Our Words Dominate Our Lives

//Kenneth E. Hagin

Many people—even though they are not saved—discover the power of their words and make the power work for them. For instance, someone might say, “I can do anything I put my mind to.” As he continually says this and believes what he says, he will become successful at what he puts his hand to. Although he might not understand the spiritual law behind what he’s doing, it will work for him anyway.

On the other hand, I’ve seen people look at a task and say, “I can’t do it.” The moment they spoke those words, they were defeated.

Words of Wisdom These wise words will help you always speak in line with God’s Word. Cultivate a habit of DWELLING UPON GOD'S THINGS in your thought life (Phil. 4:8). Learn to use positive, faith-filled words that will EDIFY YOUR SPIRIT. Talk about HOW BIG GOD IS. Doing that will buoy up your spirit in faith, confidence, and assurance.

Start the year off right with a daily devotional reading and confession. CLICK HERE and you will find daily readings and confessions from Kenneth E. Hagin’s Faith Food Devotions and Health Food Devotions.

When we say we do not have faith, doubt rises up like a giant and binds us. We are imprisoned by our negative words. Proverbs 6:2 says, “Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth.” In other words, whether good or bad, our words dominate us.

Confession is a vital part of our faith. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that God demands that we have faith to please Him. If God demanded that we have faith when it was impossible for us to have faith, we would have a right to challenge His justice, because that would be unjust. But it is possible for us to have faith, because the Bible says, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).

We can increase our faith by hearing God’s Word. Therefore, the responsibility of having strong faith rests with us.

Let’s examine how our words affect our faith walk.

Romans 10:10 says, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” This principle concerns more than salvation. Confession is made unto whatsoever—salvation, prosperity, healing, or whatever else we need. This agrees exactly with what Jesus said about faith.

In Mark 11:22 Jesus said, “Have faith in God.” In the Greek this phrase literally says, “Have the faith of God.” Or we could say, “Have the God-kind of faith.”

The God-kind of faith is described in Mark 11:23: “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

There are two things to notice about the God-kind of faith. Number one, confession precedes possession. Most people want to possess the blessing before they’ll confess it. But Jesus said, “He shall have whatsoever he saith” (Mark 11:23).

At the time we make a faith confession, we don’t have what we confess. That’s because confession precedes possession. We must confess God’s Word to bring the thing we desire into the realm
of reality (Heb. 11:1).

Number two, we must believe our words. We must believe that what we say will come to pass. We must believe the Word of God in our hearts and believe the Word of God on our lips. Doing that gives us power over demons, diseases, and circumstances.

Many times people will say, “I wish I had that kind of faith.” Well, the Bible says we do! Second Corinthians 4:13 says, “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak.”

The Apostle Paul didn’t say we are trying or hoping to get the same spirit of faith. He didn’t say someday we might get it. Paul said we have the same spirit of faith. That’s present tense. That means we have it now.

What is this spirit of faith that we have? We believe and therefore we speak. Believing and speaking the Word is operating in the same principle of faith Jesus talked about in Mark 11:23.

We can also see this principle in the story of the woman with the issue of blood. She said, “If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole” (Matt. 9:21). She got exactly what she believed and what she said.

We must realize that our words will either make us victors in life or hold us captive. So let’s learn to talk in line with the Word of God. Let’s confess scripture that promises the things we desire. As we do, these scriptures will register on our spirits. Our faith will rise to the level of our confession, and we will experience victory over our circumstances!
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(Editor’s Note: This article was adapted from Kenneth E. Hagin’s book Classic Sermons.)