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Lift Up Your Jawbone

Developing Samson-Like Strength Through Daily Word Confession

Richard K. Murray

Outskirts Press, Inc. Denver, Colorado

The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author represents and warrants that s/he either owns or has the legal right to publish all material in this book. Lift Up Your Jawbone Developing Samson-Like Strength Through Daily Word Confession All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2008 Richard K. Murray V7.0 This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the pub-lisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Outskirts Press, Inc. http://www.outskirtspress.com ISBN: 978-1-4327-1742-1 Outskirts Press and the “OP” logo are trademarks belonging to Outskirts Press, Inc. PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: Lift Up Your Jawbone 1 CHAPTER 2: My Adventures in Kavanah 13 CHAPTER 3: Return of the Shaddai Knights 23 CHAPTER 4: Know Your Spiritual Miranda Rights 33 CHAPTER 5: Sowing, Cultivating and Harvesting God’s Promises 41 CHAPTER 6: Moving in Word Perfect Confession 55 CHAPTER 7: The Language of Prayer 65 CHAPTER 8: Questions and Answers 85 CHAPTER 9: Confessions 103

A. Your Name Abba-Father Is A Strong Tower; The Righteous Run Into It And Are Safe 103

B. I Will Bless The Lord At All Times: His Praise Shall Continually Be In My Mouth 105

C. My Precious Wife 107 D. My Children Are The Seed Of The Righteous 109 E. Who I Am In Christ 110 F. Holy Ghost Provision 111

G. Diligence 112 H. Faith 113 I. Joy 115 J. Warfare 116 K. Prosperity 118 L. Strength\Diet 120 M. A Wife’s Confession For Her Husband 121 N. Children’s Confessions 121 O. Intercessions For All Men 122

Introduction

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Prov. 18:21. I have learned in the last ten years to love the fruit of life in the power of my tongue. Word confession enables a Christian to commune with God, grow stronger in faith and defeat demonic attacks. This book will cover these three areas. This book brings out of the treasure house of God both some-thing old and something new. Matt. 13:52. The result uncov-ers the ancient foundations of word confession rooted in our Jewish heritage and joins it with spirit-baptized faith teach-ing. Word confession is revealed as both a practical daily dis-cipline as well as a spontaneous spirit-led utterance. God has always mandated word confession as a daily way of life for His covenant people. These principles have energized my walk with God in all aspects. My wife, children, law practice and ministry have all been girded to new levels of blessing and strength. More importantly, my communion with God has grown in intimacy and confidence. Spurgeon once said that for every ten men willing to die for the Bible there is only one who will read it. To go a step far-

ther, for every ten men who believe that confessing the word of God is a great idea there is only one who actually does it on a daily basis. Up until ten years ago, I thought word con-fession was a great idea but I seldom did it. Ten years ago I started confessing Psalm 91 every day. Months later I worked up to confessing over a hundred scriptures a day. Now, I con-fess the scriptures in Chapter 9 of this book every day. As a result, I have experienced turbo-charged benefits in every area of my life. The Lord’s call today is for ten out of ten spirit-baptized believers to confess the word of God daily. Daily word confession will allow you to better recognize and relate to the ongoing presence of God in your life. This book is the fruit of my love for word confession. I pray that as you read it you will be enriched and “abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all dili-gence, and in your love.” 2 Cor. 8:7. I want to express my thanks to my legal secretary Marie Smith for her endless pa-tience in formatting this book as well as her spiritual input. I especially want to thank Sandy, Lyndon and Adriane for their vigilant proofreading and input. Lastly, I also want to thank my beloved wife Rita and our children: Sloan, Caleb, Micah, Abraham, Sarah, Benjamin and Annie. My wife is a fruitful vine by the sides of my house and my children like olive plants round about my table. Ps. 128:3.

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Chapter 1

Lift Up Your Jawbone “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Prov. 18:21

arrior, hear the bad news and the good news. The bad news is that there is a demonic host of raiders

who wants to destroy every good thing you are and steal every good thing you have. These raiders have already robbed you thousands of times of joy, love, peace and strength. In place of these treasures, they left you with depression, worry, discouragement, fear, lust, fatigue and hardness of heart. You have struggled against developing a “victim mentality” where you begin to expect these raiders to rob your joy in the Lord. But, in your warrior’s heart there is a yearning to stand and contend against these enemies of your soul. You know deep down that you are not called to walk in just occasional victory but in continual and complete conquest. Rom. 8:37. The good news is that you have the ultimate weapon at your disposal! This weapon can smash your enemies into oblivion. Though they come out against you one way, they will flee

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from you seven ways. This weapon not only destroys the en-emy, but it also nourishes and strengthens your spirit man. What is this weapon? Right now, put your hand on your jaw. Now say “Jesus is Lord.” You have just wielded the most powerful weapon in the universe. You are literally armed to the teeth as your mouth brandishes the word of God against your spiritual enemies. Your jawbone confessing God’s word is your arsenal of absolute victory. Lift it up, warrior! Samson was the greatest warrior in the Old Testament. His supernatural strength confounded the enemy time and time again. No army could stop him. No ropes could bind him. No lion could devour him. No gates could imprison him. The evil Philistines referred to him as “the destroyer of our country.” Jdg. 16:24. His exploits began the final deliverance of Israel from Philistine oppression. Jdg. 13:5. Although Samson’s failure with Delilah is well known, it cannot erase a life of great victory which placed Samson in the hall of faith heroes of Hebrews 11. Samson’s greatest hand to hand battle occurred in Judges 15:9-20. Here, he picked up a fresh jawbone of an ass and killed a thousand Philistines with it. A thousand men. A thou-sand armed men. A thousand Philistines who hated Samson with a passion. A thousand men demonically empowered through their worship of false gods. Yet, this evil horde could not withstand one jawbone wielded by a spirit-charged war-rior. Your spirit-charged jawbone can also massacre the hordes of hell as they seek to destroy you. No matter the odds, your jawbone of word confession is the great equalizer. This Old Testament episode is a shadow of a brilliant New Testament


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truth. Just as Samson lifted up the jawbone to win the battle, Christians must lift up their jawbones to realize full victory in life. Your Jawbone Conquers Your Promised Land After his great conquest, Samson renamed the battlefield Ramath-lehi, which literally means “the elevation of the jaw-bone” or “jawbone heights.” Your jawbone of word confes-sion elevates all your battlefields to the highlands of victory. In fact, the Greek word translated in the New Testament as “conversation” literally means “to twist up.” Jas. 3:13. This reinforces the idea of spirit-elevated word confession. The Greek word translated in the New Testament as “confes-sion” literally means “to speak out the same thing as.” The clear meaning is to speak out the same thing as the word of God. Jsh. 1:8. Word confession transforms your jawbone of an ass into a jawbone of a champion well able to conquer the promised land God has set before you. In the Old Testament, the “promised land” was the land of Is-rael which flowed with milk and honey. Ex. 3:17. God prom-ised Israel they would possess “every place” they “tread upon” if Israel strongly and courageously confessed, believed and acted upon the word of God. Jsh. 1:3-8. In the New Testament, the “promised land” is your inheri-tance in the word of God which promises you all things for life and godliness. 2 Pet. 1:3-4; Acts 20:32. You possess every promise of God you will stand on by faith as you strongly and courageously confess, believe and act upon the spirit-revealed word of God. 2 Cor. 1:20; Jn. 15:7; Mk. 11:22-


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24; Rom. 8:17; Eph. 1:3; Lu. 10:19. Just as the Philistines sought to deprive Israel of its birthright, so do Satan’s devils seek to keep you from inheriting the promises of God. Demonic Philistines of unbelief, failure, fear, depression, sickness and poverty are waiting by the thousands to maul you. They feed off your negative confes-sions of doubt, worry and despair. But it’s not too late. Pick up your jawbone and start smashing the enemies of your soul with the promises of God! Spiritual Diet and Exercise Your jawbone of word confession does far more than just de-feat your spiritual enemies. It also strengthens your spirit man to Samson-like proportions. The same jawbone that served as a weapon also supernaturally spouted water to replenish Sam-son’s strength. Jdg. 15:19. Samson named this new spring the “spring of the caller.” As you confess God’s word, you are also a “caller” of the supernatural “spring” which flows out of your innermost being. Jn. 7:37-39. Lifting up your jawbone of word confession daily both wins your battles and revives your spirit. Samson-like strength must be developed by training in right-eousness. Remember, the key to victory is not the will to fight, but the will to prepare to fight. Exercise your heart and tongue through daily confession workouts. An Olympic champion doesn’t win a gold medal by just showing up for the competition. The champion spends thousands of hours in preparation strengthening his endurance, training his reflexes, and building up his muscles by diet and exercise. The training often takes place regardless of heat, cold, rain or privation.


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Your word confession must also be developed by daily exer-cise and diet. An incredible truth is revealed in John 7:37-39 and Proverbs 18:20-21. While your physical man is filled by what goes into your mouth, your spiritual man is filled by what comes out of your mouth (i.e. your confession). “A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.” Prov. 18:20. Speaking the word of God adds protein to your spirit, energy to your heart, and endurance to your soul. Bless the Lord, “Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Ps. 103:5. Confess the word through rainy circumstances, cold appear-ances and hot affliction. As you grow steadfast in your daily confession, your spiritual reflexes are sharpened so that the word of God comes out of your mouth instinctively in every situation. At this point, you will be a champion of word con-fession ready for any challenge. Your faith will be primed so that your word confessions will come to pass quickly and completely. In these spiritual Olympics, you will win many gold medals which you will joyfully cast at the feet of your Lord. Your Jawbone of Faith In the spirit realm, nothing goes without saying. Consider the following verses which instruct you to lift up your jawbone.

“He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully.” Jer. 23:28. “And Jesus said unto them...if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall


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say...and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Matt. 17:20. “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be con-demned.” Matt. 12:37. “The righteousness which is of faith spea-keth” Rom. 10:6. “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach.” Rom. 10:8. “Having the same spirit of faith...I believed, and therefore have I spoken” 2 Cor. 4:13. “Whosoever shall...believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” Mk. 11:23. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” Prov. 18:21. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth” Jsh.1:8. “As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of


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the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.” Is. 59:21. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is be-cause there is no light in them.” Is. 8:20. “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken (hear intelligently, be obedient to, declare) diligently (wholly, completely, far, fast, louder and louder) unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments...all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee” Deut. 28:1-2 (Hebrew definitions added par-enthetically). “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul...speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deut. 11:18-19. “With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.” Ps. 119:13. “And my tongue shall speak of thy right-eousness and of thy praise all the day long.” Ps. 35:28.

These verses illuminate once and for all that the spirit of faith


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will always confess the word of God. As you move in confession, you will be enriched and abound “in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love.” 2 Cor. 8:7. You are a king upon the earth who is called to reign in righteousness. Rev. 1:5-6. Jesus is the King of Kings with whom you are to reign. Rev. 19:16; Rom. 5:17. As a righteous king, you must rule your life by your confession: “A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judg-ment....Righteous lips are the delight of kings.” Prov. 16:10, 13. “Where the word of a king is, there is power” Eccl. 8:4. A true warrior of God “dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.” Deut. 33:20. The imagery here is that a lion’s crown is his mouth. Your crown with which you tear Satan’s arm is your mouth’s kingly confession. This is the crown we will joyfully cast at the feet of Jesus. The Happy Warrior Let’s consider two of the most important aspects of Samson’s character. First, Samson fought the battle with joy. Poet Wil-liam Wordsworth once penned the question, “Who is the Happy Warrior? Who is he that every man in arms should wish to be?” Samson is a glowing example of “the Happy Warrior.” Winston Churchill liked warriors who grinned as they fought in battle. Smith Wigglesworth taught that soldiers of faith should laugh at the impossible. Samson had this same bold attitude. He taunted the enemy with riddles. Jdg. 14:12. Samson also devised a clever poetic pun right after killing a thousand man army. In the Hebrew, Samson essentially quipped: “With the


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jawbone of an ass I have assaulted a thousand men.” Jdg. 15:16. Since nobody else was around who was still alive, this victory joke was between God and Samson. It takes a special man to tell jokes to God. Since the joy of the Lord is our strength, the mighty Samson had to be the happiest warrior in the Old Testament. Neh. 8:10. Samson had joy in battle and so should you. Samson displayed the master key of happiness, “A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth.” Prov. 15:23. Your word confessions will provide you a merry heart, a cheerful countenance, and a continual feast, even in the presence of your enemies. Prov. 15:13, 15; Ps. 23:5. The second key trait of Samson was his manliness. He did not allow himself to be helplessly victimized. He held the enemy accountable for every wrong done to him. “As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.” Jdg. 15:11. The Hebrew word for this trait is “chazaq,” which means: to seize, be strong, courageous, obstinate, to bind, conquer, force, play the man, wax mighty, prevail, be urgent. Peter tells us to add “virtue” to our faith. 2 Pet. 1:5. The Greek word for “virtue” literally means “manliness.” This manliness refuses to play the victim to the hardships of life. Manliness is the champion spirit that drives us to conquer our spiritual foes. It is the will to fight. Samson displayed this spirit when he would “shake” himself to battle readiness. Jdg. 16:20. The Hebrew word for “shake” is “na`ar” and means: to growl, through the idea of the rustling of the mane, which usu-ally accompanies the lion’s roar. True warriors of God must learn to shake themselves to fight. Though your heart and tongue may sometimes feel heavy as lead, you must lift up your jawbone and confess the word only. Rustle the mane of the Lion of Judah by roaring word confessions to the heavens.


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The New Testament Samson Jesus is the Samson of the New Testament. Christ displayed this supernatural strength when He “spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Col. 2:15. The Greek words here describe Jesus stripping all the demonic powers of their armor and then hav-ing a victory parade showing off the spoils. One can almost see the jawbone in Jesus’ hand as He defeated the hordes of hell. Samson carried off the gates of Gaza on his shoulders. Jdg. 16:3. Jesus carried off the gates of hell on His shoulders. Eph. 4:8-10; Matt. 16:18. Samson rent a lion. Jdg. 14:6. Jesus rent Satan who “as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Pet. 5:8. Samson’s own people sought to betray him. Jdg. 15:12. Jesus’ own people sought to betray Him. Lu. 22:47-48. Samson willingly laid his head in the lap of the enemy. Jdg. 15:11-16. Jesus willingly laid His life in the lap of the enemy. Jn. 10:17-18. Samson was tor-mented and ridiculed by the enemy as he prepared to die. Jdg. 16:25. Jesus was tormented and ridiculed by the enemy as He prepared to die. Matt. 27:39; Ps. 22. Samson’s outstretched arms formed his body in the shape of a cross as he collapsed the Philistine temple. Jdg. 16:29-30. Jesus died with arms outstretched on the cross as He collapsed Satan’s kingdom. Heb. 2:14. Samson’s death destroyed more of the enemy than he did during his life. Jdg. 16:30. Jesus’ death ravaged the hordes of hell on a far greater scale than He did during His life. Col. 2:15. Samson used a jawbone as a weapon of devas-tation. Jesus used His jawbone as a weapon to smite the na-tions of wickedness. Rev. 19:15. We must follow Jesus’ lead by picking up our jawbones and wielding the name of Jesus to complete victory. Jn. 14:12-14.


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Jesus is our example for all things: “consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” Heb. 3:1. Luke reveals that Jesus’ first four statements of His ministry were Old Testament word confessions. Lu. 4:4, 8, 12, 16-20. These confessions rebuked Satan and declared Jesus’ power and purpose on the earth. Luke 4:16 indicates that Jesus cus-tomarily read scriptures out loud in the synagogue. Jesus always confessed the word of God quickened to Him by the Holy Spirit. Jn. 8:26-28, 38; 12:49-50. Most often, this quickening came through scriptures Jesus had already imbedded in His heart. Jesus confessed Old Testament scrip-tures verbatim 59 times in the gospels. The substance of eve-rything Jesus said in the gospels directly quoted, paraphrased or amplified Old Testament scriptures. Matt. 5:17-19; Lu. 16:16-17; 24:27, 44-45; 1 Pet. 1:9-12. Jesus’ confessions came to pass immediately during His min-istry because He had built Himself up in the word over the previous thirty years of His life. Lu. 2:40-52; 4:16. He was highly developed in His faith, hope and love. When the Spirit descended on Him in Luke 3:22, Jesus was already full of the word of faith. The Spirit combined with the word and pro-duced the anointing which propelled Him through His per-fect ministry. The greatest word confession is the name of Jesus. Every time you confess the name of Jesus you are standing on John 15:7; 16:23-24 and Mark 16:17-18. Never use His name in vain again. His name, which is above every name, has the full force of heaven behind it. Phil. 2:9-10. Confess the name of Jesus, which literally means “salvation,” in every situation as you fight the good fight of faith. Prov. 18:10; Rom. 10:13.


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Jesus said, “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” Jn. 14:14. Jesus’ other name is “The Word of God.” Rev. 19:13. If you faithfully ask anything in The Word of God, Je-sus will do it.

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Chapter 2

My Adventures in Kavanah

“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.”

Mk. 11:23 he last several years of my Christian walk have been the most thrilling time of my life. My adventure be-

gan when I started confessing Psalm 91 daily back in 1994. Since then, I have grown in word confession to the point that I now confess all the scriptural proclamations in Chapter 9 of this book every day. I am more on fire today about word confession than I have ever been. The reason is kavanah, a Hebrew term I will soon explain. Confessing the word of God daily has changed my life. Through it my heart has worshipped God at new levels. My prayer life has become vibrant as I now genuinely cherish my time of communion with God. The external benefits have also been overwhelming. My appetite has conformed to the

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word of God as I have shed thirty unwanted pounds. My seven children have grown in blessing and favor accord-ing to my daily morning confessions as well as the night time family confessions we all recite together. My marriage has grown in intimacy as I confess the word over my beloved wife every day. Time and time again confessions of prosper-ity have brought timely financial harvests in my law practice. I now see my clients as a blessing and not as a burden. I now bless my enemies sincerely for the first time in my life. My patience toward my children has abounded to supernatural levels. Numerous healings have confirmed our word confessions. I am fully delivered from depression. My son progressed in the space of one week from being a first grader who was making 20s and 30s on his spelling tests and headed for “special education” to a spelling whiz who has a 95 average. I am happier than I have ever been. I am not claiming perfec-tion, only turbo-charged improvement in every area of my life. I boast in the Lord of these gigantic grapes from the promised land of kavanah. Philem. 6. Kavanah is the Spiritual Eye of the Tiger Kavanah is the key to confession. The essence of this He-brew word is defined by two phrases: “passionate intention” and “wholehearted concentration.” The Jews in the Old Tes-tament taught that all scriptural confessions must be made with the heart directed to heaven “as if God’s presence was opposite.” This heart condition prevents confessions from becoming vain and mechanical repetitions. Matt. 6:7. This spirit of enthusiasm anticipates new revelations every time the


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word is confessed. The daily word confession may be the same, but ever increasing heart intensity ensures fresh manna every day. Kavanah clears the mind from distractions, anger, sorrow and fatigue. Kavanah is a single-eyed focus on the truth of God’s word as it is being confessed in the presence of the Lord. “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” Matt. 6:22. I like to term kavanah as “the spiritual eye of the tiger.” The Jews taught that a prayer without kavanah is like a body without a soul. Ascending the Levels of Kavanah At its minimum level, kavanah is a sincere heart focused on the truth of the word confession. At higher levels, kavanah is a passionate heart throbbing with God’s presence. The Jews be-lieved that chanting or singing word confessions aided the heart in ascending into kavanah. The Psalms are an excellent example of this, especially Psalm 119 where the writer is mu-sically enraptured with God’s word. Kavanah is romancing the Lord through His word. It is loosing the butterflies in the stomach to flutter with excitement. It is the quickening of the soul that pants after God. Ps. 42:1. When I first started confessing scriptures, I found my mind of-ten wandered and lost focus. As I persisted through the months, my spiritual concentration increased and I was able to better focus on the truth of the word confession. I was growing in kavanah. My thoughts began to dance with the word in the ballroom of my heart. Our minds must be taught to dance this way by letting the Holy Spirit lead us through wonderful word waltzes.


