Speaking Faith 8: Why Speaking Faith Works - Part 2

I begin today, where I left off last Sunday – with these words from Scripture:
Jesus says…
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24, NIV.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Matthew 7:7, NIV.

“For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:8, NIV.

“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”” Matthew 21:22, NIV.

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”
John 15:7, NIV.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:14, 15, NIV.

The idea of speaking faith is a clear teaching of God’s Word that impacts every area of our lives.

So, we come today to a bit of a crossroads – the choice is before us: Continue on as we have in the past, allowing fear, insecurity and the current opinions of man to come out of our mouths – or to – Ask the Lord to remake us and build in us a vocabulary of faith.


Defined: Speaking Faith is verbally declaring your confidence that what God has already promised will become true in your life!


Last Sunday we looked at the first four of seven reasons why speaking faith works:
1. SPEAKING FAITH WORKS because it SOWS the SEEDS of God’s Kingdom. – Mark 4:26-29
2. SPEAKING FAITH WORKS because it causes FAITH to come to all areas of my life! Romans 10:17
3. SPEAKING FAITH WORKS because it gives you the MIND of Christ! Romans 12:2
4. SPEAKING FAITH WORKS because it keeps God’s SOLUTION right in front of you! Philippians 4:6-8

And today we are going to look at the next three:

5. SPEAKING FAITH works because it changes your heart.
6. SPEAKING FAITH works because it sets the law of faith into motion.
7. SPEAKING FAITH works because it puts the Angels of God to work on your behalf.


5. SPEAKING FAITH works because it changes your heart. – Proverbs 4:20-23

One of the biggest concerns that all Christians should have is the condition of their heart. The Bible warns tells us that God is all about changing the condition of our heart.

He says in Ezekiel 11:19
“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 11:19

And in 36:26…
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26

The world gives us hard, cynical, wounded hearts. And God wants to heal your heart and make it soft and pliable to His Spirit again. This is vital because the heart is the place of revelation – the heart is the place where you’ll hear the voice of God speak to you. And if you cannot hear the voice of God, it is a sign that something isn’t right in your heart.

So, Proverbs 4:20-24 says…
“My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.
Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.” Proverbs 4:20-24

God is saying to us – SPEAK FAITH – in MY words! Keep my Promises on your tongue! Avoid foolish talk – instead, embrace the Word of Faith – and you will be filled with a ‘wellspring of life’!

When I allow my speech to be filled with the Promises of God – He changes my heart! He keeps me soft and fresh! The more I SPEAK FAITH – the more my heart is receptive to His voice! And the opposite is true – the more I speak FEAR, CONFUSION, ANXIETY, ANGER, DOUBT – ETC., the harder my heart will become, and I will miss what I was created for: To hear God’s voice!

SPEAK FAITH and He’ll soften your heart.

6. SPEAKING FAITH works because it sets the law of faith into motion. – Romans 3:27

Look at Romans 3:27…
“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.” Romans 3:27, NKJV

Paul talks about the “Law of Faith”. The Law of Faith is like the Law of Gravity – it works every time it is tried! Jump off a bridge – and the Law of Gravity will work, you can count on it. Begin to SPEAK FAITH – and the Law of Faith will begin to work on your behalf. You start speaking confidence and faith that what God has promised will become your reality – and guess what? It will! Why? Because there is a Law of Faith that is activated by you Speaking Faith!

In 2 Corinthians 4:13 Paul said:
“It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak,” 2 Corinthians 4:13, NIV.

That’s how the Law of Faith works: Whatever you believe, you speak. What you speak, you will believe stronger every time you speak it. This process causes faith to develop. You are putting into motion the spirit of faith and the Law of faith!

That’s why we should SPEAK FAITH even when outward circumstances say that it isn’t true in the natural. Some things are true in the Word of God that need to become true in our lives. So, you come up against something that you know God wants to develop in your life – say it’s ‘patience’ – you know that God wants you to become patient. It’s one of the ‘fruits of the Holy Spirit’ in Galatians 5. So, when a situation that you usually respond to with impatience comes along – you SPEAK FAITH and say: “I am filled with the Holy Spirit of God, and I will exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, therefore, I’ll be patient in this moment.” And by doing so, the Law of Faith is set into motion.

It works every time it is tried.

