I make choices and decisions that bring about the blessings and favour of God in my life? Why am I not seeing all the promises of God in the Bible outworked in my life?
Is there anything I can do to position myself to experience this abundant life Jesus has made available to us more fully? If these are questions you’ve been asking yourself keep reading.

Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 1:15 – 20

THE IMMEDIATE CONTEXT: 2 COR 1:15-18

2 Corinthians 1:15-18 (NKJV) And in this confidence I intended to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit to pass by way of you to Macedonia, to come again from Macedonia to you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea. Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No? But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No.

Paul’s integrity as a reliable witness of the Gospel is being questioned. In his defence, he makes a distinction between what he “intended” to do and what he ended up doing after “planning.” He wanted the Corinthian church to know his ‘yes’ is not fickle but rooted in the same faithfulness of the God he serves.

INTENTIONS AND INTENTIONALITY

Notice the way he describes his decision-making—‘When I was planning this…’. He makes it clear that in his practice of doing life in Christ he is not wimsical in his decision making.

“…did I do it lightly?”

“Do I plan according to the flesh?’”

There are plans made lightly, in the flesh—driven by impulse, convenience, or pressure. Then there are plans made in the Spirit—prayed over, weighed, aligned with God’s faithfulness.

Paul tells us he does the latter. That is the secret to Paul’s life and ministry. He never acted on mere impulse. Even when his intentions were strong, he would not move forward until he did some Spirit-led planning. That’s why his ‘yes’ carried weight—because it reflected God’s ‘Yes’ in Christ.” A casual “I intend to” doesn’t carry the weight of a Spirit-led, prayerful plan.

In verses 18–19 we see the fruit of this approach:

2 Corinthians 1:18-19 (NKJV) But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes.

Paul is defending his integrity because a reliable message can be ruined by an unreliable messenger. Because the decisions he makes are made outside the realm of the flesh and in the realm of the Spirit and guided by God, there is no uncertainty that it will happen. “As God is faithful,” our yes that we say in God will be a yes without any wavering or uncertainty.

God’s faithfulness never wavers, so our decisions made in the Spirit and not according to the flesh can enjoy that faithful, unwavering certainty. Actions born from impulsive fleshly decisions will not have the same certainty as those that arise from Spirit-led, Spirit-considered choices.

Spirit-led planning transforms intentions into reliable actions. Don’t remain passive with your intentions; create space for the Spirit to guide your planning, and observe how God works out His will through you.

AMEN THE PROMISES OF GOD

Paul goes on to say something very profound. To me it’s the secret to experiencing the promises of God.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NLT) For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

Here we see a demonstration of the importance of Divine guidance in every step of our lives. Since all God’s promises are YES, when we say “Amen” to His promises, we see the fulfilment of those promises, which brings glory to God.

Our “Amen” is the act of faith that allows the promises to take root in our lives. “And through Christ, our Amen ascends to God for his glory.” All of God’s promises are Yes and complete; our Amen turns them into our lived reality. We encounter this by agreeing, believing, and walking it out.

HOW TO AMEN GOD’S PROMISES

The word “Amen” is actually a loan word from the Hebrew language, which Paul uses to show what the mindset of a believer should be when they encounter the promises of God. Let us look at the original Hebrew word for Amen which is “aman”. Three ways the word is used in the Old Testament Hebrew text:

The first idea comes from the story of Abraham, the Father of Faith.

Genesis 15:6 (NLT) And Abram believed (aman) the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith.

The word “aman” here emphasises trusting and believing what God has said. Abram’s “amen” to God’s promise of descendants was not based on visible evidence but on the trustworthiness of God’s word. His faith shows us that saying “Amen” to what God has said means choosing to trust God even when circumstances seem impossible.

The use of aman in the following Scripture gives us a further idea of the Hebrew understanding of the word.

Numbers 12:7 (NKJV) Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful (aman) in all My house.

The use of ‘aman’ in this passage signifies a sustained and unwavering belief—remaining loyal to what you believe over a long time. Not just trusting what God said, but consistently holding on to that faith. Moses’ life demonstrates that believing is not a one-off act of faith but a lifetime of walking in steady obedience and trust, even through wilderness seasons.

The last passage I wish to show you features a very rare use of the word aman. This is the only instance in the Old Testament where it is used in this manner.

Ruth 4:16 (NKJV) Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse (aman) to him.

This is a distinctive use of the word “aman” that highlights the idea of holding close and nurturing with care. Just as Naomi tenderly nurtured the child, our Amen signifies keeping God’s promises near, tending them with prayer and patience until they take root and develop fully in our lives.

So the next time you say Amen to God’s promises, remember that it requires you:

• To believe, trust, and have faith in God’s promises.
• To stay faithful in believing and trusting in His promises.
• To keep His promises close to you, nurturing them until they manifest in your life.

God’s promises are unshakable, but we must actively affirm them—trusting, agreeing, and nurturing them in faith—so they transition from Scripture into lived reality. God’s promises are already true; our ‘Amen’ makes them an experiential truth in our lives.

HOW DOES ONE EXPERIENCE GOD’S PROMISES?

Here are two suggestions I recommend you start doing to strengthen your faith in this area.

1. STOP DRIFTING – MOVE FROM INTENTIONS TO INTENTIONAL ACTIONS

Wish lists and unacted-upon desires may linger in your mind and even make you feel good, but they lead nowhere. Saying, “I wish I could hear from God,” will not change anything. Stop wishing—start pursuing. Be intentional: commit to a course of action. Set a plan, allocate your time and energy, and take purposeful steps.

For example: “I will read my Bible by setting an alarm for 6:00 AM, opening to a specific chapter, and reading without distraction.”

Plan it. Do it. Be intentional about exposing yourself to the promises of God.

2. AMEN THE PROMISES OF GOD

Don’t just read the promises—believe them. Repeat them. Echo them until they resonate deep within your soul.

Pray them. Weave them into your conversations with God. Thank Him for them, trusting they will come to pass.

And don’t just believe—live them. Practice them daily, over and over, until they shape the very pattern of your life.

Take practical steps of faith—start small, but start. If you are believing God for provision, set aside something to honour Him. If your budget is tight, begin with a dollar, then five dollars—but do something tangible to show you believe His promise is coming.

Don’t just believe and live it—nourish it. Feed your faith. Guard it when discouragement comes. Find a prayer partner; call them when you’re struggling and pray together. Join a study group, a men’s group, or a women’s group. Surround yourself with encouragement. Nourish what you are believing God for.

BE INTENTIONAL WITH GOD’S PROMISES. AMEN HIS PROMISES. AND MAY YOUR LIFE BECOME A TESTIMONY OF HIS FAITHFULNESS AS YOU WALK IN THE REWARD OF ALL HE HAS SPOKEN.