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In the last years, my heart has soared to new levels of kavanah. At certain times, my stomach and heart leap during my con-fessions as I am fully and gloriously convinced that what I am saying is absolutely true. Thanksgiving and love for God gush out of my heart as I become intoxicated with the word. Kava-nah turns the water of the word into fine wine. From this in-toxication I am able to embrace the presence of the Lord in an intimate and uninhibited way. Kavanah is not intellectual concentration which stems from the mind. Kavanah is spiritual concentration which stems from the heart and gut. Ps. 26:2. Intellectual concentration focuses on the letter of the law which kills our confessions. Spiritual concentration focuses on the spirit of the law which gives life to our confessions. 2 Cor. 3:6. Intellectual concentration is a striving mind while spiritual concentration is a dancing heart. Be patient as you grow in kavanah. It takes time to develop, so don’t give up and keep on pressing toward the mark. Phil. 3:12-14. Aids to Kavanah One key to kavanah is visualization. The Jews were taught to project themselves in prayer to the temple in Jerusalem so that they would confess the word in the very presence of God. The Lord told me years ago that I must visualize every individual for which I pray. Visualizing their faces activates my heart into kavanah. Praying a checklist of faceless names is just an intellectual exercise which leaves the heart dormant and with-out kavanah. One of the greatest gifts of visualization the Lord has ever given me is the image of Samson slaying the thousand Philis-


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tines with the jawbone of an ass. Whenever I am under spiri-tual attack, I visualize my spirit man as Samson smashing Philistines left and right. This activates my heart into kavanah. I visualize the jawbone I am lifting up is the jawbone of my confession. A lustful thought is visualized as a demonic Philistine whose head is being bashed in with my jawbone of confession. This allows me to truly take vengeance on disobedient thoughts. 2 Cor. 10:4-6. By continually confessing, I feel the enemy broken by the word of God coming out of my jawbone. The Old Testa-ment is a treasure house of powerful images meant to activate the human heart. Other aids to kavanah during word confession can include music, dance, lifting of hands, clapping, putting your hand on your heart, deep breathing and smiling. Any activity helps which engages your heart to focus on the reality, beauty and glory of word confessions. The most important requirement to keep the kavanah flowing is to purge your heart of all unfor-giveness. More than anything else, unforgiveness hardens the heart from obtaining kavanah. Mk. 11:24-26. Kavanah Leads to Communion For the spirit-baptized Christian, kavanah is readily obtain-able. The indwelling Holy Spirit “worketh in you both to will and to do.” Phil. 2:13. God’s enabling power allows you to focus your heart solely on the glory of God as revealed in His word. This is your spiritual willpower fortified by the Holy Spirit. This explains Augustine’s great truth that it takes God to love God. Rom. 5:5. It truly takes God in you to reach the higher levels of kavanah.


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Don’t miss the importance of this truth. The Jews rightly be-lieved that God hears prayers from us as God speaks prayers through us. As a New Testament believer, you are anointed with the divine nature of Christ which is the wisdom and power of God. 2 Pet. 1:3-4; 1 Cor. 1:24-30. You literally have the faith of God. Gal. 2:20. God’s faith confessing God’s word brings God’s powerful results. You add two things which allow this process to occur: a ready tongue and a good and honest heart focused on the word of God. Ps. 45:1; Lu. 8:15. Kavanah and word confession release God in you to be-come God through you. The application of kavanah is endless. It breathes life into every aspect of your spiritual walk. Praying in tongues be-comes high romance with the Lord. Has your heart felt like it was reading a magazine in the waiting room while your mouth was confessing the word or praying in tongues? With kavanah, your heart and confession are now one as you live in the delight of the Lord. Continuous kavanah allows you to re-joice evermore, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks. 1 Thes. 5:16-18. As you flow in kavanah, your heart’s communion with God grows in depth and width, in quality and quantity. Kavanah is contagious! As you delight yourself in the Lord through kavanah, God will give you the scriptural desires of your heart as you con-fess them. Jn. 15:7; Ps. 37:4-6; 1 Jn. 5:14-15. The purpose of word confession is not to change God’s heart to conform to your will. The purpose of word confession is to fully persuade your heart to believe and release God’s will. Some wrongly criticize word confession by claiming it is witchcraft which tries to bend reality to the will of man. No! Word confession releases the will of God to bring heaven to earth. Lu. 11:2.


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Your fully persuaded heart is a “stargate” through which faith confession looses the power and wisdom of God to establish His kingdom on this earth. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Jas. 5:16. Kavanah is effectual fervency which guar-antees that your word confessions will come to pass. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Jn. 15:7. Strong’s Con-cordance at 154 and 4441 define the Greek word for “ask” in John 15:7 as “strictly a demand of something due.” When you abide in the Lord through His Spirit and His words abide in you through daily kavanah and confession, you shall demand what is due you (i.e. the fulfillment of the word promise) and it shall be done!

Our Jewish Roots of Word Confession

Scriptural confession has always been God’s mandate for His covenant people. God commanded the Israelites to lay up the scriptures of God in their hearts, “speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deut. 11:18-19. The Hebrews believed that it was impossible for a man ignorant of God’s word to be a righteous person.

All success in every facet of Old Testament life was depend-ent on confessing and meditating on the word of God. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Jsh. 1:8. In fact, the Hebrew word for “meditate” in


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the above verse literally means “to mutter.” Jewish transla-tions of Joshua 1:8 substitute the word “recite” for meditate. Similarly, Jewish translations of Psalm 1:2 literally read that the righteous man’s delight is in the law of the Lord which he “recites” or “utters” day and night. For the Old Testament Jew, word confession was word meditation. Christians must reclaim their Old Testament heritage of word confession so strongly imbedded in their Jewish roots.

Confess the word daily. The Jews believed in confessing 100 scriptural blessings a day. Make it a lifestyle. Do it at home, while driving and at work or exercise. The Jews taught that all scriptural confessions should be made “as if God’s pres-ence was opposite.” This attitude allows you to confess the word in holy reverence. As you confess, focus on the Lord’s presence being right in front of and in you. Worship Him with your confessions. Focus with a single eye on the truth of what you are confessing and your heart will begin to leap in praise and thanksgiving. Word confessions consecrate your heart for deeper communion with God’s presence. This communion is the pearl of greatest value. Kavanah is the key. Deut. 11:18-25; Ps. 27:4-6; 34:1; 35:28; 71:23-24.

For every need find the promise of God to fulfill it. If you have a good and honest heart and are a born-again believer, “all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God.” 2 Cor. 1:20. God’s exceeding great and precious promises provide you all things for life and god-liness. 2 Pet. 1:3-4. This explains why the Jews bound the To-rah, the Old Testament word of God, to their foreheads, forearms and doorposts. Ex. 13:1-16; Deut. 6:4-9; 11:3-21. The Old Testament sons literally put on the word of God, while the New Testament sons “spiritually” put on the Lord


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Jesus Christ who is the Word of God. Rom. 13:14; Jn. 1:1, 14. The Jews treated the word of God as if it were alive, which it is. Heb. 4:12. They would bury and mourn a Torah scroll if it was desecrated. Jews would also dance with the Torah scroll in joyous celebration. They actually considered themselves married to the word of God. The Jews literally kissed the word of God daily in their synagogues and homes. This sym-bolized their passion and devotion for God’s word. A New Testament believer kisses the word of God by confessing it from passionate lips and a faith-filled heart. Since Jesus is the Word of God, kissing the word of God by confessing it in faith is kissing Jesus. Jn. 1:1, 14; Rev. 19:13. “Kiss the Son” with your righteous confessions. Ps. 2:12; 35:28.

One day Jesus will reveal Himself to His Jewish brothers as “The Word of God.” Rev. 19:13. It’s amazing to consider that the Jews dress up their Torah scrolls in the garb of a high priest. In the New Testament, Jesus is the High Priest of our confession. Heb. 3:1. The Jews also call the wooden poles of Torah scrolls “Atzei Chayim,” meaning “trees of life.” Jesus is the tree of life in the New Testament. Jn. 14:6; Rev. 22:14. Just as Joseph revealed himself to his brothers who thought him dead, Jesus will reveal Himself as the Word of God to His Jewish brothers who think Him dead. The Jews will see that the Torah they have so desperately loved is the person named Jesus, the Messiah named Jesus, the God named Jesus. Then they too will kiss the Son.

The Jews rightly understood that word confession was both a spontaneous utterance as well as a daily discipline. At its best, word confession is a spirit-led spontaneous declaration. But, before you can be “spirit-led” you must be “spirit-fed” by the


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discipline of daily word confession. The daily discipline works the word deeply and intimately into your heart. The Holy Spirit can then bring it out of your mouth spontaneously at the perfect time under the anointing. For example, I confess every day that my children are mighty upon the earth, taught of the Lord and great is their peace. Ps. 112:2; Is. 54:13. Through daily discipline I have confessed these verses into the deep recesses of my heart. Now, when my children dis-play weakness, foolishness or strife, my spirit immediately prompts me to confess these verses spontaneously into the situation of need.

The battle of the universe is for the heart of man. Kavanah and word confession together establish a stronghold for God in your heart. Out of this stronghold will flow the issues of life: pure motives, right words, clean thoughts and true love. Prov. 4:23; Jn. 7:38-39. May the Lord enlarge your heart to scale the heights of kavanah with your own word confessions.

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Chapter 3

Return of the Shaddai Knights “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”

Rom. 8:19

o you want to be a mighty man or woman of God able to walk in supernatural ability at home and

work? Do you want to do heroic deeds for your Lord, spouse, children, and all mankind? Scriptures speak of God’s mighty men who can run through a troop, leap over a wall, break a bow of steel and put a thousand to flight. Ps. 18:29, 34; Deut. 32:30. In the heart of every believer there is a longing for the power of this supernatural warrior. All creation groans for this manifestation of the champion sons of God. Rom. 8:19-22. Culture itself cries out for gladia-tors of glory. From comic books to martial arts movies; from the awesome feats of the Olympic Games to the acrobatic choreography of professional wrestling; from the dragon-slaying knights of King Arthur’s Round Table to the uni-verse-saving abilities of the Jedi Knights of the Star Wars movies and books: all of these images reflect the hunger in

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man’s heart for the super hero.

After recently seeing the movie Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace, the Lord spoke to me strongly about the heroic Jedi Knights. These are a group of supernaturally equipped warriors who are the guardians of peace and justice in the Star Wars universe. As I meditated on their attributes, I saw that the Lord’s mighty men are “Shaddai Knights.” “Shaddai” is a Hebrew word which means “limitless might.” God is called El Shaddai, which means “almighty God.” Gen. 17:1. A Shaddai Knight is a spirit-baptized warrior of God who declares in faith, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Phil. 4:13. All true Shaddai Knights draw their strength solely from the captain of their salvation, heaven’s First Shaddai Knight, Jesus. Heb. 2:10. The parallels between the fictional Jedi Knights and the Lord’s Shaddai Knights are striking and fun to consider. The Lord’s Lightsaber Like the Jedi Knights, each Shaddai Knight in training must become a master swordsman. The sword is the symbol of war, strength and honor. Richard F. Burton, in his classic The Book of the Sword, declares the sword to be, “the best friend of bravery, and the worst foe of perfidy; the companion of au-thority, and the token of commandment; the outward and visi-ble sign of force and fidelity, of conquest and dominion, of all that Humanity wants to have and wants to be.” By the sword heroes are knighted, kingdoms are won and evil is vanquished. Jesus is pictured in Revelation 1:16 and 19:15 with a sword coming out of His mouth. Israel is also pictured this same way in Isaiah 49:1-3. Likewise, our tongue is the hilt of our spiri-


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tual sword and the word of God is the two-edged blade. Heb. 4:12. Just like the knights of old showed loyalty to their king by kissing the king’s sword, we kiss the blade of God’s word by confessing it through faithful lips. We must also be spiritu-ally violent with this sword to press in and seize our inheri-tance in the kingdom of God. Matt. 11:12. Word confession is our weapon of violence that cuts through sin, Satan and unbe-lief. Lu. 21:15; Rev. 12:11. Jesus wielded this sword deftly in the wilderness temptations when He confessed the scriptures that parried and countered Satan’s attacks. Lu. 4:1-13. Jesus is the eternal champion of the ages who single-handedly defeated the hordes of hell. Col. 2:15. Scriptures are clear that, “The Lord is a man of war...The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.” Ex. 15:3; Is. 42:13. Jesus’ warrior nature as the Lion of Judah beats its war drum in the chest of every spirit-baptized Chris-tian. The major hindrance preventing the release of this war-rior spirit is lack of proper training in spiritual swords-manship. To paraphrase an ancient military proverb, once you draw your sword on Satan who is the prince of this world, throw away your scabbard. Jn. 12:31. Consider the swordsmanship of David’s mighty man Eleazar who, “arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory.” 2 Sam. 23:10. The word of God must also cleave to our jawbone by confessing it at all times, even when our tongues feel as heavy as lead. The Lord will bring victory to such relentless swords-men. Though we may not yet have memorized many verses, we must boldly confess the ones we do know. The Spartans


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told their sons, “If your sword be too short, add a step to it.” Let us devote ourselves to lengthening our blade by memoriz-ing more word promises. But, we must not let that keep us from adding a step today as we thrust our word confessions against sin and Satan. The word of God spoken in faith makes the jawbone the deadliest of weapons. In the Star Wars stories, each Jedi Knight as part of his train-ing must construct his own lightsaber. A lightsaber is a sword made not of metal but of laser light. The Shaddai Knight’s lightsaber is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Eph. 6:17. The Greek term for “word” is “rhema” and literally means “spoken word.” Thus, our Shaddai Knight lightsabers are our scriptural confessions of light wielded by our hearts of faith. Ps. 119:105, 130. The Jews believe that the Old Testament mandates each Israelite to write out the Torah in his own hand. In other words, each believer has to construct his own lightsaber. Shaddai Knights must also build their own lightsabers of word confessions as part of their training. Each Shaddai Knight must labor in the word himself to construct his own sword, “a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim. 2:15. The Living Force of God Let’s consider some other parallels between Jedi Knights and Shaddai Knights. First, Jedi Knights are constantly led and empowered by what they call “the living force,” an energy field which surrounds and penetrates all things, binding the galaxy together. All Jedi power and supernatural enablements flow from their being attuned to the living force. They quiet their minds from worry and train their hearts to stay in the present so that they can hear the will of the force moment by


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moment. For the Shaddai Knight, the living force is the Holy Spirit of God, “who is above all, and through all, and in you all...For in him we live, and move, and have our being.” Eph. 4:6; Acts 17:28. The Holy Ghost works in all Shaddai Knights to will and to do. Phil. 2:13. The Holy Ghost gives us supernatural power to run through troops, leap over walls, break bows of steel, put thousands to flight, energetically minister to our families and every living creature, and dili-gently do the work of the day on the day. As we abide in the Holy Ghost moment by moment, and the word of God abides in us, then our word confessions will come to pass mightily in our lives. Jn. 15:7. Second, Jedi Knights draw the line between victory and de-feat on the battlefields of faith and fear. Fear leads to anger, anger to hatred and hatred to suffering. Faith leads to the abil-ity to know and do all good things. Jedi Knights rightly teach that our focus determines our reality. Faith-focused hearts are full of light while fear-focused hearts are full of darkness. Matt. 6:22. For the Shaddai Knight, faith is the victory that overcomes the spirit of the world. There is no try or try not, only do or do not. Shaddai Knights strongly and courageously confess, believe and act on the spirit-revealed word of God. This faith works by supernatural love which bears all things, hopes all things, believes all things, endures all things and never fails. Gal. 5:6; 1 Cor. 13:7-8. Remember, fear leads to the dark side and worry is the seed of all fear. We must quiet our mind from all thoughts of worry so that our heart is free to hear the living God moment by moment. Phil. 4:6; Col. 3:15; Rom. 16:20. Third, Jedi Knights don’t lord their power over people but use it to serve those in need. Similarly, Shaddai Knights must be


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servants in the supernatural who are not respecters of men. Shaddai Knights never seek man’s limelight, only God’s true light. They are violent on demons and merciful on all men. Whatever they do, they do heartily as to the Lord and not unto men. It is these bold heroes who will fulfill the promise of John 14:12 to do the same and greater works than Jesus letting “the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand.” Ps. 149:6. Fourth, the enemy of the Jedi Knight is the Sith. These de-monic masters of the dark side all have the first name Darth. I am teaching my seven Shaddai Knights at home, my seven children, to start visualizing their struggles as spiritual sword fights with demonic enemies. My children have daily duels with Darth Impatience, Darth Anger, Darth Disobedience, Darth Whining, Darth Misery and Darth Foolishness. I am training them to use word confessions as a weapon against these spirits when they attack. These battles aren’t just like sword fights, they are sword fights in the spirit realm. Our most powerful spiritual weapon in this life is our tongue confessing the word of God. This is the sword of the Spirit of Ephesians 6:17. We must train ourselves to wield it with skill and power as true Shaddai Knights. As Satan lunges at us with lies and lust, we learn to counter each thrust with the con-fessed word of God. Every time we refuse to give in to anger by confessing scriptures of peace, we have displayed greater spiritual prowess than any martial artist. Every time we con-fess the word to defeat lust, pride, impatience or fatigue, we have performed spiritual feats of agility and strength worthy of Samson, David and the Lord’s other mighty men. Just the other day, I sparred with a Satanic attack for about


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thirty minutes. Demonic accusations were being slashed to-ward my heart that I was not getting the credit I deserve from a certain person. I knew this wasn’t of God and I resisted, re-fusing to confess agreement with Satan that, “I deserved bet-ter.” Instead, I waited until the Holy Spirit quickened to me Philippians 2:3. I then confessed that, “I do nothing through strife or vainglory and esteem others better than myself.” That cut off the head of this enemy and the attack broke. Start view-ing attacks as sword fights. Let’s draw our swords, throw away our scabbards and start confessing our way to victory every day. Cooperating with Creation Finally, Jedi Knights walk in constant cooperation with the living force. They are ever confident that the force will lead, protect and enable them. When faced with apparently hopeless situations, they will still boldly assert: “A solution will present itself” or “It won’t be a problem” or “Don’t worry, the force will guide us.” Jedi Knights are convinced that the living force is ever ready, willing and able to ensure victory. Their single focus is not to cooperate with outward appearances, but to co-operate with the living force. Similarly, Shaddai Knights are anointed to cooperate with God’s Spirit of creation which inhabits all things. One of the earliest Aramaic translations of Genesis 2:7 reads that God created Adam to be “a speaking spirit.” God then brought all living things to Adam for the man to name them. Gen. 2:19. Adam’s role here was not to arbitrarily pick a name out of a hat for these creatures. His role was to prophesy God’s crea-tive purpose over each of them. Adam cooperated with God in blessing and releasing the spiritual potential which the Lord


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had placed in all living things. Adam did this exact same thing for his own wife. God took Eve from Adam’s rib and then brought her to the man. Adam then prophesied over the woman: “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, be-cause she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Gen. 2:23-24. Yet, Jesus attributed these words spoken over Eve to God Himself. Matt. 19:4-6. This seeming contradiction is resolved by the realization that both God and Adam spoke the same words. God first spoke them to Adam’s spirit, who then confirmed them by his own mouth. “With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.” Ps. 119:13. This is the pattern of effective confession. God speaks it to our spirit. We confirm it through our confes-sion. The power of God then brings the confession to pass and the earth is renewed toward the Lord’s created purpose. Jesus, the second Adam, continually activated God’s renewal in those who received His ministry. They were “made whole” and restored to their created purpose. All true ministry, at its root, is the anointed restoration of men to their original whole-ness of spirit, soul and body. Shaddai Knights are spiritual soldiers who seek to be all they can be by helping this world be all it was created to be. God now asks us to fulfill Adam’s original calling by discov-ering and releasing God’s potential in every situation we en-counter. The ancient rabbis called this “Tikkun ha Olam,” which means “repair of the world.” God wants our cooperation in blessing, healing and restoring this earth to its created pur-pose.


