The Marks of the Religious (minded) Man: Loveless

 

making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:13 NKJ 

Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said. Colossians 2:8 TLB

They act as if they worshipped God, yet they do not let God's power work in their lives. Keep away from people like that. 2 Timothy 3:5 WE

 Religious tradition makes God's Word of no effect. It replaces truth with tradition. It is man's attempt to interact with God on its own terms. Jesus never came to start a new religion. He came to reveal a relationship with the Father that is based on His Goodness, Jesus' Finished Work, and our simple trust in this loving God. 

 We have been examining the anatomy of religion. We have seen that religion is powerless. It is powerless to transform lives, to minister in the supernatural, and relegates God and His Word as a relic to admire. 

 Religion is Faithless. It trusts in works and performance. It believes Faith can't change situations or circumstances. Religion is knowledgeless. It is ignorant of the Cross, Jesus' Goodness, and who God is. Religion says God sent the storm to judge a city, then in the next breath says let's take up a collection to help the city. Religion is inconsistent in its thinking.

 The next mark of religion is loveless. Religion is cold, callous, unfeeling, and is not marked by compassion. Look again at John 9. We can clearly see loveless religion in operation. 

 Religion didn't rejoice that the man was made whole. They were indignant that the rules weren't followed. They even rebuked and condemned this man for attributing his healing to God. They finally kicked him out of the Synagogue. 

 The most beautiful aspect of this account in John's Gospel is that when religion kicked this man out, Jesus was right there to greet him. Jesus is always there for us. Jesus is the demonstration of the Love of God. 

 Religion has a form of Godliness, but in operation, it can be quite unloving and uncompassionate. Take divorce, for instance. Religion takes a quote from Jesus and misapplies passages from Paul, forming a rigid traditional rule that adultery is the ONLY acceptable reason for divorce. 

 I have seen religion tell women who are in violent relationships where a man is beating them that this is not grounds for divorce. It is not hyperbole to proclaim that religion has blood on its hands. Telling women God hates divorce, so stay and get beaten up. I tell you, tradition is cold, callous, loveless, dead religion. Preserving their rules is all they focus on.

 Look how the Holy Spirit, through Paul, defines love in 1 Corinthians 13. Love is patient and kind, not self-seeking. Love is not coveting the possessions, the position, the preeminence of others. Love has been shed abroad in our hearts. We love because we rest in Christ's Love for us. Love is long suffering, love is preferring others, love is not self-promotion, love is compassionate.

 This Love transforms our lives. It transforms our thinking. It transforms our relationships. It transforms how we live. God first loved us; this is His Grace in action.

 Again, religion is about rules and less about relationships. What loveless religion misses is that Paul declared walking in love is holiness.

11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 NKJV

 Loveless religion focuses on keeping outward rules. It focuses on the "R-rated" sins. Yet it seemingly ignores the inward flaws that Jesus called out when He walked among us. The religious-minded don't cuss or drink, but they gossip, they backbite, they group up in cliques. Some even harbor bitterness, envy, and unforgiveness.

 These are the things God's Love delivers us from. Love received supplies us to love others. Love received is Love flowing through us to others.

 God's Love is unconditional and unchanging. His Love reaches into the darkest places, shining Redemption's light. His Love compels compassion, kindness, and giving. There is no greater blessing than to be a help to someone in need. It's because of His Grace and mercy that we receive this amazing Love. 

 Religion talks about holiness. Love walks it out. Religion talks about God. Love reveals Him. Religion can’t heal a broken heart, set a captive free, or make the sinner whole. Only Jesus can do that. Love did what religion never could — it went to the Cross.

This is what the world needs to see — not more religion, but Jesus in all His beauty, compassion, and power.

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The Marks of the Religious (minded) Man: Knowledgeless

making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:13 NKJ 

Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said. Colossians 2:8 TLB

They act as if they worshipped God, yet they do not let God's power work in their lives. Keep away from people like that. 2 Timothy 3:5 WE

 God's Goodness is revealed in Jesus Christ. God becoming a man and taking man's place, providing Redemption to whosoever will believe is the Gospel, the Good News God wants heralded. The message is clear, transparent and simple. Man on the other hand has sometimes added input. Thus religious tradition was born.

