The Apostle Paul wrote to his young protege Timothy saying, \u201cWhat you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also\u201d (2 Timothy 2:2). As disciples of Christ, what we learn from the Scriptures, we must pass on this truth. Well, it should come as no surprise the evil one, Satan, tries to muddy the waters with teaching that undermines the authority of the Scripture and the Sovereignty of God. One pesky teaching that has permeated the church is the Word of Faith doctrine.<\/p>\n
Word of Faith theology sets man to be a little god and gives such authority where a man can shape their reality by the very words they speak. For example, \u201cI spoke that into existence\u201d or \u201cName it and claim it.\u201d This teaching is so popular that to say anything contrary means going against the grain, and some even deem this orthodox teaching.<\/p>\n
We must affirm what the Bible teaches in regard to our words. Without a doubt, our speech matters to the Lord. When we traverse the Scriptures, we find the mention of the tongue frequently. Just a quick look through proverbs, one can see the wisdom given in regard to our speech. Proverbs 10:20 says, \u201cThe tongue of the righteous is pure silver; the heart of the wicked is of little value.\u201d Proverbs 18:6 says,\u00a0\u00a0\u201cA fool\u2019s lips lead to strife, and his mouth provokes a beating.\u201d One thing an honest reading of the Scripture will show us is that the tongue is connected to the heart. Essentially, what one speaks out of their mouth comes out of the very abundance of the heart.<\/p>\n
The Lord Jesus even said, \u201cA good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil\u201d (Matthew 12:35). He says, \u201cI tell you that on the day of judgment, people will have to account for every careless word they speak. For by your words, you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned\u201d (12:36). We can even read this further illustrated in James 3:5-6, \u201cSo too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.\u201d We readily sin with our words, which is why we should be slow to speak and quick to listen.<\/p>\n
Yet, we still haven\u2019t answered the question, can we create our realities with our words? Can we speak certain things into existence, such as health, wealth, or anything else we imagine? Well, the answer is simple; no, we cannot. This teaching is from the new age cultist and depends not on the Sovereign God of the Universe but metaphysical laws that control all things. In short, it is deism on steroids.<\/p>\n
In the Word of Faith view, God created, put metaphysical laws in place, sits back, and watches the world turn. So, man, to see things happen, must tap into these metaphysical laws, by the force of faith to see things happen. In The Laws of Prosperity<\/em>, Kenneth Copeland stated, \u201cI have learned the powerful force of the spiritual world that creates circumstances around us is controlled by the words of the mouth. This force comes from inside us.\u201d<\/p>\n