Devotional: Faith Speaks

Faith Speaks

Righteousness is right-standing with God; the ability to stand before Him without any guilt or inferiority as if you had never sinned. I want you to get that deep down on the inside of you. Paul often repeated himself in an effort to help believers not only understand, but to also strengthen them through their understanding to fight off every attack of the enemy.

For example, in Philippians 3:1, he says, "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe." So for me to repeat myself concerning our righteousness in Christ, and its definition, is not tedious for me - in fact for you it is safe! But it is so much more than just memorizing a definition.

The scriptures say, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Romans 10:17). As we repeat God's Word in an effort to learn it, faith is being birthed each time we hear ourselves say it. So often, we make the mistake of thinking we will speak our faith when we believe it, but actually it works in just the opposite way. For example, the first time I heard the definition of righteousness, I didn't believe it; or at least I didn't believe it concerning myself. I had to say it by faith because God said it about me, not because I believed it to be true. But the more I spoke God's Word (confessing it over myself) the more faith was birthed in my heart to receive it.

Paul said, "And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, 'I believed and therefore I spoke,' we also believe and therefore speak" (2 Corinthians 4:13). Believing without speaking is not faith. However, speaking without believing is the road that leads to faith. There is power in our confession. Even Jesus told us how to have faith: "So Jesus answered and said to them, 'Have faith in God.' (In other words, 'Let me tell you how to have the God-kind of faith') 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'" (Mark 11:22-23). Three times, Jesus stressed the word "say" in comparison to only stressing the word "believe" one time. He placed a great deal of importance on our saying.

What I want you to understand is that your faith is voice activated. And your faith will never rise above your confession! Therefore, regardless of what you've done or how you feel about yourself, I want you to stand on 2 Corinthians 5:21, which says, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Make your confession often: I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS! Not only will God reveal this truth to you, but your confidence as a child of God will rise as you speak. Our identity in Christ will always be viewed by the Father as righteous, but the only way to transform how you see yourself is to say what God has already said. So let faith speak!