فصل 3

CHAPTER THREE

Say So

Words have creative power. When you speak something out, you give life to what you’re saying. It’s one thing to believe that you’re blessed. That’s important. But when you say, “I am blessed,” it takes on a whole new meaning. That’s when blessings come looking for you. The Scripture says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” It doesn’t say, “Let the redeemed think so, or believe so, or hope so.” That’s all good, but you have to take it one step further and say so. If you’re going to go to the next level, you have to say so. If you’re going to accomplish a dream, overcome an obstacle, or break an addiction, you have to start declaring it. It has to come out of your mouth. That’s how you give life to your faith.

When God created the worlds, He didn’t just think them into being. He didn’t just believe there would be light and land and oceans and animals. He had it in His heart, but nothing happened until He spoke. He said, “Let there be light,” and light came. His thoughts didn’t set it into motion; His words set it into motion. It’s the same principle today. You can believe all day long and not see anything happen. You can have faith in your heart, big dreams, be standing on God’s promises, and never see anything change. What’s the problem? Nothing happens until you speak. Instead of just believing you’re going to get out of debt, you have to say so. Declare every day, “I am coming out of debt. I am the head and not the tail. God’s favor surrounds me like a shield.” When you speak, just like when God spoke, things begin to happen. Opportunities will find you. Good breaks, promotion, and ideas will track you down.

Instead of just thinking, I hope I get over this illness. I’m praying I’ll get better, which is good, you have to take it one more step and start declaring it. “I am strong. I am healthy. I will live and not die. With long life God is going to satisfy me.” That’s what activates your faith. It’s not just hoping you have a good year or just hoping that you accomplish your dreams. Hope is good, but nothing happens until you speak. Before you leave the house every day, declare it: “This is going to be my best year. Things have shifted in my favor. I’m going to a new level.” When you talk like that, the angels go to work, opening up new doors, lining up the right people, and arranging things in your favor.

“I Will Say”

Psalm 91 says, “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge, my fortress, and my shield.’” The next verse says, “He will deliver me, protect me, and cover me.” Notice the connection. I will say and He will do. It doesn’t say, “I believe He is my refuge. I believe He will be my strength.” The psalmist went around declaring it, speaking it out: “The Lord is my refuge. The Lord is my strength.” Notice what happened. God became his refuge and strength. God was saying in effect, “If you’re bold enough to speak it, I’m bold enough to do it.” Have you ever declared that your dreams are coming to pass? Have you ever said, “I will pay off my house.” “I will start my own business.” “I will get my degree.” “I will lose this weight.” “I will see my family restored”? Whatever God has put in your heart, it needs to get in your conversation. Talk like it’s going to happen. Talk like it’s already on the way: “When I get married… When I graduate from college… When I see my family restored…” Not if it’s going to happen, but when it’s going to happen. That’s your faith being released.

One of our staff members had been trying for more than ten years to have a baby, with no success. One day we were in a staff meeting, planning out the next year. She made the statement, “When I have my baby, I’m going to be out for a couple of months. We’ll have to find somebody to fill in.” I thought she was pregnant and that nobody had told me, so I didn’t act surprised or say anything. My sister Lisa was in the meeting as well. I asked her afterward, “Why didn’t you tell me she was pregnant?” She said, “Joel, she’s not pregnant. She just talks like it’s going to happen.”

This went on for years. “When I have my baby… When I get pregnant… When my child shows up…” What was she doing? Saying so. She didn’t just believe it. She was declaring it. In the natural, she was getting too old to have a baby. Her doctors told her it wasn’t going to happen. It looked impossible. Most people would have given up and accepted it. But not this lady. She kept saying so, kept declaring it: “When my baby shows up…” Twenty years later, she gave birth not to one baby but to two. She had twins. She declared of the Lord, and God did what He promised.

But think about the opposite of Psalm 91: “I will not say of the Lord, and He will not do.” That’s the principle. Nothing happens until you speak.

What Are You Saying?

