{"id":2763,"date":"2025-01-25T14:17:33","date_gmt":"2025-01-25T14:17:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/?p=2763"},"modified":"2025-05-15T20:27:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T20:27:07","slug":"words-of-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/2025\/01\/25\/words-of-power\/","title":{"rendered":"Words of Power"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span><\/p>\n

When I was growing up, Christians were always arguing about what counts as a marriage. It\u2019s a surprisingly complicated problem, since there is no Biblical definition of marriage, not one mention of vows, ministers, judge, licenses, special clothes, songs, rituals of any kind. So what makes a marriage?<\/p>\n

Matthew 19:4-6<\/span><\/strong> indicates that God \u201cjoins together\u201d a marriage, and most people conclude that a minister must bless the union for it be a \u201cChristian marriage,\u201d although it says no such thing. But what if you\u2019re married by a judge, or by a witch doctor? Did God join together these marriages?<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a child, I listened to all of this back and forth and realized something; these questions all miss the point! Because what makes a marriage binding is the WORDS the couple says!<\/strong><\/p>\n

He says \u201cyou\u2019re my wife,\u201d and she says \u201cyou\u2019re my husband\u201d and those words, and NOTHING ELSE, make a marriage!<\/em> No civil or spiritual authority need be involved for that to be legally binding. Because God considers you bound by your words.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Matthew 12:37<\/span><\/strong> For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

You spoke; and God, taking you at your word, joined you together. It\u2019s as simple as that. Doesn\u2019t matter if you do it in front of a witch doctor or an Elvis impersonator or Mickey Mouse; it is your words<\/em> that create that legal relationship in God\u2019s eyes, everything else is fluff.<\/p>\n

But this is not only for marriages; any<\/em> relationship can be created at will by words, and ratified by God.<\/em> David and Jonathan were so close they made an agreement – a covenant in the name of God – to be brothers:<\/p>\n

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\u2026the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul\u2026 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul\u2026 saying, \u2018Yahweh shall be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, forever.\u2019 \u2026<\/em> (<\/span>1 Samuel 18:1-3<\/span>, 1 Samuel 20:42<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A relationship which David openly declared after Jonathan\u2019s death:<\/p>\n

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2 Samuel 1:26<\/span><\/strong> I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan<\/strong>. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Thus, brothers can become brothers by words alone, and those words are likewise bound in heaven; not because of a special ceremony, but simply because ALL WORDS you say are heard and written in heaven, and used against you in the day of judgment!<\/p>\n

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Matthew 12:36<\/span><\/strong> I tell you that EVERY idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Thus any and all words<\/em> you say on Earth are bound in heaven; and any relationship agreed upon on Earth is bound in heaven. Even the bonds of a parent and child can be formed by words alone; in fact, the most significant relationship of all time was formed in exactly this way.<\/p>\n

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Hebrews 1:5<\/span><\/strong> For to which of the angels did he say at any time, \u201cYou are my Son. Today have I become your father?<\/strong>\u201d and again, \u201cI will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

On the day when He said to an already existing, already ancient being,<\/em> one \u201cwithout father or mother, beginning of days or end of life\u201d (<\/span>Hebrews 7:3<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>, on the day when He said to such a Being \u201cTODAY I have become your Father,\u201d ON THAT DAY, and BY THOSE WORDS, He\u2026 was.<\/p>\n

Thus Jesus is the Son of God, if for no other reason than because He called God \u201cmy Father\u201d and God called Him \u201cmy Son\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

These words created bonds that transcended flesh and blood. Because bonds made with God\u2019s words, even bonds He placed on Himself,<\/em> are unbreakable – which is how He expects you to treat your own words.<\/p>\n

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Matthew 24:35<\/span><\/strong> Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So as His words created our reality, reality must pass away before His words pass away. And as His words created His reality, so likewise your words create your reality<\/em> if you are to be like Him.<\/p>\n

So what reality are your words creating?<\/p>\n

DO YOU<\/em> LISTEN TO YOU?<\/h3>\n

Of course, the reality our words create is limited to those things we have the power to make happen; we can declare an orphan our son, declare a good friend our brother, declare a woman our wife (with her consent of course).<\/p>\n

But we do not have the power to declare a dead man alive, to declare a barren woman pregnant, to declare ourselves prosperous because these things are inherently beyond human ability<\/strong>. No amount of willpower you put into keeping your word will give you this power unless<\/em> the source of that power wills you to have it.<\/p>\n

It is possible to get God\u2019s attention, possible to convince Him to make your words your reality, even in things far beyond your innate power. But before God will even consider<\/em> taking your words seriously, they have to be something you<\/em> take seriously.<\/p>\n

When words pass your lips, those words must be something you\u2019re prepared to stand behind to the death. They must matter to you,<\/em> if the universe is ever going to care about them. Because we\u2019re supposed to be becoming like God; and when God says something, worlds come into existence.<\/p>\n

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Isaiah 55:10-11<\/span><\/strong> For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and does not go back again,<\/strong> but gives water to the earth, and makes it fertile, giving seed to the planter, and bread for food; So will my word be which goes out of my mouth: it will not come back to me with nothing done<\/strong>, but it will give effect to my purpose, and do that for which I have sent it.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Can you say the same? Can you boast that \u201cmy words will not come back to me without results?\u201d That they will come to pass as surely as rain never falls up?<\/em> That you will see them through, no matter what unforeseen thing happens? Because that is one of the fundamental requirements of dwelling with God.<\/p>\n

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Psalms 15:1<\/span>, 4-5<\/span><\/strong> \u2026O LORD, who may stay in your tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?… [among other things\u2026] The one who makes a promise and does not break it, even though he is hurt by it\u2026 He who does these things shall never be shaken<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

You\u2019re not expected to create the Earth with your words\u2026 but whatever you do<\/em> set out to create, whether reading a book or building a birdhouse\u2026 does it get finished? Does what yousay come to pass\u2026 always?<\/em> Even when it\u2019s inconvenient, costly, even painful?<\/p>\n