 We have been examining the anatomy of religion and tradition. We have seen that religion in essence is man trying to come to God on their own terms. We have seen that religion is powerless and Faithless. Religious tradition brings no joy, no hope, and doesn't cause Faith to come. We have seen these marks illustrated In John 9.

 The next mark of Religion we want to examine is knowledgeless. Religion is ignorant of so much of God's Word and God Himself and the work of Jesus on our behalf. God doesn't want His children ignorant of Him or His works. 

 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6a MEV

Therefore My people go into captivity because they have no knowledge Isaiah 5:13a MEV 

 Religion lacks knowledge of God's Word and His Goodness and all that His Finished Work provided. Now I can hear the objections. Some in religious circles can literally quote the Bible verbatim. How is that ignorance? That is a very good question.

 Allow me to illustrate this to answer this question. I can quote the United States Constitution verbatim. However, if I don't really understand what is being said I wouldn't be able to take full advantage of what rights the Constitution guaranteed. 

 So it is with the things of God. Religion lacks knowledge, that is full understanding of the Word, and this gives rise to the many inconsistencies of traditional religion. Let's begin unwrapping the areas of ignorance of the religious minded.

 Religion is ignorant of who the enemy is. The enemy, satan, (no I will not capitalize his "name", Jesus defeated Him!), doesn't even exist to some religious Christians. He is merely an allegory of evil, or worse some fairy tale figure. Therefore all that happens is automatically attributed to God.

 The enemy is the tempter. He is the one accusing and condemning. We as believers must take these thoughts captive in light of the Finished Work of Christ. We are accepted and approved in Christ. We are in perfect right standing with God. Reject condemnation and accusation.

 Religion paints satan as some lackey who God uses to "perfect" the saints. Some say God uses satan to put hard times on believers to build them up. This is nonsense. The enemy is a spiritual rebel who is defeated and he is not working for God.

 Religion is ignorant of God's character. They believe God ordains or causes Sickness and disease to come upon His children. They believe God sends plagues, pestilence, and pandemics to perfect or punish whichever is needed most.

 Religion sees God as the sovereign ruler of all the universe, which He is, but they see this as God controlling all aspects of life. Therefore, the car wrecks, the earthquakes, the heartaches are His handiwork. They are sent for some mysterious purpose that we will finally understand when we get to Heaven, this is traditional nonsense.

 God is a Good Father. Jesus perfectly demonstrated the Father's will and ways when He walked the earth. Jesus brought life, healed bodies, raised the dead to life and brought miraculous provision. He was Good and went about doing Good. He demonstrated mercy, love, kindness, accepting the weak, the broken, and lost. He offered redemption and forgiveness to all who came. He is always Good!

 Religion is ignorant of the New Covenant and Finished Work. Religion still sees the Church as under portions of the Old Covenant Law. Religion sees the Cross as a partially completed work. 

 Religion says Jesus paid it all, but expects you to make up for it when you fail. Religion still sees God sending wrath and judgment on cities, lands and nations as punishment for their sins. Religion says it is paid in full but keeps believers in guilt and shame through preaching how God is displeased and disappointed continually at His Church.

 Jesus is enough. When He said it was Finished He meant it. He didn't say still more for you to do. He didn't say I started this now you complete it. He who began the good work in you is Faithful to complete it. 

 Religion is ignorant of God's Word, His nature, who the enemy is, the Cross and His Grace. They may quote whole portions of Scripture but they don't have the light of those Scriptures. The Holy Spirit said in Psalms, in His light we see light. Religion clouds and covers the light, producing confusion and inconsistencies in the Faith.

 Religion says God makes you sick, or afflicts you with disease, to teach you, to mold your character, or for some other mysterious purpose. They say things like God had to put you flat on your back so you can look up. 

 Yet, after the diagnosis, they encourage you to go the hospital, to seek medical treatment, to seek relief from the disorder. See the inconsistency there? 

 Religion says God makes you sick to teach you but then tells you to go to the doctor to get better. This means you would be removing what God put on you to teach you. Isn't that contrary to what God "wanted?"

 Religion says God remembers your sins no more, but when you do sin He is withholding fellowship with you. They say He remembers your sins no more, but won't answer your prayers because you sinned. Which is it? He remembers your sins and holds them against you or He doesn't remember them? 

