ANB 80, Word of Faith (5-12-06)

For some time I have thought of myself as a nondenominational Christian. For many years I
have gone to nondenominational churches. I began to realize recently, however, that the
churches that I attend, and the ministers I listen to, all have common doctrines. I know they are
different from many other nondenominational churches. After attending a conference last
summer, I realized they all have in common a doctrine known as "Word of Faith." I suppose
some people could refer to this as a denomination, but I think of it more as a doctrine. Whatever
the case, that is the group of Christians and Christian beliefs that I adhere too.

Now let me just say quickly that I think God hates the denominational structure of Christianity
today. It has caused so many strifes and divisions that it is disgusting. Paul told us all that we
are only one body, and Peter told us that scripture is of no private interpretation. Again, Paul
said, (paraphrasing), 'one says I am of Paul, and another says I am of Apollos. But Apollos and I
work together, I sowed and he watered.' This is no different than people today saying, I am of
Martin Luther, or I am of the Pope, or I am of whoever. This is all wrong, I believe. How
glorious would it be if all our churches were in harmony of doctrine. So when I write to you all,
I come with no denominational thinking. I've only read the Word of God, and drawn from it
directly. I've also drawn from the ministers and leaders that I am under. When I write, I am
speaking to all denominations, straight from the Word. I pray you receive it not because it's from
me, but because it's what God's Word says.

That is what I like most about the Word of Faith churches, they adhere closely to the Bible. In
John 1 we see that "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word
was God." So if you get away from the Bible, you are getting away from God. If you are in a
place where they don't focus on the Bible, then that place doesn't focus on God. But in the Word
of Faith movement the Bible is central and paramount.

Now allow me to show you one central tenet of the Word of Faith doctrine. Some of you may
have heard of this as "name it and claim it,' 'you posses what you confess,' or even 'blab it and
grab it.'" I will show you how this is a Biblical truth, and a central idea that we must incorporate
into our Christian walks if we are to fulfill God's plan for our lives. So leave aside anything you
have heard about this for a moment, and receive what God's Word has to say about it. This may
be a long message, but you will truly be blessed, I believe.

First of all, and this should seal the deal for every one of us, Jesus said, "For verily I say unto
you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, 'be thou removed, and be thou cast into the
sea;' and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come
to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, what things soever you
desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them." (Mark
11:23,24) Praise the Lord. Jesus says it right here. We can name it and claim it. Whatever we
ask we receive, if we believe.

Then in 1 John 4:14,15 we see that, "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we
ask any thing according to His will, He hears us: and if we know that He hears us, whatsoever
we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him." Praise God, here we see
that we have a second witness to what Jesus said, whatever we ask of God, according to God's
will, we will receive.

Today let's focus on asking according to God's will. We're not talking about asking for sinful or
stupid things, but for Godly, holy and pure things. How do we know what God's will is? The
answer is simple. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was
God. So we get to know God and His Will by getting to know God's Word. Moreover, we get to
know what God wants for us by reading the Word. "According as His divine power has given
unto us all things that pertain unto life and Godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has
called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:
that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in
the world through lust." (2 Peter 1:3,4).

"But the righteousness which is if of faith speaketh on this wise, 'Say not in thine heart, Who
shall ascend into heaven (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into
the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead:) But what saith it? The Word is nigh
thee, even in your mouth, and in your heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach: That if
you shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God has
raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved." (Romans 10:9,10).

My brethren, the way you received your salvation is the exact same way you will receive
anything of God, and here Paul lays it out for us. When you believe in your heart and confess
with your mouth, you receive. That is what Jesus said above in Mark 11. You speak a thing,
having no doubt in your heart, but believing, you receive it. This is how it works for everything,
and God's Word tells us so.

So back to the verse from John. Now we know that whatever we ask according to God's will He
will surely give us. We know that His will is fully made known to us by His Word. So what we
must do is ask and pray according to God's Word. "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither
the son of man, that he should repent: has he said, and shall he not do it? or Has he spoken; and
shall he not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19,20). "For as the rain comes down, and the snow
from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and make it bring forth and bud,
that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall My Word be that goes forth out
of My mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it
shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:10,11).

You see, it's God's Word that will surely come to pass. When we put the Word of God in our
mouth, believing it in our heart, then we can be assured that God hears us and grants our
requests. We are given these great and precious promises so that we can obtain all that God has
for us. Yes, we are talking about say it and see it faith, just like God has. Read Genesis 1, "God
said, God said, God said, God said . . . God saw."

"Guard thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:23)Out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34). Look at the interaction of these
verses. Both say that something comes out of your heart. One verse says your words come from
your heart, the other says the issues of your life come from your heart. This is because all the
issues of your life are products of the words that you say. If you have a heart that is built and
founded on God's Word, then you will speak God's Word and live God's Word. If you have a
heart that you put anything else into, then you will speak other things and live other things, and
this is not what you want, beloved.

So when you need something from God here's what to do. You go to God's Word and find a
promise. Let's say you have a physical problem. You find in Jeremiah 30:17 that God says, "I
will restore your health and heal your wounds." That is a promise for you. You put this in your
heart and guard it there. You can go to God and say, "Your Word says you will restore my health
and heal my wounds. I ask in Jesus' Name that you fulfill this promise. I believe that you have
fulfilled it this instant. Thank You Lord. In Jesus' Name, Amen." So you must, according to
Mark, believe that you receive it, then you will have it. So even if the promise doesn't physically
manifest immediately, you stay in faith, believing and confessing with your mouth God's
Word. You believe in your heart you are healed, and confess with your mouth, "I am healed
because God's Word says I am, thank You Lord in Jesus' Name." (Just like you did for your
salvation). You confess this Word until your heart believes it. Your heart believes it through
faith, and faith comes by hearing the Word of God over and over (Romans 10:17). You hear it
when you read it and speak it over and over. The faith grows strong in you by your words which
speak the Word of God, your heart believes it, your mouth speaks it, the Word of God then
manifests in your life. Halelujah.

Praise the Lord. You confess it, then you possess it. Just as Jesus Christ is the Word made
flesh. The entire Word will become physically manifested in our lives if we believe and confess.
Just like Mary did when she said, "Be it unto me, according to Thy Word." Then our Lord and
Savior was that instant conceived in her.

Praise the Lord. This is a standard Word of Faith doctrine that I believe God wants us all to
understand and employ. Be blessed this week, obtaining all that pertains to life, Godliness, and
the divine nature, through your heart belief in God's Word and corresponding confession.