Monday, September 2, 2019

By Grace through Faith: the Power of Positive Confession

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 
Ephesians 2:8 NKJV

16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be by Grace Romans 4:16a KJV



 We've been in an ongoing study looking at Faith. We've answered what Faith is and what it's not. Faith is being fully persuaded, without doubt, that what Jesus accomplished in the Finished Work and What God's Word proclaims and promises is ours now in Christ. Faith is not denying reality, or making foolish choices in this life. 

 We've seen how Faith comes and how it is released. We've seen Faith isn't a passive receiver, but rather an active participant and puts a demand on all God has purchased and provided. Today, I sense the leading to continue to focus on a major aspect of our Christian life. That is the issue of our words. 

 We saw last week that words have power. Words are containers. They contain life and blessing or they can contain hurt, harm and hopelessness. What are you saying? What are you speaking? 

Me and my big mouth...?

 All throughout Scripture we see God addressing our words. Do your words bring life? Do they minister Grace to the hearer? Do they agree with God or disagree with God? See what God says about our words.

23 Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from trouble. Proverbs 21:23 MEV

20 A man’s stomach will be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips will he be filled. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:20-21 MEV

We see clearly that our words can bring help or they can hinder our situation or circumstance. Did you know our words can affect others too? We can bring hope and life to others who may be going through a tough time. Or we can be the "downer" who speaks doom and gloom and how there is no hope in the situation. 

 Peter quotes the Psalms about the power of our words;

10 For “He who would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. 1 Peter 3:10 MEV

 Want to see good days more than bad ones? Want to experience joy and not sadness? Want to embrace hope and reject hopelessness? Want to have a better outlook on life instead of a bitter one? Think the thoughts of God and speak in agreement with what He has said in His Word and what He has done in His perfect work of redemption. 

 Remember the power of words and confession of our Faith. That being the confession of what we strongly believe. Jesus said we will have what we say

 If you don't want fear to dominate you and dictate your every action and thought, then speak words that agree with what God says. God says perfect love casts out fear. Speak words in agreement with God and His love. When fear tries to rear its head, speak the truth of God's perfect love for you. 

 Alongside fear is the deepest root, condemnation. Fear has torment because it has a fear of punishment. When we know we are accepted and approved and made perfectly righteous and no longer under the sentence of sin, we can rejoice freely. There is no more punishment for our sins. Jesus fully paid the price. We are free from shame, guilt, and condemnation. So fear and condemnation have no power over us. We then speak words agreeing with God and fear and condemnation flees. 

When circumstances and situations seem to not align with what God said, our words should still agree with what God said and not what it looks like. This is key, this is not denying the situation is real and ignoring it. This is choosing to agree with God, in spite of the circumstance. 

 When someone you prayed for to be saved is still in rebellion, don't agree with that behavior. Just continue to agree with what God said. When someone is a believer and you see them making poor choices, agree with God with your words. They are righteous, redeemed and made holy. 

 When you prayed and believed for your healing, the healing Christ purchased in the Finished Work, stay with what God has said and done. Your words can agree with the Finished Work or be based on the changing circumstances or fickle emotions. No matter the situation always agree with God. 

 In summation, the encouragement is to agree with God in your speech. Some believers seem burned out, discouraged, bitter, and hopeless. Why? Often it's because they continue to speak in disagreement with what God has said and done in His work of redemption. Agreeing with God produces a brighter outlook on life. Even if circumstances change for the worst so to speak, how we respond to the attacks is key to victory. 

 If all our words are "woe is me, I never get good breaks, bad stuff is always happening to me," how can you see God in the midst of your circumstance? God is there and He is with you and working it all out for your good. Yet if we continue to disagree with God, we are not receiving His help. We are relying on our own efforts, and the negative thinking and words disagreeing with God are hindering the reception of His goodness. Speak His words, agree with God, and trust in Him. Then victory will be ours. 
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

1 comment:

JOHNNY POIRIER said...

Dear brother John thanks for the teaching I agree 100%. I read a Proverb a day and post a verse on FBook from that chapter Proverbs 4 for September 4 verse whatever spoke to me, etc. But I really write to say I sent a message in messenger. It's the same one here. Just making sure you get it to be encouraged and blessed Brother. Here is the Messenger letter. Hey brother John it’s sort of a long story but I came across your name from a website that you got into a debate with Don Samdahl on his cessationist teaching “Sign Gifts Valid Today” and I wanna say that the Lord used you to help me to disburse all doubts of the gifts/healing because at certain times those things like doubt/unbelief enter into your head. And the enemy will use the twisting of the Scriptures and make it say things that it doesn’t and I happened upon Samdahl’s website during a hard time (having a argument with my wife which we all do, ironically on scripture and whatever) and read one teaching. Even to my wife and she didn’t like it. But I continued on an finished it and went to a second (on the gifts) and BOOM! �� You pummeled his unbelief and lackadaisical faith to a pulp. Even before I read your words of defense I wrote to him and said he was wrong that he is a FOLLOWER OF PAUL. First Corinthians 11 verse one says be followers of me as I am of Christ. Therefore if we follow Christ we will be followers of what Paul is teaching and vice versa. The bottom line is that we pick up our cross and follow Jesus not Paul. But one good thing through this fellow that I learned is what a dispensationalist is. So thank you again Brother John for making excellent points. You did a lot of writing, a lot of words, I know how much time that can take but he still didn’t see it in the end but it was meant for me 5 YEARS LATER! It wasn’t in vain. Thank you. God bless you brother. Keep praising, healing the sick and casting out demons with other mighty signs following.