And then #7 reason why Speaking Faith works:
7. SPEAKING FAITH works because it puts the Angels of God to work on your behalf. – Hebrews 1:13-14

You do want God’s Angels working on your behalf don’t you? You want them protecting you, guiding you, battling on your behalf. Right?

Check out Hebrews 1:13-14…
“To which of the angels did God ever say, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” Hebrews 1:13-14

God sends His angels to serve BELIEVERS as ‘ministering spirits’. Speaking Faith gets their attention. You start to speak God’s Promises, and the Angels of God go to work to make it come to be.

Look at Psalms 103:20…
“Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.”
Psalms 103:20

What do angels do? They do His bidding, they obey His word! Do you get that? When you SPEAK FAITH that God’s Word – His Promises – are going to be accomplished – you are SPEAKING GOD’S WORD – and in doing so, you are giving angels their assignments! They do what He says – and if you are SPEAKING THE WORD OF GOD – they will DO it!

I don’t have time to get into a full teaching on Angels today – but – don’t think of them as these cute little winged cherubs playing harps while seated on fluffy white clouds… That’s nonsense! Three times in the book of Revelation angels are described as ‘mighty’ – and one of them is so strong that he is able to throw a huge boulder into the sea, depicting how God will destroy the wicked!

Again, when I SPEAK FAITH in God’s Word, I am putting God’s angels to work on my behalf.

CONCLUSION:

So we come to the conclusion of what I believe is a series of message that taken to heart and applied to real life has monumental implications for our lives.

When you begin to confess faith in God’s Word – through the Spoken Word – you are setting your goals and planting your seeds in the soil of your heart. You are saying to God: “No matter what, I’m going with You. Lead me to the destination of glory!”

It is time for you and I to allow the Holy Spirit of God to develop within us a genuine vocabulary of faith.

Who here needs to SPEAK FAITH? IT’S CROSSROADS TIME.

Speaking Faith 7: Why Speaking Faith Works - Part 1

For seven weeks we’ve been studying and thinking about the concept of SPEAKING FAITH. My goal as your pastor is to help you see the benefits of and begin to practice in your daily life SPEAKING FAITH. Remember – we defined SPEAKING FAITH this way…

Defined: Speaking Faith is verbally declaring your confidence that what God has already promised will become true in your life!

Now, I want to talk with you today about WHY SPEAKING FAITH WORKS. Look at Romans 10:8…

“The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 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 it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” Romans 10:8-11

Notice what Paul says:

1. The word is near. – None of you are too far from God to be able to receive His Word.
2. The word is in your mouth and in your heart – That’s what brings it to life – speaking faith brings revelation to your heart.
3. It is a word of faith. – When you speak God’s Word, you are speaking according to your belief system! Paul says: “confess with you mouth “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead…” Speaking the Word and Believing the Word go hand-in-hand.
4. The word of faith changes things. – “you will be saved.” – You aren’t saved from your sin until you open your mouth and confess what is true about Christ – and as you do, faith is created n your heart!

Now, this is one example of the impact of speaking faith. Paul uses this teaching to show how salvation is the result of speaking faith. But, speaking faith also impacts other areas of life – like health, relationships, finances, ministry and a myriad of other life issues.

Have you begun to speak faith to your finances? How about your health? How about your relationships? Or business dealings?

The cynic in us stands back and says: “How can what comes out of my mouth affect my financial condition? How can what I say determine health or relationships?”

Let me pose another question: “Do you believe that you will one day go to Heaven based upon your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Why do you believe that? – Because you have confessed your faith in Christ as the Savior of the World! The words of faith you spoke changed your eternal destiny.

Now, if you can believe that- can’t you believe that SPEAKING FAITH can impact these other lesser areas of life?

I want to show you today and next Sunday – SEVEN reasons why SPEAKING FAITH works.

1. SPEAKING FAITH WORKS because it SOWS the SEEDS of God’s Kingdom. – Mark 4:26-29

“He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.
Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces corn--first the stalk, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”” Mark 4:26-29

When you SPEAK FAITH in God’s Word – you are sowing seeds. Just as a farmer prepares for the harvest by planting seeds in the springtime, when you SPEAK FAITH in God’s Word, you are planting the seeds of harvest into your life.

Now, it is important that you realize – God’s doesn’t SOW the seeds, He simply provides them. The Word of God is the SEED that needs to be sown into your life. God expects you to SPEAK FAITH and to sow the seeds that He has provided.