When you tell someone \u201cI\u2019ll be there in 30 minutes,\u201d and you\u2019re not\u2026<\/em> well, if your own heart and spirit don\u2019t take you seriously, if you let yourself get overworked and overcommitted, thus making your words mean nothing\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026then why would you expect a mountain to jump into an ocean because you told it to? If you didn\u2019t value your word, if you couldn\u2019t make yourself, on such a tiny level, bring your words to pass\u2026 why should God value your words, and make them come to pass?<\/p>\n

Thus, your word has to mean something to you,<\/em> before it means anything to God.<\/p>\n

LESS IS MORE<\/h3>\n

So if you want mountains and waves and devils to obey when you speak\u2026 then first you have to make your words mean something in those areas you can<\/em> control<\/strong>. And ironically, that starts with doing less, not more.<\/p>\n

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Proverbs 10:19<\/span> (GWV)<\/strong> Sin is unavoidable when there is much talk, but whoever seals his lips is wise.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

See, it\u2019s actually relatively easy not to break the letter of the Ten Commandments. How hard is it to just, you know, not kill or have an idol? So when we\u2019re annoying God, which is most of the time, it\u2019s because of our words,<\/em> spoken voluntarily, which bind us to do things we don\u2019t really intend to see through.<\/p>\n

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James 2:2-6<\/span><\/strong> For in many things we all stumble. If anyone doesn\u2019t stumble in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. Indeed, we put bits into the horses\u2019 mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body\u2026 So the tongue is also a little member,<\/strong> and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest! And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body,<\/strong> and sets on fire the course of nature\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The lesson here is, the more you talk, the more your mouth writes checks your body and soul can\u2019t cash. The more words you say, the harder it is not to say something you regret later; because every word you say risks binding yourself to something you might not actually be able to get done.<\/p>\n

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James 4:13-15<\/span><\/strong> Come now, you who say, \u201cToday or tomorrow let\u2019s go into this city, and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.\u201d Whereas you don\u2019t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapour, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. For you ought to say, \u201cIf the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So if you couch your phrases in things like \u201cI hope to be there by 5\u201d or \u201cIf the Lord wills, we will build this house,\u201d you escape this risk. Stating an intention is not a binding vow, so you can\u2019t be held accountable for missing your goal due to unexpected circumstances.<\/p>\n

IF THE LORD WILLS<\/h3>\n

And yet, that being said, you can take this too far – because stating an intention<\/em> will not raise the dead. Saying \u201cif the Lord wills, let this mountain be cast into the sea\u201d won\u2019t work. I mean, if the Lord did indeed want that the mountain in the sea, He\u2019d have put it there Himself!<\/em><\/p>\n

I stress this because many people, reading James 4<\/span><\/strong> there, use it as an excuse to be verbal cowards. They refuse to commit to literally anything,<\/em> to give themselves permission to do whatever is convenient at the time.<\/p>\n

My aunt was terrible at this; she would always say \u201cWell, I can\u2019t make any promises but if the Lord wills<\/em> I\u2019ll be there at 5.\u201d She was, of course, never<\/em> on time. In fact, she was routinely hours<\/em> late. Do you suppose it was because the Lord willed<\/em> her to be late?<\/p>\n

Or because, knowing she could blame her tardiness on the Lord\u2019s will, she made no real effort to keep even the intention<\/em> of her word? She failed to be on time, not because of unforeseeable events, but because of poor planning and poor self-control, things which were totally within her power to control.<\/em><\/p>\n

As James says, do not promise things you can\u2019t control. You can\u2019t be certain you will be able to take a business trip tomorrow, as in James\u2019 example – and it should be acknowledged that you cannot account for all the \u201cacts of God\u201d that might disrupt your plans. But you can still promise that if it is in your power, you\u2019ll be there.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

She wouldn\u2019t do that; and never improved, for she had the security of knowing she\u2019d never actually promised anything. And a person who refuses to be bound to anything,<\/em> however much it\u2019s in their power, is just as unreliable and useless in practice as a person who promises and doesn\u2019t live up to it.<\/p>\n

Because the reality is, far more<\/em> of our life is in our control than isn\u2019t. We control when we wake up, how often we say yes, how much time we allow ourselves to get ready for a meeting. God\u2019s will very<\/em> rarely intervenes.<\/p>\n

Thus, you could say \u201cwe should arrive around 12\u201d , and if there isn\u2019t<\/em> an act of God, you really SHOULD be there then. The \u201cshould\u201d of a person whose word matters is stronger in practice than the oath of a person whose word doesn\u2019t matter to them.<\/p>\n

Because at the end of the day, you control whether you choose to suffer loss or inconvenience rather than to break your word. Choosing to be faithful to a spouse even when tempted by someone younger and hotter is not a matter of the will of God, but of your own power over your heart\u2019s lust.<\/p>\n

Choosing to die rather than to break your promise is simply a matter of what you value most – your life, or your word. These things do not depend on the Lord\u2019s will, but rest solely upon the strength of your own will.<\/p>\n

And while it\u2019s understandable why someone would want to avoid being backed into a corner by their words, and why someone would prefer to be a verbal coward, you\u2019re useless to God if you do so – and mostly useless as a person, too.<\/p>\n

So you do<\/em> have to build confidence in your word by accepting bindings, by performing your promises. You do<\/em> need to learn how to be somewhere on time, and you need<\/em> to learn to keep your vows. You should start small, and build on your successes until you know exactly what you can agree to and what you can\u2019t.<\/p>\n

So bind yourself, but bind yourself to things that are in your power, things you have the will to see through to the end no matter what. Build trust in your word, for others but most of all for yourself. Because if you cannot manifest yourself at work on time, you absolutely will not be able to manifest a broken arm whole.<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

And before God will have any interest in confirming your words, He has to know those are words He can get behind.<\/em> And to determine that, He\u2019s going to look at words you\u2019ve already said which you\u2019ve lived up to. And if you\u2019ve never made any promises, you\u2019ve also never kept any<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

And so God has nothing to get behind even if you\u2019ve never broken<\/em> your word! Because you also never gave it!<\/strong><\/p>\n