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Satan, on the other hand, seeks to prompt us to curse God’s creation by speaking failure, worry and fear in all situations. As Adam named all living things, we too have the authority to name all things by speaking God’s word into every situa-tion as the Spirit leads. This is how Adam was to take do-minion of the earth, how Jesus did take dominion of the earth, and how we will take dominion of the earth. Gen. 1:26-28. This is the magnificent destiny of all Shaddai Knights as they cooperate with the living Spirit of God. Prov. 18:21; Jn. 15:7. Shaddai Knights must be ever mindful that their swords are not their own, but are to be used solely in the service of their King. Spiritual swords, like physical swords, must be tempered so that they won’t break in battle. Take the word sown in your heart and temper it with daily word confession. Boldly de-clare out loud scripture, prophecy and spiritual prayer. Speaking the word honors God, strengthens you, shreds dev-ils and sets captives free. Honor God by declaring praise verses to the heavens. Strengthen yourself by zealously quot-ing the promises of God for your life. Shred devils by fero-ciously hurling scriptural battle cries at their trembling strongholds. Finally, free others by fueling the word of life in their parched hearts. Legend tells of a sword firmly imbedded in stone. The man able to pull out the sword would win the crown. Many tried, but only one man of destiny succeeded – King Arthur. War-rior, your spiritual sword lies firmly imbedded in the Rock of Ages. You alone can withdraw and wield it. Seize your des-tiny by its hilt and pull with all your desire. Fulfill your high calling by walking and talking as a true Shaddai Knight.

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Chapter 4

Know Your Spiritual Miranda Rights A. You Have the Right to Remain Silent. B. Anything You Say Can and Will Be Used Against You in a Court of Law. C. You Have the Right to Talk to a Lawyer and Have Him Present with You While You Are Being Questioned.

nethical police have the reputation of forcing con-fessions out of suspects. They will use every trick in

the book to manipulate, threaten, or beat admissions of guilt from defendants. Satan is no different. He will torture confes-sions of unbelief out of us using every devious method in his arsenal. But, we have rights as citizens of the kingdom of God. These rights guarantee us protection if we will assert them. In the earthly realm, these rights are called Miranda Rights and serve as the shadow of our spiritual rights guaran-teed in the word of God. The United States Supreme Court ruled in Miranda v. Ari-zona that all Americans must have the above statement read to them if held for questioning by authorities. Commonly known as “Miranda Rights,” they stem from the Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the United States Constitution. The

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Fifth Amendment protects citizens from being forced to in-criminate themselves. The Sixth Amendment ensures citizens the right to have an attorney for all phases of a defense against criminal prosecution. Miranda Rights highlight the premium America places on protecting physical freedom. God emphasizes spiritual freedom, and we are told to “stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.” Gal. 5:1. To protect this freedom God provides us spiri-tual Miranda Rights to use against Satan’s prosecutions. When Satan, the prosecutor who “accuses” all the brethren “before our God day and night,” seeks to detain and imprison us with accusation, we must stand on our Miranda Rights and not make any confession which will be used against us in the courts of heaven. Rev. 12:10. The good news is that, “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous...he ever liveth to make interces-sion.” 1 Jn. 2:1; Heb. 7:25. When representing a cooperative defendant, Jesus has never lost a case. If we will follow His counsel and exercise our spiritual Miranda Rights, we will be invincible against Satan’s accusations. A. You have the right to remain silent. In our battle against Satan’s accusations, word confession is our best offensive weapon and verbal silence is our best de-fensive weapon. “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” Ps. 141:3. All too often, Satan ac-cuses us and we hastily or carelessly verbalize our agreement through words of doubt or despair. This handcuffs our hearts. A prisoner’s melancholy sets in, and we are bound.


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Jesus battled Satan for forty days in the wilderness. Yet, it appears Christ was silent until the fortieth day. Lu. 4:2. He stayed silent until the word of the Lord was primed. Then He declared the scriptures with economy of words and maximum impact. “And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Lu. 4:4. Satan’s onslaught was halted by the right word in the right time. Israel showed this same restraint in marching seven days around the stronghold of Jericho. “Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.” Jsh. 6:10. Imagine the accusations hurled at the Israelites by their ene-mies over this seven day circular march. Yet, God’s people exercised their Miranda Rights and stayed silent until the word came to shout the righteous battle cry: “and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the peo-ple went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.” Jsh. 6:20. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” Prov. 18:21. The first step in training our tongues is to stop speaking death. Satan may make 10,000 observations a day to your soul which claim to portray the gloom, despair and evil which over-shadow your circumstances. Do not dare speak agreement with those observations even if your treacherous and unreli-able emotions tell you they “feel” the same way. Do not give your tongue to these feelings and bind your heart in agreement with your enemy. Your verbal confession binds your heart. While your silence may not change the apparent truth of Sa-tan’s observation, it will keep your heart from drinking in its


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poison. Contrary to Satan’s prophecies of defeat and ruin, God says, “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” Ps. 91:7. Do not confuse silence with inactivity. “The heart of the right-eous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.” Prov. 15:28. Spiritual silence allows your heart to ponder on the word of God. This pondering results in patience, revelation and inspiration. “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellers.... Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.” Ps. 119:24, 27. We often abort the word of the Lord by our hasty responses. “Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.” Prov. 29:20. Words have seasons. Like good farmers, we must learn to cul-tivate them in proper times. “A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!” Prov. 15:23. Seasons of silence allow the word of the Lord abiding in us to grow and mature into a ripe confession which agrees with the Lord instead of our accuser. Stand on your Miranda Rights and prefer silence over a hasty tongue. B. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. Rest assured that as Satan accuses you, he is focused on your response. His motive is to record any faithless response to his cross examination and then convict you before God on a charge of unbelief. Prosecutors are allowed to ask leading questions on cross examination so they can frame the ques-tion in their own words and then force the witness to sound guilty. Good prosecutors are known for an ability to debase


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and destroy witnesses through the use of leading questions and aggressive demeanor. Satan is the greatest prosecutor of all time. One of the best ways to defeat his tactics is to understand and invoke your Miranda Rights. “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matt. 12:36-37. “Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.” Lu. 12:3. Jesus just read you your Miranda Rights. Your wrong words give Satan nails for your coffin. Your right silence and right words are stakes in his accusing heart. Silence is your best de-fense until the word of God rises to attack. To allow time for the living word to launch effectively from your spirit, you must say nothing prematurely which will dilute or deflect its impact. No matter how wonderfully a witness may testify on the stand, previously recorded confessions of guilt will brand him a liar when they are played before the judge. Your Miranda Rights are there for your protection so that nothing which comes out of your mouth can be used against you. I believe God actually rewards us for wrong statements we stop ourselves from making. Not only does God keep a record on what we do say, He also records with joy every time we exercise self-control in checking our tongue from making a bad confession. “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” Ps 34:13.


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C. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have him present with you while you are being questioned. “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Je-sus Christ the righteous.” 1 Jn. 2:1. Defendants are often cocky when they retain the best defense attorney money can buy. They know their lawyer will get them off! How much more should we confidently approach the witness stand with, “boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.” Heb. 10:19. We have a perfect defense through the perfect blood of our perfect Saviour. We cannot lose the case if we follow the sworn testimony of the word of God. If we confess anything not in line with the word, Satan will plunder our faith. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Is. 8:20. As Satan cross examines us seeking our agreement with his warped view of the facts, we must assert our Miranda Right of silence until we consult with Christ and His word. We must then follow His counsel to the letter and confess nothing but the testimony already sworn to by His blood. “For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.” Lu. 21:15. Jesus never gave Satan grounds to accuse Him by mak-ing a bad confession not in line with scripture. Jn. 14:30. Jesus lived the word. He spoke the word. He was the Word. Rev. 19:13. The Black Folder Right now we are on trial. We take the witness stand in the court of the heavenlies. God the Father sits as the most high judge. Satan is the prosecutor. He smiles confidently as he


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reads the long list of accusations against us. The primary charge is that we knowingly and intentionally possess a wicked heart of unbelief. As proof, he brings up every prideful impulse, evil thought, secret lust, hidden fear and cruel moti-vation we have ever had. With satisfaction, he charges that these wicked acts show a habitual pattern of criminal neglect in our “so-called” walk of faith. He demands the court to con-vict us and sentence us to death. Our defense attorney is Jesus. Rising to address the court, He asserts the defense of “double jeopardy,” the principle of law which states that no person shall be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb for the same offense. Just as in earthly courts, this defense must be specifically raised in writing or it is waived and will not stop the prosecution. As written proof, Jesus raises the holy written word and quotes Isaiah 53. Jesus then tells the court that He bore all the sins of the defendants two thousand years ago. He boldly proclaims that Satan has no right to try the defendants a second time for sins which have already been paid for by His own blood. The Father looks our way and nods for us to speak our direct testimony. It is alarmingly brief. We confess Jesus is our Lord and Saviour. The Father smiles. So far, so good. Satan then takes the podium with a black folder tucked under his arm. The cross examination begins. He uses every prosecutorial de-vice to shake our confession, upset us, make us doubt, confuse us, or weary us into submission. Some of us break under this tirade and confess our unbelief in the Lord’s ability to save us to the uttermost. Others of us bear up well and hold fast our confession. We glance at Jesus and lock eyes with Him. We see there a wellspring of hope, strength and encouragement.


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But, the black folder has yet to be opened. For some of us, the black folder will be our doom. It is full of the most damning evidence of all – our own prior verbal admissions of guilt. As Satan opens the black folder, statement after recorded state-ment from our own mouths is put into evidence against us; statements of despair, defeat and surrender; statements of our prior agreement with Satan’s accusations; statements which shout our guilt in not believing, confessing and acting on the word of God. For others of us, the black folder holds no ter-ror. It is empty. Whatever statements of unbelief we have made in the past have been purged from the black folder by our zealous repentance. 2 Cor. 7:10-11. We have stood on our rights and denied Satan the proof he needs to convict us. We leave the stand, joyously hug our lawyer and are declared eternally free by the Father. Know and assert your Miranda Rights and you will be invin-cible. You have the best lawyer, the best judge and the best covenant in creation. The only way you will be convicted of unbelief is if you fail to assert your Miranda Rights and talk with the prosecutor without the aid of your defense attorney. These confessions fill his black folder with irrebuttable proof of your lack of faith. You have been warned. Remember your spiritual Miranda Rights. “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the king-dom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Rev. 12:10-11.

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Chapter 5

Sowing, Cultivating and Harvesting God’s Promises

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

Jn. 15:7

he most profitable knowledge in the universe is how to sow, cultivate and reap the promises of God for

your life. Jesus taught six key truths from the sowing and reaping parables of Mark 4:1-32 and Luke 8:1-18. So crucial were these truths that Jesus considered the Parable of the Sower the most important parable. Mk. 4:13. Let’s look at these six keys: the kingdom, the seed, the soil, sowing the seed, cultivation and harvest. Key #1 – The Kingdom First, the kingdom of God for your life is established by the sowing of spiritual seed. “So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground” Mk. 4:26. The king-dom of God is “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Rom. 14:17. It is casting out devils. Lu. 11:20. It is

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life in the anointing. It is happiness. It is success. Matt. 6:33. It all begins with the sowing of spiritual seed. Remember, it is the heavenly Father’s good pleasure to give you His kingdom. Lu. 12:32. The Holy Spirit reveals this kingdom of God freely given to you. 1 Cor. 2:12. However, this free kingdom of God is given to you in seed form, “not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Pet. 1:23. You must be-come a spiritual farmer to sow, cultivate and harvest the king-dom of God in your life. Key #2 – The Seed God’s word is the spiritual seed. “The seed is the word of God.” Lu. 8:11. Each seed contains a promise of God for your life and the power to perform it. “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness... Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature” 2 Pet. 1:3-4. Start viewing God’s word as a treasure chest of promises which contain all things for your life and your godliness. These promises are yours in seed form and must be sown and cultivated before you see the har-vest come to pass in your life. “God’s Word is supernatural in origin; eternal in duration; in-expressible in valor; infinite in scope; regenerative in power; infallible in authority; universal in application; inspired in to-tality. Read it through; write it down; pray it in; work it out; pass it on. The Word of God changes a man until he becomes an Epistle of God.” Smith Wigglesworth.


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Key #3 – The Soil The spiritual soil is the heart of man. Mk. 4:14-20. The heart land of man has different areas of hard soil, dry soil and thorny soil, all of which keep God’s word from producing fruit. Lu. 8:5-18. As the soil is tilled by deep searchings of heart and great decisions of will, it becomes the rich soil of a good and honest heart able to produce a hundredfold harvest. Lu. 8:8, 15. Let’s consider the four types of soil. First, the hard soil presents a planting problem. This heart soil simply won’t receive the word of God into it. The hard soil represents a heart beaten down by Satan and his demons. Lu. 8:5. It doesn’t want or wish for God. Hard soil either can’t hear, won’t hear or scoffs at the promises of God. Born again believers who had good soil for salvation may also have hard soil elsewhere in their heart land which scoffs at the healing, prosperity or other supernatural promises of scripture. Second, the rocky soil presents a root problem. This heart soil won’t let the word of God expand to take over the deep places of this dormant heart. The dry, rocky soil is a shallow heart which wishes for rather than truly wants the things of God. A.W. Tozer said, “It may be said without qualification that every man is as holy and as full of the Spirit as he wants to be. He may not be as full as he wishes he were, but he is most certainly as full as he wants to be.” True faith is born in the bowels of gut-wrenching and passionate “wanting” rather than the stagnant waters of mental “wishing.” Dry, rocky heart soil starts off wishing and ends up withered. Lu. 8:6, 13. Third, the thorny soil presents a fruit problem. This heart soil has a good root system but the surrounding soil has allowed


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the cares of the world to sprout up around the word and to choke its fruit. The thorny soil truly wants the things of God but lacks cultivation to keep the cares of the world from chok-ing out the fruit of the harvest. Lu. 8:7, 14. It is a heart not sanctified from “cares and riches and pleasures of this life” which are then able to choke faith’s harvest. Lu. 8:14. It is a fleshly heart which lacks the spiritual nutrients of strength, discipline, courage, hope, persistence and patience. This heart is choked by worry, fear, greed or comfort. Fourth, the word sown into the good soil has taken root and been cultivated to full harvest. The good soil passionately wants and won’t be denied the full harvest of God’s inheri-tance for man. This heart is good, honest and full of joyful endurance. It grows strong in faith until it is fully persuaded that God will fulfill the seed promise. It is a soul that has had deep searchings of heart and great decisions of will. It is a heart which continually flows in kavanah. The Jews believed that scripture describes four types of sons: a wicked son, a son who can’t answer, a foolish son and a wise son. These types of sons are also the types of soil we have just discussed. The wicked son is the hard soil. This son refuses or ignores instruction. He is either a sluggard or a willful villain. If he is a sluggard, he is in a spiritual coma of apathy and laziness. If he is a villain, he scoffs at God’s righteousness preferring the paths of lust and pride. The son who can’t answer is the rocky soil. This son thinks he knows the righteous path, but has no depth of understand-ing. He sticks his toe in the spiritual water, but won’t commit


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his whole being to the dive. This son says amen to the prom-ises of God, but has no explanation why in his life the prom-ise is never fulfilled. This son is shallow of heart with no root in himself. He knows God theoretically but not experientially. He knows no heartfelt answers because he asks no heartfelt questions. He has never tilled the rocks out of his heart soil through deep repentance. He repents with worldly sorrow which leads to death, but does not attain to godly sorrow which works life. 2 Cor. 7:9-11. The foolish son is the thorny soil. He knows the paths of righteousness. He knows God. He knows the word. His prob-lem is that he is not a doer of the word. He knows the word says to be strong, courageous, joyful, loving, hopeful and generous. Yet, he foolishly lets what he sees discourage him from doing what he knows to do. The cares of the world en-twine around the heart soil of this believer so that the fruit of the word promise is suppressed. This believer knows the path but doesn’t walk the path. Matt. 7:26-27. The wise son knows and walks the path. For this son, to know is to do. He has sanctified his heart from the cares of the world to the care of God. He has confessed the word promise continually, has grown strong in faith and is fully persuaded that God’s harvest has come. Matt. 7:24-25. Be warned. You can be a wise son concerning the seed promise of salvation, but be a foolish, ignorant or wicked son concerning other par-ticular promises of God. Many sons are wise unto the promise of salvation but foolish unto the promises of healing, prosper-ity and joy. Be a good son and believe that all of God’s prom-ises are yes and amen in Christ.