So, what you confess with your mouth is of vital importance to you. If God said it, it is an established truth, but that truth will not necessarily be manifested or harvested in your life, unless you sow into your heart.

When I take what God has promised, SPEAK FAITH that His Promises will be true in my life, than the ground is prepared for harvest. The ground is my heart. Faith only works in the heart, for the heart is the place of revelation. When I SPEAK FAITH, God’s Kingdom is being established in my heart, and my life becomes a place where He can fulfill His promises!

SPEAK FAITH works because it sows the seeds of God’s Kingdom.

2. SPEAKING FAITH WORKS because it causes FAITH to come to all areas of my life! Romans 10:17

When you SPEAK FAITH, you are setting the goal by sowing seeds that the Kingdom of God will come to you! It is your words of faith that cause faith to come!

Romans 10:17 says…
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17, NKJV.

Notice that this verse doesn’t say: “Faith comes by having heard…” – No, it says ‘faith comes by hearing…” – and the implication is this: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing, and hearing, and hearing…” – In other words, faith is built into every area of your life through a repeated process of taking God’s Word and Promises to heart!

One day, you need to take God’s Promises to Heart regarding your salvation. The next day take it to heart regarding your relationships, then regarding your finances – over time, as you SPEAK FAITH to these various areas of life, there will be FAITH residing in every area of you.

Now, I don’t know about you – but that gives me a great sense of joy and a present experience of Hope!

Remember we looked at Hebrews 11:1:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1, NKJV.

Faith connects the already spoken Promises of God with the Future Hope. And what kind of faith is it that does this? A “NOW” faith. Faith that is being SPOKEN and PURSUED today.

Do you know why TITHING is such a major hurdle for Christians to conquer? Because it requires NOW FAITH. The enemy says: “If you tithe, you’ll not have enough.” God says: “I will meet all your needs according to my riches in glory through Christ Jesus!” And when you SPEAK FAITH and say: “YES” to the Lord – He comes through!

SPEAKING FAITH WORKS because it causes FAITH to come to all areas of my life!

3. SPEAKING FAITH WORKS because it gives you the MIND of Christ! Romans 12:2

When you came to Christ – He forgives you all of your sin, He guarantees your inheritance and He gives you the Holy Spirit to live within. But, you and I still have defective ways of thinking. Ephesians 4:18 says that our minds have been “darkened in understanding” and 1 Corinthians 13 says:

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” 1 Corinthians 13:11, NIV.

The putting off of childish ways requires that we do what Romans 12:2 says…

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2

We need to have our thinking straightened out – utterly transformed.
As you being to SPEAK FAITH – God transforms your way of thinking. You begin to says what God has said, and over time, you’ll begin to THINK LIKE God thinks.

2 Corinthians 2:16 says: “We have the mind of Christ.” – And as we SPEAK FAITH, He changes our ways of thinking.

I’ve addressed this before – and I’ll do it again: Most people struggle with FEAR. We are constantly in FEAR of this or that – and this FEAR is a STRONGHOLD of the enemy in our lives! When you begin to SPEAK FAITH in God’s Word concerning FEAR – the stronghold will be broken!



What does God’s Word says about fear?
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.” 1 John 4:18

Do we believe it? Then let’s SPEAK FAITH!

“God, I take you at your Word. I will not be afraid, because I am loved. You love me with a perfect love. You love me with a perfect love. Therefore, FEAR – you must leave! Spirit of Fear, in the Name of Jesus Christ – leave! I will live a life of CONFIDENCE AND FAITH, because the God Who Made Me, Loves Me! This I believe! This I cling to! This is what I will live! In Jesus’ Name – Amen!”

You see what just happened? You SPEAK FAITH – and it changed your thinking!
SPEAKING FAITH WORKS because it gives you the MIND of Christ!

Here’s a fourth reason that SPEAK FAITH works…
4. SPEAKING FAITH WORKS because it keeps God’s SOLUTION right in front of you! Philippians 4:6-8

You see, we get focused on the problem – and then the problem takes center stage! You don’t want that – you want to change your focus to God’s Solution. Far too many Christians pray the problem instead of praying the solution!

