⚠️ Warning: This Post May Step on Toes
1. Matthew 18:18–19 – “Binding and Loosing”
“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
— Matthew 18:18 (NIV)
We often use this in prayer to “bind” demons, poverty, or sickness and “loose” bondage, blessings, wealth, or peace. For example: “I bind the spirit of fear and loose the hold of the enemy over my life!”
But when reading this in the bible what do we see? This verse comes from a passage about church discipline (Matthew 18:15–20). Jesus is giving His disciples authority to make judgments about unrepentant sin within the local church based on heaven’s authority. Apparently “binding” and “loosing” were rabbinic legal terms that meant forbidding or permitting something in line with Scripture.
Meaning
- It’s about spiritual authority within the church, not about manipulating spiritual forces.
- As believers, we do have authority in Christ but it’s not a magical formular for us to recite.
- For spiritual warfare, it might be better to use Ephesians 6:10–18 (putting on the armor of God) than the binding/loosing terminology.
2. Isaiah 54:17 – “No Weapon Formed Against You Shall Prosper”
“No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord…”
— Isaiah 54:17 (NIV)
Many of us use this to speak over our lives as a shield against any opposition: bad news, sickness, spiritual attacks, gossip, lawsuits, etc. Reading it in context; this is part of a prophetic promise to Israel during their restoration after exile. Isaiah 54 speaks of the future blessing, protection, and vindication of God’s covenant people, Israel. It’s not an individual promise, rather it’s for a specific group of people going through a specific experience.
3. Philippians 4:13 – “I Can Do All Things…”
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
— Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
I’ve literally had this quote as my wallpaper in the past, to boost my self confidence and remind myself that God is with me in every step I take; exams, business deals, athletic competitions, or major life goals.
But Apostle Paul is not talking about achieving dreams. He’s talking about enduring both abundance and lack, hunger and need. He had learned the secret of contentment in all circumstances, whether comfortable or painful.
To give a bit of context verse 12 says:
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty…”
4. Mark 11:24 – “Believe and Receive”
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
— Mark 11:24 (NIV)
A pastor still used this verse this morning in a podcast I was listening to. We’re known to recite it to support the ‘name-it-and-claim-it’ or ‘positive confession’ theology. That if you believe hard enough and speak it, God is obligated to give it to you. “I declare my healing! I believe it’s already mine!”
Again, reading the verse in context; Jesus curses the fig tree, a symbol of Israel’s fruitlessness. He uses it to teach about faith and prayer, but He’s not offering a blank check. In the broader biblical context, prayer must always align with God’s will (1 John 5:14) and come from a right heart (James 4:3).
Also note verse 25, that follows with:
“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them…”
So, conditions like forgiveness, humility, and God’s will are critical.
So how do we go about biblical promises?
1. Context Is Everything
2. Figure out who the promise is for and why
3. Acknowledge that not all promises are universal. Some are personal and may not work for you.
Does this mean we can’t use those verses personally?
No. But there’s a difference between applying a passage to our situation and claiming it as if it were a direct promise made to us.
For example, Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God is faithful, purposeful, and redemptive, even when His people are in exile. That reflects His character, which does not change (Malachi 3:6). So we can be encouraged that God has good intentions for His people (for us), but we shouldn’t treat it as a guarantee that our lives will unfold exactly the way we want.
It’s dangerous to claim promises out of context because of:
- Disillusionment: When healing, success, or peace doesn’t come as we expect or when we expect it, we question God’s faithfulness and are disappointed in Him.
- Shallow theology: We train ourselves to cherry-pick verses that work in our favor rather than study God’s Word holistically.
- False teaching: It opens the door to prosperity gospel thinking, where God is a vending machine for our personal comfort.
There are many promises that are for all believers:
- Salvation: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
- Presence: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
- Peace: “Do not be anxious… and the peace of God… will guard your hearts.” (Philippians 4:6–7)
- Security: “Nothing can separate us from the love of God.” (Romans 8:38–39)
These are grounded in the New Covenant and repeated throughout Scripture.
To cut the long story short, we need to be careful not to grab verses out of their biblical and cultural context. The Bible isn’t a motivational calendar set aside for us. It’s the inspired Word of God, meant to be studied, meditated on, and rightly interpreted. When we treat promises carefully and honor their context, we discover something better than self-centered encouragement: we get close to understanding who God is and His plans for our lives.
Stay Blessed x