 Religion is knowledgless. It doesn't have the light of the Word. It just knows what the Bible states but they don't have the understanding of the living Word. Religion serves the great I Was not the great I AM. 

 Where has religion left you feeling lost or confused in your Christian life? Have you experienced the inconsistencies religion promotes? 

 When you study God's Word, pray for your understanding to see His Light, and to open your understanding of the Word. When you hear the Word taught, check the Word for yourself to determing how true it is. This is how you learn, grow, and gain the knowledge of God and reject religious tradition. 

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The Marks of the Religious (minded) Man: Faithless

 

making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:13 NKJ 

Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said. Colossians 2:8 TLB

They act as if they worshipped God, yet they do not let God's power work in their lives. Keep away from people like that. 2 Timothy 3:5 WE

 What is religion? What is the religious tradition of men? Religion is man coming to God upon His own terms. It's human philospohy, emotional reasoning, and the system of ritual and human effort. 

 Religion builds its trust and hope in man's experience instead of what God actually said in His Word. Religion has a form and fashion or appearance of Godliness, but it is powerless. Religion doesn't transform; it just goes through ritual to satisfy rules and expectations.

 We are examining these marks of the religious man. Remember that no man is our enemy. The enemy is a system of wrong believing created by the spirit of error and not the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. 

 The first mark of the religious-minded Man is powerless. Religion is powerless to save and transform. Religion is powerless to transform and renew. Jesus is powerful, and He is the victorious reigning King!

 The next mark of the religious-minded man is Faithless. Faithless religion substitutes faith with performance.  It replaces trust in God’s grace with confidence in man’s effort. It boasts more in human achievement than in Christ’s finished work.

  Faithless religion believes salvation is by grace, but living victoriously is by works. Once one receives Jesus, religion shifts the focus from Christ’s sufficiency to man’s striving. It begins to measure righteousness by behavior instead of believing.

  In John 9, we see a vivid image of faithless religion. The religious leaders were "investigating" the healing miracle of the blind man. Instead of rejoicing at the Goodness of God in healing, they hardened themselves. They chose to reject this miracle, clinging instead to their traditions. 

Faithless religion always hardens itself against the work of Grace. Jesus perfectly purchased Redemption through the Finished Work. It's a completed work. Yet faithless religion downplays this, favoring performance and achievement over Grace.

 Faithless religion also doesn't take God at His Word. Faithless religion acts like God's Word is not true. Faithless religion believes God's Word intellectually but not practically.

 Faithless religion talks about God, but doesn't draw near to Him. Faithless religion talks about God but doesn't trust Him. Faithless religion talks about God but lacks the expectancy that He will do what He said He would. 

 Faithless religion prays but doesn't trust that God will respond. Faithless religion prays intellectually, asking for God to provide, but doesn't believe that He actually will. Faithless religion claims there is power in prayer, but doesn't believe Faith can actually change situations and circumstances. 

 Faith takes God at His Word. Faith isn't the currency of Heaven. Jesus' shed blood and perfect work of Redemption, and the Finished Work of Grace, is what procured and purchased our salvation, provision, blessing, wholeness, deliverance, healing, Righteousness, and eternal security. Faith is the means by which we receive these things that Grace procured and provided. 

  Faith sees God's promises, provision, and plentious Redemption in the unseen realm. Faith sees the unseen and doesn't focus on the seen. Faith believes. Faith takes God at His Word, Faith acts like His Word is true, and is fully persuaded. Faith speaks. Faith is in agreement with what God said. Faith receives. Faith receives what Grace freely purchased and provided.

 Faithless religion doesn't see. Faithless religion looks at the seen, being ignorant of the unseen. Faithless religion doesn't believe. It doesn't take God at His Word, not being persuaded of what God said. Faithless religion doesn't agree with God. It disagrees with what God said about the circumstance or situation.

 In summation, Faith is the hand by which we reach out and receive all God has for us. Faith isn't about striving or earning. Faith is about resting and freely receiving. Grace says it is done, just receive it. Faithless religion says perform to be found acceptable. Grace says Faith in Jesus is what made you accepted and approved. 