Look at Philippians 4:6ff
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.” Philippians 4:6-8

Why do we get anxious? Because we forget that God is still in control. So what is the solution? SPEAK FAITH – and wait for the Lord to grant you His peace. And as you are Speaking Faith – focus on that which is TRUE, NOBLE, RIGHT, PURE, LOVELY, ADMIRABLE, EXCELLENT OR PRAISEWORTHY! In fact – this is so important – Paul gives a command: “Think about such things!”

When I think about those things – when I SPEAK FAITH that truth, nobility, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy things are going to take place in my life – I begin to see differently – rather than focusing on the problem, His Holy Spirit begins to work in me, and the SOLUTION becomes clearer and clearer.

CONCLUSION:
I SAID that we were going to look at seven reasons why SPEAK FAITH works – and we are – but not all today…

I want to conclude with a quick look at some of JESUS’ words concerning this:

Look at Mark 11:24… Jesus says…
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24, NIV.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Matthew 7:7, NIV.

“For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:8, NIV.

“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”” Matthew 21:22, NIV.

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”
John 15:7, NIV.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:14, 15, NIV.

If you want to ignore the clear teaching of scripture – and continue to live a life of defeat, sickness, lousy relationships and held captive by fear – you are coming to the wrong church. For one of the things that God is doing in this church is CHANGING us to become a people who SPEAK FAITH.

WHY? Because we want to have the abundant life that Christ promised.

Speaking Faith 6: Faith in Action - part two

We are – at varying levels – people of faith. In a variety of ways, we come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

For many of us, our faith began as act of the intellect. We examined the facts – and the conclusion was obvious.

For some of us, our faith came through personal crisis. Something really bad happened – and we cried out in desperation hoping that there really was Someone out there. And He met you at your point of need.

Whether you come to Christ through the intellect or through crisis – spiritual maturity means that faith has practical application in real life. I’m talking about faith in action.

Now, look at an example of faith in action – in Matthew 8:5ff…
“When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralysed and in terrible suffering.” Jesus said to him, “I will go and heal him.”
The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith… (skip down to verse 13) Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.” Matthew 8:5-10, 13

• Imagine this man – a Centurion: A Roman – not a Jew - officer ruling over 100 soldiers.
• One of his servants – someone who he apparently cared a great deal about is paralysed and in serious pain.
• He tells Jesus of the man’s plight – and Jesus says: “I will go and heal him.” – No uncertainty in Jesus’ words. Notice the phrasing: “I will” – this is His choice and decision. “I will GO and HEAL..” – This will be the result. The servant will no longer be suffering and sick. He will be able to walk, jump, dance, skip and do it all with great joy!
• But the Centurion interrupts with the most amazing statement: “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

What does this reveal about the Centurion?
- Humility
- Absolute faith in Christ’s ability
- Understanding of authority structures


This is important if you desire to speak faith:
1. Speaking faith is not speaking ARROGANTLY.
2. Speaking faith is speaking CONFIDENTLY that Christ is able.
3. Speaking faith understands the AUTHORITY Christ possesses.

Now – look again at Jesus’ response: “When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith… (skip down to verse 13) Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.”
-The Centurion ‘astonished’ Christ with his faith!
-Christ determined to do just as the Centurion spoke!
-The servant was healed – immediately!

Now that is an example of faith. Is there anyone in the house today that desires this kind of faith?

Turn to Matthew 15:22 Putting your faith into action pleases Christ!
“A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” Matthew 15:22-28

Again we see a non-Jew exhibiting amazing faith. Why does she believe? Because she has seen Christ at work – His authority is evident! Her daughter is demon-possessed and needs help. But Jesus won’t help her because His ministry is first to the Jews – but she responds to Him with incredible faith – she won’t be put off – “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” And Jesus can’t put her off any longer – why? Because ‘you have great faith!’ And the daughter was healed.

Do you need Christ to intervene in your life? Are there struggles that you cannot overcome? Are there problems that need solutions?

• Speak faith. Speak faith that Christ will act on your behalf.
• Take the promises of God, apply them to your life – and confidently express your faith that He will come through for you.

Last week we covered these two issues:
1. START WHERE YOU ARE – 1 Peter 2:2-3
2. GROW IN YOUR EXPERIENCE OF GOD’S PROMISES – Psalms 1

Today I want to address these two issues:
3. Speaking Faith means watching your mouth.
4. Speaking Faith means saying and doing what God has spoken.

