How to Use Declarations of Truth to Break the Power of the Enemy’s Deceptions
Ever talk to yourself? Every once in a while, I accidentally find myself exclaiming something out loud. I suddenly notice what I meant to say silently in my mind has slipped out my lips. “Come on Anderson, do it right!” is one. Or I utter something alone in my car, annoyed with the vehicle in front of me, “Turn on your blinker will you?!!” Honest confession. Sadly, these proclamations are often not nice toward myself or others. Declarations are powerful and have a great spiritual impact.
Matthew 12:34 says, “The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” It’s not a great sign when I say things like what was mentioned above. Yet it’s a sign I need to take note of and do something about.
Instead of these negative statements, we can declare truths about things our soul needs to hear.
Rhythms for Life
Lately, I’ve been practicing various rhythms for health and marriage. Habits and spiritual rhythms help us move forward even when we don’t necessarily feel like it. They reduce the need for willpower, something that is limited in supply. They do this by becoming patterns of our lives rather than things we choose to do daily.
One I’ve particularly enjoyed has been making four daily declarations during my time alone with God in the mornings. I heard about these from Archie Coates of HTB though I’m not sure if they are original with him.
In one way they are prayers. But in another way, I’m talking more to myself than to God. There are times when we need to speak truth to our souls through a declaration like this.
3 Ways Making Truth Declarations Help Us
1. Truth declarations build our faith
Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Sometimes we need to hear these things spoken to our souls to build up our faith. This is why rather than just reading them, I’ve experienced real power in saying them out loud. It builds my faith in the reality and truth of these truths.
Our souls are fickle. It’s easy for us to become discouraged or to begin to believe the opposite of these things. Realign yourself by saying them out loud. Even if you don’t immediately believe them to be true, as you repeat this daily, they will sink in.
2. Truth declarations affect the spiritual environment
Whether we like to admit it or not, we live in a spiritual world and we are not the only spiritual beings that inhabit it! Ephesians 6:12 tells us that we are in a spiritual battle, not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers, the enemy of our souls.
When we speak aloud, not only do we hear those things but so do the demonic forces in our spiritual environment. We declare things that are from God’s word. This changes the spiritual climate. Demons have to flee.
Jesus used this amid His temptations in the wilderness (John 4).
You may not be experiencing such overt demonic forces as He did in that passage. But there is an enemy of our souls who wants us to believe lies rather than the truth. This brings me to my last point.
3. Truth Declarations destroy the lies of the enemy
John 8:44 speaks of Satan as the father of lies. He is a deceiver by nature. It is one of his greatest strengths and we must be on guard against believing his many lies.
How do we deal with the enemy’s lies? First, we must discern and recognize them. Then, we speak truth to them, especially truth that is based on Scripture.
When I feel weak and the enemy’s lies in my mind tell me “You are worthless, too weak for the things you are trying to do,” I may say out loud – “No I am not. God’s Word says that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!”
I have to say that to myself so often, I had it painted on my wall!
Make a Truth Declaration Plan
What declaration of truth is most needed in your life today? It may or may not be the four I’ve listed here. Maybe there’s another deception of the enemy you need to combat with truth.
Make a plan though and determine to say that particular thing out loud for a week. Then see how it’s affecting you. You can then switch to something else or continue.
What will you be declaring to your soul? I’d love to hear about it in the comments or on the Missionary Life Facebook page.