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The Marks of the Religious (minded) Man: Powerless

 

making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:13 NKJ 

Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said. Colossians 2:8 TLB

They act as if they worshipped God, yet they do not let God's power work in their lives. Keep away from people like that. 2 Timothy 3:5 WE

 Religious tradition makes God's Word ineffectual. Religion weakens and renders the Church impotent in a fallen world. We have defined religion as a man-centered philosophy rooted in rigid rules, rituals, and rites. 

 We are examining the marks of the religious man-or rather, the religious-minded man. Our focus is the mindset of religion, not people, for no one is our enemy. We do not wrestle with flesh and blood. 

  In John 9, we see a perfect portrait of powerless religion. This is the story of the blind man made whole. They brought him before the Pharisees. The Pharisees were enraged because this work of Jesus violated their rules and the way they had always done things.

 Notice they were angry because Jesus broke their rules. They were cold and callous to the plight of the man; he was born blind, and that impacted all aspects of his life. That was of no concern to them, only that the rules be observed and never broken, no matter the reason.

 The reality is their cold religion was powerless to render help, healing, and wholeness. This leads us to identify one of the marks of a religious-minded man. Religion is powerless. The 6th mark of the religious-minded is "powerless."

 Religion is powerless. Religion has a form of godliness but has no power. Religion serves a god that is comfortable for the intellectually led and emotionally inclined-a deity shaped from human logic and limited compassion.

The Jesus of powerless religion's only ability is to forgive one of their past sins and allow the sinner to become born again. Apart from that, Jesus can't help you. While being forgiven of past sins and getting born again are vitally important, it is not truly good news if that's all He can do.

 What about your future sins? Are these left up to you to work for or beg for forgiveness? What about your life in the here and now? Are you on your own in this life? 

 Powerless religion seems to insinuate and proclaim this as fact, and if you ask for more in this life, then religion labels you a heretic and someone who seeks not God but happiness this side of Heaven. They call into question the sincerity of Faith and commitment to God for anyone who believes there is more for us in this life than just suffering and squeezing by in life, as if expecting goodness from God is somehow greed, covetousness, or discontentment! 

 One of the marks of the religious-minded man is powerlessness. Jesus can't help you is really what they believe and express in matters apart from initial belief in Christ. Powerless religion is a religious expression without any revelation. Jesus is a mere historical figure who used to work miracles, heal the sick and infirm, set captives free, and transform lives. Today, that is not what Jesus does, and if you have a need apart from accepting Jesus as Savior, well, sorry, Jesus doesn't do that anymore. He can't help you with that!

 That’s not just bad theology — this is the heart of powerless religion 

It’s a Christianity that preaches a historical Jesus, not a living Christ.
It knows about some of His words but not His presence.
It can quote the stories as historical events, but it has forgotten the Spirit that makes them real.

Powerless religion looks into the eyes of the broken, a sick mother, a grieving father — and says, “Sorry, that was for Bible times.”
But the Gospel of Grace says the same Jesus who opened blind eyes still mends broken hearts — the same Spirit who raised Him from the dead still gives life today.

 Powerless religion sees God's Word for the most part as a history book. A collection of events that detailed what God used to do. An account of a Savior who only intervened in people's lives to coldly prove He was, in fact, God in the flesh, not because of compassion and mercy, compelling Him to show up in people's situations and change them to bring about healing, wholeness, and restoration. 

 Powerless religion serves a savior that can't save completely, only partially. Powerless religion preaches a partial Jesus.

He can forgive, but He can’t restore.
He can pardon, but He can’t empower.
He can cleanse the record, but not redeem the life.

This brand of religion presents a Christ who died for sins — but not for sickness.
A cross that covers the past — but not the present or future.
A redemption that opens heaven for receiving the new birth alone — but leaves hell’s grip on earth untouched.

It’s a gospel that says:

• “He can save your soul, but your body’s on its own.”

• “He can forgive your sin, but not break your addiction.”

• “He can bless you spiritually, but not touch your finances.”

• “He can comfort your pain, but not cure it.”

Powerless religion presents a powerless Savior — one good enough to pity you, but not strong enough to help you. But the real Jesus not only came to forgive sin — He also came to undo its effects on earth and in the lives who trust in Him! 

 Powerless religion has entombed Jesus in a museum. Where His works are mere exhibits, serving as a reminder of what He once did, but no longer does today. They are memorials of a God who once changed circumstances and outcomes for the blessing and betterment of His people, but of course, that was not for the actual blessing, but merely to show He was a sovereign God who was capable of powerful acts and nothing more. 