3. SPEAKING FAITH MEANS WATCHING YOUR MOUTH.
Most of us would be absolutely in shock is someone were to secretly record our voices for one day. The amount of negativity, cynicism, critical words and fear that we express is amazing.

Jesus said: “The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean’.” Matthew 15:18

IF you will just listen to people for awhile – you can easily see the condition of their heart. How? By their words.

Many people are afraid. Listen to each other. Listen to yourself. See how many times we say things like…
• “I’m afraid that…”
• “My biggest fear is…”
• “I’m worried about…”

God wants you to stop living in fear. He wants you to speak faith.

In the Old Testament there was a man named Job. Job was afraid. Job expressed a spirit of fear -
“What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.”” Job 3:25, 26

Job had a highly develop spirit of fear that was ruining his life. Notice he says: “What I feared, has come upon me…” Isn’t that usually the case? The very thing you fear is exactly what happens! It’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy! If I speak fear, uncertainty, anxiety – I will reap the same! We must resist fear in the same way we resist the devil.

Do you walk in fear? It is an evil spirit. It is a demon. Fear is not from God and it is not your friend! Some people cling to fear as if it helped them. They really get close to their fear. They feed it, they pet it, they treat like a friend. NO! Fear is of Satan. Fear isn’t from God. Now – you know I’m not talking about the fear you’d feel if you were falling off the cliff at the Grand Canyon!

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7, KJV

The Greek word for fear is “deliah” – which is very similar to the Hebrew word “Delilah” – Delilah was the mistress of Samson – who as a tool of Satan cut off Samson’s hair – eliminating his strength. The Hebrew meaning for ‘Delilah’ is ‘feeble, or that which cuts off strength’

When you are walking in fear, anxiety, worry – you are walking in feebleness, weakness and impotence. That’s why I say that if you are filled with fear – you have a demonic spirit that needs to be addressed!

Let’s do it now: Pray this prayer with me:
Lord Jesus, I come to you in faith. I am asking you to free me from all spirits of fear. I now break off the power that fear has held in my life. I confess that YOU, Lord Jesus are my life. And that you don’t give fear, instead you give power, you give love and you give me a sound mind. And in the power of the Holy Spirit, in the Love of Christ and in the mind of Christ, I now rebuke any spirits of fear and demand that – you must leave me, now, once and for all! I break off your power through the power of the Risen Christ! And I am being set free – even now! Praise the Lord! Amen!

Now – if the spirit of fear tries to come back – you just keep praying this prayer until your deliverance is complete and final!

Changing from critical, negative, faith-denying vocabulary to a positive, hope-filled, faith vocabulary takes time. I still find myself speaking the very words that I hate – expressing criticism when I really want to build up. That’s why I need the grace of God. He forgives and forgives and forgives – all the while it is His desire to change me.

Speaking faith means keeping watch over your mouth. Just because you can say it – doesn’t mean it needs to be said.

1 Peter 4:11 says: “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.”

The next step in putting your faith into action is –
5. SPEAKING FAITH MEANS SAYING AND DOING WHAT GOD HAS SPOKEN.

Turn to Deuteronomy 28:1ff
“If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands that I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.” Deut. 28:1-6

Is there anyone here today that would like to experience the blessings that are listed in this passage?

These blessings don’t come automatically – there is a very large word that begins the text: “IF” And the “If” is followed by instructions:
1. Fully obey the Lord
2. Carefully follow all His commands

Now, the King James Version puts verse 1 this way:
“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:” Deuteronomy 28:1, KJV.

Hearken diligently – “to hear intelligently the sound of the Lord” – In other words, God is SPEAKING to you – listen and perceive what He is saying and what He is expecting of you! Now – how are you going to HEAR WITH SOUND the voice of the Lord today? SPEAK what He has said!

Remember what I spoke with you about how to get the Word of God into your heart? Speak it – and let your heart receive it through your inner ear! God Word – spoken in your mouth – goes directly to your inner spirit- the place of revelation!

And then – DO what He has said. You cannot short-change the importance of obedience if you want blessings from God. God created you to function and to live in a certain fashion – and then He revealed His plans for you – He showed you how to live so that your life will be healthy, strong, balanced and fruitful. His commands are all about you living in such a way.

If you are living in disobedience to the Word of God – do not expect blessing.

