People who don't say what they want
don't get what they want.

That may sound like a simple statement, but I want you to think about it for a moment because, simple as it may seem, it is an important spiritual truth that many believers totally miss.

I don't know why that is. God emphasizes over and over throughout the Bible how important our words are. He tells us in Proverbs 18:21 "that death and life are in the power of the tongue."

He tells us in Mark 11:23 that "whosoever shall say to 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."

He tells us in Romans 4:17 that to be like Him we must speak things that "be not as though they were." He tells us through the Apostle Paul that "I believed...therefore have I spoken" (2 Cor. 4:13).

There's no question about it—faith speaks! Notice I didn't say faith whines and cries. You'd think it did by the way many Christians talk. "Oh my," they'll say. "Things are so bad. I just don't know what I'm going to do. I lost my job. My arthritis is acting up and my kids are a mess. I sure hope God does something to help us quick!"

But that's not how faith talks. Faith boldly proclaims the Word of God. Faith isn't a bit wimpy. Faith doesn't whine around, wondering if things are going to turn out.

Faith speaks as Jesus did in Mark 4 when He was in a ship, crossing the sea with His disciples:

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased.
(vv. 37-40)

Notice when Jesus' disciples came to Him in a panic, He didn't start crying, "Father, see this storm? We're about to drown here! If You don't do something, we're all going to die!" Do you know what would have happened if He'd have done that? Nothing would have changed. The storm would have raged on. The ship would have sunk, and Jesus' ministry would have sunk right along with it.

Jeusus Operated By Faith
You see, Jesus had to operate by faith just as we do. He was in a natural body, and He operated as a man in the earth. Everything He did, He did by faith.

God has given you authority over the things in your life just as He gave Adam authority in the Garden of Eden. You have authority over your family and your household. But if you don't exercise your authority, the devil will come in and take over your garden just as he took over Adam's garden.

I'm not saying the devil will stop coming to your house trying to kill, steal and destroy. He'll never stop trying to do those things until God puts him away. What I'm saying is that he won't be able to succeed, because you won't be going to God and crying, "Please do something about the devil, Lord. He's making my child sick."

You see, Satan is an outlaw. God has given us laws to keep him in line, but he won't abide by them unless we enforce those laws.

That's not really surprising. Things work the same way in the natural realm.

Satan doesn't care what belongs to him. He's a thief. He's a killer. He takes what he can get. So you have to use the Word of God on him when he tries to come into your garden and spoil it. That's what Adam should have done when Satan showed up in his garden.

The first time that creature opened his mouth to question the Word of God, Adam should have said, "Get out of my garden, you serpent!" And that's what you and I should do too. The first time the devil starts trying to bring doubt and unbelief to us we should just tell him to take his lies and get out of our lives!

Remember this: Satan can't force you to do anything. He doesn't have the power. All he can do is make a presentation and try to sell you the lies he is peddling. He can't make you buy them. He can only present them. You have a choice whether to take him up on his sorry deal or rebuke him and command him to leave you.

So when he makes you a presentation, learn not to toy with it. Don't take the bait. Instead, learn to immediately turn away from his doubts and start thinking and speaking the Word of God instead. Ask yourself: What does the Word say that guarantees me the very thing the devil just tried to make me doubt?

Get in the Word of God and find out the real truth. That's where your authority is—in the truth. Satan will lie to you, cheat you, trick you, deceive you and bait you into bondage if you'll let him. But God will always tell you the truth. And that truth will make you free.

Once you really know the truth of your authority in Christ Jesus, you won't sit around imprisoned by mountains of sickness, poverty and defeat. You won't spend your days crying about how bad things are. You'll spend your days telling those mountains to be cast into the sea.

Excerpt permission granted by
Eagle Mountain International Church, Inc.
aka:  Kenneth Copeland Ministries