EVEN IF YOU WERE TRICKED<\/h3>\n

You are judged for every idle word you speak,<\/em> in your day of judgment – which, for the house of God, is today (<\/span>1 Peter 4:17<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>. And the power of your word is directly related to the purity of your word; the value you place on it is the value others will be able to place on it.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

So once you give a word – whether a promise, a vow, or a casual statement of fact – you have to keep it absolutely no matter what happens next – foreseen or not..<\/strong>. Even if the other person is evil, deceptive, and literally tricked you!<\/em><\/p>\n

This last part is shocking, but we can prove conclusively that God binds you to your own words even stronger than to His own commandment!<\/em> Don\u2019t get me wrong, you\u2019ll be punished for breaking the commandment\u2026 but not as much as for breaking your promise even if the other party dealt in bad faith!<\/em><\/p>\n

Case in point; in Joshua 9<\/span><\/strong>, inhabitants of one of the doomed cities of the promised land, Gibeon, disguised themselves and tricked Joshua into making a covenant with them. They said they were from a far off land, offered to be bondservants of Israel forever, and wanted him to swear by God that they would not attack them.<\/p>\n

Joshua was suspicious at first, but their baggage looked like they came from a long journey, so he didn\u2019t see the harm and eventually he relented and made the oath. Three days later, when the deception was uncovered, the Israelites, naturally enough, felt betrayed and wanted to kill them anyway. After all, the oath was extracted with a lie, so it shouldn\u2019t count, right?<\/p>\n

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Joshua 9:19-20<\/span><\/strong> \u2026We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And so the oath was honored, and these people became the servants of Israel, but Israel was forbidden from killing them even though God had EXPLICITLY commanded them to kill every Canaanite!<\/em> So even though this oath was in direct contradiction to a direct command of God, the oath trumped the commandment!<\/em><\/p>\n

But the story doesn\u2019t end there. Four centuries later, when Saul was trying to mend fences with God, he decided to get rid of these same Gibeonites – to keep the original commandment to exterminate Canaanites – and as a result God cursed Israel. Four centuries later God considered the promise binding enough to curse an entire nation!<\/em><\/p>\n

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2 Samuel 21:1<\/span><\/strong> There was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Yahweh. Yahweh said, \u201cIt is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This was a promise extracted in bad faith, a promise built on false pretenses, a promise made with a people God had commanded them to kill! How much more binding does God consider promises made in good faith, with people who have done you no wrong?<\/p>\n

The lesson here is that God takes words deadly seriously.<\/em> And even though the oath was extracted with deception, the words were said in His name.<\/em> And words spoken in the name of God are holier even than the commandment of God<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Psalms 138:2<\/span><\/strong> I will give worship before your holy Temple, praising your name for your mercy and for your unchanging faith: for you have made your word greater than all your name<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Because God values His word even greater than His own name!<\/em><\/p>\n

Think about that.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

WORDS WITHOUT POWER<\/h3>\n

But don\u2019t mistake this for new-age, wishful thinking, manifesting, live-your-delusion nonsense. We have no power, iron-clad word or not, and the universe won\u2019t listen to us because we don\u2019t matter. Our words become reality only<\/em> if some being with actual<\/em> power is interested in making our word mean something, and those beings do that only<\/em> if it suits their<\/em> purposes.<\/p>\n

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Psalms 106:8<\/span><\/strong> \u2026he saved them for his name\u2019s sake, that he might make his mighty power known.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Creating worlds by the words of your power requires words that are unbreakable and<\/em> power. If we fix our shaky word, that might<\/em> get God\u2019s interest, but until it does, then iron-clad or not, our word still<\/em> won\u2019t have any power!<\/p>\n

And this is where the millennial-influencer-power-of-positive-thinking-people who are living their delulu (look it up) are so wrong. Writing it down and putting it out there in the universe is an absolute and utter waste of time unless<\/em> someone is listening and has a reason to make your words be true.<\/p>\n

Even Jesus said \u201cthe Son can do nothing of himself\u201d<\/em> (<\/span>John 5:19<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>, and \u201cI speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does His works\u201d<\/em> (<\/span>John 14:10<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>. So it wasn\u2019t that Jesus, or any of the apostles, had the power to make things happen because they said so.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t that they were declaring and manifesting their truth and the universe was falling in line because of their confidence. Human words have no power, no matter their confidence, no matter how reliable their own personal word is, because God has no interest in making the selfish babbling of your average Instagrammer come true (<\/span>James 4:1-5<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Because what\u2019s in it for Him?<\/strong> Why SHOULD He stand behind some random person\u2019s word, no matter how well they keep it? Because if He\u2019s not involved\u2026 why should<\/em> He be involved?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ezekiel 20:14<\/span><\/strong> But I worked for my name\u2019s sake<\/strong>, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So God will confirm your words with unlimited power on two conditions; first, that your word already<\/em> matters to you. He doesn\u2019t want someone running around manifesting chaos everywhere, or shaping reality for their own selfish purposes.<\/p>\n

And second, God will confirm your words with unlimited power if and only if<\/em> there is something in it for Him. He has to be convinced that giving you power is in the best interest of His name –<\/em> which is to say, His reputation – or necessary for the well-being of His household.<\/em><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re in that household, that\u2019s a good enough reason right there. Just as you would take care of your kids, so God will take care of you with power if you ask (<\/span>Matthew 7:7-11<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>. But if you\u2019re not in His house, your problems are not His problem (<\/span>Matthew 15:24<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>. So you\u2019ll have to convince Him why, as an unbaptized Gentile, you deserve His attention (<\/span>verses 25-28<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

THE PROOF OF A PROPHET<\/h3>\n

But this only covers a small amount of the really cool reality-bending miracles in the Bible. No one was sick when Jesus walked on water, for example. No one was dying when Jesus said the fig tree would never fruit again. And yet God confirmed that declaration anyway. Why?<\/p>\n

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Deuteronomy 18:22<\/span><\/strong> when a prophet speaks in the name of Yahweh, if the thing doesn\u2019t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken:<\/strong> the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you shall not be afraid of him.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is the proof of a prophet Moses gave us. You know a person is a prophet if what he said happens. Period. Now most people assume that was talking only about the specific \u201cthus saith the Lord\u201d of the prophet\u2019s message.<\/p>\n