When we were trying to acquire the Compaq Center to become our church building, Victoria and I would drive around it night after night and say, “That’s our building. Father, thank You for fighting our battles. Lord, thank You that You are making a way where we don’t see a way.” We didn’t just think about it, pray about it, or believe that it would happen. That’s all important, but we took one more step and declared that it was ours. It became a part of our everyday conversation. At the dinner table: “When we get the Compaq Center, we could do this. When we renovate it… When we move in… When we have the grand opening…” Not “I don’t know, Victoria. It’s going to be very expensive. Where are we going to get the funds? The opponents, they’re really strong.” No, we said of the Lord, as the psalmist did, “God, we know You are bigger than any obstacle. We know You are supplying all of our needs. Lord, we know if You be for us, who dare be against us?” We declared it, and God did it.

What are you saying of the Lord? “Well, Joel. My problems are really big today. My dreams look impossible. My marriage is so messed up. We’ll never be restored.” Don’t talk about how big your problem is. Talk about how big your God is. When you say of the Lord, “You’re my healer, my way maker, my dream giver, my restorer, my vindicator, my health, my peace, my victory,” that’s when God will show up and do more than you can ask or think.

I have some friends who were believing to have another child. They have a daughter, but they really wanted to have a son. Every time the wife got pregnant, she had a miscarriage. This happened five times in nine years. They were very discouraged and tempted to give up. The husband’s name is Joe and had gone by Joe his whole life. But one day he read that his full name—Joseph—means “God will add.” When he understood that, something came alive inside. He knew God was saying, “I’m going to add to you a son.” He remembered the story in the Scripture where God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which means “father of many nations.” God gave Abraham a child, a son, at a very old age when it looked impossible. Joe decided to go back to using his original name. He told his family, his friends, and coworkers, “Don’t call me Joe anymore. Call me Joseph.” They thought he was having a midlife crisis. But every time someone said, “Hello, Joseph,” they were saying, “God will add.” They were speaking victory over his life. He kept saying so, declaring it. About six months later, his wife became pregnant with a baby boy. For the first time in ten years, she carried the baby to full term. Their son was born healthy and whole. As a testimony to God’s goodness, they named that little boy Joseph: “God will add.” Whatever God Has Put in Your Heart

Are you declaring victory over your life, over your family, over your career? Nothing happens until you speak. When you get up in the morning, you need to make some declarations of faith. Whatever God has put in your heart, declare that it will come to pass. I say every day, “I am increasing in the anointing, in wisdom, in favor, and in influence. Every message is getting better. God is taking our ministry where no ministry has ever gone.” You have to speak favor into your future. I declare every day, “My children will fulfill their destinies. Their gifts and talents will come out to the full. They will supersede anything that we’ve done.” Ever since I took over for my father in the church, I have said, “When people turn me on, on television, they cannot turn me off.” Do you know how many letters I get from people who say, “Joel, I was flipping through the channels. I don’t like TV preachers. I never watch TV preachers, but when I turned you on, I couldn’t turn you off”?

I think to myself, I called you in! I said so.

One man wrote and told how his wife tried to get him to watch the program for many years, but he wouldn’t do it. One day he was flipping through the channels and came across our program. Normally he would flip by it very quickly. But for some reason this day his remote control stopped working, and he got stuck on our program. He was so frustrated. He finagled with the remote and ended up changing the batteries. It still wouldn’t work. He said, “Joel, even though I tried to act like I wasn’t listening, you were speaking directly to me.” The funny thing is, when our program was over, the remote control went back to working just fine. He said, “Now I never miss one of your programs.” When you declare favor over your life and over your future, God will make things happen that should have never happened. Our attitude should be, I’m coming out of debt, and I’m saying so. This will be my best year, and I’m saying so. I will overcome every obstacle, and I’m saying so. I will accomplish my dreams, and I’m saying so.

Use Your Words to Change the Situation

In the Scripture there was a lady who had been sick for many years. She had gone to the best doctors, spent all of her money trying to get well, but nothing worked. One day she heard Jesus was coming through town. The Scripture says, “She kept saying to herself.” She wasn’t saying, “I’m never going to get well. I can’t believe this has happened to me. I always get bad breaks.” No, she kept saying to herself, “When I get to Jesus, I know I will be made whole.” In the midst of the difficulty, she was prophesying victory. All through the day, over and over, she kept saying, “Healing is on its way. Brighter days are up ahead.” When she started making her way to Jesus, it was extremely crowded, but she didn’t complain, she didn’t get discouraged, and she kept saying, “This is my time. Things are changing in my favor.” The more she said it, the closer she got. Finally she reached out and touched the edge of His robe, and she was instantly healed.

