Series: The Blessed Life

Title: Declare God’s Word

Recap:

Week 1 - It’s a blessing to speak a blessing (blessings in the Old Testament Eli & Hannah)

            Week 2 – Breaking Generational Curses

I’ll start off by going back to the verse my wife used:

Proverbs 18:21

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Our words are so powerful.  This is a lesson my mother always emphasized.  Happy Mother’s Day!

Your words have the potential to bring about death or life both to yourself and to those around you. Today we want to speak life.  In fact, we want to go to the source of life, God’s Word.

As a people of God, we must stop believing the lies of the enemy and begin to declare God’s Word over our lives and over the lives of those around us.

1. Declare God’s Word by Being Anchored in God's Word:

Before we can declare God’s truth, we must first believe His truth.  It must be rooted in our hearts.

Do you believe that His Word has the power to change your life? 

When we make declarations that are grounded in Scripture, our faith rises, and our hope is strengthened.

We must overcome negative thoughts and beliefs by replacing them with God's Word.  Because speaking God's Word solidifies His truth in our hearts and minds. 

         Psalm 1:1-3

¹ Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; ² but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. ³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Trees planted by rivers are often depicted as symbols of strength, resilience, and spiritual growth. They are associated with a constant supply of nourishment and the ability to thrive even in challenging conditions. Those whose delight is the law of God will be firmly anchored when the storms of life come crashing in.  The anchoring is established through delighting in God’s word.

This is what leads to a blessed life.  This is how an individual prospers by delighting in His word.

2. Declare God’s Word to Overcome Doubt and Fear:

Mark 4:36-39

³⁶ And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. ³⁷ And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. ³⁸ But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” ³⁹ And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 

Jesus found himself in the same boat as the rest of His disciples caught in the same storm that they were in, yet their responses are completely different.  The disciples are panicking while Jesus is napping. 

What a picture of life itself.  How often do we find ourselves constantly striving against the winds and waves of life, meanwhile the Prince of Peace, who is a very present help in time of trouble, has no worries at all. 

Oh that we would learn to trust in the fact that He is with us and that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

The disciples responded in fear and unbelief, while Jesus simply rebukes the wind and the waves.  Jesus calls out His disciples for their fear and their unbelief.  Did they not realize that the Son of God was on the boat; the one who created all things. 

What did Jesus Declare.  “Peace! Be Still!”  Being that Jesus is God, every word that He says is a word of God.

     John 1:1-3

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 

Declaring God's Word can help us overcome doubt and fear by anchoring our thoughts in His promises. When we have doubt, when we are fearful, we must declare the word of God.

It replaces negative emotions with faith and trust in God's provision and protection. 

(Declare) Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Isaiah 41:10

fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

3. Declare God’s Word to Transform Your Minds: (picture of neurological pathways)

Speaking God's Word helps us to reframe our thoughts and beliefs so that they will be in line with His truth. It can break cycles of negative thinking and replace them with positive, faith-filled affirmations. 

Negative self-talk can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression, while positive self-talk can boostconfidence, motivation, and resilience.  How much more can the Word of God transform us into the people that God has created us to be.

Here is a brief explanation on how the brain works.  Basically

• The brain is composed of approximately 100 billion neurons, which are specialized cells that generate electrical impulses to communicate with each other.
• These neurons are interconnected through a vast network of connections, allowing for complex information
• As electrical signals travel through these neural networks, they can be organized and interpreted by the brain to form thoughts.
• The human brain is incredible as it can reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.  (neurological pathways) This means that by consistently challenging and changing negative thought patterns, the brain can literally rewire itself.

(Example: learning Spanish) The more I practice it the better I get at it.

                  Romans 12:2

² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

God created the brain and He knows how it works.  So therefore, this scripture implies that we can be transformed by renewing our minds.  The way that we think about ourselves, and others must be transformed.

How do we renew our minds?

• We renew our minds with the Word of God. The Word of God is truth and therefore exposes the liesthat we believe either about God or about ourselves.
• Our minds are renewed when we allow the Word of God to replace the lies that we have believed.
• We renew our mind by declaring God’s word over our lives. You may have to declare it over and again until you believe it. There is power in speaking the Word of God over your life.

(Declare) Deuteronomy 28:13

¹³ And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them,

(Declare) 1 Peter 2:9

⁹ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 

(Declare) Ephesians 2:10

¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

We are going to speak God’s Word to transform the way we think about ourselves and about others.

4. Declare God’s Word to Release God’s Promises:

By declaring God's Word, we are calling His promises into being and actively participating in their fulfillment.  We are partnering with God to bring His will into our daily lives.

2 Corinthians 1:20  (promises are sure)

"For all the promises of God are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him we say 'Amen' to God." 

Joshua 1:9  (promise to be with you)

"Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." 

Philippians 4:19     (promise to meet your needs)

"But my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." 

Romans 8:28        (promise to work it for your good)

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." 

Psalm 37:23-24     (promise to direct your steps)

The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; ²⁴ though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.

For every moment that we face there is a scripture for that. (there is an app for that)

5. Declare God’s Word to Overcome Temptation

                  Matthew 4:4  (Deuteronomy 8:3)

¹ Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” ⁴ But he answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
            but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Jesus used the spoken word of God to combat the devil.  What is amazing about this is that Jesus came to undo the works of the evil one.  Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights a day for each year that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness.

The scriptures say Jesus was hungry after those forty days.  In a similar manner the Israelites were hungryafter coming out of Egypt.  However, they began to murmur and complain to Moses and accused him of bringing them out of Egypt to kill them.  Whereas Jesus trusted that God would give Him what He needed when He needed it.  Unlike the Israelites, Jesus rises above the temptation and puts the devil in his place by declaring the Word of God.

If you want to have victory over temptation, then you too must verbally put the devil in his place by declaring the truth of God’s word. 

However, we must be careful, because the enemy also knows the word of God.  But he will twist and pervertthe ways of God for his own benefit.

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple ⁶ and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

⁷ Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” ⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
            and him only shall you serve.’”

¹¹ Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Three times the devil came to tempt Jesus, and three times Jesus overcame the temptation by declaring the Word of God.

(Declare) Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 

We must learn to use the word of God as a weapon to combat the forces of evil.

If you have an anger problem you’re going to declare this over your life

(Declare) Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

(Declare) James 1:19-20

¹⁹ Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 

(Declare) Matthew 6:33

³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

God’s Word is enduring from generation to generation.  His Word is just as powerful as it was back then.  It is sure, it is absolute. The word of God has the power to transform our lives.  

1. Declare God’s Word by Being Anchored in God's Word:
2. Declare God’s Word to Overcome Doubt and Fear:
3. Declare God’s Word to Transform Your Minds:
4. Declare God’s Word to Release God’s Promises:
5. Declare God’s Word to Overcome Temptation