But think about it! If the prophet says something true one day, and then says something else which doesn\u2019t come to pass<\/em> the very next day\u2026 that invalidates everything<\/em> the prophet said! This is why God said of Samuel\u2026<\/p>\n

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1 Samuel 3:19<\/span><\/strong> Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him, and let NONE of his words fall to the ground<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is what God does for people whom He wants to be respected for His own name\u2019s sake.<\/em> He follows them around and makes sure that anything and EVERYTHING<\/em> they say comes to pass – whether it\u2019s about the death of a king or about the weather.<\/p>\n

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Verse 20<\/span><\/strong> All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And that is HOW they knew He was a prophet! Because according to the test of Moses, everything HE said happened.<\/em> God did not let any idle words<\/em> Samuel said \u201cfall to the ground\u201d – because if EVERYTHING a prophet says doesn\u2019t happen\u2026<\/em> then according to Moses, he isn\u2019t a prophet of God!<\/em><\/p>\n

PREDICTING\u2026 OR DECREEING?<\/h3>\n

It always bugged me how Jesus could predict that Peter would deny Him three times. I mean through the doctrine of antichrist<\/a>, we know that Jesus came in the flesh, just like one of us; thus, He couldn\u2019t have possessed foresight above what was available to any of us.<\/p>\n

And it would certainly be impossible for me, no matter how wise I was or how well I knew a person to guess the number of times a person would approach Peter before the rooster crowed twice. So how did He know it would happen?<\/p>\n

Then I realized\u2026 He didn\u2019t say it because He knew it would<\/em> happen! He knew it would happen because He said it would!<\/em> And God couldn\u2019t<\/em> let His words fall to the ground!<\/strong> Because if ANYTHING Jesus said didn\u2019t happen\u2026<\/em> Israel would be fully justified in rejecting everything else He had said!<\/em><\/p>\n

Likewise, when Jacob gave blessings to His sons in Genesis 48-49<\/span><\/strong>, he wasn\u2019t seeing the future. He was creating<\/em> the future by favoring his favorite sons with his best blessings. A future which God made happen because God wanted everyone to know that He loved Jacob.<\/em><\/p>\n

And these blessings of a parent, once spoken, couldn\u2019t be retracted even if they were extracted by blatant deception.<\/em> So when Jacob himself had deceived Isaac into blessing him, and was found out, Isaac couldn\u2019t take the blessing back and give it to Esau, even though he wanted to, even though Jacob lied, and even though he thought at the time that he WAS blessing Esau!<\/em><\/p>\n

Because God wanted everyone to know that Isaac was a prophet, and so God made whatever he said\u2026 True. And He did this for His own name\u2019s sake, for He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.<\/em> What they said reflected on Him, for good or evil.<\/p>\n

Likewise, when Jesus told the fig tree that no one would eat off of it again (<\/span>Mark 11:13<\/span>)<\/span>,<\/strong> God made it happen because none<\/em> of His words could \u201creturn again to Him empty.\u201dBecause if it hadn\u2019t happened\u2026<\/em> by Moses\u2019 test, it would have proven Jesus to be a false prophet, and that was unacceptable to God! For His own name\u2019s sake!<\/strong><\/p>\n

MAKING A MIRACLE<\/h3>\n

The fig tree died simply because Jesus said it would. He declared, manifested, proclaimed, choose your preferred word, the reality He felt should exist; and then God got busy changing reality to make it fit what Jesus had said.<\/p>\n

Which is, once you look for it, how literally every miracle was done.<\/em> Men of God simply said what they thought, and then it happened. Naaman the Syrian was told to wash seven times in the Jordan to get rid of his leprosy. Why there? Why seven times? Because Elisha felt like it, and God made sure it happened<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Elisha could have chosen the Nile just as easily, or told him to wear a sheepskin for a week, or eat a handful of charcoal\u2026 whatever he felt was right –<\/em> and God would have backed him up for His own name\u2019s sake!<\/em><\/p>\n

Why did the axe head float? Not because Elisha found a magic stick that made iron weigh less; but because God wanted Elisha\u2019s reputation upheld (<\/span>2 Kings 6:5-7<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>, and holding up the axe head was easier than finding a new prophet!<\/p>\n

Why did the Earth open and swallow Korah and the rebels? Because Moses said that God would make a new way of killing them, so an earthquake and sinkhole was manufactured to suit. Because otherwise Moses would be a false prophet by his own definition, because to be a prophet every idle word you say must be true!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

PRAYER\u2026 OR DECLARATION?<\/h3>\n

It surprises most people to learn there is not one example in the entire New Testament of anyone<\/em> praying for a healing. Not one. There is not a single lame, sick, or dead person ever recorded as having been raised by merely asking God<\/em> to heal them.<\/p>\n

In every single example, Jesus or the apostle simply spoke words to the effect of \u201cyou are healed\u201d and they simply\u2026 were. A very few times they had prayed first (<\/span>Acts 9:40<\/span>, Acts 28:8<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>, though what exactly that prayer was is debatable, as we\u2019ll discuss a little bit later.<\/p>\n

But even then, in each and every case the actual healing was done by declaring the reality they wished to see as if it were already in existence<\/em> and such was the power of their word that reality warped itself into the shape they said it already<\/em> was.<\/p>\n

Jesus told the wind to be still, and it was. He didn\u2019t pray first. He told the fever to leave, and it did. Because the Father heard Him<\/em> when He spoke – every idle word –<\/em> and confirmed the things He said, by whatever miracles necessary to make His words be Truth.<\/p>\n

And it wasn\u2019t just Jesus – Paul told the sorcerer to be blind, and he was (<\/span>Acts 13:8-12<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>. Peter told a lame man to stand up and walk, and he did (<\/span>Acts 3:6<\/span>)<\/span>. No prayers were involved<\/strong>. They just declared the Truth they wanted to see.<\/p>\n

