The Importance of Speaking the Right Words

If faith is a substance (Hebrews 11:1), it has to be built. It takes time and effort to build faith. Nobody will build your faith for you - you are personally responsible for growing your own faith.

Jude 20
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

You have to build your own faith, and work out your salvation with fear and trembling - no one will do it for you:

Philippians 2:12-13

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

You do not work for salvation, but you work it out. You keep building your faith. 

As we said last Sunday, what you cannot see is more real than what you can see. 

Proverbs 18:20

A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

Whatever is filling your life is a product of what you say. 

John 7:38

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

You can change what you see by using the right words. What you continuously speak is what will fill your life. Your stomach, according to John 7:38, is your heart. Your heart is filled by what you continuously speak. 

Let us look at a few instances from the Bible of people whose speaking brought them blessing and cursing. 

Genesis 25:32

And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”

Esau, by such a simple statement as the one above, sold his birthright to his brother. Due to this, Isaac his father blessed Jacob instead of Esau (Genesis 27:28-29), and cursed Esau (verses 39-40). Esau did not watch what he said, and by this forfeited his birthright and blessing. 

Genesis 31:32

With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

This is the story of Jacob and Laban. Jacob's wife Rachel had stolen the gods of laban, and when Laban realized this and chased after him, Jacob made this statement. For sure, Rachel died shortly after this incident, while giving birth to Benjamin (Genesis 35:18-19). 

Let us now study the importance of positive confession:

1 Samuel 17:37-51

Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

38 So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.

40 Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. 41 So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. 43 So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”

45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

48 So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 

52 Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron.

David had already spoken the outcome of his battle with Goliath. He declared his deliverance in advance. 

Many people are defeated even before they start the battle. David was declaring that the battle belonged to the Lord, not to him (verse 45). David prophesied to himself victory. You can prophesy what will happen to yourself, you do not need a prophet. You are a prophet yourself.

David did not have a sword; he called those things that were not as though they were, by saying that he would take Goliath's head from him. 

God wants to do something that will make the whole earth know that you have a God, but you will have to stand up like David (verse 46). 

David recognized that the battle was not his. God wants to do something with you that will bring victory and challenge others to know that the Lord does not save by swords, spears and javelins. 

You may have a lot of words/ scriptures, but you will only need one. Because David spoke his fate with one word, he determined his fate, and that's how it came to be. He struck Goliath and took his head from him, just like he said he would. 

All the cowards and mockers could rush and fight after David slew Goliath, because David decided to speak God's promises over his life (verse 52). 

Jeremiah 23:28-29

“The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the Lord. 29 “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

What you declare stays. Many people are speaking the word, but few are speaking it faithfully.

The woman with the issue of blood said continuously that if she touched the hem of Jesus' garment, she would get healed (Mark 5:26, AMP). This is what she did, and got healed. By saying this continuously, she was building her faith and deciding her fate. When she touched the hem of Jesus' garment, she received her healing. 

There are times when you will be forced not to say anything. Jairus, in Mark 5:36, after hearing that his daughter had died, did not say a word. Earlier on, he had spoken by faith that if Jesus laid His hands on her she would get healed and live (verse 23). Jesus, upon reaching Jairus' house, did not even pray. He just took her hand and told her to arise, which she did. Note that Jesus Himself refused to confess that she was dead, and instead said that she was only asleep (verse 39). 

Even when the circumstances are giving you negative reports and want you to speak negatively, continue to speak the word of God faithfully, according to Jeremiah 23:28. 

By speaking the word, you're releasing fire to your situation. As you continue speaking to your situation, it will eventually break into pieces, as the word of God is like a hammer. BUT, you have to speak it faithfully. 

Job 22:28 (AMP)

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.
 

What you declare has to be decided by you. A decree is a law, and cannot be changed. If you want to walk in favor, you have to stop speaking negativities over your life. God will only establish for you what you decree and declare. 

Whatever the Lord will establish for you is not what people have said over your life, but what you declare over your life. Do not be concerned with what people say, be concerned with what you say. 

Proverbs 6:2

You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth.

Are you being taken captive by what you speak? 

We are co-workers with God. From today, declare the word of God over your life, over and over and over again, and it will be established for you.

Amen. 

-- Apostle Dr. David Karanja. 

(19/5/13 Sunday Service Sermon, Africa Transformation Mission. At Pramukh Plaza, 6th Floor)

Apostle Dr. David Karanja is the Senior Pastor at Africa Transformation Mission, a ministry under Christ Harvesters Ministries.