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Key #4 – Sowing the Seed God’s word is sown by saying it. “The sower soweth the word.” Mk. 4:14. Word confession sows the seed promise into the heart of man. Lu. 8:15. “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith” Rom. 10:8. While a sower can and should sow the word into other men’s hearts, he primarily sows the word into his own heart soil as in Mark 4:26-32 and Joshua 1:8. “Sow to yourselves in righteousness” Hos. 10:12. Righteousness is a condition of the heart that believes God’s promises. Gal. 3:6-9. Sowing righteousness to yourself is confessing the word of faith into your own heart. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hear-ing by the word of God.” Rom. 10:17. The Greek meaning of “word” in Romans 10:17 literally means “spoken word.” Faith comes to your heart from hearing the spoken word of God. If your heart hears and receives the spoken word, you are now able to “bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.” Mk. 4:20. But, be warned. Just because you hear and receive the word into your heart doesn’t mean you must bear fruit. You will only harvest God’s particular word promise if you continue to cultivate the seed promise by daily kavanah and word confession. Jn. 8:31-32; 15:7. Key #5 – Cultivation Daily confession of the original seed promise cultivates your heart soil to eliminate or prevent hardness, dryness and thorns. Lu. 8:5-8. In farming, the wheel hoe is used to rou-tinely clean out the weeds, stir the soil around the plants, and, by making a good surface mulch, prevent the loss of moisture


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to the crop. Daily word confession performs this same func-tion in your heart soil. The reason most people never harvest the promises of God is due to their failure to condition and cultivate their original seed promise. Weeds of doubt, despair, worry and fear sprout up as the original seed promise is dis-couraged, neglected or forgotten. Constant “day and night” care must be given the seed promise that it “should spring and grow up” until “the harvest is come.” Mk. 4:26-29. Faith and patience produce the harvest. Lu. 8:15; Heb. 6:12; Jas. 1:2-4. The sower, or confessor of God’s word, sows the seed over all the types of soil. Mk. 4:3-8. In Israel, farmers often tilled the soil both before and after sowing the seed. Thus, what be-gan as hard, rocky or thorny soil could be cultivated into good soil. Hard soil is only bad if it remains hard. Dry soil is only bad if it remains dry. Thorny soil only chokes out fruit if it remains thorny. Good soil is only good soil if it remains clear of hardness, dryness and thorns until the harvest is reaped. Daily word confession converts bad soil to good. It also main-tains good soil and keeps it from becoming bad. Daily word confession is the key to proper cultivation. Jsh. 1:8. Your heart land may have portions of all soil types at the same time. For example, as stated previously, concerning the seed promise of John 3:16 your heart is good soil and has har-vested the fruit of that promise. However, concerning the promises of healing, prosperity or spiritual fruit and gifts, your soil may have been a mixture of hard, rocky or thorny soil. For each seed promise you confess, you must evaluate and cultivate your heart to harvest that particular promise of God. Just because you have good soil and receive God’s promises


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quickly in one area of your life doesn’t mean your soil is tilled to readiness in all other areas. Again, Israelite farmers tilled the soil both before and after sowing. So must you. If God’s exceeding great and precious promises seem too much for you to harvest, keep your hand to the plow and keep till-ing your heart soil until it hears, receives and understands the word. Then continue cultivating the soil through daily kava-nah and word confession. First, the blade of the seed promise will appear, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. Then the harvest, or full manifestation of the seed promise, has come. Mk. 4:26-29. Remember, good soil grows whatever is sown into it. Weeds flourish in good soil. This is why we must continuously culti-vate our good soil to keep it good soil, moist, soft and weed free. Daily word confession and kavanah keep droughts from hardening your good soil and thorns from choking out your harvest. Key #6 – Harvest When all doubt has been rooted out of your heart concerning a particular promise of God, you are now ready to make your harvest confession. This is the confession that calls forth the full manifestation of the promise immediately. Mk. 11:23; Jn. 15:7. “But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” Mk. 4:29. The “sickle” here represents the final confession of a fully persuaded heart which brings immediate possession of the harvest. Like Abraham, your heart has grown strong in faith, giving glory to God, until you are now fully persuaded that God will perform His promise. Rom. 4:18-21. Through faith and patience (joyful endurance) you are now ready to inherit


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the promise. Heb. 6:12. You have “let patience have her per-fect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting noth-ing.” Jas. 1:4. When you are perfect and entire, wanting nothing, you have gathered the full harvest into your barn. In other words, you have fully received what God promised you in His word. Spiritual Farming Your continual confession sows, cultivates and harvests the seed promise. It takes more than one seed sown to bring a harvest in the physical world. Thousands and thousands of seeds are planted to produce a true harvest. Overseeding or reseeding is often needed because of the poor condition of the soil. Confession of scripture must also be sown more than once because of the hardness of our hearts. We must repeat-edly sow and cultivate the word through our hard soil, our rocky soil, and our thorny soil until our hearts are cleared and tilled to readiness as good soil. Ecclesiastes 11:6 instructs you regarding the need to continu-ally confess the seed promises: “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.” Keep confessing the word because you don’t know which confession may break through de-monic resistance or the wall of lingering unbelief in your own heart concerning a particular promise of God. Continual con-fession of the word promise strengthens your faith and purges unbelief from your heart. At this perfected point, your next confession will bring the victory to pass! In conclusion, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue:


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and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Prov. 18:21. I have learned in the last ten years to love the fruit of life in the power of my tongue. This fruit comes from the seed of the word of God. Like the man in Mark 4:26-29, I don’t know exactly how word confession works, but praise God I know that word con-fession does work. The sowing and reaping principles in the word don’t fit into a precise mathematical formula. Nonethe-less, we must diligently apply them in faith and they will work “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” Eph. 3:20. The power in us is the word of God planted in our heart of faith combined with the indwelling power of the Holy Ghost. The confessions in this book are word promises for your fam-ily and mine. I sow them every day and will continue to do so until I reap their full harvest in my life. I have seen much fruit already, but I consider these the firstfruits of the harvests of glory to come. Remember the following scriptural wisdom about harvesting God’s promises:

1. All seeds produce after their own kind. Gen. 1:11-12; 8:22. Negative seed confessions of fear, doubt and de-spair will harvest defeat. Jas. 3:6. Positive word seed confessions will harvest victory. Prov. 18:20-21; Jsh. 1:8;

2. Sow the seed continually into your own heart. “Sow

to yourselves in righteousness” Hos. 10:12. In Mark 4:26-32, the man sows the word seed into his own


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heart soil and awaits for the full harvest. Though other men and women of God may sow some word seed into your heart, you should be the primary sower of your own heart soil;

3. Sow bountifully and reap bountifully. 2 Cor. 9:6-11.

Get the seed in the ground. Sow the word by saying it. Few word confessions bring few harvests. Many word confessions will bring multiple harvests;

4. Sow continually no matter what the circumstances

appear to be. Eccl. 11:4-6; 2 Cor. 5:7; Rom. 4:19-21. Don’t base your confessions on circumstances. Base your confession solely on the word of God. Is. 8:20. Circumstances will eventually bow to your confes-sions as your “jaws of life” deliver you from Satan’s wreckage. You can literally talk yourself out of any situation through spirit-led confessions;

5. Don’t sow with mixed seed. Deut. 22:9. Don’t sow

word confessions one moment and fear or doubt the next moment. “But let him ask in faith, nothing wa-vering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” Jas. 1:6-7. Confess the word only, unmixed with words of unbelief;

6. Don’t let any dead thing fall on your seed once you

have sown it. Lev. 11:37-38. A lifestyle commitment to word confession requires a new level of vigilance on your part. You cannot attend dead churches, listen to dead preachings\teachings and fellowship with


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faithless Christians. Their spiritual deadness will cover your seed and smother your confessions. Sin in your own life will also corrupt your seed. You must guard your sown seed against contact with any spiri-tually dead person, place or thing. Water your seed with faith filled relationships, teachings and meetings;

7. Keep your heart soil tilled. Hos. 10:12-13; Jer. 4:3-4;

Prov. 4:20-24. Keep your heart tender and sensitive to the Lord’s love and correction for your life. Let your heart continually abound in hope and expectancy through the power of the Holy Ghost. Rom. 15:13. Grow in kavanah. Physics proves that the softer an object is the more sound it absorbs. In the spiritual, a soft heart can also absorb much more of the spoken word of God than a heart hardened by sin or unbelief. Heb. 3:12-14;

8. Perfected faith brings immediate harvest. Amos 9:13.

As you first start sowing the word of God by faith confession, there will be a season of time between your confession and its fulfillment. As your faith ma-tures through the development of your patience (joy-ful endurance), you are made perfect and entire. Jas. 1:2-4. At this point, you will be a manifest son of God (Rom. 8:19) walking in the Amos 9:13 anointing. At this level of great faith, your seed confessions will produce immediate harvests. Your reaping will over-take your sowing and you will walk in the fullness of your calling. The Roman centurion had this “great faith” which knew Jesus’ confession would come to pass immediately. It didn’t take Jesus coming to see the centurion’s sick servant face to face. The centu-


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rion asked Jesus to “speak the word only, and my ser-vant shall be healed.” Matt. 8:5-13. Our soul is like the Roman centurion yielding in faith to the power of Christ. The only difference is that the centurion spoke to Christ without, whereas our soul speaks to Christ within. The centurion asked Jesus to speak the word only. Our soul seeks for our indwelling Christ, our anointing in God, to speak the word only through our scriptural confessions. Perfect faith speaks under the authority of the anointing and brings instant results;

9. Honor the Lord with the firstfruits of all your harvest.

Prov. 3:9-10. As your harvest comes in from your confessions, remember to honor the Lord immedi-ately. Praise God with your lips and tithe on your in-crease with joy and thanksgiving. Don’t forget the Lord in your time of prosperity. This is when your love for God is proven as pure and genuine because need isn’t motivating your actions;

10. Don’t let the cares of the world “choke” your seed. A

heart that fears, worries, covets or takes comfort in the ways of the world allows Satan to throttle its con-fession. Lu. 8:7, 14. The Greek word for “choke” in these verses literally means to put both hands around the throat and strangle. A worldly heart strangles a man from confessing God’s word in faith.

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Chapter 6

Moving in Word Perfect Confession “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

Jsh. 1:8

y secretary and I were discussing the dynamics of faith confession as she was helping me format this

book. During this discussion, the Spirit of God gave her a wonderful insight comparing word processing to word con-fession. She explained to me the quantum leaps of improvement that have taken place since she began to use word processing software known as Word Perfect. This software allows her with the punch of a single button known as a “hot key” to in-dent, number paragraphs, outline, center, and use macro forms on an almost limitless scale. These enablements have improved efficiency a hundredfold.

M


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Yet, there are many secretaries who don’t utilize Word Per-fect’s capabilities. They continue to use it like a conventional typewriter. They laboriously type away using thousands of strokes where only one or two “hot key” strokes are truly needed. These secretaries are either unwilling or unable to tap into a new format. Those who are unwilling are too set in their ways to give a new system a fair chance. However, those secretaries willing but unable to catch on to Word Perfect just haven’t had the proper instruction. Faithfully confessing the word of God opens limitless possi-bilities to the spirit-baptized believer. It is truly moving in “Spiritual Word Perfect.” See Ps. 119; Jn. 15:7; Mk. 11:23; Jsh. 1:8. Spiritual Word Perfect only works if it is confessed in faith. Unconfessed promises are like unpunched “hot keys” on the word processor. Though prodigious capability is pre-sent, it is never utilized. The Bible is sadly treated like a con-ventional book with no true supernatural power. Those who have not tapped into the power of Spiritual Word Perfect either lack desire or full instruction. If you lack desire, repent or you will live a powerless Christian life. If you lack instruction, then you must purpose to get wisdom and under-standing. Understanding doesn’t come overnight. It takes time to fill your heart and soul with God’s supernatural knowledge. Faith confession is developed like any other skill. 2 Tim. 2:15. Trust in the Lord to teach you and lean not on your own earthly understanding. Let the Lord install in you His Word Perfect “heartware” through the “hot keys” of faith confes-sion.


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Five Confession Hot Keys: Desire, Thanksgiving, Forgiveness, Fasting and Vigilance First, set your heart’s desire on the scriptural promise. At first, in most cases, you don’t confess because you already believe, but you confess because you want to believe. Later, after faith is built up, you will confess because you fully be-lieve. Desire is the starting point. Being fully persuaded is the ending point. Mk. 11:24; Ps. 37:4; Prov. 10:24. In the literal Greek of Romans 4:18-21, Abraham first “believed in hope” (i.e. desired God’s word to be true), then grew strong in faith, then was fully persuaded. Second, train your heart to confess with thanksgiving in counting the confession done. You are not thankful that your prayer might come to pass. True thanksgiving comes from knowing that your confession will come to pass. Abraham, the father of faith, gave glory to God as he became fully per-suaded God was going to fulfill His promise. Mk. 11:24; Phil. 4:6; Rom. 4:20; 1 Thes. 5:16-18. Third, the power of confession is enabled by forgiveness. Mk. 11:22-26. Continually bless your enemies so that all poison of unforgiveness will be drained from your heart. Unforgiveness constipates your faith confession. Fourth, fasting amplifies your word confession. Matt. 17:20-21. Certain demonic resistance can only be cast out with con-fession and fasting. Be creative with your fasting. Fast one lunch or breakfast a week in the beginning. Then build up to a daylight fast of both lunch and breakfast. Then move to longer fasts as you are led.


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Fifth, vigilance in your confession is the price of spiritual freedom. Ps. 141:3. Negative confession kills faith. Speak to the mountain, not about it. You will be judged for every idle word you speak. Matt. 12:34-37. The word “idle” means “un-connected to its power source.” An idle tongue is uncon-nected to the word of God as its power source for “all things that pertain unto life and godliness” 2 Pet. 1:3-4. You must be vigilant and constant to maintain this connection. Never speak anything which contradicts the promises of the word of God. Prov. 6:2; 18:21; Jas. 1:26; 3:6; Ps. 141:3. The Life Cycle of Word Perfect Confession Confess the word with your mouth. Meditate on the word with your mind. Believe the word with your heart. Confess, meditate, believe. Confess, meditate, believe. This is the life cycle of the word of God which will transform your body, soul (mind) and spirit (heart) into a living epistle of God. 1 Thes. 5:23. Confession activates your body in the word. Meditation activates your soul in the word. A believing heart activates your spirit in the word. When your spirit, soul and body are all activated in the word, you are a “threefold cord...not quickly broken.” Eccl. 4:12. This confession process is similar to a checking account. You must first deposit funds before you can write a check. In the spirit, you must also first make word deposits into your heart before you cash in the promises. Word deposits cover faith checks. Word deposits can come from others such as teachers or preachers. But most word deposits should come from you speaking the word into your own heart on a daily basis. The Joshua 1:8 type of confession is a deposit confession which builds up your faith account. When your heart is full of faith


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and all doubt has been removed from the ledger, you are then ready to make a Mark 11:23 confession to call it into immedi-ate being. You then cash your next confession in for the full amount of the promise. Determine that your “tongue is the pen of a ready writer,” always ready to endorse word deposits and faith checks. Ps. 45:1. The Power of Word Perfect Confessions Compare the power of God’s word to the limitless power of the atom which nuclear fission has harvested. “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Heb. 11:3. The word of God also continues to keep the worlds together by “upholding all things by the word of his power.” Heb. 1:3. These verses describe God’s word as both producing and holding together all the invisible atoms that make up the visi-ble physical reality. Yet, when these same atoms are pulled apart and split, nuclear power is unleashed on an explosive scale. This speaks to the power contained in the word of God. The same atoms framed and upheld by the word of God are the same atoms filled with the power of a supernova. This same power inherent in the word of God frames and upholds your life in righteousness, peace and joy. As you confess the word of God, you start a chain reaction which releases the power of the word to energize your life to complete victory. Understanding the Four Types of Word Perfect Confessions First, you speak God’s word directly in and to a situation. Je-


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sus says in Mark 11:23 that you are to speak to the mountains of trouble in your life. David spoke to Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:45-47. Jesus spoke to sickness, fig trees, mountains, storms, demons and corpses. Matt. 8:16; 21:14-22; Mk. 11:23; 4:39; 5:1-13, 41. I am training myself to verbally cast whatever trouble I encounter into the sea. If my children are arguing, I speak out loud, “Strife, be cast into the sea in Je-sus’ name.” If fear or discouragement try to come on me, I speak out loud, “Fear and discouragement, be cast into the sea in Jesus’ name.” Even at work or in the courtroom, I will whisper to a particular spiritual obstacle to be cast into the sea. Speak to whatever you want removed. Second, you pray God’s word to Him as a praise or petition to be accomplished. Mk. 11:24; Jn. 15:7; Ps. 119:171-172. The Jews considered their word confessions to be actual prayers because their hearts were directed to heaven. Prayer is perfect speech. Consider your word confessions as pure prayer which moves heaven and earth. Start using the words “prayer” and “word confession” interchangeably and your prayer life will soar to new heights. In this way you can fulfill the command of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to “Rejoice evermore. Pray with-out ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Third, you continually speak God’s word to your own heart building up your hope and faith until you become fully per-suaded. Rom. 4:16-25; Ps. 103:1-5; Ps. 119:10-16; Jas. 1:6; Jsh. 1:8. Just as boxers, martial artists, gymnasts and other athletes practice their movements thousands of times to reach perfection, so must you rehearse and recite scripture until the word becomes flesh in you. In this way the word you speak becomes more real than the world you see. Psychologists say


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that verbally rehearsing positive statements has the effect of “greasing the neural pathways” of the brain. This helps set your thinking patterns so that what you are continually con-fessing becomes easier and easier to fully believe and act upon. President Teddy Roosevelt distinguished himself as a fearless warrior who charged the strongholds of enemy Cuba with his renowned Rough Riders. Yet, as a child Roosevelt lived in constant fear of being injured. He overcame his fear gradually by “rehearsing” courage. By acting as if he was not afraid, he gradually ceased to be afraid. This is the same proc-ess that works in faith confession. By rehearsing our faith through daily word confession, we gradually come to be fully persuaded that the word is true. Practice truly makes perfect. An old stage-acting motto also holds true for word confes-sion: “The work is in the rehearsal. The performance is pure relaxation.” Fourth, you verbally confess your sin. 1 Jn. 1:9; Ps. 66:18. Word confessions are of great benefit here. If I start the day off confessing I am bold as a lion, and later I find myself fear-ful, then the word I spoke earlier rises to my thoughts to con-vict me to repent. Word Perfect confession gives you a plumb line that protects you from staying in sinful attitudes and situations. The word literally saves you by anchoring your soul in righteousness. Heb. 6:19; Ps. 107:20. The Seven Benefits of Word Perfect Confession First, Word Perfect confession renews your mind to the will of God. Jsh. 1:8. Amazingly, the two Hebrew words trans-lated in the Old Testament as “meditate” mean to mutter or speak to oneself. Jsh. 1:8; Ps. 1:2; 119:15, 23, 48, 78, 148 (Strong’s Concordance at 1897 and 7878). Thus, word medi-


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tation comes through word confession. This allows you to memorize the word effectively and to keep it always on the surface of your thoughts. Second, Word Perfect confession builds your faith. Rom. 10:17. The word of faith is in your mouth first, then in your heart, then back in your mouth again. Rom. 10:8-10. Confes-sion feeds your heart. Prov. 18:20-21. Your heart then bol-sters your next confession. Lu. 6:45. Your bolstered confession in turn strengthens your heart even more. Your strengthened heart in turn bolsters your next confession even more. This process proceeds until all doubt is removed from your heart and you are fully persuaded. Rom. 4:20-21; Jas. 1:6. At this point, your confession is perfect in faith and will come to pass according to Mark 11:23 and John 15:7. Third, Word Perfect confession releases your faith. Mk. 11:22-24; Jn. 15:7; Matt. 17:20. According to Isaiah 55:11, God’s word returned to Him in faith by your confession will “prosper” and “accomplish” its purpose. God’s word is heaven given (Ps. 107:20; Jas. 3:13-18), heart received (Mk. 4:13-20), and tongue returned (1 Jn. 5:13-15; Jsh. 1:8; Is. 55:8-13). God’s word will not prosper until it is returned to Him through your confessing tongue and believing heart. Rom. 10:10. Philemon 6 instructs you on releasing your faith, “...the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” Fourth, Word Perfect confession looses angels “hearkening unto the voice of his word” to perform the promise. Your voice quoting God’s word releases angelic powers. Ps. 103:20; Matt. 18:18; Ps. 119:170; Dan. 10:12-13.


