Is the “decree and declare” teaching Biblical?

What Is The “Decree And Declare” Teaching?

The phrase “decree and declare” is often used in some Pentecostal, Charismatic, and Word of Faith circles. It teaches that if a believer speaks certain words with enough faith, those words will bring the desired result into existence.

In this teaching, people are encouraged to “decree” financial prosperity, physical healing, success, promotion, protection, or other blessings. The idea is that spoken words have creative power when they are spoken by a believer in faith.

Some Word of Faith teachers claim that Christians can have whatever they say if they believe strongly enough. This has led many sincere believers to think that faith is mainly about speaking positive outcomes into existence.

But we must ask an important question: Is this teaching biblical? Does the Bible teach believers to decree and declare their desires into reality? Or does it teach us to pray, trust, obey, and submit to God’s will?

The answer matters because false ideas about faith can lead to disappointment, presumption, and even spiritual harm.

Are Humans Able To Speak Things Into Existence?

Supporters of the “decree and declare” teaching often point to creation. They note that God spoke, and the world came into existence. The Bible says, “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light” Genesis 1:3.

They also point to the fact that human beings were made in God’s image. Scripture says, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” Genesis 1:27.

From this, some conclude that because humans are made in God’s image, they can speak things into existence as God did. But this conclusion goes beyond what the text says.

Being made in God’s image does not mean that human beings possess God’s divine creative power. It means that humans were created to reflect God’s character, reason, moral nature, relational capacity, and stewardship over creation. We are called to represent God, not to become little gods who create reality by our words.

God alone speaks things into existence. David wrote, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth” Psalm 33:6. He added, “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” Psalm 33:9.

That power belongs to God, not to man.

Prayer Is Not Decreeing

Jesus did not teach His followers to decree their desires into existence. He taught them to pray to the Father.

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus said, “Give us this day our daily bread” Matthew 6:11. He did not say, “Decree your daily bread.” He taught dependence, humility, and trust.

Jesus also taught us to submit our requests to God’s will. In Gethsemane, He prayed, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” Luke 22:42.

This is the opposite of demanding an outcome by spoken declaration. Jesus, the Son of God, submitted His human will to the Father. If He prayed this way, how much more should we?

God knows our needs before we ask. Jesus said, “For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” Matthew 6:8. Yet He still calls us to ask. Prayer is not informing God of something He does not know. It is coming to Him in faith, surrender, and dependence.

True prayer says, “Lord, I trust You.” Presumption says, “Lord, You must do what I say.”

Faith Submits To God’s Will

Biblical faith does not force God to fulfill our desires. Biblical faith trusts God’s wisdom, goodness, and timing.

John wrote, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” 1 John 5:14. This verse gives great assurance, but it also gives an important condition: our requests must be according to God’s will.

James warned against selfish prayer. He wrote, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” James 4:3.

This is a needed warning. Not every desire is holy. Not every dream is God’s will. Not every request would bless us if God granted it. Sometimes God says no because He loves us. Sometimes He says wait because He is preparing something better. Sometimes He allows trials because they produce spiritual growth.

Paul prayed three times for his “thorn in the flesh” to be removed. But God answered, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” 2 Corinthians 12:9. Paul did not decree the thorn away. He accepted God’s answer and found strength in grace.

That is biblical faith.

The Problem With Prosperity Teaching

The “decree and declare” teaching is often connected with prosperity theology. This teaching claims that financial wealth and physical health are guaranteed rights for believers if they speak correctly and have enough faith.

But the Bible does not teach that all faithful believers will be rich. Jesus Himself lived simply. He said, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” Matthew 8:20.

The apostles were not wealthy men preaching luxury. Paul wrote, “Even to the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless” 1 Corinthians 4:11.

Faithful Christians have often suffered poverty, persecution, imprisonment, and death. Hebrews describes believers who “had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment” Hebrews 11:36. Others “wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented” Hebrews 11:37.

