Confession of Faith (Releasing your faith)
Romans 10:8-10 NKJV But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): (9) 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. (10) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
These verses speak specifically about salvation, but you receive anything from the Lord the same way. You believe it in your heart and say it with your mouth.
You have to say with your mouth what you believe to receive by faith.
There is no faith without confession. Confession is faith’s way of expressing itself along with corresponding actions.
Faith grows with your confession.
Mark 11:19-24 NKJV (19) When evening had come, He went out of the city. (20) Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. (21) And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” (22) So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. (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. (24) Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Did you notice that Jesus said in verse 23, if a person confesses something “and shall not doubt in his heart” – in other words, if he believes the words he is speaking with his mouth – he will have exactly what he says. The word “doubt” is from the Greek word diakrinomai, which means to hesitate, to waver, to doubt, or to differ.
In context, Jesus is saying that when a person’s heart doesn’t differ from what his mouth is saying, the combination of his heart and mouth in agreement will always make things happen!
God’s creative power is released when the heart and mouth get into agreement!
That is why you must be careful about what you believe in your heart and say with your mouth, because when your heart and mouth get “in sync” with each other, it literally makes things come to pass!
- Notice that Jesus did not pray about the mountain – He did not ask God to remove the mountain for Him. There is nothing wrong with praying about your mountain, but that is not enough. Speak to your mountain.
- Jesus said that we could speak to the mountain in OUR lives, but we don’t have the right to speak to the mountains in the lives of others (except those we have authority over or have their permission – that’s where prayer comes in).
- Notice that Jesus’ words went to work at the root of the situation and the effect was not immediately visible to the natural eye. The change started at the root (invisible) and then worked its way outward (visible).
WHY DOES SPEAKING THE WORD WORK?
John 17:17 NKJV (17) Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
God’s truth is the highest truth.
Psalms 138:2 NKJV (2) I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
God’s Word is the very foundation of His integrity and holiness.
Romans 1:22-25 NLT (22) Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. (23) And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. (24) So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. (25) They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator Himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
God has a problem with this because these people chose to worship something that is below the Creator instead of worshiping Him.
The creation is never greater than the Creator. So, the creation is subject to the Creator.
Only that which is part of God, the Creator is permanent. Everything else is subject to change or temporary.
Everything in this visible realm was created by the Word of God and therefore is subject to the Word of God.
Hebrews 11:3 AMPC By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NKJV (17) For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, (18) while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Those things that are temporary in our lives, are subject to the Word of God, and that includes us!
This is how God operates!
Romans 4:17 NKJV (as it is written, “I HAVE MADE YOU A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS”) in the presence of Him whom he believed–God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
Romans 4:17 AMPC As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. [He was appointed our father] in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that [He has foretold and promised] as if they [already] existed. [Gen 17:5]
Romans 4:17 NET (as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”). He is our father in the presence of God whom he believed – the God who makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do.
Releasing Your Faith
Releasing Your Faith By Your Words
Mark 11:22-26 NKJV So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. (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. (24) Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (25) “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. (26) But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
There are two applications of releasing your faith here:
- Releasing your faith in your confession of faith
- Releasing your faith in your prayer of faith.
Notice Jesus tells us what to believe in each application:
v. 23 – “…but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”
v. 24 – “…whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
Here is someone who said what she believed and then acted on it and received from the Lord:
Mark 5:24-34 NKJV So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him. (25) Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, (26) and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. (27) When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. (28) For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” (29) Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. (30) And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” (31) But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” (32) And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. (33) But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. (34) And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
What did the woman hear about Jesus?
Malachi 4:2 NKJV But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
Mark 6:54-56 NKJV And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, (55) ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. (56) Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.
Releasing Your Faith in Prayer
Seven Steps to Prayer That Brings Results
- Decide what you want from God and get the scripture that definitely promises you these things.
You must base your prayer on the Word of God.
You cannot pray beyond your faith and you cannot have faith beyond the Word that you know and have in your heart.
John 15:7 NKJV If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
John 1:1-3 NKJV 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 nothing was made that was made.
God has attached Himself to His Word and you will never get Him to do anything apart from His Word.
You must have the Word in your heart because there will be a fight that must be waged for what you are praying for.
1 Timothy 6:12 NKJV Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
It will take time for you to receive the answer to your prayer.
Be prepared to stand and fight for what you have prayed and believed for with the Word of God.
- Ask God for things you want and believe that you have them.
Mark 11:24 NKJV Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Expressing a desire and asking the Lord for something are two different things.
When you ask you MUST believe that you receive the answer at the time that you pray.
- Never permit a mental picture of failure to enter your thinking.
Failure is not an option!
Uproot every thought, image, dream, impression, or feeling that is contrary to what you have prayed and believed that you received the answer.
All thoughts, dreams, images, impressions or feelings that do not contribute to your faith must be destroyed.
The enemy will try and get you to keep checking to “see” if the thing or situation has changed.
- Guard against every evil thought that comes into the mind.
Thoughts are governed by observation, association and teachings.
Stay away from places and things that do not support your affirmation that God has heard and answered your prayer.
Philippians 4:6-8 NKJV (6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (7) and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (8) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
- Meditate constantly on the promises upon which you based the answer to your prayer.
See yourself in possession of what you’ve asked from and make plans accordingly as if it were already a reality.
Example of promise from your boss about a pay raise and we will go out and buy something based on that promise BEFORE we have seen one dime of the increase.
Proverbs 4:20-27 NKJV My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. (21) Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; (22) For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. (23) Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. (24) Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. (25) Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. (26) Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. (27) Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.
If you don’t see yourself with the answer, then the Word is no longer before your eyes.
Joshua 1:8 NKJV This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
If you don’t stand by the Word, as much as God wants to stand by you, He can’t.
- In your waking moments think on the greatness of God and His goodness and count your blessings and your faith will increase.
Lift your heart to God constantly in gratitude and increasing praise for what He has done and for what He is doing for you now.
Philippians 4:6 NKJV Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Psalms 103:1-5 NKJV (1) A Psalm Of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! (2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: (3) Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, (4) Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, (5) Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalms 34:1-4 NKJV (1) A Psalm of David When He Pretended Madness Before Abimelech, Who Drove Him Away, and He Departed. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. (2) My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. (3) Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. (4) I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
- Make every prayer relative to what you’ve asked, a statement of faith instead of unbelief.
You can say that you do have faith as easily as you can think thoughts of doubt and unbelief.
It is thinking faith thoughts and speaking faith-filled words that leads the heart out of defeat into victory.
Don’t undo your prayer of Faith!
Smith Wigglesworth said, “If you have prayed seven times for any one thing, you prayed six times in unbelief.”
Andrew Murray said, “It is not good taste to ask God for the same thing over and over again.”
Murray also said, “If, when you do pray again, what you’ve prayed for hasn’t materialized, don’t pray for it again in the same way because that would be unbelief. Remind God that you have already asked for it, and what His Word says, and tell Him that you’re expecting it and thank Him for it.”