Should Christians be Declaring things Over their Lives?

Are declarations Biblical? Some adamantly believe that they are not biblical, while others stand firmly by them. Maybe you’re on one side or another, or perhaps, you haven’t even given it thought. I believe this is an important conversation to have because the concept of declarations are not trivial. Understanding the truth about something helps us to make informed decisions about how it will impact our lives. Should Christians be declaring things over their lives or is it biblically wrong? Keep reading to find out why this is an important question to ask in the first place and what our position on declarations should be as Christians. 

What are declarations?

According to the Oxford Dictionary, a declaration is a formal or explicit statement or announcement. Charisma Mag defines it as “making known what we already have possession of.” The Hebrew word for declare is amar. It means to say, to speak, or to utter. Think back to your Elementary School English class. Declarative sentences are simply statements of fact or opinion. 

Why is the conversation about declarations important? 

The dangers of the Law of Attraction

I’m sure you’ve heard of the Law of Attraction. It’s a belief system that teaches people that they can attract whatever they believe in. A positive statement or thought will attract a positive reaction, and vice versa. It’s a new age concept that has no basis in God’s word. Merely believing you are wealthy won’t make you wealthy. Simply believing you have the job does not automatically mean it’s yours. 

Don’t get me wrong, our thoughts are powerful, and there is psychological evidence that our thoughts do create pathways in our brain that shapes the way we react in situations, which can eventually lead to specific results. For example, if you plan to interview for a job and keep thinking about all the ways you’ll fail, you may actually fail. Since failure is on your mind, your body reacts by producing failure. Instead of speaking confidently to the interviewer, you speak out of fear that they won’t choose you. Chances are, the interviewer may be able to sense your lack of confidence and decide not to offer you the position or a second interview. 

However, this is not the law of attraction. The “universe” isn’t helping you to attract some specific outcome just because of what you say and believe, it’s simply psychology. 

What does this have to do with declarations?

What does this have to do with declarations? While declarations are simply statements of fact, opinion, or truth, we have made them into so much more. The Law of Attraction encourages people to declare whatever they want and believe that it will happen. In addition, there’s a movement in many churches known as the Positive Confessions Movement. It says that if you confess or declare something over your life, it will happen. If you speak of riches, wealth, and happiness, you’ll have it. But how true is this? Should we be speaking whatever we want over our lives, expecting God to do it? 

The Difference Between Biblical Declarations and Positive Confessions

I’ll say this right now. I believe that declarations and confessions are biblical in the right context. When God puts something good into place, the enemy likes to create a counterfeit version so that God’s people are confused and therefore, limited. 

We need to get back to biblical declarations. Some people have rightly grown offended at the Positive Confessions Movement and have, unfortunately, tossed away all declarations with it. Declarations are not wrong but what they are becoming in some circles is definitely wrong. 

Biblical Declarations Speak Forth God’s Truth

Once again, if declarations are statements of fact or opinion, then Biblical Declarations simply speak forth God’s truth. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, it’s essential to our faith. 

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 1:1-2

The Bible reminds us that it is important to meditate on the “law of the Lord.” Meditating on something involves thinking about it and speaking about it. It is important to declare God’s word.

Joshua 1:8 says, This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful 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.

We begin to believe what we speak over and over again. If we speak God’s word and believe it, we’re headed for Godly success. 

Declarations partner with God’s word as we speak out his truth. Positive Confessions, on the other hand, only focuses on an individual’s personal desires. Honestly, it’s self-centered and selfish. Christianity isn’t just about us getting wealthier and happier, it’s about dying to our flesh and our desires so that God’s will can be accomplished. 

This doesn’t mean that God doesn’t want good things for us. He does. However, he doesn’t want our focus to be on things instead of him. He gives us good things but not at the expense of the greatest thing – to know him and to be known by him.

Should Christians be Declaring things Over their Lives?

Absolutely. However, we must be careful to declare God’s word, not just what we want. 

In Ezekiel 37, God brings Ezekiel out into a valley of dry bones and instructs him to speak to the bones so that they may come to life. Notice that Ezekiel didn’t speak life to those bones until God told him to. We can’t just say whatever we want, we must be led by God’s Spirit and empowered by his Word. 

While the Law of Attraction has no real basis, our words are still important and powerful. Proverbs 18:21 says, Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. We naturally begin to believe what we speak and think about constantly. If we speak life, we will eventually eat the fruit of wise speech. 

Declaring God’s word helps to align our hearts with God’s will

When Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted by the devil, he spoke God’s word and put Satan in his place. Speaking God’s word has the power to help us through temptations and trials. The Bible isn’t just a book of nice sayings and inspirational stories. The Word is living and active. It has power. There are promises in the Bible that we can’t receive by being complacent. We actually need to be proactive by believing and speaking those promises over our lives.

Declaring God’s word helps to align our hearts with God’s will. When we speak his Word, his truth gets inside of us and we begin to desire his will over ours. 

The Whole Armor of God

and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:17

The Bible instructs us to put on the whole armor of God. This armor includes the Sword of the Spirit, or the word of God. How can you fight against the enemy with a sword that you don’t know how to use? Begin reading, speaking, and declaring the word of the Lord so that when trials and temptations come, you’ll know what to do. 

If you were confused about declarations, I hope this article brought some clarity. It is important to declare God’s word. Declare God’s word in the morning when you wake up and declare God’s word in the evenings before you go to sleep. Declare it when you are afraid, and declare it when you are suffering. Declare God’s word to comfort and declare God’s word to correct. Declare God’s word everywhere and at all times, no matter what.