 Has powerless religion ensnared you and your thinking? Has Christianity merely become an intellectual encounter, rather than a truly life-changing event? Break free from the shackles of powerless Christianity and know you serve a risen Savior who conquered death, hell, and the grave and rendered the enemy powerless and ineffective against His Church, the Body of Christ. 

 Do you have any experiences with powerless Religion you wish to share? Comment below and let your testimony inspire others.

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The Marks of the Religious (minded) Man: What is Religion?

 

making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:13 NKJ 

Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said. Colossians 2:8 TLB

They act as if they worshipped God, yet they do not let God's power work in their lives. Keep away from people like that. 2 Timothy 3:5 WE

 If you have followed this site for any length of time, you have seen how much religious traditions are challenged. Often, the articles written have the purpose of allaying these man-made traditions. With this in mind, it seemed good to do an actual study on what religion and tradition really are. What the traits or marks of religious mindedness actually are.

  What we must also be mindful of is who are enemy actually is. Our enemy is not with flesh and blood. No man is our enemy. That is, we wrestle not against flesh and blood but with the enemy, the spirit of error. Now, men may count themselves as our enemy, but that doesn't mean we have to count them as our enemies.

 Jesus said they will know us by our love for one another. That love is referring to how we, as the Body of Christ, love each other. We need not fight each other, but love each other and come together under the banner of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our one goal is to tell a crying, dying world that there is hope, and it is found in receiving Jesus as Savior and receiving the gift of eternal life. 

 Let's begin understanding what the traits or marks of religious-mindedness are by looking at the words of Jesus and Paul the Apostle. Jesus said religious tradition makes the Word of God of no effect. Other translations render this as making void God's Word or nullifying it. 

 Grasp what Jesus is actually declaring. The religious tradition of men makes the Word of God void, nullified, and of no effect. He is saying religious tradition makes the Word of God powerless in the life of one entangled in the religious traditions of men. 

 Paul also gives us notice about the dangers of religious tradition. The Holy Spirit, through Paul, breathed a warning about philosophies and practices rooted in the religious traditions of men. They spoil or defraud us from a genuine Faith and a sincere relationship with the Father.

 Lighting candles, holding religious artifacts, or religious items, like beads, shawls, or head coverings, don't make us more spiritual. They don't make us more approved. Observing certain days over others, practicing rituals, clanging bells, or chimes, or shaving your head bald, does not make you better accepted by God our Father. 

 The Holy Spirit also said through Paul that religion has a form of Godliness but completely denies its power. Religious traditions deny the power of God to save the worst of us. Religion denies the power of God to transform hearts and lives, and instead relies on rigid rules, restrictions, and regulations to bring about behavior modification. 

Religion denies the power of God to change situations and circumstances. Religion says God used to intervene in the lives of His people during "Bible days". He doesn't do that now, though. He, in fact, creates circumstances to mold us and better us through painful suffering. 

 Religion is man's attempt to reach God. Religion is man-centered; it's a system based on following rules that they make for you to appear pious. Religion is a man-made philosophy that keeps God in boxes designed by men. Religion forms and fashions and serves a god that they can understand emotionally and intellectually. 

 In this series, we will examine the marks of the religious man. In John 9, we see the perfect illustration of all these marks of the religious-minded. We want to detect religion and show the way out.

 The Gospel is the Good News. The Gospel is the power of God. It is life and wholeness to all those who believe. The Gospel brings new life, power from on High, and a life of victory on this side of Heaven. Religion is powerless, rooted in men's strength and fleeting and fading. The Gospel frees where religion binds, stay with us as we examine these marks of religious mindedness. 

 What are your experiences with religious tradition? Do you think it is good to challenge the traditions of men? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Why Declaring the Word works: Name it and Claim it, False or Fact?

 Because of what they say, a person can fill their stomach. What their words produce can satisfy them. Your tongue has the power of life and death. Those who love to talk will eat the fruit of their words. Proverbs 18:20-21 NIRV 

 The words we speak can bring hope and happiness. Words can minister Grace and goodness to the hearer. Words can also tear down and destroy instead of building up and encouraging the listener. 