The Bible tells us… “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8

If you want to move into the flow of God’s blessing – repent. And then do what He has said.

We live in an age where ‘tolerance’ is the official religion. We tolerate anything – except for those who have the courage to stand up for righteousness and truth!

Say you go to the Doctor and the Doctor is into tolerance. You need to change Doctors! Because if you have cancer – you need to be told and you need a plan to get well. So, you can’t have some weak-wristed wimp of a Doctor who refuses to call it what it is: CANCER.

A lot of churches and pastors have become tolerant. They welcome anyone, but they don’t call people to change their lives, to repent of their sin. Folks: Unconfessed sin is cancer. It will kill you. Don’t think you can live a lifestyle that is rebellious against God and have it work out okay for you – it won’t! Sin is a killer. And if you are going to enter into the flow of God’s blessing – you’ve got to repent.

God isn’t into tolerance. In fact, He has never tolerated sin. He loves sinners, but He hates sin. And His love for sinners – cost His Son His life. And if you want the blessing of God – repent.

And – just like we prayed a deliverance prayer – I want to lead you in a prayer of repentance. Let the Holy Spirit guide you…

Lord Jesus, I’m here to repent of my disobedience. I’ve been living as if I was in charge, and I am terribly sorry. I repent right now of _____________________________. I don’t want that to be a part of my life any longer and I ask that you’ll empower me through the Holy Spirit to gain victory over it. Cleanse me with your blood, restore me to right relationship with you. And fill me with your power in the Holy Spirit. I now choose to be fully obedient to your Word and plans for my life. Thank you! Amen.

CONCLUSION: Today is a day to speak faith. To put your faith into action. Some of you need to speak faith by going to a loved one and asking for forgiveness. Others of you need to speak faith by repenting of a sinful behavior. Some of us need to speak faith by turning away from being sharp tongued and critical and asking the Holy Spirit to fill us with His language!

Whatever it is – God’s blessing awaits all who will live their faith.

Speak faith. Speak faith that Christ will act on your behalf. Take the promises of God, apply them to your life – and confidently express your faith that He will come through for you.

Speaking Faith 5: Faith in Action - part one

What if...
1. You never had to worry about money, possessions, or your job again?

YOU DON’T! Look at the back of your bulletin – God has promised to supply every need we have.
Philippians 4:19 says:
“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

Every need will be met as you pursue Christ Jesus! Stop worrying – start putting your faith into action.

What if...
2. You never had to fall prey to temptation again?

YOU DON’T! God has promised that His children will not be overtaken with temptation.

God says… “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

What if...
3. You never had to worry that you aren’t ‘good enough’ for God?

YOU DON’T! God has promised that His grace is sufficient for us.

God says: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no-one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8, 9

The key to these “What if’s” becoming your REALITY is learning to take God at His Word – and speaking your faith with confidence!

Another way of saying this is: You’ll only experience the promises of God in your life as you first believe that they are true, and second voice your confidence in Him.

I want to talk with you today and next Sunday about putting your faith into action. Specifically, I want to show you a way of progression in speaking faith.

So, for the past several weeks I’ve sought to lay down a solid biblical foundation as to why SPEAKING FAITH – verbally – is vital for your spiritual development. I’ve shown you evidences in the Bible of Speaking Faith in Action. I’ve also shown you what happens when we speak FEAR, INSECURITY or DOUBT. Today, I want to give you some tools to grow in Speaking Faith.

1. START WHERE YOU ARE – 1 Peter 2:2-3

Spiritual growth and development is very similar in some ways to the development we see in human beings.

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” 1 Peter 2:2, 3

You start on milk – the basics, the simpler truths – why? So that you can “grow up in your salvation.”

But, then – God doesn’t want you to stay a spiritual baby – he expects you to mature.

“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity…” Hebrews 5:13-6:1a

Notice how one gets mature: ‘who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil…’

How? Be getting the Word into your heart and mind.

According to the Barna Research Group – in a 2000 survey of evangelical believers – only 53% of born again believers read the Bible on a weekly basis.

Yet, we spend dozens of hours listening to worldly teaching from talk radio, TV, musicians and educators.

Is it any wonder that so many of you are struggling spiritually.

It’s time to grow – and you cannot grow unless you get a healthy diet of spiritual food! I want to challenge you to take the list of promises on the back of today’s bulletin and spend a little bit of time –
every day studying them – and then as you study them, SPEAK FAITH.