Notice the principle: Whatever you’re constantly saying, you’re moving toward. You may be struggling in your finances, but when you keep declaring, “I am blessed. I am prosperous. I have the favor of God,” every time you say it, you’re moving toward increase. You’re getting closer to seeing that come to pass. You may be facing a sickness. It doesn’t look good. But every time you declare, “I am healthy. I am strong. I am getting better,” you’re moving toward health, wholeness, victory. Perhaps you’re struggling with an addiction. Every time you declare, “I am free. This addiction does not control me,” you’re moving toward freedom. You’re moving toward breakthroughs.

Now, here’s the catch. This works in both the positive and in the negative. If you’re always saying, “I am so unlucky. I never get any good breaks,” you’re moving toward bad breaks, more disappointment. “Joel, my back has been hurting for three years. I don’t think I’ll ever get well.” You’re moving toward more sickness, more pain. “Look, I’ve been through so much. I don’t think I’ll ever be happy again.” You’re moving toward more discouragement, more sadness. If you will change what you’re saying, you will change what you’re seeing. The Scripture says, “Call the things that are not as if they already were.” A lot of times we do just the opposite. We call the things that are as if they will always be that way. In other words, we just describe the situation. “Gas is so high. I don’t see how I’m going to make it.” You’re calling in more struggle, more lack. “I can’t stand my job. My boss gets on my nerves.” You’re calling in more frustration, more defeat. Don’t use your words to describe the situation. Use your words to change the situation.

Have a Better Say So

One time our daughter, Alexandra, had a copy of my first book from ten years ago and a copy of my newest book. She was comparing the photos on the cover. She exclaimed, “Wow, Daddy! You look better today than you did ten years ago.” I said, “What would you like me to buy you?” Do you know how many times I have said, “I’m getting stronger, healthier, wiser. My youth is being renewed like the eagles.” Every time you say it, you’re moving toward it. But if you’re always saying, “I’m so out of shape. I’ll never lose this weight,” you’re moving toward the wrong thing.

A gentleman who looked to be about seventy recently told me, “Joel, when you get old, it’s all downhill.” That was his say so. He was declaring, “I’m going down.” He was calling in poor health, lack of vision, and hearing loss. If he keeps that up, he’ll keep moving toward it. By the way he looked, he had already been saying it for a long time!

I realize we’re all going to get old. We’re all eventually going to die, but don’t make plans to go downhill. Don’t start speaking defeat over your life. Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, and the Scripture says, “His eye was not dim, his natural strength not abated.” One hundred and twenty. Healthy. Strong. Twenty-twenty vision. Didn’t have reading glasses. Wasn’t wearing a “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” button around his chest! He had a clear memory, a strong, sharp mind. In spite of how you feel, in spite of what’s been passed down in your family line, every day you need to declare, “Everything about me is getting better and better—my bones, my joints, my ligaments, my blood, my organs, my memory, my vision, my hearing, my talent, my skill, my looks, my skin. My youth is being renewed. Like Moses, I will finish my course with my eye not dim, my natural strength not abated.” You talk like that, and you’re moving toward renewed youth, health, energy, and vitality.

That’s a lot better than getting up in the morning, looking in the mirror, and saying, “Oh, man, I’m getting so old. Look at these wrinkles. I look so bad. This gray hair. I’m so out of shape.” You keep moving toward that, and in five years it’s going to be scary! You need to have a better say so. Don’t talk about the way you are. Talk about the way you want to be. You are prophesying your future.

There’s a young lady on staff at Lakewood. Every morning before she leaves her house, she looks in the mirror and says, “Girl, you’re looking good today.” I saw her one time and asked if she was still doing it. She said, “Yeah, in fact, today when I looked in the mirror, I said, ‘Girl, some days you look good; but today, you look really good.’” Why don’t you stop criticizing yourself? Stop talking about all the things you don’t like—how you’re getting too old, too wrinkled, too this, too that. Start calling yourself strong, healthy, talented, beautiful, and young. Every morning, before you leave your house, look in the mirror and say, “Good morning, you good-looking thing!” Turn It Around