 We have been examining why speaking God's Word works. We have seen that confession of His Word, or agreeing with God, causes Faith to come. It causes the mind to be renewed to His truth, thinking His thoughts instead of the enemy's or the world's. It reprograms the heart to have a Faith perspective instead of a defeated one. It keeps the promise before us instead of the problem.

 We see that Words are seeds, and what we say is planting His truth into the soil of our hearts. It harvests hope, Faith, and wholeness. We see that declaring His Word sets the Law of Faith in motion— what we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths comes to pass (Mark 11:23).

Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. Psalm 103:20 NKJV

 In closing, let me add the last two reasons why declaring the Word of God works. When we speak God's Word, we are adding our agreement with God. When we do this, it gives the angels something to hearken to. It puts the hosts of Heaven to work on our behalf. 

 Declaring the Word puts the angels on assignment. His angels go to work to cause us triumph. Jesus said the angels are the reapers. They are bringing in the harvest of the seeds sown by our words-(Matthew 13:39).

 The last reason is that declaring the Word works is that Jesus is the High Priest of our confession. When we confess His Word, we are not just talking into the air — we are releasing Faith that our High Priest presents before the Father. He watches over our words of Faith to bring them to pass. 

 These seven reasons confirm to us why speaking, declaring, and confessing the Word of God works. This isn't hype or hyperbole. This is the way God revealed to us how we receive from Him. These are seven biblical reasons why declaring the Word works. This is how God designed faith to operate.

 Our declaration of God's Word is our Faith speaking. This is how what we are trusting God for comes to pass in our lives. This is how it comes into manifestation. This is how Faith works. 

 Now, let me address the proverbial elephant in the room. Many have mocked, scoffed, and ridiculed the idea of Faith confession. Many religious naysayers labeled confession as false teaching and heresy.

 They have maligned, declaring God's Word, and they come up with catchy phrases meant to malign the concept of confession. Sneering at all this and calling it “name it and claim it.” They act as if confessing God’s promises is superstition or even heresy. Let me be very clear: confession is not heresy — it is the foundation of the Gospel.

 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in · your mouth and in · your heart,” that is, the word of faith that we proclaim: that if you confess with · your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in · your heart that · God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes and is made righteous, and with the mouth he confesses and is saved. Romans 10:8-10

Name it and claim it is false teaching and heresy? This is exactly how we got born again! We named Jesus-salvation, eternal life, and claimed His Finished Work of Redemption as ours. 

 Name it and claim it is the Gospel. So many religious detractors believe in confession themselves. They just mostly focus on negative confessions. They often only confess their sins or their problems. They agree with the enemy’s report instead of God’s. They just can't see that confession works for all God's promises.

 Look again at the woman with the issue of blood. She believed God, and she declared the Word and received. She named it and claimed it. She named healing, what she needed, what she desired, and what Jesus provided. She claimed it by reaching out in Faith. She received her healing, and Jesus commended her for her Faith. 

 Jesus didn't rebuke her. He didn't tell her that, that name it and claim it business is heresy. He didn't call her out, saying You're listening to those Faith and Grace preachers! Watch out, those Hagin, Capps, Osteen, and Prince teachers will lead you astray.

 He didn't teach her that suffering was what God ordained for her. He didn't tell her that, don't you know, life on earth is meant to be hard and troublesome? How dare you seek your best life now? 

 Shake off the religious traditions of men. Negative confessions or words that are in disagreement with Redemption and His promises make the Word void in your life. God can't move where He wants to when you are in complete disagreement with Him. He isn't withholding; you are rejecting and refusing His provision. 

The promises of God are all “Yes” in Christ, and we speak the “Amen” (2 Cor. 1:20). That “Amen” isn’t silent agreement — it’s vocal confession. Faith must speak. Faith is voice-activated.

So when someone mocks and says, “Oh, you Word of Faith people just believe in naming it and claiming it,” I smile and say: Exactly. That’s how the Gospel works. Grace provides it, faith receives it, and confession brings it into manifestation.

The real heresy is not confessing God’s Word. The real danger is mocking His promises, ridiculing His people for believing Him, and calling unbelief “humility.” That is siding with doubt against God.

Beloved, don’t let the sneers shake you. Lift your voice. Speak His promises. Sow the Word in your heart. Put angels on assignment. Let Jesus, your High Priest, carry your confession to the Father.

