Dear People Who Keep Company With God,
Some of the most important things in our life happen as a result of what we say, such as salvation, marriage and naming our children. It is so true that the course of our life (James 3:3-5) and our physical and mental health is impacted by what we say (Prov. 16:24).
There is a phrase “confession brings possession” and it is true. It has been misused and abused, but we need to confess the right thing so we can have the right thing. The words that we come into agreement within our hearts, and then begin to speak forth, create and shape our future and our destiny. So we all need a better understanding of true biblical confession.
Confession is not parroting what other people say. We are not parrots so let’s not act like it. It is not picking Bible verses and thinking we can repeat them and something good is going to happen. Confession literally means to say the same thing. It is speaking in agreement with God. It is the verbal expression of faith.
Faith resides in the heart and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). When there is faith in our heart we confess or speak out what God is saying (2 Cor. 4:13). If we expect to receive what we confess it must come from our hearts.
Here is a key: Faith does not begin with a confession, rather, it ends with a confession.
“Having seen them (promises of God) afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed them.” Hebrews 11:13
It says they first saw the promises afar off, meaning they perceived what God wanted to do. Then they became assured or persuaded, meaning they were convinced in their own hearts this was truly God’s heart. Next they embraced and welcomed what God was saying into their hearts. They owned it. Lastly they confessed, which means to say the same thing. They spoke what they saw God wanted to do or say. Confession is an outcome of our relationship with God.
In Hebrews 10:23 we are exhorted to, “Hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” That means to not let go of what God has revealed to our hearts that He intends to do. God has a future and hope for us. He has plans of peace and to prosper us (Jer. 29:11). We need to own that and not let go of it, period.
There are several things that will happen when we hold fast the confession of our hope.
1. Jesus will act on our confession. He is the Apostle and High Priest of our confession (Heb. 3:1). He is in heaven making sure it will happen.
2. Confession empowers angels to act on our behalf. Angels excel in strength and do His word. Heeding the voice of His word (Psalm 103:20). He sends angels to us to make sure it will happen.
3. Confession breaks the power of the enemy over our lives. The two-edged sword of the Spirit in Ephesian 6:17 is literally a two-tongued sword of the Spirit. It is what He says and our saying the same thing.
4. Confession releases spiritual power. Death and life are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21). God has entrusted great power to us through true confession.
5. Confession creates our future. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible (Heb. 11:3). God created everything by what He spoke and He has entrusted us with the same creative power.
Many Blessings, BW