\u201cGod is able to save us from the fire,\u201d Daniel\u2019s friends told Nebuchadnezzar (<\/span>Daniel 3:17-18<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>. And God, rather than see His name shamed before the Babylonians\u2026 made the impossible real. For with God all things are possible; so likewise when God sends people to teach the world that with God all things are possible,<\/em> for them all things ARE possible.<\/p>\n

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Mark 16:20<\/span><\/strong> They went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed<\/strong>. Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And this is how the word of these men of faith became Truth; these men who declared the living dead and the dead alive, the dry wet and the wet dry, these were men whose declarations were Truth, because God wouldn\u2019t let them not<\/em> be.<\/p>\n

Every example in the Bible tells the same story. Because Jesus didn\u2019t ask God to cast out the devils, He simply told them to leave. He didn\u2019t ask God to heal the withered arm, He just told him to stretch it out and\u2026 he did. He treated the problem as already solved, and lo and behold\u2026 it was.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s EXACTLY what He told us to do! And more importantly\u2026 how<\/em> He told us to do it!<\/p>\n

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Luke 17:22-24<\/span><\/strong> Jesus answered them, \u201cHave faith in God. For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, \u2018Be taken up and cast into the sea,\u2019 and doesn\u2019t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening;<\/strong> he shall have whatever he says. Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you HAVE received them<\/strong>, and you shall have them.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So if you want to throw a mountain or a tree into the ocean – not sure why you would, but if that becomes an issue for you – all you have to do is to believe that the problem is solved, declare it solved in the PAST TENSE, and the problem will therefore become solved<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Luke 17:12-15<\/span><\/strong> As he entered into a certain village, ten men who were lepers met him, who stood at a distance. They lifted up their voices, saying, \u201cJesus, Master, have mercy on us!\u201d When he saw them, he said to them, \u201cGo and show yourselves to the priests.\u201d<\/strong> It happened that as they went,<\/strong> they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Not knowing Levitical law, this might not jump out at you, but showing yourself to the priest was something you were supposed to do after<\/em> you were cleansed! (<\/span>Leviticus 13<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>. Thus, by telling them to go the priest, He was telling them they had already been cleansed<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

But had they looked at their flesh and said \u201cuh, dude, I\u2019m still like, white and flaky and stuff, I can\u2019t go to the priest yet\u201d\u2026 that leper wouldn\u2019t have been cleansed because he wouldn\u2019t have started towards the temple where, as they went,<\/em> they were cleansed!<\/strong><\/p>\n

USE ONLY AS DIRECTED<\/h3>\n

If God is interested in manifesting your Truth at all, He will make all your words come true.<\/em> But you can imagine the danger to the Lord\u2019s reputation in letting His prophets ad-lib their way through things.<\/p>\n

What if they say stupid stuff? He still has to back it up, or else disavow the prophet and all that the prophet taught. Because the reality is, they\u2019re going to occasionally cross the line into foolishness, as Paul did when he told the high priest, \u201cGod shall smite thee, you whited wall\u201d (<\/span>Acts 23:3<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Note, in passing, that Paul didn\u2019t pray to God<\/em> to curse this priest. He simply declared a future he willed to happen – that God would smite the priest in retribution for him smiting Paul. A future which God would have no choice but to bring to pass or else risk Paul\u2019s status as a prophet.<\/p>\n

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John 5:14<\/span><\/strong> This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And yet the law forbids speaking ill of the ruler of your people (<\/span>Exodus 22:28<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>, thus cursing the high priest was not according to God\u2019s will. Nonetheless, since Paul said it, and God needed people to listen to Paul, I\u2019m confident God made it happen – it\u2019s not like the priest didn\u2019t deserve it anyway – but just as surely, God was annoyed at Paul for backing him into that corner.<\/p>\n

There is, after all, a reason why Paul suffered with a \u201cthorn in the flesh\u201d for much of his life. And we know Paul didn\u2019t think this particular curse through, but acted impulsively; because when a bystander corrected Paul, he said he didn\u2019t know that this was the high priest – but he SHOULD HAVE!<\/p>\n

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Ecclesiastes 5:2-3<\/span><\/strong> \u2026Don\u2019t be rash with your mouth, and don\u2019t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God;<\/strong> for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few<\/strong>. For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool\u2019s speech with a multitude of words<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Before you curse anybody,<\/em> or for that matter, bless them, you should at the very least know who they are! I mean, right? Consider their situation and then, and only then,<\/em> judge them worthy of good or evil. Paul didn\u2019t do that, and had to retract his curse seconds later (<\/span>Acts 23:4-5<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>, and we can be certain that angered God because He said\u2026<\/p>\n

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Ecclesiastes 5:5-6<\/span> Don\u2019t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don\u2019t protest before the messenger [angel in the KJV] that this was a mistake.<\/em><\/strong> Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Notice that phrase – \u201cdon\u2019t protest before the angel that it was a mistake.\u201d Why would you have to apologize to an angel because of what your mouth said? Because, like Paul did there, you said something hastily, and then an angel was assigned to bring it to pass\u2026<\/strong> but then you realized you shouldn\u2019t have said it in the first place and wanted to retract it.<\/p>\n

So before his \u201cmouth caused his flesh to sin,\u201d Paul should have at least known<\/em> who he was talking to! This is an awesome power, so you need to try very hard to ensure that your words declare a righteous reality, not a petty and self-serving one.<\/p>\n

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James 4:3<\/span><\/strong> You ask, and don\u2019t receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

God learned long ago that most of us spend most of our time running our mouth about stuff we know nothing about, and so He has learned to ignore most of what we say, justly treating it as not worth the air it\u2019s spoken into.<\/p>\n

And so if you\u2019re given to impulsively speaking, as Paul was, God will distance Himself from your words. He\u2019ll answer a few of them now and then, but it will be out of compassion, not out of a desire to make His name great by confirming all of your words.<\/em><\/p>\n

If you want to reverse that trend, draw closer to Him; act and speak more like He would speak, and He will draw closer to you, and confirm more of your words (<\/span>James 4:8<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>. Make your yes, yes, and your no, no, and nothing will be impossible for you.<\/p>\n