Most people when they come to Jesus are pretty messed up. Messed up by sin of all sorts: Sexual sin, false religions, character defects. But, God cleans you up and heals you. You simply cannot walk with God and not get healed.

The Prophet Isaiah spoke in Isaiah 61:1-3 what became the mission statement of Jesus:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion--to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.” Isaiah 61:1-3

Notice what happens: God heals you to establish you as an ‘…oak of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor…”

Now what do we know about oak trees? They last a long, long time. They are firmly planted. They are able to withstand the seasons of life.

God says: Start where you are – and let me heal you – and as I heal you, I will PLANT you firmly to show off my glory to all around you!

Today – you start where you are. Do you have ‘some’ faith? Yes or no.

Then let me tell you:
Your Faith + God’s Word + Time = Change

So many times, we want God to work – and we want it NOW! – Folks: That’s immaturity talking. Spiritual growth and experiencing God’s Promises take time.

Do you realize that when Isaiah spoke the prophecy concerning the coming of Christ – it was 750 years before Christ actually did?

Give up the idea that God is a MICROWAVE God. God works according to His time frame.

• When God chooses to grow a mushroom – He takes three days.
• When He chooses to grow an oak tree – He takes 100 years.
• The only question is: Spiritually speaking: Do you want to be a mushroom or an oak tree?

But, when you’ll speak faith in what God has promised, and allow God the time to fulfill His Word, the change your desire will become reality.

Your marriage that seems stuck in the mud – can become free and clear!
Your financial condition can go from RED to BLACK and then to GREEN!
Your habits that are killing you – can be killed off!

Your faith + God’s Word + Time = Change

Start where you are. Baby. Toddler. Pre-Schooler, Child, Adolescent or Young Adult – but don’t stop unto…
“…speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”
Ephesians 4:15

Start where you are… and

2. GROW IN YOUR EXPERIENCE OF GOD’S PROMISES – Psalms 1

Experiencing God’s Promises involves a number of measurable steps. Let’s look at Psalms 1

“1Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalms 1:1-3

If you are going to grow in your experience of God’s Promises – first you must

• Stop listening to other voices. – v. 1
‘blessed is the man who DOES NOT walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers…”

You’ll never experience God’s promises if you are listening to the lies of God’s enemies! You’ve got to make a choice: GOD or LIARS.

Practically speaking – who are the voices that you listen to? Think about them as people: Are they people with a God centered world-view? Or, are they simply worldly people with a man-centered world-view.

Second…
• Start a process of discovery into God’s word – vs. 2
‘But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night…”

An intentional plan to gain knowledge of what God has spoken is absolutely vital.

Do you know God’s promises concerning your children? Your marriage? Your sense of joy and peace? Do you know what God says about finances and provision? Can you immediately think of specific scriptures that deal with each of these issues? If you cannot – don’t you think it is time for change in YOU?

The promises on the back of this bulletin – did you already know them? If not – great – you know them now. And if you are really sharp, you’ll go home and study the Promises – perhaps you spend a little time all week in study and prayer over these promises.

You see, in order to grow – you’ve got to all God’s Word into your heart.

“…be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

Get into the Word. Turn off the noise. And tune into His voice.

And thirdly, Psalms 1 says to us in verse 3

3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”

• Spiritual prosperity comes to those who experience God’s Promises – vs. 3

God says: “Get My Promises into your life – and I will establish you, I will make sure your needs are met, and I will see to it that prosperity comes to you!”

Jesus put it this way: “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” John 10:10 Message

Far too many people are going through life without understanding this vital truth: Speaking Faith in God’s Promises leads to an Abundant Life in Christ!

CONCLUSION:

Turn to 2 Corinthians 4:16ff

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands (skip to v. 5) Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:1, 5-7

God says to you today: “Don’t lose heart – things can change! Fix your attention on me – I will show you the eternal perspective! Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and live confidently that one day, your faith will become sight!”

Isn’t it time for you to move from wherever you are – to the place of God’s blessing?

The key is learning to take God at His Word – and speaking your faith with confidence!

Next week I’m going to continue this message by talking with you about the importance of watching what comes out of your mouth and secondly how action has to follow speaking.

It’s time to start taking your faith and putting it into action.

You start where you are at – and you grow in your experience of God’s promises.