Maybe you’re in a difficult time today. To complain, “I don’t think I’ll ever get out,” is just going to draw in more defeat. Your declaration should be, “I have grace for this season. I am strong in the Lord. Those who are for me are greater than those who are against me.” When you say that, strength comes. Courage comes. Confidence comes. Endurance comes. If you go through a disappointment, a bad break, or a loss, don’t grumble, “I don’t know why this has happened to me. It’s so unfair.” That’s just going to draw in more self-pity. Your declaration should be, “God promised me beauty for ashes, joy for mourning. I’m not staying here. I’m moving forward. New beginnings are in my future. The rest of my life will be the best of my life.” When you talk like that, you’re moving toward double for your trouble. You’re moving away from self-pity and toward God’s goodness in a new way.

One of the best things we can do is take a few minutes every morning and make these positive declarations over our lives. Write down not only your dreams, your goals, and your vision, but make a list of any area you want to improve in, anything you want to see changed. Put that list on your bathroom mirror, somewhere private. Before you leave the house, take a couple of minutes and declare that over your life. If you struggle with your self-esteem, feeling less than, you need to declare every day, “I am confident. I am valuable. I am one of a kind. I have royal blood flowing through my veins. I am wearing a crown of favor. I am a child of the Most High God.” You declare that, and you’ll go out with your shoulders back, with your head held high.

If you struggle with your weight, declare, “I am in shape. I am healthy. I’m full of energy. I weigh what I should weigh.” It may not be true right now, but you keep saying it and you’re going to move toward it.

Instead of living under a blanket of guilt and condemnation and being focused on past mistakes, declare, “I am forgiven. I am redeemed. I am wearing a robe of righteousness. God is pleased with me.”

The Scripture says, “Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’” It doesn’t say, “Let the weak talk about the weakness. Discuss the weakness. Call five friends and explain the weakness.” You have to send your words out in the direction you want your life to go.

When you’re in a tough time and somebody asks you how you’re doing, don’t go through a sad song of everything that’s wrong in your life. “Oh, man, my back’s been hurting. Traffic is so bad today. My boss isn’t treating me right. The dishwasher broke. The goldfish died, and my dog doesn’t like me.” All that’s going to do is draw in more defeat. Turn it around. Have a report of victory. “I am blessed. I am healthy. I am prosperous. I have the favor of God.” What you consistently talk about, you’re moving toward.

Talk to the Mountain

This is what David did. When he faced Goliath, it looked impossible. All the odds were against him. He could have easily gone around saying, “I know I’m supposed to face Goliath, but look at him. He’s twice my size. He’s got more experience, more equipment, more talent. I don’t see how this is ever going to work out.” You can talk yourself out of your destiny. Negative words can keep you from becoming who you were created to be. David looked Goliath in the eyes and said, “You come against me with a sword and a shield. But I come against you in the name of the Lord God of Israel. This day, I will defeat you and feed your head to the birds of the air!” Notice he was prophesying victory. He may have felt fear, but he spoke faith. I can hear David, as he’s going out to face Goliath, affirming under his breath, “I am well able. I am anointed. I am equipped. If God be for me, who dare be against me?” He picked up that rock, slung it in his slingshot, and Goliath came tumbling down.

When you face giants in life, you have to do as David did and prophesy your future. “Cancer, you are no match for me. I will defeat you.” “This addiction may have been in my family for years, but this is a new day. The buck stops with me. I’m the difference maker. I am free.” “My child may have been off course for a long time, but I know it’s only temporary. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” There was a man in the Scripture name Zerubbabel. He faced a huge mountain. To rebuild the temple in Jerusalem was a big obstacle, with enemies opposing every step. But like David, he didn’t talk about how impossible it was, how it was never going to work out. He said, “Who are you, oh great mountain, that would stand before me? You shall become a mere molehill.” He was prophesying his future. The mountain looked big. But he declared it would be flattened out. It would become a molehill. Here’s the principle: Don’t talk about the mountain; talk to the mountain. Look at that mountain of debt and tell it, “You can’t defeat me. You’re coming down. I will lend and not borrow. My cup will run over.” Whatever mountains you face in life, no matter how big they look, don’t shrink back in fear or be intimidated. Rise up in faith and tell that mountain, “You’re coming down.” Tell that sickness, “You’re temporary.” Say to that loneliness, that addiction, that legal problem, “Who are you, oh great mountain, to stand before me?” In other words, “Don’t you know who I am? A child of the Most High God. Haven’t you read my birth certificate? My Father created the universe. He breathed life into me and crowned me with His favor. He called me more than a conqueror. That means you can’t defeat me. You can’t hold me back. Oh great mountain, you’ve got to come down. I will overcome this illness. I will break this addiction. I will pay my house off. I will see my family restored. I will accomplish my dreams.” Prophesy victory. Prophesy breakthroughs. Prophesy what you’re believing for.