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Fifth, Word Perfect confession binds demonic powers. Jesus used only one weapon in battling Satan in the wilderness – the spoken word of God. Confessing scriptures in faith de-feats Satanic attacks. Lu. 4:4, 8, 12; Matt. 16:19; Ps. 149:5-9; Rev. 12:11; Lu. 10:17-20. Sixth, Word Perfect confession produces all the blessings of salvation in your life. Ps. 50:23. The Greek word for blessing literally means “fine speaking.” God blesses you in accor-dance with your confessions of “fine speaking.” In blessing (your fine speaking) God blesses you as He did Abraham. Heb. 6:14; Gal. 3:9. Your tongue is the instrument with which you choose life and death, blessing and cursing. Deut. 30:19-20; Prov. 18:21. Seventh, Word Perfect confession allows you to partake of the divine nature of Christ. 2 Pet. 1:3-4. Jesus is the Word. Jn. 1:1, 14. You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. 1 Cor. 1:30. As you release His righteousness to confess His word, you are truly communing and partaking of His divine nature which calls things that are not as though they were. Rom. 4:17. Faith, Patience and Perfection “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers tempta-tions; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh pa-tience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” Jas. 1:2-4. The Greek word translated as “patience” in this verse literally means “joyful endurance.” Your confessions may take longer to bring results right now because your faith and patience (joy-ful endurance) have not yet fully developed. Hebrews 6:12


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instructs all of us to be “followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Faith is raw power. Pa-tience is raw joy. God wants sons who are both strong and happy. These are the sons who will inherit all the promises of God. The Lord’s plan is for you to build up your faith by daily kavanah, word confession and word meditation. As your faith is tried by the battles of life, patience (joyful endurance) is worked in you until you are made perfect. At this point, your confessions will come to pass immediately and you will do the same and greater works than Jesus. Jn. 14:12. The whole earth is groaning for you to manifest this anointing as a son of God. Rom. 8:19. Jesus found Himself in Isaiah 61 when He confessed these scriptures as His life’s calling in Luke 4:18-19. You must also find yourself in the scriptures which describe your standing under the New Covenant. Look for the promises. Desire the promises. Confess the promises. Receive the promises. Halle-lujah!

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Chapter 7

The Language of Prayer “For our conversation is in heaven”

Phil. 3:20

rayer is perfect speech. It is the language of God. But, before we can pray effectually, we must first learn to

listen to God’s language vigilantly within our own hearts and then translate God’s language faithfully to our ready minds. Then we will be primed to pray forth the power and purposes of God. Scriptures help us to learn God’s language – His way of communicating with man. Let me share with you the master key to learning the language of God. God speaks in promises. Only in promises. Always in promises. All the promises of God are yes and amen in Jesus. 2 Cor. 1:20. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of promise. Eph. 1:13. The scriptures are the exceeding great and precious promises of God which pro-vide us all things for life and godliness and allow us to be partakers of Jesus’ divine nature. 2 Pet. 1:3-4. However, these promises are not about what God will do, but about what God has already done through Jesus’ accomplished work, “by

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whose stripes ye were healed.” 1 Pet. 2:24. The Holy Spirit continually bears witness to us within our own spirits and hearts that we are children of God and joint heirs with Jesus – heirs according to the promises of God con-tained in scripture. Rom. 8:16-17; Gal. 3:29. This is why the Lord is known as a covenant God. Every scripture is to be read and translated as a covenant promise of God fulfilled in the completed work of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit quickens these promises within our hearts and minds to show us the things already freely given to us of God. 1 Cor. 2:12. Once fully convinced of these promises, we are now ready to pray them into manifestation in this earthly realm. Do you see? The scriptures contain the imbedded promises of God’s “always already” completed work of the cross. The Holy Spirit stimulates our souls to “recognize and realize” the real-ity of these completed promises. As we continue to expose ourselves to this “always already” kingdom of God, a mag-nificent miracle occurs – we become fully and gloriously per-suaded that all of God’s promises are indeed yes and amen in Christ! Not by Might but by My Spirit says the Lord I remember when I first read Mark 11:22-25 many, many years ago.

“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 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


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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 ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive your trespasses.” Mk. 11:22-25.

I excitedly set my mind to believe that whatsoever I desired from God I would receive immediately. It didn’t work. I then focused even more on my will-power to believe. I once got down on my knees in my closet and repeated over and over again, “I believe, I believe, I believe” with regard to the vari-ous things I desired from God. I was like the Little Train That Could – “I know I can, I know I can, I know I can.” More will-power, more intensity, more effort. It didn’t work. It took me years to understand the true secret of faith. “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Rom. 10:17. Always remember, first there is a hearing of God. Then faith comes. This verse doesn’t say faith comes by will-power, in-tensity and effort. Faith comes by hearing the Holy Spirit bear witness in our hearts to Jesus’ work “always already” accom-plished in us in heavenly places in Christ. This is why our spirits are already seated with Jesus in heav-enly places, why we are already blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, and why our spirits have already been made perfect and complete in Jesus Christ. Eph. 1:3; 2:6; Heb. 12:23. This is why God has already rested from His works, because they are finished. Heb. 4:10; Jn. 19:30. Jesus


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has already fully “spoiled principalities and powers” and “made a shew of them openly.” Col. 2:15. Greek scholars tell us this passage describes a victory parade celebrating the full, final and complete disarming and despoiling of all the de-monic enemies of God. Jesus already fully “led captivity cap-tive” long ago. Eph. 4:8. The only reason we don’t fully realize God’s completed vic-tory is that we have individually and corporately neglected so great a salvation. Even though all things have been put under Jesus’ feet, we don’t see all things put under His feet because of our neglect to hear the Holy Spirit’s witness to our so great a salvation. Heb. 2:3, 8-9. Hearing the Holy Spirit will change all this and stop the neglect. True faith always “comes” from first “hearing” the Holy Spirit’s inner proclamation of Jesus’ past completed victory over sin, sickness and Satan. This faith doesn’t come by the seizing mind but by the listen-ing heart. Confessing and meditating on scriptures is not done to increase will-power to believe, but rather to sensitize our hearts to better hear the Holy Spirit’s continual witness. Al-ways remember, “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil. 2:13. God is the only source of faith. Just as Jesus drew His iron will-power from the Father and not from Himself, so must we draw the power to will and to do from God and not from ourselves. Even the faith to believe is a gift from God, or perhaps more accurately the gift of God.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved


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me, and gave himself for me.” Gal. 2:20. Don’t miss the importance of this verse. The faith we are to believe with is not our faith, but rather is the faith of Jesus. Literally. The indwelling Christ, when we listen in yielded-ness, actually supplies the very faith for us to believe all things. It is this wonderful process that allows us to partake of Jesus’ divine nature every second of every day.

“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Rom. 13:14. “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and right-eousness, and sanctification, and redemp-tion:” 1 Cor. 1:30.

Seen in this light, confessing scriptures is not a way to build your faith to get what you want, but rather is a way of releas-ing Jesus’ faith to get what He wants. And what He wants is to give you His purity of heart followed by all the blessings of heaven. Jesus wants to give you His faith, His hope and His love. Theologians call these the “propassions” of Christ – His actual mental and emotional passions. He wants to give you the same intimate relationship with the Father that He has. Je-sus wants to give you the same sensitivity to the Holy Spirit that He has. Jesus wants to fill your barns to overflow with the goodness of God. But, the only thing standing in the way is our own self-will. Never boast in having great faith. Never condemn yourself for having small faith. This thinking makes you the issue, not


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God. This type of thinking comes from self-will. Instead, seek the God-kind of faith – the very faith of Jesus. Jesus never made His own level of faith the issue. Instead, He just lis-tened to the Father – and listened, and listened, and listened. Jn. 5:19, 30; 6:38; 8:28-29. He dived into learning scripture as a youth not as a way of bolstering His will-power to be-lieve, but rather as a way of honing His heart to hear. Jesus then grew stronger in recognizing and realizing the omnipres-ent voice of His Father. This is why Paul refers to our receiv-ing the Holy Spirit as “the hearing of faith.” Gal. 3:2. All works of the Spirit impart faith to those who first “hear.” When our faith has been purged of self-will, then all that re-mains is a listening heart, ready to receive all things from God. It is a heart ready to rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing and in everything giving thanks. 1 Thes. 5:16-18. Pray This Way So, what exactly is prayer? How did Jesus pray? How do we pray? How do we pray without ceasing? How does confessing scriptures relate to prayer? In what sense is prayer perfect speech? First, prayer is interaction with God. Participation in each other’s presence. Fellowship. Worship. Friendship. Awe. Communion. Intimacy. Union. Our souls’ fluid and spontane-ous flow with God’s indwelling Spirit. This place of inner-dialogue with the Lord takes place in the human heart. It is the heart we are to guard with all diligence for from it flow the “issues” (literally “deliverances”) of life. Prov. 4:23. God is always searching the hearts of men, seeking to help us unite and enlarge our hearts with His love. 1 Chr. 28:9; 2 Chr. 16:9;


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Ps. 86:11; 119:32; Heb. 4:12. Interestingly, one of the New Testament words for “prayer” translated as “intercessions” in 1 Timothy 2:1 is “enteuxis” and literally means “to interview or confer with.” Prayer is conferencing with God in the cham-bers of the heart. Prayer does not originate on the tongue but in the heart. It is primarily non-verbal and consists of tender touches and pow-erful promptings of faith, hope and love – all ministered within our hearts by the wonderful Holy Spirit. These touches must be hungered for, hoped for and listened for, or else they are not felt or recognized. Neglecting the Holy Spirit’s inner-witness is the source of all failure, unbelief and hardness of heart. Heart-prayer is the cure for all failure, unbelief and hardness of heart – it’s that simple. In fact, when scriptures instruct us to pray without ceasing, they are not referring to verbal prayer but to heart-prayer. We can’t verbally pray 24\7, but we can always pitch our hearts toward God. This is the life of prayer, to abide in continual and spontane-ous receptivity to the Holy Spirit. This spiritual sensitivity is all in the book of Acts, and it is oh so available for us as well. Stop viewing prayer as oral communication with God. Rather, view prayer as oral affirmation in God as to what the heart has already heard and resolved to believe from the Holy Spirit. Let’s consider how Jesus prayed. First, we know that He prayed without ceasing in that He heard the Father’s prompt-ings at all times in all places. Jn. 5:19, 30; 8:28-29, 38; 12:49-50; 14:10. Jesus’ conversations with His Father were all in-ternal heart dialogues. Jesus went out of His way to make sure to inform all around Him that He did not need to orally


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speak to or orally hear from His Heavenly Father. Jn. 11:41-42; 12:27-30. Jesus prayed out loud for the benefit of others, and not for the benefit of Himself. Jesus already knew from His heart interactions with the Father what, when and how the works of God would manifest. Even in Gethsemane, Jesus wanted the disciples to stay awake so that they could hear and later record that prayer for our benefit. Jesus did not need to orally confer with the God-head because He had learned to heart-listen for the Father at all times. While the Father did speak at Jesus’ baptism, there was no indication He was responding to some specific prayer request by Jesus. Instead, the Father was most likely speaking for the benefit of others present to confirm that Jesus was the Messiah. “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matt. 3:17. Most assuredly, Jesus already knew He was the beloved Son of God and that the Father was well pleased. Think about it. We never hear the Father verbally respond to Jesus’ oral prayers recorded elsewhere in scripture, except in John 12:28-30. Yet here Jesus clearly tells all that the voice of the Father was for their benefit and not His. And in fact, Jesus tells us in John 11:42 that His own oral prayer was not for the benefit of the Father or Himself, but rather was for the benefit of those nearby that they would know Jesus was from God. Jesus then ordered Lazarus back to life. And Lazarus obeyed. Death obeyed. Resurrection manifested. This leads us to the greatest revelation of prayer Jesus ever taught. In Luke 11 and Matthew 6 Jesus recites the Lord’s Prayer and instructs the disciples to “pray this way.” Greek scholars agree that Jesus spoke the Lord’s Prayer in the im-


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perative mood. There are four basic moods in the Greek lan-guage – subjective, optative, indicative and imperative. The mood itself refers to the attitude of the speaker toward the verb he is using. The subjective mood basically has the speaker believing what he says (or prays) “might” happen if certain other conditions occur. The optative mood has the speaker “hope” that what he says (or prays) may happen. The indicative mood has the speaker say (or pray) what the cur-rent situation “appears” to be to him. Jesus didn’t pray in these three moods. He didn’t pray that the kingdom of God “might” come. Nor did Jesus pray that the kingdom of God would “hopefully” come. Nor did Jesus pray based on factual appearances that the kingdom of God “needs” to come. (See John 7:24). Jesus prayed the Lord’s Prayer in the imperative mood. King-dom come! This is the mood of command and authority.

“For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a com-mandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his com-mandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” Jn. 12:49-50.

He wasn’t asking, begging, wishing or opining that the Father send His kingdom to earth. Jesus was ordering His surround-ing reality to conform to His Father’s kingdom. He wasn’t speaking to reach God the Father. He was speaking from hav-ing already embraced God the Father. Jesus had already con-ferred with God the Father through abiding heart-prayer. His verbal prayer was the external expression of a matter already


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internally resolved and concluded. Most, if not all of us, have been taught to pray in any mood but the imperative. This is why there is so much failure and lack of spiritual power. We do not pray “this way,” the way of Jesus, the way of the imperative. We beg or wish at God rather than issuing orders from and through God. Paul Bill-heimer rightly said, “Prayer is not overcoming reluctance in God. It is implementing His decision. It is enforcing His will upon the earth.” Thus, prayer is not about overcoming reluc-tance in God, but rather overcoming reluctance in us – reluc-tance to believe God for all things. This same dynamic occurs when the scriptures instruct us “ask in Jesus’ name.” Consider John 15:7: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Beloved, is this not exactly the issue? First we abide in relational heart-prayer with God. Then we “ask” out loud and it shall be done. This is the im-perative faith that comes only from abiding in Christ. There are five words in the Greek New Testament which we usually translate in the English Bible as “ask.” Punthanomai means “to ask without knowing the answer.” Erotao means “a request for favor.” Zeteo means “a search for something hid-den.” Deomai means “to beg an urgent need.” We are not to use any of these forms of asking in Jesus’ name. The word for “ask” in the following verses is “aiteo” and means “strictly a demand of something due” (see Strong’s 4441 and 523).

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that be-lieveth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall


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he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” Jn. 14:12-14. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Jn. 15:7. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” Jn. 15:16. “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” Jn. 16:23-24.

Do you see? Praying in the imperative is the same thing as asking in Jesus’ name. We are not begging, wishing, seeking or inquiring with our verbal prayers. We are commanding our immediate sphere of influence to come under the dominion of God’s goodness. As an example, when David prayed Psalm 103:1-5, he was commanding his own soul to conform to the dominion and goodness of God. “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who


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forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satis-fieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is re-newed like the eagle's.” Ps. 103:1-5. Again, it’s not that we are telling the Father what to do. Rather, it is that we have in our hearts already heard and re-solved ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s promptings. Our verbal prayer is the exclamation point that completes the circuit of God abiding within us to God manifesting out of us. Accord-ing to an early Aramaic translation of Genesis 2:7, God cre-ated us to be “speaking spirits.” When we are abiding in the Holy Ghost, which should and can be 24\7, we are anointed to speak the imperative will of God into this earthly realm as it already is in heaven. Interlinear translations of Matthew 16:19 agree that Jesus tells Peter, “Whatever you bind or loose on earth shall occur, having already been bound or loosed in heaven.” The keys of the kingdom referred to here were the realization and recognition of imperative prayer as perfect speech. Jesus spoke differently than all the scribes because He spoke with imperative authority. His listeners were astonished at the difference. Mk. 1:22. Prayer is perfect speech because it amens and affirms the “al-ways already” completed work of the cross. Verbal prayers don’t initiate the power of God. They punctuate it. The roots of true prayer grow deep, wide and strong in the heart-soil of men. Only those with a healthy root system of continual abid-ing in the Holy Spirit are able to effectively launch the verbal missiles of imperative prayer. “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all


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things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Pet. 4:11. Quench Not the Spirit Want to hear the “always already” will of God? Here it is:

“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit.” 1 Thes. 5:16-19.

Let me put it another way. God’s will in Christ Jesus for you is to rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks – anything short of this quenches the Holy Spirit. This incredible passage can only be fulfilled for those who accept the “always already” kingdom of God. We can only re-joice “evermore” if evil has been vanquished for “evermore.” We can only pray without ceasing if the gift of God has ren-dered us capable of non-stop intimacy with the Lord. We can only give thanks in everything if God’s completed victory en-compasses everything. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have (i.e. already) over-come the world.” Jn. 16:33. The Holy Spirit convinces us in our hearts of these great truths. When our heart listens, the Holy Spirit is empowered to strengthen our souls. When our heart doesn’t listen (i.e. neglects our so great a salvation) then the Spirit is quenched and our souls harden to the presence of God. The Holy Spirit is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. If we train our hearts to look to, listen for and lean on the Holy Spirit at all


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times, then we can fulfill 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19. As I was writing this very paragraph, I noticed that the word “heart” has the word “hear” imbedded in it. I then noticed that “t” in heart resembled the cross. The meaning was astounding – the heart is the part of us that can “hear” the “t” (cross). Jesus promised us that the Holy Spirit was the gift of God who would “not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak…and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore, said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” Jn. 16:13-15. Praise God, the Holy Spirit “hears” only Jesus. Praise God, the Holy Spirit “speaks” only what He hears. Praise God, the Holy Spirit “shows us” what He hears by speaking it to our hearts. Finally, praise God, if we heart-listen to “what saith the Spirit,” then the faith of Jesus, the nature of Jesus and the fullness of the Father’s blessing on Jesus will manifest up, through and out of us. To not heart-listen to the Holy Spirit quenches Him. Just as water quenches the warmth and light of a campfire, neglect-ing the inner fire of the Spirit quenches its light and warmth for your soul. While the fire of God’s Spirit can be quenched by a hardened heart, it can never be fully extinguished. A hearing heart oxygenates the Spirit to burn more and more brightly in your soul. A hardened and neglectful heart dimin-ishes and douses the Spirit’s fire in your soul. Smith Wig-glesworth said, “If you want to increase in the life of God, then you must settle it in your heart that you will not at any time resist the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit and fire – the fire burning up everything that would impoverish and destroy you.”


