What goes through your mind anytime you think of speaking in faith when you are praying. The Bible defines faith as a substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1). It also records that without faith you cannot please God, and that whoever asks for anything, he should do it in faith, without wavering (James 1:6). This week the Lord took me through James 1:17 “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit”. Elijah was a man like you and me, yet he prayed an extraordinary prayer. He was able to command rain and it obeyed. Look at the expressions ‘it might not ’ and ‘it gave’ which is the same as ‘it might’.
On another episode, Jesus commented the faith of the Centurion. “And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel” (Matt 8:5-10). The centurion knew a fact that many people are ignorant of, that just as He was in authority and had soldiers under him to serve him, Jesus also have on our side divine ‘soldiers’ to help him for he was serving in a kingdom. We have angels as ministering spirits to serve us as we live for Christ (Heb 1:14). Any time you send a word, they pick it up and fulfill it.
We are created in the image of God (Gen 1:26). One aspect of Him is that He is a creator. Looking at how he brought to pass his creation, we find that He spoke a word “Let there be .. “ and there would be (Gen 1). The Spirit of God was there to effect everything He said. It is the power in the Holy Spirit who brought Jesus from the grave, and this power is upon believers (Eph 1:18-20). Therefore, believers should declare with authority and faith and it shall be. Joshua was able to command the sun to stop (Joshua 10:12-13) and it did. Jesus commanded the storm to quieten and it did. He was unhappy with their little faith. Mt 8:26 “And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm”. God has put you in a position to command even the heavenly hosts and they work to your favour.
When God made man, He gave him dominion over his creation (Gen 1:28). He was to rule over it. Before this he had already created the sun and commanded it to rule during daytime while the moon at night (they still do even today, they have power even to smite you Ps 1215-6 but God shields us). But now in came man, he was now even to rule over them as they do their assigned duties. This is why when you wake up you need to declare what you expect for the day, just as the psalmist would by saying “ This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it” Ps 118:24. Joshua was therefore exercising his given authority over the sun.
So what happens when we speak a word of faith? The words we speak are taken by angelic beings that minister to us and effect what we say. However, when we confess defeat, the devil, who is an accuser of brethren, takes the opportunity to accuse and bring the evil we feared. When a witch wants to perform a miracle, she orders demons that are under her and they carry out her duties. With them they perform miracles to the wonder of their followers. We have more than this. Elisha’s servant doubted this powerful provision of help, when Elisha prayed for his eyes to be opened, he saw horses and chariots of fire around them (2Kings 6:17).
I pray that Christians would see this mighty providence from our loving father. I wish they would imagine the mighty angelic beings pushing the waters of the red sea to pave way for the children of Israel, I wish they would see the word of healing they send being taken at a supersonic speed to be effected to the sick, I wish they would have faith to speak without doubting trusting that God takes over the rest. We need to speak faith in our situations, in our places of work, in our family etc. you will eat the fruit of the words you speak. Speak life to your situation. Pr 18:21says “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof”. Remember “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). Speak it, again and again and again and again. Doubt not. Blessings