And remember this: what Grace has provided, Faith will possess — and confession is the bridge between the two.

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Why Declaring the Word works: Grace through Faith

 

Because of what they say a person can fill their stomach. What their words produce can satisfy them. Your tongue has the power of life and death. Those who love to talk will eat the fruit of their words. Proverbs 18:20-21 NIRV 

 What a powerful force our words are. Words are seeds. We can plant seeds of hope, healing, and wholeness. We can plant these seeds in the soil of our own heart or in the lives of our loved ones and those around us.

 What words are you sowing? Are you planting seeds of love, peace, and positive affirmation? Or are you planting seeds of misery, hopelessness, strife, and unbelief? This is why it is vital to continue examining the power of words. 

 Declaring the Word works. Speaking in agreement with God will change your life forever. The more you grow in Faith, in Grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus, your words will agree with God and not with your present circumstances or situation. 

 Why does confessing or saying the same thing as God work? We have seen that first it causes Faith to come. Secondly, it renews the mind to think God's thoughts. Thirdly, it reprograms the heart, helping to focus on the unseen rather than the seen. It also keeps the promise of God before us, keeping Faith in focus and not the problem.

 The fifth reason why confessing God's Word works is that it puts the Law of Faith into motion. When you declare God's Word, Faith is being released. There is a miracle in your mouth; all you have to do is speak it out! 

So [it shall be] that he who invokes a blessing on himself in the land shall do so by saying, May the God of truth and fidelity [the Amen] bless me; and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth and faithfulness to His promises [the Amen], because the former troubles are forgotten and because they are hidden from My eyes.  Isaiah 65:16 AMPC

 Look at this powerful prophecy from Isaiah. This is foreshadowing the Redemptive work of Jesus. You invoke the blessing by releasing your words. Grace has already provided it; it belongs to us through Christ.  

 Grace provided it, but Faith takes it. Grace made it all available, but you partake of it by receiving what was purchased and procured by Jesus' Finished Work. How do you receive it? By declaring His Word, agreeing with what He made available. It is not just acknowledging it but agreeing with God that it is yours and you have it now.

 Casually acknowledging the Righteousness of all believers in Christ is not laying hold of it and claiming it for yourself. You receive of the gift of Righteousness by declaring "I am the Righteousness of God in Christ."

 Faith's confession agrees with the reality that Grace made in Jesus' Finished Work of Redemption. Faith's confession creates that reality in your own personal life. Declaring the Word of God sets the Law of Faith in motion for what concerns you.

 What is the Law of Faith? 

 Where then is boasting? It has been excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. Romans 3:27 Mounce.

 For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening, he shall have whatever he says Mark 11:23 WEB

 The Law of Faith is no different than the law of gravity. The Law of Faith says that what you believe with the heart and declare with your mouth will come to pass. Faith is not just about speaking the Word, but it is a part of it. Faith is released when we speak in agreement with His Word and what Redemption provided.

  Look again at the Gospel of Mark, where the woman with the issue of blood declared her healing, putting the Law of Faith in motion. She declared continually that when she touched His garment, she would be healed.

  She kept speaking it, and put the Law of Faith in motion. She reached out and touched Jesus' garment and received her healing. When Jesus sensed the healing anointing released, He sought her out and declared that her Faith made her whole.

 Your Faith can make you whole, too. The Law of Faith is about believing and speaking. Notice in Mark 11 that Jesus mentioned believing once and saying three times. He was showing that Faith is released by speaking. He showed us the power and importance of words.

 So what are you saying? Are you agreeing with the Finished Work or religious traditions? Redemption or present circumstances? The Law of Faith is not about works or earning or striving. It is not based on works. It is not about performance. It is about Grace through Faith.

 When you declare God’s Word, you’re not striving, begging, or trying to earn. You’re simply agreeing with what Grace has already finished. The Law of Faith is voice-activated—believe in your heart, speak with your mouth, and watch His promises manifest in your life. Healing, provision, peace, and victory are not distant dreams; they are present realities waiting to be received. So lift your voice, declare His Word, and set the Law of Faith in motion—because what Jesus has done is already yours today.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Why declaring God's Word works: Faith in focus

Because of what they say a person can fill their stomach. What their words produce can satisfy them. Your tongue has the power of life and death. Those who love to talk will eat the fruit of their words. Proverbs 18:20-21 NIRV 

 Our words matter. What we speak impacts our lives, those around us, and those we interact with throughout our lives. Harsh words can create trauma, turmoil, and troubling thoughts in the hearer. Doubtful, faithless, and unbelieving words can stifle creativity, vision, and suppress trust in the Lord's promises.