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I love how the first Christians prioritized the Holy Spirit. Their attitude for every decision was “it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us.” Acts 15:28. They put the promptings of the Spirit first, even before their own opinions. And so can we. The yoke of the Spirit is light and not burdensome. The sons of God are those led by the Spirit of God – and led, and led, and led. Rom. 8:14. Don’t make this a heavy burden. It’s not about you. It’s about God. Don’t beat yourself up because you haven’t heart-listened like you should have in the past. The point is you can start listening now. God promises who-ever listens will hear. The Spirit is always speaking to your heart. Trust this. Ignore any other option. You can hear God. The Word is near you – in your heart and mouth. Rom. 10:8. Parable of Prayer Once there was a young and earnest beggar who found a huge rock of “fool’s gold” in the riverbed. He thought it was real gold and valuable beyond calculation. He confidently strode into town showing off his new fortune – the solution to all his wants. He took the rock to the kind and generous merchant jeweler who dealt in all precious commodities. The jeweler immediately knew the rock was fool’s gold and was worth-less. Yet, the jeweler saw that it would crush the spirit of the boy to expose his monumental mistake. Instead, the jeweler convinced the boy to allow him to store the rock in his own safe. Then the jeweler convinced the beggar to come to work for him for a few months so that he could learn how best to value and handle the riches his rock would surely bring when it was sold. The beggar worked for the wise jeweler and grew steadily in wisdom and knowledge. The boy began to realize for himself that the rock in the safe was fool’s gold because of his daily exposure to the “true” gold the jeweler dealt in.


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The boy realized and appreciated the merchant’s tender mercy in trying to help correct him without crushing him. The boy saw that the merchant enabled him to learn truth in an environment of love, nurture and freedom. The boy stayed working with the jeweler in absolute obedience and trust for the rest of his days. He became his son. He became his heir. Beloved, I know that the Lord teaches us the same way. Many of us have never prayed in the imperative mood because we thought ourselves beggars before God. We have adopted methods of begging or wishing prayer that we thought were precious gold. The Lord took all our previous prayers without chastising or breaking our spirits and locked them in His safe. Meanwhile, He has gradually developed our senses to discern the true gold of imperative prayer. Like the beggar, we all will realize for ourselves what true gold is. This means we will come to understand why our fool’s gold never brought us success. But, hallelujah, in this process we have discovered the love and goodness of the Father who patiently endures our errors and leads us to the true riches found only in His Son Jesus Christ. The “You” Adjustment Let me show you an adjustment which will help stop your verbal prayers from being little more than begging, wishing or complaining sessions. My two favorite Psalms are 51 and 91. Psalm 51 is the best prayer of repentance ever written. Psalm 91 is the best imperative prayer of deliverance and pro-tection ever written. Psalm 91 doesn’t need an adjustment. It perfectly reveals authoritative and imperative commands of safety, preservation, healing, deliverance, angelic protection and complete victory. On the other hand, Psalm 51 needs a


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slight New Testament mood adjustment. For instance, instead of verbally asking the Lord to blot out our transgressions or begging Him to create in us a new heart or wishing that He would renew a steadfast spirit within us; what if instead, after our hearts had already interacted with the Holy Spirit over these issues, we then ordered ourselves to receive God’s benefits of forgiveness in the form of a com-mand. “Lord, You create in me a new heart! You renew a steadfast spirit in me! Lord, You blot out my transgressions!” See the difference? Under the imperative reading, there is no room for doubt, failure, wishing or begging. Our mood of command comes from being already convinced in our hearts by the Holy Spirit’s witness that God’s nature is to forgive all our sins. Inserting “You” at the front end of prayers sets the imperative mood. Jesus didn’t say, “Please hear me Father.” Jesus said, “I thank You Father that You always hear me.” Jn. 11:41-42 paraphrase. Jesus didn’t pray at His time of greatest need, “Father, please don’t leave my soul in hell and please don’t let me see corruption.” Jesus prayed, “You will not leave my soul in hell or allow me to see corruption.” Acts 2:27, 31 paraphrase. If a home intruder were attacking my children, they wouldn’t yell, “Dad, please help us?” They would yell, “Dad, help!” This is because they know my nature must help them. They are in effect ordering my help because of their confidence in my character and love. How can we do any less with God? This was the key to the Roman centurion’s faith, which Jesus said was greater than any He had seen in Israel – the centu-rion recognized that greater authority always speaks in the imperative and always must be obeyed. Matt. 8:5-13.


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As long as I verbally ask in any mood other than the impera-tive, then I remain unconvinced and have handcuffed the power of God from being released through my confession. Praying in the imperative keeps the focus on God and not me. Sure, we need to repent on a daily basis, but repentance is a work of the heart and the Holy Ghost. It is not a work of ask-ing God and waiting on an answer that He may or may not forgive me – someday, somehow, maybe yes, maybe no. Be-loved, God is greater than our hearts – always greater, more available, more accessible than any of us realize. Once the Holy Spirit reveals God’s goodness to you, you can never beg Him again. It’s His good pleasure to give you His kingdom of forgiveness, healing and salvation. Always His good pleasure. The imperative mood is the key to perfect speech, perfect praise, perfect thanksgiving, perfect patience and perfect faith. Perfection comes by imperative speaking. Imperative speaking comes by faith. Faith comes by hearing. Hearing comes by the word of God. The word comes by medita-tion\confession. This is the way God’s word is performed in this realm. The scriptures are promises of God we “perform” into being. To perform a scripture is to believe it, belove it and bespeak it. The English word for “belief” is from the German “glau-ben,” which traces back to the Indo-European “lubh,” which is the same root as our English word “love.” Faith works by love. Gal. 5:6. To believe something is to love it by “leaning” on it with our whole being. The King James Version does not say to believe in Christ, but to believe on Christ. Believing just in Him is merely “informative.” Believing on Him is “performative.” To pray in the imperative is to “perform” God’s word into actual existence on this earth. I know that when I speak in the imperative, I feel the words come up


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burning from my belly through my heart and out of my mouth. This is the Spirit enriching and empowering my words to speak salvation into situations – salvation which reconciles reality to the will of God. The word “perform” means “to carry out or execute an action or process.” To perform scripture is the word becoming flesh in us. Just as great actors internalize their characters’ true na-ture based on the playwright’s script, so do we internalize Je-sus’ divine nature in us by meditating on the scriptures. The scriptures “inform” us of the true nature of God, but the Holy Spirit in us “performs” this truth unto manifestation until we become “doers” (actors) of the word (James 1:22-26). Just as actors rehearse their roles until they become one with the character, so do we rehearse righteousness until the word be-comes flesh in us. We don’t memorize, confess and rehearse scriptures so that we can give “mechanical” recitations. No, we memorize, con-fess and rehearse scriptures so that the nature of God will per-colate and brew within us – the very nature and power and goodness of our God. Then, we will overflow as manifest sons of God. This is the mood that then allows us to rejoice evermore and in everything give thanks. True worship and thanksgiving flow fervently and automatically when we see God’s promises are “always already” fulfilled and completed in Christ. Jesus has left nothing undone, no enemy undefeated and no promise unfulfilled. When we stop neglecting this truth, we will start truly believing it. Stopping the neglect of God’s so great a salvation is what scripture confession is all about. So, lift up your jawbone!

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Chapter 8

Questions and Answers “But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”

2 Cor. 1:18-22

he following are questions submitted by Evangelical Methodist Church of Dalton, Georgia after complet-

ing a three-month study of Lift Up Your Jawbone. In fact, Chapter 7 was written after this session in order to give the reader a foundation for understanding the answers in this chapter. A careful re-reading and study of Chapter 7 is rec-ommended.

1. Is the value and place of word confession being over-

stated? 2. Are the words and speaking really that important and

powerful? Do words create reality? 3. How are previous statements of unbelief purged by zeal-

ous repentance (page 40)? How does one do that?

T


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4. How is the soil of our heart tilled? 5. How is the heart sanctified from the “cares” of the

world? 6. What is the relationship between word confession and

meditation\memorization? 7. How do we know when we’ve gotten to the “harvest

confession?” 8. Is word confession only taught as part of the Faith

Movement? What other stream of theology, other than the Faith Movement, teaches word confession?

9. When does word confession become vain repetition? 10. Where does the sovereignty of God enter into His grant-

ing your confession? 11. Has God restricted\confined\limited His word to our par-

ticipation by speaking? 12. How does word confession help fulfill God’s promise to

you? 13. How does word confession relate\integrate with healing?

1. Is the value and place of word confession being over-

stated?

No. The value and importance of word confession can be under-stated or be mis-stated but never over-stated. Some Charismatic teaching has mis-stated word confession by twisting it into a magic genie lamp which will give you whatever you want if you just rub it enough with your confession. This is an abomination. Word confession is not about fulfilling your current desires, but rather obtain-ing new and righteous desires from God. “Ye ask, and re-ceive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” Jas. 4:3. “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”


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Ps. 37:4. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil. 2:13. Just because some have mis-stated the truths of word con-fession, we must not let this chill our faith. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Prov. 18:21. This verse tells us that it is not an over-statement to “love” the “power of the tongue.” “A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.” Prov. 18:20. This verse shows that our spiritual man is filled and nourished by what comes out of our mouth. In other words, the words we speak are as impor-tant to our spiritual being as eating food and drinking wa-ter are to our physical being. Jesus confirmed this in the following verses: “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matt. 12:36-37. Peter echoes the importance of our words: “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles (utterances) of God.” 1 Pet. 4:11. The scriptures contain the “utterances” of God’s promises which we too are to speak. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate (utter) therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Jsh. 1:8; Deut. 11:18-19; Is. 59:21. It is through confessing these promises that “divine


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power” is given to us for “all things that pertain unto life and godliness,” that by these “exceeding great and pre-cious promises” we become “partakers of the divine na-ture.” 2 Pet. 1:3-4. In this way, “the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” Philem. 6. The New Testament Greek word for “blessing” literally means “fine speaking.” If we do not speak by the Spirit, we fail to bless (and probably end up cursing the situa-tion). Our speech is crucial to our spiritual walk and well-being. There is far more danger of under-stating the value and place of word confession than there is of over-stating it.

2. Are the words and speaking really that important and powerful? Do words create reality? Yes! God used spoken words to create the heavens and the earth. Heb. 1:3; 11:3. In Genesis 1, God “said” nine times, God “called” three times, and God “blessed” two times. These utterances collectively produced all of crea-tion. God created man in His own image as a word-speaker. One of the earliest Aramaic translations of Gene-sis 2:7 reads that God created Adam to be “a speaking spirit.” Adam then spoke and prophesied God’s divine purposes verbally by naming all living things, including his wife Eve. Gen. 2:19-24; Matt. 19:4-6. Jesus, the second Adam, verbally quoted scripture to de-clare that His life’s purpose was to restore wholeness to all those oppressed by Satan. Lu. 4:18-19; Acts 10:38. Je-


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sus verbally quoted scriptures to rebuke Satan repeatedly in the wilderness temptations. Lu. 4:1-13. Jesus quoted scriptures from the Old Testament 59 times in the gos-pels. Jesus verbally cast out demons, sickness, storms, lies and death. Jesus verbally cast in hope, life, healing, wholeness, deliverance and blessing: Jesus’ tongue was His paint brush, sword and the spiritual pen of a ready writer. Ps. 45:1; Rev. 19:11-16. Jesus’ words are spirit and life. They carry the creative and re-creative energies of the Godhead. If we abide in Jesus’ divine nature who indwells us, and His word prom-ises abide in us through kavanah and confession, then whatever we confess shall be done unto us. Jn. 15:7. Only in Jesus can our words create Godly reality.

3. How are previous statements of unbelief purged by zealous repentance (page 40)? How does one do that? The goodness of God leads us to repentance. Rom. 2:4. The more we confess and meditate on the true nature of God as light, love, spirit and truth; then the more the Holy Spirit will reveal the areas of past and present negative confessions. It is always the truth of God which sets us free from strongholds within us which have kept us from the true knowledge of God. Jn. 8:32; 2 Cor. 10:3-5. I do not believe repentance is something that you do, but rather something you allow. Repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit enabled by our humility and hunger for the truth of God. Holy Spirit repentance works careful-ness (diligence) in us, clearing of us, indignation (right-eous anger), fear (awe), vehement desire, zeal, revenge


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and clarity. 2 Cor. 7:10-11. As it applies to our previous statements of unbelief, our new hunger for the power of life in our tongue combined with a posture of humility which acknowledges that our tongues in the past have been set “on fire of hell,” have been “full of deadly poi-son,” and that “the tongue can no man tame.” Jas. 3:6-8. In this state of high kavanah, the Holy Spirit will work a new diligence and carefulness with our words, a clearing away of wrong speech impulses, righteous anger at any words of unbelief, awe at the pure words of life now com-ing out of our lips, zeal to perform verbal blessings, tak-ing quick vengeance on any faithless thoughts or words by taking them captive to the obedience of Christ, all with the result of having great clarity of conscience toward God.

4. How is the soil of our heart tilled? Confessing scripture is sowing to yourselves in right-eousness. Hos. 10:12-13. We will, from this sowing, reap harvests of mercy and tenderness in our hearts. Part of the repentance process is taking responsibility for prior har-vests of oppression by acknowledging that we have eaten the fruit of lies by trusting in men rather than God. There is nothing wrong with allowing righteous men and teach-ers to help us search our hearts with truth. But our kava-nah must always be single-eyed on Jesus. The key thing we can offer each other as Christians is help to keep our hearts tilled to tenderness so that we can continue to ac-knowledge the truth of Jesus in all our ways. 2 Tim. 2:24-26.


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5. How is the heart sanctified from the “cares” of the world? Truth. Truth. Truth. The Holy Spirit of Truth guides us into all truth and sanctifies us through God’s truth. Jn. 15:26; 16:13; 17:17, 19. The word becomes more and more real to us as we continually think and speak its truths. This automatically sanctifies our heart from the ca-res of the world. The renewed mind is the deliverance from the “cares” of this world to the “secret place of the most High” where we are fully secure in the love and protection of God. Ps. 91. This shield of faith quenches all the fiery darts of worldly cares, deceptions and attacks.

6. What is the relationship between word confession and meditation\memorization? Intimate. Remember, word confession is both a daily dis-cipline and a spontaneous utterance. As a daily discipline, it enables us to be “spirit-fed.” Only then are we properly equipped to be “spirit-led” to spontaneously speak anointed blessing and power into situations of need. As a daily discipline, word confession is meditation\memo-rization. Confessing scripture with kavanah is the very definition of true meditation. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate (ut-ter) therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Jsh. 1:8. The righteous man’s “delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate (utter)


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day and night.” Ps. 1:2. One may certainly meditate and memorize scripture without always confessing it, but one cannot truly and effectively confess scripture without meditating on it and ultimately memorizing it. Moreover, true heart meditation will always eventually lead to verbal confession, “for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Matt. 12:34.

7. How do we know when we’ve gotten to the “harvest confession?” Mk. 11:23. When we, through diligence, faith and patience, have be-come fully persuaded as to the word promise, then we will have a burning unction\desire to put the sickle in and speak to the mountain of oppression. This unction is from the Lord and not from ourselves. It is only when we have crucified our own will that we can enter into the will of God where anything we ask will be done. 1 Jn. 5:14-15. This cannot be overstated – the harvest confession is the Holy Spirit working in you to will and to do it. Phil. 2:13. The harvest confession is not you confessing it in your own effort, will and good intent. Rather, the harvest con-fession is a supernatural release of power primed and launched solely by the indwelling Christ. This harvest confession comes only after you have faithfully cultivated Christ’s Lordship within you through your past rigorous thoughts and ever-vigilant confession. Also remember that we each have an individual sphere of influence, as well as a corporate sphere of influence with those with whom we fellowship. Be sensitive to stay in the spheres of access in which you have authority. There are bounda-ries of unbelief and free will which we cannot force on


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others with our confession. We can bless, invite and help others with our confessions, but we cannot coerce them to do our will, even if it is in a good cause.

8. Is word confession only taught as part of the Faith Movement? What other stream of theology, other than the Faith Movement, teaches word confession? Word confession is thousands of years older than any movement, theology or denomination. It has been a key spiritual discipline for God’s covenant people since the days of Moses and Joshua. They confessed 100 scriptural blessings a day. They bound scriptures to their forearms, foreheads and doorposts. They recited God’s covenant promises day and night from generation to generation. The Jewish roots of Christianity are full of word confes-sion. The idea is trans-denominational and trans-theological. Prayer books, chants, responsive readings, creeds and denominational confessions of faith over the centuries reflect the concept of word confession. It was not uncommon for believers, prior to the 20th century, to memorize most if not all of the Psalms and New Testa-ment. I am sure some had kavanah and some did not. Some had Holy Spirit illumination and some did not. Some faith teachers teach kavanah. Many do not. But this is really irrelevant. Let us learn word confession with kavanah – this is the blessed way!

9. When does word confession become vain repetition? Only when we become vain. Kavanah is an absolute in-oculation against vain repetition. Word confession is a privilege which we “get to” do. It is not a labor we have


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“got to” do. When it becomes a burden, we lose our sense of blessing and come under the bondage of legalism. But as we stay in kavanah, we experience newness of life every time we confess. Vanity is the lurking enemy of every spiritual effort, not just word confession but wor-ship\prayer\ministry\charity in all its forms. Repetition is not bad, only vain repetition. Repetition allows the word to become flesh in us. Repetition is a way of prioritizing and submitting to the great truths of God every day. In this way, right thinking about God becomes second na-ture to us (and eventually first nature). “With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.” Ps. 119:13. “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.” Ps. 35:28. Read Psalm 119 and you will see kavanah which totally blocks vanity out of this magnificent homage to God’s word and keeps it from being redundant, even though it is essentially say-ing the same thing over and over again. Repetitive? Yes. Vain? No.