Like the men of Hebrews 11<\/span><\/strong>, who felled the walls of Jericho and parted the Red Sea and stopped the mouths of lions and walked through literal fire\u2026 because their \u201cyes\u201d was \u201cyes,\u201d and their \u201cno\u201d was \u201cno,\u201d in the most literal sense of the word.<\/p>\n

And so God made their \u201cyes\u201d into a capital-y \u201cYes\u201d which even the rocks and the sea obey.<\/p>\n

WORDS IN PRACTICE<\/h3>\n

Which means if Jesus said Lazarus wasn\u2019t dead but sleeping (<\/span>John 11:11<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>, we shouldn\u2019t think of it as a miracle so much as we should see it as a correction of reality, a revision of the Truth. Because what Jesus said became Truth.<\/em> Why? Because God\u2019s word is TRUTH.<\/em><\/p>\n

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John 17:17<\/span><\/strong> Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word [Jesus] is truth.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Which literally means what God says, no matter how impossible it might seem beforehand, becomes truth in the moment it is uttered. And since Jesus was<\/em> the Word of God, God transferred this power of reality-shifting to Him. For Jesus is not the source of this power.<\/p>\n

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John 11:41-43<\/span><\/strong> So they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, \u201cFather, I thank you that you listened to me. I know that you ALWAYS listen to me, but because of the multitude that stands around I said this, that they may believe that you sent me.\u201d<\/strong> When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, \u201cLazarus, come out!\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Most people think this is Jesus thanking God for hearing His prayer;<\/em> in other words, His supposed earlier request from God to raise Lazarus from the dead. But rather to the contrary, this was thanking God for hearing Him always<\/em> and not letting any<\/em> of His words fall to the ground<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Just to see how well this explains the scriptures, take this random string of miracles Jesus performed in Matthew 9:18-30<\/span><\/strong> [I\u2019ve rearranged the order to keep the story of the individual miracles together]\u2026<\/p>\n

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While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshipped him, saying, \u201cMy daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Is it likely that the man misdiagnosed his daughter\u2019s condition? Is it plausible, as Jesus was about to claim, that he mistook it for sleep? I think not. But he believed, and declared,<\/em> that if Jesus laid His hand on her, that she would live. And since that was the reality he believed in, Jesus would only have to lay His hand on her for her live<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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\u2026Jesus got up and followed him, as did his disciples\u2026 When Jesus came into the ruler\u2019s house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd in noisy disorder, he said to them, \u201cMake room, because the girl isn\u2019t dead, but sleeping.\u201d<\/strong> They were ridiculing him. But when the crowd was put out, he entered in, took her by the hand, and the girl arose. The report of this went out into all that land.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Jesus couldn\u2019t possibly have known that she was only sleeping without examining her. Hence, she wasn\u2019t<\/em> sleeping. That is\u2026 not until He said<\/em> she was. Then reality rearranged itself to make what He had said be true.<\/p>\n

Yet bear in mind, another man declared a reality where Jesus simply had to speak the word to heal his servant (<\/span>Luke 7:6-10<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>. In that case, his reality too was confirmed and the servant was healed from that moment. Why was a touch necessary in one case, and a word enough in another? Because of the reality this person believed in.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Behold, a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; for she said within herself, \u201cIf I just touch his garment, I will be made well.\u201d But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, \u201cDaughter, cheer up! Your faith has made you well.\u201d<\/strong> And the woman was made well from that hour.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Notice this woman also believed a certain thing, which by all rights should not be true; that touching Jesus\u2019 clothes<\/em> would heal her. And she was healed without Jesus even being AWARE of her desire<\/em> until after the fact (compare the version in Mark 5:25-34<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>. Because reality was altered to suit her words.<\/p>\n

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As Jesus passed by from there, two blind men followed him, calling out and saying, \u201cHave mercy on us, son of David!\u201d When he had come into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, \u201cDo you believe that I am able to do this?\u201d<\/strong> They told him, \u201cYes, Lord.\u201d Then he touched their eyes, saying, \u201cAccording to your faith be it done to you.\u201d<\/strong> Their eyes were opened.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And again, there was no prayer, no begging of God, no anointing of oil; but He did<\/em> need to know if they believed He could do what they were asking. Because that was the only question that really mattered!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Then He simply touched them and said \u201cmay what you believe be done to you.\u201d And since He<\/em> declared that their beliefs would come true, it meant reality changed to where their beliefs did come true!<\/em> Where their beliefs,<\/em> not His own, rearranged reality to suit their will!<\/p>\n

Thus, we have a very clear case of Jesus passing on<\/em>, in this particular instance, the power to bend reality to those who believe that what He declares comes true<\/strong>. If we believe that He has that power,<\/em> then the power is automatically transferred to us by His word here.<\/p>\n

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John 14:12<\/span><\/strong> Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these<\/strong>, because I am going to my Father.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Thus, by this promise, all those who believe He can change reality, receive the power to reshape reality themselves! Provided of course, that their word matters<\/em> to them – otherwise God will tune them out like the white noise they are.<\/p>\n

PRAYER ISN\u2019T WHAT WE THOUGHT<\/h3>\n

Seeing the examples of all of these miracles, we must reexamine everything we thought we knew about prayer. Because there is no example of anything like a modern Christian prayer ever<\/em> being used in the Bible. How do we even know that \u201cprayer\u201d in the Bible means what we call \u201cprayer\u201d today?<\/p>\n

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James 5:17-18<\/span><\/strong> Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly<\/strong> that it might not rain, and it didn\u2019t rain on the earth for three years and six months. He prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth brought forth its fruit.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

James says that Elijah \u201cprayed earnestly\u201d that it wouldn\u2019t rain. And then prayed again, and it rained. And yet\u2026 as we<\/em> understand the concept of prayer, that\u2019s not what happened at all!<\/p>\n

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1 Kings 17:1<\/span><\/strong> Elijah\u2026 said to Ahab, \u201cAs Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word<\/strong>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is not a prayer as we understand the term; Elijah simply said \u201cthere will not be rain\u201d and there wasn\u2019t.<\/em> And to lift the drought, prayer was again not involved; at least, not at first.<\/p>\n