 Speaking in agreement with God, on the other hand, brings peace, hope, and feeds Faith. It creates an atmosphere of expectancy for God to do what only He can do. Kind, loving, and soft words stir up joy, peace, happiness, calmness, and hope. 

 Words are containers. They contain life or death, blessing or cursing. Words are seeds we plant in the soil of our heart, and the harvest will be life and abundance or death, cursing and misery. It is up to us to plant the seeds for the harvest we want. 

In this series, we've been exploring why declaring God's Word works. We have seen that confession, or agreeing with God, causes Faith to come. As we hear ourselves speak, Faith comes. Declaring the Word renews our mind to His truth, dismantling the lies of the enemy. It reprograms our hearts with the image of victory, not defeat. The more we speak His Word, the more it shifts our perspective from doubt and defeat to Faith and triumph.

The next reason why declaring the Word works is that speaking the Word continually keeps His Word, His promises before us. It shifts focus to what He said, not on what we see.  It keeps our eyes focused on Faith, rather than doubt, unbelief, and discouragement. 

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

We live by what we believe, not by what we can see. 2 Corinthians 5:7 NCV

We live by what we believe will happen, not by what we can see. 2 Corinthians 5:7 ERV

 Our words shape our reality. Our words, then, should align with what Heaven has declared over our lives. Let that reality be in line with what His perfect Work of Redemption provided, purchased, and procured for us. Our words shouldn't align or agree with a fallen, fractured creation and a defeated devil's lies.  

 Speaking His Words keep what He said about us and our circumstances before us. When your mind is flooded with thoughts of shame and condemnation, keep declaring the Word of Righteousness. The more you speak in agreement with who you are in Him, the more those thoughts fade in light of your identity in Him.

 If lack, insufficient funds, poverty is all you see, consider His Word, keep speaking it, the more you do, the more His promise to meet your needs will continually be before you. The more you see His promises, the more you trust Him to take care of you. The more you declare, the more the work of Redemption becomes real to you. On the cross, He became poor so you would be blessed. The more you speak, the more wisdom, favor, opportunities, and blessings come. 

 There is a woman in the Word of God who did just exactly this. The woman with the issue of blood is the perfect illustration of the power of words and receiving the healing miracle of God. In the Gospel of Mark 5, this powerful account is recorded.

 The woman with the issue of blood heard about Jesus. What did she hear? She didn't hear that God gave her this illness to strengthen and perfect her character. She didn't hear that God doesn't heal anymore; that went out with the prophets. She didn't hear that desiring healing is wrong, don't you know, trying to live your best life now is covetous?

 No, she heard about a Good Shepherd. She heard about a Savior who forgave sins and healed all who came to Him. She knew that going out in public was an executable offense. She had an unclean condition. Yet she trusted in this Jesus who was full of Grace.

 She also kept declaring what she wanted. She kept speaking the Word of God, she knew Jehovah is the Lord who heals. She kept that promise before her; she continually said If I touch his clothes, I will be healed! She pressed in touch His clothes with confident expectation and Faith and took her healing. 

 She kept speaking, she kept declaring, which caused Faith to come. The more she spoke, the more her mind was renewed to this truth of healing. The more she spoke, the more she planted the word in her heart, reprogramming the image in her heart. She had been getting worse for twelve years. She painted a new image within, she kept speaking, and she saw herself healed and whole. 

 The more she spoke, the more she kept the promise before her. Her miracle began with her words. She declared the truth until it became more real to her than her condition. And the same principle holds true for us today.

When we declare God’s Word, we are not simply speaking into the air—we are planting Heaven’s reality into the soil of our lives. Every declaration keeps our focus on God’s promises rather than our problems. Hope is strengthened, Faith comes, and the unseen manifests into the seen. Just as the woman with the issue of blood received her miracle, we too can walk in healing, provision, peace, and victory—when we keep God’s Word in our mouths.

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