10. Where does the sovereignty of God enter into His granting your confession?

God’s sovereignty is His word. It is not that God sover-eignly grants or denies our confession. Rather, it is that we grant, yield to and allow His sovereign will by in-tensely confessing our agreement with it. It is not just saying yes to God’s promises. It is saying yes and amen, be it unto me according to your word. This is our freedom – to enable or hinder God’s will from being manifest in the earth. God has “always already”


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completed His will and works. Heb. 4:9-10. The cross was the consummation of God’s will. Christ’s work of re-demption is all past tense, “by whose stripes ye were healed.” 1 Pet. 2:24. “When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive” Eph. 4:8. “And having spoiled prin-cipalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Col. 2:15. Greek scholars tell us this last passage describes a military victory parade where Jesus actually stripped every demonic power of its armor and weaponry. Hallelujah, this parade was long ago celebrated and completed. Let us daily commemorate it with the high praises and promises of God on our tongues and in our hearts. If these verses are true, then we are left with a stunning conclusion. Jesus is through with His redemptive work. He has already healed us, already delivered us and al-ready defeated all demonic power. The literal translation of Matthew 18:18 in the original Greek actually says that whatever we bind or loose on earth will be, having al-ready been bound or loosed in heaven. Moreover, we have already been “blessed…with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” and are in fact already seated together now “in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Eph. 1:3; 2:6. God’s divine power has already “given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godli-ness….Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.” 2 Pet. 1:3-4. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to show all these benefits that have already been freely given to us. 1 Cor. 2:12; Jn. 16:7-15. Yet, if this is true, why do we not see this “always al-


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ready” kingdom of God upon the earth? One simple rea-son: We have neglected this so great a salvation with our lukewarm hearts and idle tongues. Heb. 2:3, 8-9. Jesus now is enthroned, waiting and expecting until we awake to righteousness and STOP THE NEGLECT. Heb. 10:12-14. We will see all of Jesus’ enemies made His footstool when the body of Christ corporately STOPS THE NEGLECT. Eph. 1:15-23. Word confession is a crucial way to help us STOP THE NEGLECT of our SO GREAT A SALVATION. It reminds us that all things have “al-ways already” been made subject to Jesus’ power, author-ity and purpose. All that remains is for us to “Yes and Amen” His kingdom with all our heart, soul, strength and might. Then heaven will manifest on and in the earth. Most do not realize that when Jesus prayed the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11:1-4, Jesus used the Greek imperative mood instead of the subjunctive mood. The imperative mood means the speaker’s attitude toward the verb’s oc-currence is one of “must.” In other words, Jesus prayed that God’s kingdom blessings “must” occur as a com-mand of the speaker. The subjunctive mood, in contrast, has the speaker ex-press the prayer not as a command, but rather as a “wished for” possibility which may or may not happen. Jesus told us not to pray in the subjunctive but rather to pray this way – in the imperative. It is not that we are commanding God to perform our prayer. Rather, we are ordering this earth to conform to the “always already” kingdom of God. If we are honest, we usually pray the “may,” the subjunctive mood where we are really just wishing and hoping God will grant our prayers if it’s His


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future will or if it’s possible, or if conditions allow. There is no if in the imperative mood. This mindset is already connected and fully persuaded as to the will of God. Im-perative prayer\confession does not guess, hope or wish. Imperative prayer orders the truth of Jesus’ total victory over sin, death and Satan to manifest in this earthly realm as it is now in heaven. Only in this way do the guaranteed faith and prayer results of the following verses make sense: Mk. 11:22-25; Jn. 15:7; 1 Jn. 5:14-15; Matt. 17:20; 21:21. Thus, God’s sovereignty is “always already” es-tablished in His word by His Spirit through the cross of Christ. Let me conclude this answer with a warning. The impera-tive mood can only be found when God’s word has truly become flesh in us. Confessing the promises of God from scripture only lays the foundation of God’s good will for our lives. This foundation conditions us to then hear in our hearts the continual rhemas of God. If confessing the scriptural promises lays down the outline or “dots” of God’s goodness, the hearing of the Spirit connects the dots to fully reveal and delineate the glory of God’s pur-pose and anointing for our lives. Hearing God connects the “daats” (Hebrew word for “experiential knowing,” excuse the pun) of God’s manifest glory. There is a time we need to confess the word to prime and prepare our souls to receive the payoff – the actual “hearing unction” of Jesus who dwells in our hearts. However, if all we do is confess scripture, we never get the payoff – that is, how God will specifically apply and fulfill the promise in our lives. Instead, we confess God’s promises and then wrongly try to control the specific fulfillment of it with our own expectations, ideas and assumptions. This often


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ends up in frustration and failure. Failed healings, failed ministry, failed finances, failed relationships, failed fa-therhood, failed husbandhood – all the result of our will-power and natural thinking trying to force the promises of God into our lives. Instead, let us die to every assumption we have in every situation – then and only then will we be able to tithe our hearts fully to Jesus’ perfect faith. Then, His faith will work the works of God in and through us. Gal. 2:20.

11. Has God restricted\confined\limited His word to our

participation by speaking?

I do not believe God has limited His word to anything. Rather, I think we have limited\hindered\obstructed God’s word by our failure to participate with our whole-hearted confession. It is not our confession (or lack of confession) that changes God’s will – rather, our confes-sion implements God’s will. Unconfessed word promises limit\hinder\obstruct their full manifestation in this earthly realm. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, said, “It seems as if God is limited by our prayer life. He can do nothing upon the earth unless a man prays.” Just as children, without even realizing it, learn to resist parental authority and will by their murmuring, grumbling, disre-spectful tones and hard-hearted silence; so do we, without realizing it, learn to resist God’s authority and will by our murmuring, grumbling, disrespectful tones and idle si-lence. This grieves and quenches the Holy Spirit and di-minishes the power of God’s promise to manifest in this earth realm. 1 Thes. 5:19; Eph. 4:30. This is consistent with Psalm 78:41 which says the unbelieving Jews in the wilderness “limited the Holy One of Israel.” It is also


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consistent with Mark 6:1, 5-6, where Jesus could do no mighty works in His hometown of Nazareth because of their unbelief. In other words, men have the freedom of faith to either accept and enable God or reject and hinder God. Word confession works whole-hearted acceptance and eventual enablement of God’s power and will into our lives. It is through faith and patience that we inherit the promises of God. Heb. 6:12. Remember, the Greek word for “patience” literally means “joyful endurance.” This is what we are here to learn – to joyfully endure every chal-lenge to the kingdom of Christ being formed in us. Only then are we made perfect and entire, lacking nothing. Jas. 1:2-4.

12. How does word confession help fulfill God’s promise

to you?

Word confession is our acceptance of God’s promise “al-ways already” fulfilled by the completed work of the cross. Our inheritance in Christ is not in the future, but in the past. The will has already been probated and the estate of heavenly blessings already disbursed. We have but to endorse it with our confession for it to be manifest in this realm. Thus, word confession does not produce future re-sults – rather, word confession is a way of receiving past benefits. Consider the enormity of this truth. God’s prom-ises are not about what will be done, but rather about what has “always already” been done. If I promised to give you a million dollars in the future, then you might be interested, but naturally skeptical. But, if I told you I had already deposited a million dollars in a specific account bearing your name, then you would be immediately fo-cused on finding, confirming and utilizing these funds. So


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too, in the spiritual, realizing that all the blessings of God have already been deposited in my spiritual account is an incredible incentive for me to draw on these blessings, to endorse their benefits and cash out the harvest. I truly be-lieve a promise of what’s already been done is much more exciting and encouraging. This way, the promise cannot and will not fail. I may fail to believe and receive it, but the promise itself is “always already” a confirmed reality.

13. How does word confession relate\integrate with heal-

ing?

Word confession helps stimulate and excite our souls’ recognition and realization of the divine nature of Jesus who indwells us. Gal. 2:20; Rom. 13:14; 1 Cor. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:3-4; 1 Cor. 1:24, 30; Eph. 4:24. In this stimulated state, we are anointed to hear the rhema voice of God to-ward the current situation. We may minister faith, repen-tance, tenderness, healing, prophecy and\or wisdom. However, it will depend on trillions of factors which only God can know. We can trust that what we spontaneously hear from God to minister will be God hastening to the highest available good. There are boundaries of free will, hardness of heart, soul neglect and unbelief which can limit the elbow room the Lord has to heal. Jesus could do no mighty works at Nazareth in Mark 6 because there were multiple variables of unbelief which hindered and limited the Holy One of Israel. Ps. 78:41. Jesus marveled at their unbelief, but He still did a few healings anyway because it is what He heard from the Father as the maxi-mum available good in the situation. Jn. 5:19, 30. It is not about healing, it is about hearing. Word confes-


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sion exercises, develops and postures us to “hear” the voice of God and to no longer listen to the voice of a stranger (Satan, demons, men and most of all, our own flesh). By confessing healing scriptures, we become fully persuaded that healing is God’s will and nature. In this posture, we are now focused to hear God’s heart of heal-ing. Speaking the promises of God daily enables us to bet-ter hear the voice of God daily. We begin to see that God is always speaking light, love, healing and restoration into all men’s lives, but men can only receive what their hearts’ readiness enables them to recognize and realize. Every thought or action we take is like a rock thrown into a pond of causation. It causes ripples which affect our-selves and others. Now multiply these ripples by the tril-lion other rocks of thoughts and actions hurled into the pond 24\7 by billions of other people – past, present and future. Also consider how those ripples may work to-gether to cause a tidal wave of calamity or the waves may violently crash into each other causing chaos and buffet-ings. Only God can know and safely navigate through and around all the interference patterns of sin, sickness and unbelief. Why any one wave crashes at any time on any one person is beyond our ability to know. But we can trust that God knows and always hastens to the highest available good. Sometimes, because of a confluence of agreeable factors which only God can fully know, a total and immediate healing and miracle can occur. These can include the faith of others, faith of the one afflicted, family prayers and blessings, and a million other enabling factors which only God knows. We must not concern ourselves with specific


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causes of sickness and\or failed healings. We may know generally what allows or hinders healing, but we cannot and do not need to know the specifics of any one situa-tion. To know one thing, we would have to know every-thing. Instead, trust the inner unction to do what you hear in the Spirit to do, knowing that God always hastens to the highest available good. When Jesus healed the man born blind in John 9, He was first asked whose sin caused the man’s condition, his or his parents’. Jesus answered neither, nonetheless, LET THE GLORY OF GOD BE REVEALED. Jesus did not get caught up in who was to blame. Instead, He was lis-tening to His Father and hastening to the highest available good, which in this case was a complete regenerative miracle. Jesus listened to the Spirit, and so must we. Word confession develops our spiritual perception to rec-ognize and realize the promptings of the Spirit. IT IS NOT ABOUT HEALING, IT IS ABOUT HEARING.

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Chapter 9

Confessions

or the following confessions, please take a marker and highlight the ones that excite you. Add to them or re-

write them in your own words as you feel led. Consider these confessions as prayer time in which you bring your word-based petitions to the Lord. Focus your heart on the absolute truth of what you are saying. Let the Holy Spirit help you scale the heights of kavanah into true communion with the Lord and love of your life.

A. Your Name Abba-Father Is A Strong Tower; The Righteous Run Into It And Are Safe. Prov. 18:10; Rom. 8:15.

1. El Shaddai, my almighty God; my strong breasted one. Gen. 17:1.

2. Jehovah Elohim, my eternal creator. Gen. 2:4-25. 3. Adonai Jehovah, the Lord my sovereign king. Gen.

15:2, 8. 4. Jehovah Chezeq, the Lord my strength. Ps. 18:1. 5. Jehovah Jireh, the Lord my provider. Gen. 22:8-14. 6. Jehovah Nissi, the Lord my victory. Ex. 17:15. 7. Jehovah Rapha, the Lord my healer. Ex. 15:26.

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8. Jehovah Shalom, the Lord my peace. Jdg. 6:24. 9. Jehovah Tsidkeenu, the Lord my righteousness. Jer.

23:6; 33:16. 10. Jehovah Mekaddishkem, the Lord my sanctifier. Lev.

20:7. 11. Jehovah Saboath, the Lord of armies. 1 Sam. 1:3; 281

times. 12. Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is present. Eze. 48:35. 13. Jehovah Elyon, the Lord most high. Ps. 7:17; 47:2. 14. Jehovah Rohi, the Lord my shepherd. Ps. 23:1. 15. Jehovah Hoseenu, the Lord my maker. Ps. 95:6. 16. Jehovah Eloheenu, the Lord our God. Ps. 99:5,8,9. 17. Jehovah Eloheka, the Lord your God. Ex. 20:2,5,7. 18. Jehovah Elohay, the Lord my God. Zech. 14:5. 19. Jesus is Emmanuel (Matt. 1:23); God (Jn. 1:1); Lord of

All (Acts 10:36); Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8); Wonder-ful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6-7); the Lord’s Christ (Lu. 2:26); Son of God (Rom. 1:4); Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End, First and Last (Rev. 22:13); Son of the Highest (Lu. 1:32); Bread of God (Jn. 6:33); Holy One of God (Mk. 1:24); Your Holy Child Jesus (Acts 4:30); King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16); Lord and Sav-iour (2 Pet. 3:2); Word of God (Rev. 19:13); Creator (Col. 1:16); Mediator (1 Tim. 2:4,5); Head of the Church (Col. 1:16-24); Judge (2 Tim. 4:1); Preserver (Heb. 1:1-3); Life Giver (Jn. 10:28); Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36); Resurrection and Life (Jn. 11:25); Apostle and High Priest of My Confession (Heb. 3:1); My Ad-vocate with the Father (1 Jn. 2:1).

20. Jesus became the Son of Man that I might become a son of God (Jn. 1:12; 1 Jn. 3:1; Jn. 3:13-17); Jesus became my sin that I might become His righteousness (Is.


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53:10; 2 Cor. 5:21); Jesus became a curse that I might become a blessing (Gal. 3:13-14); Jesus became poor that I might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9); Jesus took my sickness that I might take His divine health (Is. 53:4-5); Jesus tasted my death that I could taste His life (Heb. 2:9); Jesus consumed my old corrupt nature that I could partake fully of His new divine nature (Col. 3:9-10; 2 Pet. 1:4).

21. I am saved all the day long because I continually call on the name of Jesus. Rom. 10:13.

22. I meditate continually on the Seven Holy Attributes of God: Chesed (Lovingkindness), Gevurah (Strength), Tiferet (Beauty), Netzach (Victory), Hod (Glory), Ye-sod (Intimacy) and Malchut (Majesty).

B. I Will Bless The Lord At All Times: His Praise Shall Continually Be In My Mouth. Ps. 34:1.

1. I dwell in the secret place of the most high and shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Him do I trust. Ps. 91:1-2.

2. God is my refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in time of need. Ps. 46:1.

3. Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel our father for ever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come of You, and You reign over all; and in Your hand is power and might; and in Your hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, my God, I thank You, and praise Your glorious name. 1 Chr. 29:10-13.


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4. My tongue O Lord shall speak of Your righteousness and praise all the day long. Ps. 35:28.

5. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of Your mouth. Ps. 119:13.

6. Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth, and teach me for You are the God of my salvation; on You do I wait all the day. Ps. 25:4-5.

7. One thing have I desired of You Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in Your house all the days of my life, to behold Your beauty, and to enquire in Your tem-ple. For in the time of trouble You shall hide me in Your pavilion: in the secret of Your tabernacle shall You hide me; You shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me; therefore will I offer in Your taberna-cle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises unto You Lord. Ps. 27:4-6.

8. I love the Lord my God with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my strength and I love my neighbor as myself. Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37-39.

9. I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies. Ps. 18:1-3.

10. I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices: my flesh also shall rest in hope. You will show me the path of life: in Your pres-ence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Ps. 16:8,9,11.


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11. Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: You forgive all my iniqui-ties; You heal all my diseases; You redeem my life from destruction; You crown me with lovingkindness and tender mercies; You satisfy my mouth with good things; so that my youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Ps. 103:1-5.

12. I trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding. In all my ways I acknowledge the Lord and He directs and empowers my paths. Prov. 3:5-6.

C. My Precious Wife (NOTE: Women may use these confessions for themselves in the first person. Example: I am my husband’s favor from the Lord and I am a good thing.)

1. My wife is my favor from the Lord and she is a good thing. Prov. 18:22.

2. My wife is a virtuous woman whose price is far above rubies. My heart does safely trust in her so that I have no need of spoil. She does me good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeks good things and works will-ingly with her hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She rises early to give meat to her household and a portion to her maidens. She con-siders a field, and buys it: with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard; she girds her loins with strength, and strengthens her arms. She perceives that her merchan-dise is good: her candle goes not out by night. She lays her hands to the task before her. She stretches out her hand to the poor: yes, she reaches forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with the scarlet blood


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of Jesus. She makes herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. I am known in the gates when I sit among the elders of the land. She makes fine linen, and sells it; and delivers girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall re-joice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wis-dom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looks well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and I praise her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but my wife excels them all. Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman that fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. Prov. 31:10-31.

3. My wife is a daughter of Abraham and she ought and will be made whole. Lu. 13:16; Gal. 3:7.

4. My wife is a fruitful vine by the sides of my house and my children like olive plants round about my table. Ps. 128:3.

5. I let my fountain be blessed and I rejoice with the wife of my youth. I let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; I let her breasts satisfy me at all times and I am rav-ished always with her love. Prov. 5:18-19.

6. My wife is a virtuous woman who is my crown. Prov. 12:4.

7. My wife is a wise woman who builds her house. Prov. 14:1.

8. My wife is my prudent helper from the Lord. Prov. 19:14.

9. My portion in this life is to live joyfully with my be-loved wife all the days of my life. Eccl. 9:9.

10. I love my wife as Christ loves the church, cleansing her


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with the washing of water by the word. Eph. 5:25-33. 11. I dwell with my wife according to knowledge giving her

honor as unto the weaker vessel, as being heirs together of the grace of life that my prayers be not hindered. 1 Pet. 3:7.

D. My Children Are The Seed Of The Righteous

1. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of my youth. Ps. 127:4.

2. The Lord pours His spirit upon my seed and His bless-ing upon my offspring. Is. 44:3.

3. My seed is blessed and they inherit the earth and don’t beg bread. Ps. 25:13; 37:25-26.

4. My seed is mighty upon the earth, taught of the Lord and great is their peace. Ps. 112:2; Is. 54:13.

5. My seed is delivered, they possess the gates of their enemies and I am making them princes in all the earth who will not quarrel along their way but will speak kindly and nourish each other. Prov. 11:21; Gen. 22:17; Ps. 45:16; Gen. 45:24; 50:21.

6. My seed speak with the enemies in the gate, they have no blemish and are well favored and skillful in all wis-dom and cunning in knowledge and understanding the Bible, science, math, reading, phonics, spelling, Eng-lish, history, exercise and having ability in them to stand in the king’s palace. Ps. 127:5; Dan. 1:3-4; Gal. 3:6-14; 2 Cor. 1:20; Acts 2:39.

7. My children are my heritage and reward from the Lord. I correct them because I delight in them and I do not pro-voke them to wrath. I bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and they shall never depart from it. Ps. 127:3; Prov. 3:12; Eph. 6:4; Prov. 22:6.


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E. Who I Am In Christ

1. I am a son of God. 1 Jn. 3:1-2; Jn. 1:12; Rom. 8:16. 2. I am born of God. Jn. 1:12-13; 1 Jn. 5:1. 3. I put on the new man, which after God is created in

righteousness and true holiness. Eph. 4:24. 4. I am more than a conquering champion through Jesus

who loves me. Rom. 8:37. 5. I am accepted in the beloved Jesus. Eph. 1:6. 6. I am blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly

places in Christ and I am a joint heir with Him. Rom. 8:17; Eph. 1:3.

7. I am raised up and seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Eph. 2:6.

8. I am a temple of God and the Holy Spirit dwells in me. 1 Cor. 3:16.

9. My effectual fervent prayers avail much because I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Jas. 5:16; 2 Cor. 5:21.

