Starting Fresh On a Strong Foundation- Change What You’re Saying

We are continuing our discussion about starting fresh, getting out of our comfort zones, and walking in the fullness of what God has for us this year. The foundational spiritual principles we are discussing are:

1. Change what we’re thinking
2. Change what we’re saying
3. Change what we’re doing

In the account of Peter walking on the water in Matthew 14:22-33 that we have been looking at in our recent posts, Peter was willing to say something that no one else in the boat was willing to say: “Lord, if it’s you, let me come to you.” He declared what he wanted to do even when it seemed impossible in the natural.

Jesus said that you will have what you say. He didn’t say you will only have what you believe.

Mark 11:23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

People believe a lot of different things, but too often they don’t say what they believe. If we are not experiencing God’s best in our lives it is because we are either not saying anything or what we are saying is contradicting what God says. James says a double-minded man will not receive anything from God.

James 1:5-8  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

I like what the Ben Campbell-Johnson translation of that last part of Mark 11:23 says.

Truly, anyone who speaks to that mountain yonder saying, “Dump yourself in the Lake,” and does not become separated from the statement he makes – that person will actualize his statement. When anyone’s expression in prayer is congruent with his inner being, his desire will be actualized! 

Here’s what the Devil tries to do in our lives: he tries to get you to become separated from what you have been saying in connection with God’s Word. But if you hold fast saying what God says in His Word about your situation, you’ll have what God says. Notice the principle: You have to say it before you experience it.

So let me ask you, what are you saying? I’m not talking about the words that you say in church or what you say when you’re around others. What are you saying when no one is around? What are you saying when the pressures of life are squeezing in on you? Those are the words that control you. Those are the words that will fix landmarks in your life.

Saying words is the primary way you release your faith. The only example we have in the Bible that gives us a detailed description of Jesus resisting Satan is found in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. Jesus was tempted by Satan three times, but each time Jesus opened his mouth and said words. He quoted three scriptures from the book of Deuteronomy…the Old Testament was the only “Bible” they had at that time. If Jesus could defeat Satan with three verses out of the book of Deuteronomy, just think what you can do with the whole Bible!

You cannot defeat the devil with thoughts. The devil is the master of disinformation. If the devil can keep you in the realm of thinking only, he’ll defeat you every single time. If you open your mouth and say what God says about you, Satan will be defeated every single time. When fear comes, for example, don’t resist it with thoughts. Open your mouth and say, “I resist fear in the Name of Jesus. Fear, you have to leave me in Jesus’ Name.”

If we are going to experience the fullness of what God has for us in this new year, we have to change what we are saying! The last thing we must change in the coming year concerns our actions– what we are doing. I’ll address that in another post.

The following recording is a Word from the Lord that came forth through tongues and interpretation at the end of the service where this message was originally shared. We trust you will be blessed as you both hear and receive…