These people were not faithless. Hebrews says the world was not worthy of them Hebrews 11:38.

Therefore, poverty or sickness should not automatically be treated as proof of weak faith. That idea can wound sincere believers and misrepresent God’s character.

Does The Bible Teach Positive Confession?

The Bible does teach that words matter. Proverbs says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” Proverbs 18:21. James also warns that the tongue is powerful and can cause great harm James 3:5-6.

Christians should speak truth, encouragement, faith, and hope. Paul wrote, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification” Ephesians 4:29.

However, this does not mean our words have independent creative power to control reality. Proverbs and James are teaching moral responsibility, not magical speech. Our words can bless or hurt people. They can build faith or spread fear. They can honor God or dishonor Him.

The Bible calls us to confess Christ, speak truth, pray with faith, and encourage others. It does not call us to manipulate circumstances by verbal formulas.

There is a major difference between saying, “I trust God to provide,” and saying, “I decree that money must come to me.” The first is faith. The second can become presumption.

What About Declaring God’s Promises?

There is a biblical way to “declare” truth. Believers may proclaim God’s promises, confess His Word, and praise His faithfulness.

David wrote, “I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You” Psalm 22:22. Believers should declare who God is and what He has revealed.

But declaring God’s promises is not the same as commanding God to perform our wishes. We may say, “God is my refuge and strength” because Scripture says so Psalm 46:1. We may say, “The Lord will never leave me nor forsake me” because He has promised it Hebrews 13:5.

Yet we must be careful not to twist Scripture into personal guarantees God never gave. For example, God may promise to provide our needs, but that does not mean every believer is promised wealth. God may heal, but that does not mean every sickness will be healed immediately in this life.

Faith honors the whole counsel of Scripture. It does not select pleasant verses while ignoring suffering, sacrifice, obedience, and surrender.

Jesus’ Example Of True Faith

Jesus is our perfect example of faith. He trusted the Father completely, but He never used faith to avoid suffering or exalt Himself.

When Satan tempted Him to turn stones into bread, Jesus refused. He answered, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” Matthew 4:4.

When Satan tempted Him to throw Himself from the temple and claim angelic protection, Jesus answered, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God” Matthew 4:7.

This matters. Presumption uses Scripture to demand that God act according to our desires. Faith submits to God’s Word and refuses to test Him.

At the cross, Jesus did not decree His suffering away. He prayed, trusted, obeyed, and surrendered. His victory came not by avoiding the Father’s will, but by fulfilling it.

The Christian life follows the same pattern. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” Matthew 16:24.

This is very different from a message that centers on wealth, comfort, and guaranteed success.

How Should Christians Pray?

Christians should pray boldly, but humbly. We should bring our needs to God with confidence because He is our Father.

Paul wrote, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” Philippians 4:6. He then promised that “the peace of God” will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus Philippians 4:7.

Notice that Paul promises peace, not automatic fulfillment of every request. Prayer brings us into communion with God. It teaches us to trust Him whether He says yes, no, or wait.

Jesus also encouraged persistent prayer. He said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” Matthew 7:7. But He also taught us to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” Matthew 6:10.

This is the balance. We ask with faith. We trust God’s love. We submit to His will. We refuse to treat prayer like a formula for controlling outcomes.

Conclusion

The “decree and declare” teaching is not biblical when it claims that believers can speak their desires into existence as God did at creation. Humans are made in God’s image, but we do not possess God’s creative power.

Jesus taught His followers to pray to the Father, ask for their needs, and submit to God’s will. Biblical faith does not demand outcomes. It trusts God’s wisdom, rests in His promises, and obeys His Word.

The Bible does teach that words matter. Christians should speak truth, encouragement, praise, and faith. We may declare God’s revealed promises and proclaim His goodness. But we should not use “decree and declare” formulas as if our words control God or create reality.

True faith says with Jesus, “Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” Luke 22:42. That is not weak faith. It is the highest faith, because it places full trust in the Father’s love and wisdom.