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1 Kings 18:41-45<\/span><\/strong> Elijah said to Ahab, \u201cGet up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.\u201d<\/strong> So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees<\/strong>. He said to his servant, \u201cGo up now, look toward the sea.\u201d He went up, and looked, and said, \u201cThere is nothing.\u201d He said, \u201cGo again\u201d seven times. It happened at the seventh time, that he said, \u201cBehold, a small cloud, like a man\u2019s hand, is rising out of the sea.\u201d He said, \u201cGo up, tell Ahab, \u2018Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn\u2019t stop you.\u2019\u201d<\/strong> It happened in a little while, that the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It says nothing about prayer here; it\u2019s not a stretch to say that maybe Elijah prayed when his head was between his knees, but there is no proof of that. What we can<\/em> prove is that before he did anything else, he declared to Ahab that he could hear the sound of abundant rain when there was literally not a cloud in the sky.<\/em><\/p>\n

And then afterward, while there was only \u201ca little cloud, the size of a man\u2019s hand,\u201d he manifested to Ahab that if he didn\u2019t rush back to the city, the rain would wash the road out. These were not prayers, as such.<\/p>\n

Yet James called both of these declarations of Elijah \u201cfervent prayer.\u201d The same exact words<\/em> he used to describe the prayer of the elders to heal the sick in literally the same breath! So the question is, does \u201cthere will not be rain, except my word\u201d<\/em>\u2026 count as a prayer?<\/p>\n

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James 5:14-16<\/span><\/strong> Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him<\/strong>, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick<\/strong>, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another,<\/strong> that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This was Jesus\u2019 brother, James. He knew<\/em> how the miracles were performed. He had seen Jesus heal the sick countless times. So why would he teach us to heal people in a different way than our perfect example, Jesus, healed them?<\/em><\/strong> In a different way than the apostles, His students, were taught to heal people?<\/p>\n

By that I mean, Jesus occasionally anointed with oil or spit or some such; but He never<\/em> prayed a proper modern prayer. He simply said \u201cyour faith has made you whole,\u201d or \u201cpick up your bed and walk\u201d or words to that effect. So why would James tell us to heal in a completely different way?<\/strong><\/p>\n

To my mind, he wouldn\u2019t. Especially when the apostles all followed Jesus\u2019 example,<\/em> not the modern interpretation of this word \u201cprayer.\u201d Therefore, when James said the elders should \u201cpray over him,\u201d he meant the elders should declare them healed,<\/em> order them to \u201crise and walk,\u201d which James clearly believed was a prayer because he called Elijah\u2019s declaration a prayer too!<\/strong><\/p>\n

And as one final example, Jesus also called our<\/em> declarations prayers!<\/p>\n

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Luke 17:22-24<\/span><\/strong> Jesus answered them, \u201cHave faith in God. For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, \u2018Be taken up and cast into the sea,\u2019<\/strong> and doesn\u2019t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says<\/strong>. Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you HAVE received them<\/strong>, and you shall have them.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Note carefully here; Jesus tells us to SAY,<\/em> to a mountain, a direct command: \u201cgo jump in a lake.\u201d Then later, in the same breath, referring to the same example, says \u201cwhatever you pray<\/em> and ask for\u201d\u2026 thus implying that commanding a mountain to be cast into the sea is a prayer!<\/em><\/p>\n

THE LORD\u2019S\u2026 DECLARATION?<\/h3>\n

But not prayer as we understand it,<\/em> because the actual examples<\/em> of prayer we have, like John 17<\/span><\/strong>, sound nothing like a modern prayer, or even the \u201cLord\u2019s prayer\u201d He taught the disciples to use. Why not? Well look closely at that prayer and you will see in it a list of suggested declarations, and not a prayer such as we were taught in Sunday school:<\/p>\n

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Luke 11:2-4<\/span><\/strong> And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.<\/em> [Declaration of desired reality: your name is kept holy] Thy kingdom come.<\/em> [Declaration: your kingdom has<\/em> come] Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.<\/em> [Declaration: your will is done in Earth] Give us day by day our daily bread.<\/em> [Declaration: you give us our bread] And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.<\/em> [Declaration: our sins are forgiven for we have forgiven the sins of others] And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.<\/em> [Declaration: You do not lead us into temptation]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Rather than see this as a list of whiny requests, it\u2019s easy to see this as a list of the kinds of things a true Christian would be manifesting in a given day.<\/em> For example, Jesus Himself said not to worry about our daily bread; thus, asking<\/em> God for our daily bread makes no sense.<\/p>\n

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Matthew 6:31-32<\/span><\/strong> Therefore don\u2019t be anxious, saying, \u2018What will we eat?\u2019, \u2018What will we drink?\u2019 or, \u2018With what will we be clothed?\u2019 For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This was said about the same time, so why would Jesus tell us not to worry about these things, but simultaneously to ask God for these things every time we kneel in prayer??<\/em> Obviously, He wouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

However, He would<\/em> have told us, when things look bleak foodwise, to declare \u201cthat God will provide us with our daily bread,\u201d something we couldn\u2019t declare with confidence if we were \u201canxious, saying \u2018what will we eat?\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n

Nor does it make sense for Jesus to tell us to fear temptation, despite saying several times \u201cPray that ye enter not into temptation\u201d<\/em> (<\/span>Luke 22:40<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>. Why would He expect us to constantly pray \u201cplease don\u2019t lead us into temptation!,\u201d when James tells us that God does not tempt any man? (<\/span>James 1:13<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>. Especially when Jesus surely knew that the Psalms already promised us\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

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Psalms 121:7-8<\/span><\/strong> The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

However, He would<\/em> have told us to act as if we were certain of this promise, by declaring that we would not<\/em> be led into temptation above what we can bear<\/em> (<\/span>1 Corinthians 10:13<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>; by trusting that whatever was happening to us was not a temptation, but an opportunity to be blessed:<\/p>\n

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James 1:12<\/span><\/strong> Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Thus, declaring that \u201cthis is not a temptation but an opportunity\u201d is not a prayer as we understand it, but a declaration of our faith which, because of our declaration, becomes our reality.<\/em> Which, apparently\u2026 is called a prayer.<\/p>\n

