What does it mean to decree and declare?

Response

In certain circles, the act of “decreeing and declaring” something is believed to be a powerful way of bringing it into existence. This terminology originates from Pentecostal/Charismatic traditions and is akin to the concept of “positive confession.” Advocates of the “decree and declare” movement assert that speaking a decree or declaration will lead to its fulfillment. To “declare” is to verbally state a fact, while to “decree” is to issue a commanding directive. Kenneth Hagin, a prominent figure in the Word of Faith movement, asserts, “You can obtain whatever you articulate. . . . You always receive in your life what you believe and speak for” (“You Can Have What you Say,” hopefaithprayer.com, Lesson 25, accessed 3/31/20).

Supporters of the “decree and declare” movement seek to justify their beliefs with references to scripture. Drawing on the idea that humans are created in the image of God “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”, (Genesis 1:27), they argue that, like God, individuals can speak things into existence. Just as God spoke creation into being “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”, (Genesis 1:3,6, 9, 14, 20, 24, 26), those with faith can do likewise. Adherents of the “decree and declare” approach often make declarations such as “I decree and declare that I will be healed from my illness” or “I decree and declare that my family will be healthy and well provided for.” This practice sometimes replaces traditional prayer requests with declarations of desired outcomes.

While it is true that humans are created in the image of God, the “decree and declare” advocates misapply this truth in their practices. Being made in God’s image does not imply that we possess the same capabilities as God. Rather, being created in the image of God signifies that “humans sHare, though imperfectly and finitely, in God’s nature, that is, in His communicable attributes (life, personality, truth, wisdom, love, holiness, justice), and so have the capacity for spiritual fellowship with Him” (Allen P. Ross, Bible Knowledge Commentary: Genesis, ed. by John Walvoord and Roy Zuck, David C. Cook, 1989, p. 29). Being made in the image of God means that we reflect God’s attributes, not that we can do the things that only God can, such as speak things into existence.

Someone who has been taught to “decree and declare” might say something like this before taking a road trip: “I decree and declare God’s blessings on this vehicle, that it will remain mechanically sound!” In saying that, the speaker may truly believe that his verbal declaration, coupled with God’s power and authority within him, will guarantee a trouble-free trip. The problem is, our statements can be declarative, but not causative, no matter how true they are; plus, when we go around “decreeing” things, we are in danger of putting our will over God’s will. Jesus taught us to pray that God’s will be done, and He led by example (Luke 11:2;Luke 22:42).

Whether practitioners of the “decree and declare” formula realize it or not, the ritualistic vocalizing of those words has similarities to magical incantations. According to the dictionary, an incantation is “a written or recited formula of

Followers of the Word of Faith movement are instructed to repeatedly use the “decree and declare” formula, believing that their optimism will lead to positive outcomes.

Instead of mechanically stating predetermined affirmations to acquire something, we should pray to the Lord in acceptance of His will “He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, ‘O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.'”, (Matthew 26:42). Rather than trying to manipulate God by summoning whatever we desire, Christians should rely on the Heavenly Father who “knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” “Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”, (Matthew 6:8, NLT).