Editor’s note – Most of us treat our words as commentary on reality, not as something that shapes it. This author argues the opposite: what we confess with our mouths forms what we actually believe, especially about God’s character in hard seasons. We’re running this piece because the discipline it calls for – refusing to say God cannot or will not do something – is worth weighing against Scripture itself.
The Weight of the Spoken Word
Death and life are in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21) We don’t seem to realize it any longer, since spoken promises are not worth much compared to notarized documents. That used not to be so, since there were times when a man’s word was valid without question, especially when it was confirmed by witnesses.
While we long ago lost the gravity of the spoken word when it comes to commitments and contracts, the power of the tongue is still there. (James 3:5-12) Our salvation requires us to confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord in addition to believing. We may love someone and constantly show our love to them, but we also need to tell them that we love them. Love without action is just an empty shell but we need to complete our show of love by our actions AND our profession.
The spoken word becomes part of our innermost being; it shapes our spirit, especially when we speak that word ourselves. To a lesser degree, but equally important, are the things we think, hear, read, or any other form of experience. All of them shape our spirit, especially those things that are repeated often. If we make a negative confession, our whole existence could have a cloud over our head, ready to rain on us at any time. On the other hand, a positive confession helps us have a much more favorable outlook on life.
Editor’s note – James makes the same point in sharper terms: the tongue is small, but it can set a whole life ablaze. Scripture ties the mouth to sin, and also to the direction of a life.
Confessing Faith in the Midst of Trials
The same applies to matters of our faith. What we speak and what we think has a profound influence both on the level of our faith and on our commitment. I am not talking about our salvation, because that is a gift from God, but I am talking about the faith we need to lead us “through the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23) In those crushing times when things look hopeless and we see no way out, in those times we need to know deep in our heart that God is with us. We need to trust that He will guide us through the trial while we rest in His bosom, like a frightened little child will rest in the arms of his parent. When we have that kind of child-like faith, knowing that our heavenly Father is with us in the midst of it, we are in a much better position to remain calm and go through trials than if we panicked.
Why Child-Like Faith Fades
Why do little children lose their infinite faith in their parents as they grow up? The short answer is that their faith is unrealistic and that parents are just people and not God. With believers the process is eerily similar. Children lose their faith in their parents because their expectations are unrealistic. Similarly, believers lose their child-like faith because their expectations are unrealistic. Many baby-Christians believe that God will shield them from all pain and calamity if they are faithful, and when that does not happen, they ascribe the failure to God. Once that child-like faith is diminished, a door has been opened and doubt and unbelief can enter in.
Editor’s note – This distinction matters. Disappointment with God often traces back to an expectation He never made, not to any failure on His part. Scripture promises His presence in suffering, not exemption from it.
Keeping Faith Through the Hardest Seasons
How then can we keep that faith that will guide us through even the most difficult situations, knowing that God is with us in the midst of them? First and foremost, we need to acknowledge that God is all powerful and that there is nothing that surprises Him because He knows all things from before the foundation of the world. He already knows the hard times we will go through, and He gave us the help we need so we will not helplessly panic when those times arrive. All it takes is to trust Him with the same kind of trust that little children have in their parents.
Confessing God’s Unlimited Power
To keep that trust, we need to make sure that we make a positive confession of our faith in God’s unlimited power. We should never say that there is something God cannot do, and believe everything written in the Bible in accordance with the Scriptures. Regrettably, even many writers of our Bibles do not adhere to this principle, saying that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2) instead of saying the God never lies. Since our mind is enmity with God, the thought that there is something God cannot do will only plant the seed of doubt, which will come to full bloom when we are in a devastating situation where we need our faith in God the most. One of the most effective tools against doubt, and to restore our child-like faith is to actively resist any notion that there are some things God cannot do. For Jesus said of our heavenly Father, that ALL things are possible with God. (Mark 10:27) And God said that He is the Lord of all flesh and there is nothing too hard for Him. (Jeremiah 32:27)
If we make that kind of confession and diligently study what God requires of us, we will be able to live the unlimited faith we need to be prepared for life’s ups and downs.
A Word from the Editor
Jesus told His disciples to pray believing they had received what they asked (Mark 11:24), not because words are magic, but because confession reveals what we actually trust. When trial comes, the question is whether we will say so before we see the outcome.
Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words
Distributed by – BCWorldview.org
Editor Comment: Your reminder that confessing God's unlimited power shapes the faith that carries us through trials is a timely encouragement for believers walking through hard seasons today.