So when Jesus told Peter \u201cI have prayed for you, that your faith fail not\u201d<\/em> (<\/span>Luke 22:32<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>, we imagine him saying \u201cFather in heaven, don\u2019t let Peter\u2019s faith fail, in my name, Amen.\u201d But all He really had to do was say \u201cPeter\u2019s got this, he\u2019s gonna make it\u201d for that to be what happened.<\/p>\n

After all\u2026 that\u2019s what He did when He said Peter would deny Him three times, causing Peter\u2019s faith to fail him. Why would He need to do more to manifest that Peter\u2019s faith wouldn\u2019t<\/em> fail him in the end?<\/p>\n

IDLE PRAYERS<\/h3>\n

Back to John 17<\/span><\/strong>, try reading that passage without seeing it as a capital-P-Prayer, and rather as a string of declarations Jesus was manifesting. Because when you do, you\u2019ll see that Jesus simply declared what He wanted the Father to do; declared the reality He expected to exist, and which therefore would exist.<\/p>\n

He said things like \u201cmay they be one in us\u201d; \u201ckeep them from the evil one\u201d; \u201cFather, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am\u201d (<\/span>John 17:24<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>. In each of these cases declaring His own will, manifesting things which were no more in Jesus\u2019 innate power than raising Lazarus was.<\/p>\n

So was telling Lazarus to \u201ccome forth,\u201d any more – or less – a prayer than telling God to \u201csanctify the saints through His Word?\u201d If Elijah\u2019s declaration that it would not rain was a prayer, then so was Jesus telling the wind to be still or rebuking a devil.<\/p>\n

And so when Jesus tells us to \u201cpray always\u201d<\/em> (<\/span>Luke 21:36<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>, or Paul tells us to \u201cpray without ceasing\u201d<\/em> (<\/span>1 Thessalonians 5:17<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>, did they really mean the begging, talking-to-God kind of prayers that Christians do today\u2026 or did they simply mean that every word you manifest in the world is a prayer that God hears?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Every word we say – from things like \u201cit\u2019ll work out\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m sure you\u2019ll figure it out,\u201d to things like \u201cshe is not dead\u201d or \u201cfire won\u2019t burn me\u201d – is being heard, and, if it\u2019s in the interests of God\u2019s holy name to make it happen, then every idle word you say will come true.<\/em><\/p>\n

Because think logically;<\/p>\n

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  1. Prayer is a message or statement that God hears; <\/li>\n
  2. God is listening to every idle word<\/em> we say;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Therefore: every idle word is a prayer.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Thus, every true Christian is \u201cpraying always,\u201d whether they know it or not. Some of these words are consciously directed at God, more recognizable as prayers; but by far the majority are the idle words you say all day long.<\/p>\n

    And we\u2019ll have to give account for these words, these prayers, whether addressed to God or addressed to our worst enemy, in our day of judgment. Which of course, is today – every single day we utter them (<\/span>1 Peter 4:17<\/span>)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    For both the good and the evil, both the direct and the indirect prayers, reach His ears; and by them we are condemned\u2026 and also, by them we are justified.<\/em> By our words, all of our words,<\/em> God shapes reality around us.<\/p>\n

    \n

    1 John 5:14-15<\/span><\/strong> This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask,<\/strong> we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    So if we don\u2019t like the reality they create\u2026 we should say different words. Or at least, fewer words.<\/p>\n

    THE VERY WORDS OF GOD<\/h3>\n

    So, bottom line; do what you said you\u2019ll do. Be cautious agreeing to things that aren\u2019t in your power to guarantee. Say \u201cno\u201d to more people, more often. Mind your responsibilities, and nothing else.<\/p>\n

    But simultaneously, you must let yourself be bound to your \u201cyes\u201d with cables of steel. For you must, through practice, learn how to use the power of words by building confidence in your own. You must accept certain responsibilities and make promises that you can keep.<\/p>\n

    For only by being faithful in these little words, can you prove to God that your word means something to you.<\/em> There is no other way to convince anyone, not even yourself, that you<\/em> won\u2019t let your words fall to the ground, unless you give your word to people occasionally – and then see how strong it is.<\/p>\n

    There is no way to prove to God that you would rather suffer loss and death than break your word, unless you make a promise and refuse to break it. Because why would God stand behind words that you<\/em> don\u2019t even stand behind?<\/strong> And how can He know you stand behind your word, if you never give it?<\/p>\n

    Once you have done that, in order to receive power you must give God a reason to back up your words by creating a reality with them that would bring glory of His name. If you\u2019re going to manifest, make sure people know that it\u2019s His power in you, not your own power, that does the work.<\/p>\n

    And if reality proves more stubborn than your word, then accept that you\u2019re not a good enough reflection of His glory. Yet. Keep declaring your reality in those areas you can<\/em> control, and let your actions convince God that His name will be made just a little bit better if you have His power.<\/p>\n

    God is eager to bestow His power on anyone He can trust to use it justly, so all you have to do is be that person. Make your word good, and God will make it great. Convince God that what your idle words manifest will be at least mostly<\/em> in line with His will, and why wouldn\u2019t<\/em> He give you unlimited power to shape reality to that will?<\/p>\n

    If you speak exactly what God would say\u2026 why wouldn\u2019t you have the exact power God has?<\/p>\n

    \n

    1 Peter 4:11<\/span><\/strong> If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God<\/strong>. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Of the things we have said, here is the sum; God\u2019s words matter, and God\u2019s words always<\/em> accomplish that which they set out to do. Make sure that yours do as well, with all the power you do have, no matter what the personal cost – and God will pick up the slack that you can\u2019t.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Hebrews 1:3<\/span><\/strong> His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the WORD OF HIS POWER,<\/strong> when he had by himself made purification for our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Because God literally – and I mean literally – keeps the universe spinning by the power of His Word. ALL THINGS rest on the Power of HIS WORD. And the ONLY reason that works, even for Him,<\/em> is because He values His word even above His own name.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Psalms 138:2<\/span><\/strong> I will give worship before your holy Temple, praising your name for your mercy and for your UNCHANGING faith: for you have made your word greater than all your name<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    The least you can do is keep yours.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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