Christians often put a big emphasis on believing the Bible. But according to the Bible itself, that is only 50 percent of what releases God's power into our lives. Believing alone is like a coin with only one side on it. You need both sides to have a genuine coin.
Faith And Speech; It Takes Both
For example, consider Romans 10:9-10:
That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.Note in this passage that salvation is brought about by both believing and saying. We believe on Jesus and say so with our lips. Both parts are necessary for the miracle of salvation to occur.
(Rom. 10:9-10 NKJV)
I think often the reason for spiritual fuzziness in people's lives is because they have not learned to commit to what they believe by defining it with their lips. When something is spoken, suddenly it becomes much more real and powerful.
Consider the young couple that has dated for some time and suddenly the guy says to the girl, "I love you." You better believe the relationship now enters a different level!
What about when the couple stands at the altar and are asked to repeat vows. Again, the relationship has changed because words are spoken.
Until we commit to what we believe with words, we are still uncommitted. The depth of relationship and exchange that could occur between God and us is not fully realized. That's why we must learn to both believe God's Word, and also to speak our beliefs in God's Word.
In Our Mouth And In Our Heart
This is what the Apostle Paul was referring to in Romans 10:8 when he wrote, "But what does it say? 'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart' (that is, the word of faith which we preach)." Notice he says in this passage that the Word has to be both in our mouths and in our hearts.
People often say, "Well, God knows what's in my heart." But in the beginning, God did not let his beliefs lie latent in his heart. He spoke them and the worlds were created (Heb. 11:3). The Holy Spirit hovered over the waters (Gen. 1:2-3) until words were spoken. It was then he had the framework of the Word to work with.
The Holy Spirit can only hover over our hearts waiting for us to speak the Word. It is only then, when we go beyond believing to speaking, that His creative power is released.
If you are not certain about your salvation—you can be. Simply go beyond the point of believing to saying. Confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and resurrected from the dead (Rom. 10:9-10).
Speak To Your Storms
If you need healing in your body, go to the next step beyond believing and start saying, "By his stripes I was healed" (1 Peter 2:24).
If there are storms and turmoil in your life right now, begin to do as Jesus did and speak to the storms, "Be still! Jesus is my peace!" (Mark 4:39; Eph. 2:14).
Going beyond the point of believing to saying will make your redemption in Christ Jesus a vital reality! You will begin to give the Holy Spirit the blueprints he needs to create the destiny God intends for you.
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Fresh out of Bible school and with a heavenly mandate, Jim and Pam moved to Erie, PA, in June 1981. Having never visited the city, their sojourn began by living ten weeks in a tent on Walnut Creek with their four-year-old son. God had said, "Move to Erie, become established and build a great church." No obstacle was impossible to overcome!
