Women of the Bible Lesson 22 Believers Authority: Declaring and Decreeing

Today we are going to look at using our authority as believers to Declare and Decree.  

Declaring and decreeing differ from prayer. When we pray, we are making a request of God to assist or intervene in our situation on our behalf.  In contrast, when we declare and decree, we are using our God-given authority to proclaim things.  We are speaking things that are not as though they are.    

Merriam Webster online dictionary defines declare as: to make known formally, officially, or explicitly. 

Decree is defined as: an order usually having the force of law.   

Romans 4:17, As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. [He was appointed our father] in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that [He has foretold and promised] as if they [already] existed. (AMPC)  

Job 22:28, “You will also decide and decree a thing, and it will be established for you;  And the light [of God’s favor] will shine upon your ways.” (AMP)     

As I stated last week, when God speaks, everything He says happens exactly as He said. As we read in Romans 4:17, God decrees (sets forth as a law – something that will happen) the things He has already declared (made formally known).   

For example, in Genesis 17:1-2, God told Abram, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” (NLT) 

Then in Genesis 17:5, “What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations.” (NLT) 

God declared that Abram was going to have enumerable descendants, then He decreed that his name would now be Abraham which, in Hebrew, means “father of many nations.”  He decided it, then made it legally binding.   

Another example is found in Mark 11 where we read the account of Jesus decreeing a curse on a fig tree.  Mark 11:12-14, The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.  He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it. 

Then in verse 20 we read, “The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up.” Jesus said it, it happened!!! 

I want to stop here for a moment and address the difference between reality and truth.  From the world's perspective these words can be used interchangeably. However, for the believer these words carry different meanings.   

To illustrate, if I am not feeling well, the reality is that I am not feeling well.  To say I am feeling fine when I am not, is a lie.  But the truth is quite different from my reality.  The truth is found in the Word.  

1 Peter 2:24, He himself carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we would be dead to sin and live for righteousness. Our instant healing flowed from his wounding. (TPT) 

Matthew 8:17, This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.” (NLT) 

When I am not feeling well, I can acknowledge the reality that I don’t feel well and then I can declare what the Word says, By His stripes I am healed.  Therefore, I can decree total soundness over my body in Jesus’ name!   

It is not a lie to declare and decree that we are healed in Jesus’ name because the Word says it and we believe it!!! This is the key; we can declare and decree it, but we must first believe it.  Then we must not say anything contrary to the Word.  Rather than recounting all the ways we don’t feel well, we declare that we are the healed of the Lord.   

What are we confessing with our words? Life or death? Victory or defeat? We are not going to overcome by confessing everything the devil is doing to us but rather what Jesus has provided for us.i 

When we declare what the Word says and decree God’s truth into the spiritual realm, we are agreeing with God and are bringing His kingdom to earth as it is in heaven.   

Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10, NIV) When we decree the will of God, we are bringing the Kingdom to Earth.     

Four things happen when we decree God’s Word into the spiritual realm. 

First, Holy Spirit begins to move to make it so!!!!!  In Genesis 1:1-2, we read, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. (NLT) 

Here we see that Holy Spirit was hovering over the surface of the soon-to-be earth.  However, he was not doing anything to change the atmosphere or condition of the earth at that moment.  He did not begin working to transform what was into what is until God spoke.  Once the words were spoken, Holy Spirit made it happen! 

The same holds true for us.  When we declare and decree into the spiritual realm (speaking out loud), Holy Spirit sets things in motion to make it happen. 

Second, angels are summoned to our aide.  Angels have many assignments which include, but are not limited to: 

~Ministering to us: Hebrews 1:14, Are not all the angels ministering spirits sent out [by God] to serve (accompany, protect) those who will inherit salvation? [Of course they are!] (AMP) 

Matthew 4:11, Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. (ESV) 

~Guarding and protecting us: Psalm 91:11, For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. (ESV) 

Psalm 34:7, The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. (ESV) 

Daniel 6:22a, My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me...(ESV) 

~Rescuing us: Acts 5:19, But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out,...(ESV) 

~Giving us assignments or instructions from God: Acts 8:26, Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. (ESV) 

Matthew 1:20, But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (ESV) 

~Fight with/for us: 2 Kings 6:17, Then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, please, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servants eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha. (AMP) 

~On assignments often appearing in human form: Hebrews 13:2, Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (ESV) 

Third, spiritual opposition is destroyed. Ephesians 6:12, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (ESV) 

Daniel 10:13 and 20b, But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was standing in opposition to me for twenty-one days. Then, behold, Michael, one of the chief [of the celestial] princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. 20 Now I shall return to fight against the [hostile] prince of Persia; and when I have gone, behold, the prince of Greece is about to come. (AMP) 

Finally, the promises of God are made manifest.  Proverbs 18:20, From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips. (ESV) 

Psalm 107:20, He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death. (ESV) 

Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (NASB) 

Isaiah 55:11, So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. (NASB) 

In conclusion, declaring and decreeing must become part of our daily lives.  We need to remember that reality and truth are not synonymous.  We must also remember that we have the authority to speak the life of God into the dark places on this earth.  We have the power of life and death in our tongue! When we declare and decree God’s Word, Holy Spirit begins to move to make it so, angels are summoned to our aide, spiritual opposition is destroyed, and the promises of God are made manifest in the earth as it is in Heaven.  

Next week we will continue this study on declaring and decreeing.  I will give some examples of decrees I have written for your use and will describe the process that I go through in writing them.