10. I have the mind of Christ and consider it not robbery to be a joint heir with Jesus but I humble myself taking a form of a servant unto the obedience of the cross. 1 Cor. 2:16; Phil. 2:5-8; Rom. 8:17.

11. I put on the Lord Jesus who is made unto me wisdom (to know the will of God) and righteousness (to believe all of the exceeding great and precious promises of God which provide me all things for life and godliness) and sanctification (the power to be set apart into the spirit from sin, soulishness and Satan) and redemption (from the law of sin and death, from the curses of Deuteron-omy 28, from worry, fear, oppression, depression, pov-erty, lack, strife, sickness; from failed relationships, failed parenting, failed husbanding, failed work and failed ministry). Rom. 13:14; 1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 1:9; Gal.


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3:6-7; 1 Thes. 5:23; Gal. 3:13-14; Rom. 8:2. 12. I thank You Lord that by Your stripes I was healed two

thousand years ago of all my sins, sorrows and sick-nesses. 1 Pet. 2:24; Is. 53:1-5; Matt. 8:16-17; Gal. 3:13; Rom. 8:2.

13. I am a son of Abraham blessed with faithful Abraham because I have received the promise of the spirit through faith. Like Abraham, God knows I will command my children and my household after me, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment. I share in the covenants of promise and the commonwealth of Israel. Gal. 3:7,9,14; Gen. 18:19; Eph. 2:12.

F. Holy Ghost Provision

1. The love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost, supernatural love which bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, rejoices not in iniquity but rejoices in the truth, endures all things and never fails. Rom. 5:5; 1 Cor. 13:6-8.

2. I am anointed with the Holy Ghost and power to do good and heal all who are oppressed of the devil because God is with me. Acts 10:38; Jn. 14:12-14; Mk. 16:15-18; Phil. 4:13; 1 Jn. 2:20,27; Is. 10:27.

3. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Lu. 4:18-19; Jn. 14:12-14.

4. The Holy Ghost fully convinces me of my righteousness in Christ Jesus and my complete victory over Satan. Jn. 16:7-11.

5. The Holy Ghost works in me both to will and to do and


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greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. Phil. 2:13; 1 Jn. 4:4.

6. I have an unction from the Holy Ghost and I know all things; I can do all things through Christ which strength-ens me; all things are mine. 1 Jn. 2:20,27; Phil. 4:13; 1 Cor. 3:21.

7. I live in and am led by the Spirit of God. Gal. 5:18,25. 8. I bountifully possess the fruit of the spirit: love, joy,

peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meek-ness and temperance. Gal. 5:22-25.

9. I covet and desire all the gifts of God: the word of wis-dom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues and interpreta-tion. 1 Cor. 12:7-10,31; 14:1.

10. I am anointed with the divine nature of Christ which is the wisdom and power of God. 2 Pet. 1:3-4; Rom. 13:14; 1 Cor. 1:24,30; Eph. 4:24.

11. I have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that I might know the things that are freely given to me by God. 1 Cor. 2:12.

G. Diligence

1. My eye is single and it fills my whole body with light. Matt. 6:22.

2. If my eye offends me, I pluck it out and cast it from me. Matt. 18:9.

3. I turn away my eyes from beholding vanity. Ps. 119:37. 4. Whatsoever I do, I do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not

unto men. Col. 3:23. 5. My hand is diligent and it makes me rich. Prov. 10:4. 6. I am a wise man whose heart is at my right hand and not

my left. Eccl. 10:2. 7. I cast out devils in Jesus’ name; I speak in new tongues;


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no poison of man or devil hurts me; I lay hands on the sick and they recover; I preach the gospel to every living creature. Mk. 16:15-18.

8. I do nothing through strife or vainglory and esteem oth-ers better than myself. Phil. 2:3.

9. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Ps. 141:3.

10. I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. Ps. 101:2.

11. I present my body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto You Lord, and I am not conformed to this world: but I am transformed by the renewing of my mind, that I may prove what is Your good, and acceptable, and per-fect will. Rom. 12:1-2.

H. Faith

1. I believe on Jesus and can do the same and greater works than He did because He went to the Father and whatever I ask in His name He will do it. Jn. 14:12-14.

2. My heart keeps God’s word and it establishes length of days, long life, peace, health to all my flesh, prosperity at home and work, prosperous children, victory over all my enemies and supernatural quickening to my spirit, soul and body. Jsh. 1:8; Ps. 107:20; 119:107; Deut. 28:1-14; Prov. 3:1-2; 4:20-23.

3. I have the faith of God and I speak to the mountains of cursings in my way and I tell them to be removed and cast into the sea and I don’t doubt but believe these things I speak shall come to pass, and I shall have what-soever I say. Mk. 11:23.

4. What things so ever I desire, when I pray, I believe that I receive them, and I shall have them. Mk. 11:24.

5. Our faith is the victory that overcomes the spirit of the


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world. 1 Jn. 5:4. 6. The word of faith is near me, in my mouth and in my

heart. Rom. 10:8. 7. I have the faith of God which I strongly and coura-

geously confess, believe and act upon according to the spirit-revealed word of God. Gal. 2:20; Jsh. 1:8; Prov. 28:1; Mk. 11:22-24.

8. My confession activates angels who hearken unto the voice of the word of God. Ps. 103:20.

9. My confession releases mountain moving faith. Mk. 11:22-24.

10. I walk by faith and not by sight. 2 Cor. 5:7. 11. I let not the word of God depart from my mouth, but I

meditate on it day and night that I may observe to do all that is written therein; then shall I make my way prosperous, then shall I have good success. Jsh. 1:8.

12. I believe all of God’s exceeding great and precious promises and it is accounted to me as righteousness. 2 Pet. 1:3-4; Gal. 3:6-7.

13. My tongue is the pen of a ready writer confessing the word unto the salvation (safety, preservation, healing and deliverance) of my spirit, soul and body. Ps. 45:1; Rom. 10:8-10; 1 Thes. 5:23; Prov. 4:20-23.

14. I give all diligence (speed) and add to my faith virtue (manliness), knowledge, temperance (strength), pa-tience (joyful endurance), goodness, brotherly kindness and charity. 2 Pet. 1:5-8.

15. I ask and receive in faith, nothing wavering, wisdom for all choices before me today that I will choose life in all my paths. Jas. 1:5-6; Deut. 30:19.

16. I have mustard seed faith from God which grows con-tinuously and humongously so that nothing is impossi-ble for me as I fast and pray. Matt. 17:19-21; Lu.


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13:18-19. 17. My heart is free of offense, forbearing in love and for-

giving all men their trespasses. Mk. 11:25; Lu. 11:4.

I. Joy

1. I remove sorrow from my heart and put away evil from my flesh. Eccl. 11:10.

2. The joy of the Lord is my strength. Neh. 8:10. 3. I have joy by the answer of my mouth. Prov. 15:23. 4. Believing, I rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of

glory. 1 Pet. 1:8. 5. I rejoice in God’s testimonies as much as in all riches.

Ps. 119:14. 6. In my patience (joyful endurance) I possess my soul.

Lu. 21:19. 7. My hope in God’s word is the anchor of my soul. Heb.

6:19; Rom. 4:18-19. 8. I count it all joy when my faith is tried knowing that it

works patience (joyful endurance) and I let patience (joyful endurance) have its perfect work so that I may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Jas. 1:2-4.

9. Through my faith and patience (joyful endurance) I in-herit all the exceeding great and precious promises of God which provide me all things for life and godliness and allow me to be a partaker of the divine nature. Heb. 6:12; 10:36; 2 Pet. 1:3-4.

10. I am happy because my quiver is full of children. Ps. 127:5.

11. I have fullness of joy because Christ’s presence is in me. Ps. 16:11; Col. 1:27.

12. I am happy because I trust in You Lord. Prov. 16:20. 13. My merry heart gives me a cheerful countenance and

continual feast, even in the presence of my enemies.


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Prov. 15:13,15; Ps. 23:5. 14. I am happy because I find wisdom and get understand-

ing. Prov. 3:13. 15. I am happy that it is the heavenly Father’s good pleas-

ure to give me His kingdom. Lu. 12:32. 16. I am happy because it is the goodness of God that con-

vinces me of my sin and leads me to repentance; to carefulness in me, clearing of me, indignation, fear, ve-hement desire, zeal and revenge. Rom. 2:4; Jn. 16:7-11; 2 Cor. 7:10-11.

17. I have learned to be content in whatever state I am, both as I am abased and as I abound. Phil. 4:11-12.

18. The peace of God rules my heart and crushes Satan un-der my feet. Col. 3:15; Rom. 16:20.

19. I rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing and in every-thing I give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for me. 1 Thes. 5:16-18.

20. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are hon-est, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, I will continually think on these things. Phil. 4:8.

J. Warfare

1. I overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of my confession, and I love not my life unto the death. Rev. 12:11.

2. As a good soldier of Jesus Christ, I fight the good fight of faith by enduring hardness, being violent in the spirit, resisting Satan continually and by taking unto me the full armor of God: having my loins girded with truth and having on the breast plate of righteousness and my feet shod in the preparation of the gospel of peace;


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above all taking the shield of faith with which I am able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And I take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the spoken word of God. 2 Tim. 2:3-4; Matt. 11:12; Jas. 4:7; Eph. 6:10-17.

3. I am a spiritual Gadite separated unto Jesus, fit for the battle, skillful in weapons of righteousness in my right hand and in my left, having a face of a lion, and as swift as deer on the mountainside. Blessed are those who enlarge me. I dwell as a lion and tear the enemy’s arm with the crown of my head which is my confession. I execute the justice of the Lord. Raiders may raid me but I will raid their heels. 1 Chr. 12:8; Deut. 33:20-21; Gen. 49:19; 2 Cor. 6:7.

4. I am bold as a lion and I don’t turn away from anything. Prov. 28:1; 30:30.

5. As the hand cleaves to the sword, so does my tongue cleave to the word of God. 2 Sam. 23:10; Ps. 149:5-9; Eph. 6:17.

6. The spirit of the Lord is on me mightily as I lift up my jawbone of confession and slay my enemies heap upon heap, hip and thigh. Jdg. 15:8,14-19; Rev. 12:11.

7. No weapon formed against me shall prosper and every soulish or demonic tongue that rises up to accuse or curse me or my family, I condemn now for this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and my righteous-ness is of God. Is. 54:17.

8. I am a righteous man whose forehead is harder than flint and who rises yet again though I fall seven times. Eze. 3:9; Prov. 24:16.

9. A thousand may fall at my side and ten thousand at my right hand, but defeat shall not come near me through Christ who always causes me to triumph. Ps. 91:7; 2


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Cor. 2:14. 10. The angels of the Lord encamp around my family to de-

liver us and to keep us in all our ways so that no evil be-falls us and no sickness comes near our dwelling. Ps. 34:7; Ps. 91:10-11.

11. The Holy Spirit who dwells in me quickens my mortal body so that I can run through a troop, leap over a wall, break a bow of steel, put a thousand to flight, energeti-cally minister to my wife, children, and every living creature, diligently do the work of the day on the day both at office and home, and enthusiastically exercise. Rom. 8:11; Ps. 18:29,34; Deut. 32:30.

12. The Lord causes my enemies to be smitten before my face. My enemies come out against me one way and flee before me seven ways. Deut. 28:7.

13. I am the head and not the tail, above only and not be-neath. Deut. 28:13.

14. The weapons of my warfare are not carnal but are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong-holds; casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; having in me a readiness to revenge all dis-obedience once my obedience is complete. 2 Cor. 10:4-6.

15. I will not let sin reign in my mortal body and I will not obey its lusts. Rom. 6:12.

K. Prosperity

1. The blessing of the Lord makes me rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. Prov. 10:22.

2. I seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all good things are added unto me. Matt. 6:33.


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3. Whatsoever I do shall prosper. Ps. 1:3; Deut. 28:8,12; Jsh. 1:7-8.

4. Wealth and riches are in my house. Prov. 15:6. 5. A house and riches are my inheritance as a father.

Prov. 19:14. 6. I have the power to get wealth so that the Lord’s cove-

nant may be established in the earth. Deut. 8:18. 7. I am good soil that brings forth a hundredfold harvest

because I have a good and honest heart and having heard the word, I keep it and bring forth fruit with pa-tience. Lu. 8:15.

8. I am a tither who brings all my tithes into the store-houses of God and You open the windows of heaven to pour out super abundant blessings on me, that I always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work and have my seed multiplied hundredfold back to me good measure, pressed down, shaken to-gether and running over, being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, having all my needs supplied ac-cording to God’s riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Mal. 3:10-12; 2 Cor. 9:6-11; Lu. 6:38; Matt. 19:29; Phil. 4:19.

9. I sow bountifully and I reap bountifully. 2 Cor. 9:6. 10. The Lord my God teaches me to profit, and leads me by

the way I should go. Is. 48:17. 11. In all my labor there is profit. Prov. 14:23. 12. I am called to be a blessing to all that I might inherit a

blessing. 1 Pet. 3:8-9; Gen. 12:1-3; Heb. 6:14. 13. The Lord enlarges my house and it flourishes because I

am an upright man. Prov. 14:11; Is. 54:2. 14. I hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord to obey His

commandments and I am blessed in the city and in the field, blessed as I come in and blessed as I go out,


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blessed in my storehouse and all that I set my hand to, blessed are my children, possessions and land. Deut. 28:1-14.

15. I owe no man anything but to love him. Rom. 13:8. 16. In my prosperity I say I shall never be moved. Ps. 30:6.

L. Strength\Diet

1. I know my God and I shall be strong and do heroic deeds for I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord which is able to do exceeding abundantly above all I ask or think according to the power that works in me. Dan. 11:32; Mic. 3:8; Eph. 3:20.

2. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright. Prov. 10:29.

3. My belly is satisfied with the fruit of my mouth and with the increase of my lips am I filled. Prov. 18:20.

4. Blessed are my basket and my store. Deut. 28:5. 5. My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to

finish His work. Jn. 4:34. 6. I do not live by bread alone but by every word that pro-

ceeds out of the mouth of God. Matt. 4:4. 7. I eat not the bread of idleness. Prov. 31:27. 8. I am a blessed prince whose King is of noble birth and

who eats at the appropriate time, for strength and not for drunkenness. Eccl. 10:17.

9. I consider diligently what is set before me and I put a spiritual knife to my throat if I am a man given to appe-tite. Prov. 23:1-2.

10. The Lord blesses my food and drink and takes sickness from my midst for God is the Lord that healeth me. Ex. 15:26; 23:25.

11. Whatever and whenever I eat or drink, I do it all for the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10:31.


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12. I thank You Lord that You give Your beloved sleep. Ps. 127:2.

M. A Wife’s Confession For Her Husband

1. Praise the Lord. Blessed is my husband who fears the Lord and who delights greatly in God’s command-ments. My husband’s seed shall be mighty upon the earth; the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches are in my husband’s house: and his righteousness endures forever. For the upright there arises light in the darkness: my husband is gracious and full of compassion, and righteous. A good man shows favor and lends. My husband guides his affairs with discretion. Surely he shall not be moved forever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. My hus-band is not afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trust-ing in the Lord. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid until he sees his desire upon his enemies. He has dispersed, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn shall be exalted in honor. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish. Ps. 112.

N. Children’s Confessions

1. I am a temple of the Holy Ghost and I’m protected by the Lord of Hosts. 1 Cor. 3:16; Ps. 84:11-12.

2. I am a Shaddai Knight strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Eph. 6:10.

3. My lightsaber is the word of El Shaddai which I confess day and night to keep my faith high. Gen. 17:1; Jsh. 1:8.

4. I love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul and


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might; my eye is single and my whole body is filled with light. Deut. 6:5; Matt. 6:22.

5. My father is my glory and I call my mom blessed as I rise up each morning to give God my best. Prov. 17:6; 31:28; Col. 3:23.

6. I honor God with my words, thoughts and deeds and Je-hovah Jireh blesses me and meets all my needs. Prov. 3:1,9-10.

7. I am a hero in training quick to obey my mom and dad in the Lord without delay. Eph. 6:1-3; Ps. 119:60.

8. Kindness and truth are my Shaddai Knight gear which I bind around my neck to keep victory near. Prov. 3:1,3-4.

9. My lips speak God’s word so that I will not stumble and I will walk in God’s joy and not whine, scream or grumble. Prov. 15:23.

10. My glorious brothers are my best friends; strong warri-ors who fight by my side to the end. Ps. 133:1.

11. I am a happy warrior as bold as a lion; I have the eye of the tiger and never quit trying. Neh. 8:10; Prov. 28:1; Matt. 6:22; Phil. 3:13-14.

12. For the poor, sick and lost I will do heroic deeds to free them from Satan and help meet their needs. Lu. 4:18-19.

O. Intercessions For All Men

1. I do not cease to pray for us, God, and to desire that we might be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that we might walk worthy of You Lord Almighty unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowl-edge of God; strengthened with all might, according to Your glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffer-


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ing with joyfulness; giving thanks unto You Father, who has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the king-dom of Your dear Son. Col. 1:9-13.

2. For this cause, I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant us, according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that God may dwell in our hearts by faith; that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that we might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto You Lord who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Eph. 3:14-20.

3. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto us the spirit of wisdom and revela-tion in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of our under-standing being enlightened, that we may know what is the hope of our calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceed-ing greatness of His power toward us who believe, ac-cording to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come: and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body,


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the fulness of Him that fills all in all. Eph. 1:17-23. 4. May we let the word of God dwell in us richly in all

wisdom. May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Col. 3:16; Rom. 15:13.

5. For all the beloved sons of God, I wish above all things that we may prosper and be in health, even as our souls prosper. And that in everything we are enriched and abound by Him, in all faith, utterance and knowledge, in all diligence, and in love. 3 Jn. 2; 1 Cor. 1:5; 2 Cor. 8:7.

Notes

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About the Author

Richard K. Murray is a practicing attorney from Dalton, Georgia where he lives with his wife Rita and their seven children: Sloan, Caleb, Micah, Abraham, Sarah, Ben and An-nie. Richard has a B.B.A. and J.D. from the University of Georgia and a M.A. from Regent University School of Divin-ity. He has written several books, including Rouse the Mighty Men, The New Covenant, Voyaging Through God’s Good-ness, The Spiritual Eye of the Tiger and The Power (available at Outskirtspress.com or Amazon.com). Contact at 200-A West Gordon Street, Dalton, Georgia, 30720, (706) 272-3289.

Also By Richard K. Murray

The Power Discovering

the Real "Secret" of Life

In a day where best-selling books like The Secret are telling people to go “into themselves” to find fulfillment, The Power challenges this premise as false and destructive. The Power is the truth The Secret can’t and won’t reveal. The Power reveals that limitless strength can only be found in one place – the arms of God. How we recognize and receive God’s always available strength is the grand theme of this book.

Learn more at: www.outskirtspress.com/thepower

lift up your jawbone - thegoodnessofgod.com · lift up your jawbone “death and life are in the...

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