About Faith Confessions
I define confession as a statement of faith. I believe our confessions of faith are crucial and even critical for our spiritual lives as well as our lives in the natural world. As believers, our confession starts with our faith in the LORD Christ Jesus. Although this would be an intentional confession. We make confessions all of our lives that affect us one way or another. Romans 10:9 says: “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Salvation is due unto those that confess out loud and truly believe that the LORD Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and defeated death, hell and the grave! Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we can have fellowship with the Father. When you believe those kinds of things, you will speak those kinds of things with boldness and condemnation will not have power to muzzle you.
In the same sense, salvation can also mean your salvation from sin. Meaning, the truth that we are empowered to live holy and unto righteousness. If you believe you are free, you will do as scripture says in Psalm 107:2; “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble” Salvation is a way of life. It becomes more to us than just “going to heaven.” it has to do with heaven encountering us in the “here and now.” So as we believe the truth in scripture, we not only say what we read in the Bible, we begin to live it out. When we desire to live transformed, we realize it can be difficult if we are not being transformed by the renewing of our minds. One of the best ways to renew our minds is to watch our confessions. We must bridle our tongues. James 3:3: “If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.” If we can bridle our tongues, we can bridle our minds, if we can practice mental self-control then we will also bridle our bodies. If we can achieve this level of self-control, then we will see its reflection in our entire lives as well.
When we are making faith confessions. We are choosing to believe God’s word instead of the report of the enemy. This means that no matter how things look, we are seeking God through His word. We are meditating on the word of God day and night. Meditation is not sitting around making groans and other sounds. True meditation is deep and profound reflection on the Word of God by not only pondering and thinking on the word but by reciting the word.
The word of God is prophetic in nature. Since the word of God was written down by inspiration of the Holy Spirit (who is Prophetic in Nature). By speaking the Word of God, we are in a sense prophesying over ourselves and our situations. We cannot speak to a mountain in front of us without the word of God. Our empty words do not have power if the Spirit does not empower them as they go forth. But God’s word is powerful and mighty as a two-edged sword.
In a sense, because of the way that God made us, our words will always have some kind of power in them. As the words states in Proverbs 18:21: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those that love it will eat the fruit thereof.” But still, there is a huge difference when ever we throw whatever comes to mind out there (hoping it sticks) and actually speaking what is in the word of God. Especially if we are given utterance by the Holy Spirit. Many people do not pray or speak according to the will of God because they are not in tuned with the word of God. It is every word that proceeds out of the very mouth of GOd that we live. If we have yet to really live and feed on God’s words then what is coming out of our mouths? Death or life?
Our words matter. We must not be ignorant to the weapons of our warfare that GOd has given us. We can either speak peace or destruction. Life or death. But if we remain ignorant to the word of God then we will just speak whatever comes to mind. If we speak what ever comes to mind then we can be influenced by anything. Yes, even the devil. I would personally rather be influenced by grace, peace and love. God is love, Jesus is the prince of peace and the Spirit of Grace dwells inside of me (as a born-again believer).
Speaking life instead of death really comes in handy when facing trials in life. Watching my words carefully has transformed my way of thinking and therefore has transformed my life completely. Our tongue is a weapon and most choose to use it as a knife that cuts instead of balm to heal. Our tongue can either be a tree of death or a tree of life.
The bible says in Job 6:25, “how forcible are right words, but what does your arguing reporove?” Many have gotten caught up with vain arguments. Everyone wants to be right. Everyone wants to appear to have it all figured out. But how many know we can appear to be okay but inwardly be broken beyond repair? We can argue with someone doctrinally all day long and wonder why they don’t heed any advice or change for the better. Using our tongues for arguing typically does not change anyone inwardly. It is surface level. It is the goodness of God that brings a man to repentance. So how can we argue with someone and expect any reproof? Most will still leave seeing things the way they did before, except for the fact that they will be more frustrated than before. It is when we speak life that true transformation takes place. It is even when we speak correction (out of love). It is when we speak the word of God. Confessions are everything. We must be spiritually minded otherwise we will not see the results we hope to see from the fruit of our lips.