Resurrect What Looks Dead

In the Old Testament, Ezekiel saw a vision. He had this dream of a valley filled with bones. It was like a huge graveyard. Everywhere he looked were acres and acres of bones from people who had died. Bones represent things in our life that look dead, situations that seem impossible and permanently unchanging. God told him to do something interesting. He said, “Ezekiel, prophesy to these dead bones. Say to them, ‘Oh, you dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.” Ezekiel, in this vision, started speaking to the bones, telling them to come back to life. He called in skin, muscle, and tissue. As he was speaking, the bones started rattling and coming together, just like out of a movie, morphing back into a person. Finally, God told him to “prophesy to the breath” and call it forth. The Scripture says, “As he prophesied, breath came into those bodies, and they stood up like a vast army.” You may have things in your life that seem dead—a relationship, a business, your health. All you can see is a valley of dry bones, so to speak. God is saying to you what He said to Ezekiel. It’s not enough to just pray about it; you need to speak to it. Prophesy to those dead bones. Call in health. Call in abundance. Call in restoration. That child who’s been off course, don’t just pray about him or her. Prophesy and say, “Son, daughter, come back in. You will fulfill your destiny.” If you’re struggling with an addiction, don’t just pray about it, but prophesy. “I am free. Chains are broken off me. This is a new day of victory.” Get your checkbook out and prophesy to it. All it looks like are dead bones. Debt. Lack. Struggle. “I prophesy to these dead bones that I will lend and not borrow. I am the head and not the tail. I am coming in to overflow.” Just as with Ezekiel, if you’ll prophesy to the bones, God will resurrect what looks dead. He’ll make things happen that you could never make happen.

A friend of mine smoked cigarettes from an early age. She had tried again and again to stop but couldn’t do it. She was constantly saying, “I’ll never break this addiction. It’s too hard. And if I do, I know I’ll gain so much weight.” This went on for years. One day someone told her what I’m telling you, to change what she was saying, to prophesy victory. She started saying, “I don’t like to smoke. I can’t stand the taste of nicotine. I’m going to quit and not gain any extra weight.” She said that day after day. Even when she was smoking and enjoying it, she would say, “I can’t stand to smoke.” She wasn’t talking about the way she was. She was talking about the way she wanted to be. About three months later, one morning she noticed the cigarette tasted funny, almost bitter. She thought she got a bad pack. It got worse and worse. Several months later, it had gotten so bad she couldn’t stand it anymore. She stopped smoking, and she never gained one extra pound. Today she is totally free. She broke that addiction, in part, by the power of her words. She prophesied her future.

Maybe like her, you’ve spent years saying negative things over your life. “I can’t break this addiction. My marriage is never going to make it. I’ll never get out of debt.” You have to send your words out in a new direction. You are prophesying the wrong thing. Get in a habit of making these positive declarations over your life. Every day declare that your dreams are coming to pass. It’s not enough to just believe it. Nothing happens until you speak. As was true of the psalmist, when you say of the Lord, God will do what He promised.

Personal “Say So”s

Let me lead you in a few “Say So”s. Make these declarations out loud.

“I will accomplish my dreams. The right people are in my future. The right opportunities are headed my way. Blessings are chasing me down.”

“I am the head and not the tail. I will lend and not borrow.”

“I have a good personality. I am well liked. I am fun to be around. I enjoy my life. I have a positive outlook.”

“I will overcome every obstacle. I will outlast every adversity. Things have shifted in my favor. What was meant for my harm, God is using for my advantage. My future is bright.”

“My children are mighty in the land. My legacy will live on to inspire future generations.”

“I run with purpose in every step. My best days are still out in front of me. My greatest victories are in my future. I will become everything I was created to be. I will have everything God intended for me to have. I am the redeemed of the Lord, and I say so today!”