In the landscape of contemporary Christian worship and practice, certain phrases capture the imagination of the faithful and become embedded in the lexicon of popular spirituality. In recent years, few such phrases have gained as much traction as “I decree and declare.” Walk into many churches, tune into numerous Christian broadcasts, or peruse the shelves of religious bookstores, and you will encounter this terminology presented as a powerful formula for releasing faith, claiming promises, and shaping reality through spoken words.
For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm
Psalm 33:9 ESV
But what are we to make of this practice? Is “decreeing and declaring” a biblical truth waiting to be rediscovered and unleashed by a believing generation? Or is it a well-intentioned but ultimately misguided import from metaphysical spirituality that has found its way into Christian circles? These are not mere semantic questions. They strike at the very heart of how we understand God’s sovereignty, the nature of prayer, the power of our words, and the proper posture of the creature before the Creator.
This blog post will undertake a serious examination of this topic. We will trace the biblical usage of the terms “decree” and “declare,” analyze the primary proof-texts used to support the practice, and evaluate the theological framework within which such speech operates. Our goal is not merely to critique a popular trend, but to establish a firm, biblical understanding of how our words function in relation to God’s sovereign will and our life of faith.
As we shall see, the Bible speaks clearly on these matters—and its voice calls us not to a place of commanding authority, but to a posture of humble, faithful, Word-saturated prayer.
I. Defining the Terms: What Does It Mean to Decree and Declare?
Before we can evaluate the practice biblically, we must first understand what is meant by the terms themselves. Language matters, and the words we use carry inherent meanings that shape our understanding and expectations.
The Meaning of “Decree”
In common parlance, a decree is not a suggestion or a request. It is a formal and authoritative order issued by one who possesses the power and right to enforce it. When a monarch issues a decree, it carries the full weight of royal authority. When a court issues a decree, it is not a plea for consideration but a binding judgment that requires compliance. The one who decrees speaks from a position of authority, expecting that their words will bring about the reality they prescribe .
This understanding is reflected in the linguistic background of the term. In the Hebrew of the Old Testament, the word often translated “decree” in the context of Job 22:28 is gazar, which carries the sense of cutting, dividing, or decisively determining a matter. However, it is crucial to note that the more common Hebrew word for an official, sovereign decree—the kind issued by a king or by God Himself—is khoke or choq, which implies something inscribed, enacted, and unchangeable .
The Meaning of “Declare”
To declare, by contrast, is a more common and less inherently authoritative term. It means to make known, to announce, to proclaim, or to state clearly. One can declare the news, declare one’s intentions, or declare a fact. In Scripture, the Greek words translated as “declare” overwhelmingly carry the sense of reporting, teaching, making known, or confessing . It is an act of communication, not necessarily an act of creation or command.
The Popular Usage in Contemporary Christianity
In the popular teaching on “decreeing and declaring,” these two terms are fused into a spiritual practice. The underlying belief is that when a believer speaks words aloud—whether they are promises from Scripture, declarations about their circumstances, or pronouncements over their future—those words carry spiritual power to bring about the reality they state. To decree is to exercise authority. To declare is to release that authority into the spiritual realm. The combination is presented as a mechanism by which the believer can shape their destiny, bind the works of Satan, and release the blessings of God .
This practice often carries the implicit or explicit belief that words themselves contain power, and that speaking them in faith creates a spiritual “force” that compels reality to align with the speaker’s confession. It is, in essence, a form of verbal creation—speaking things into existence.
But is this what the Bible teaches? Or does such a practice inadvertently assign to human beings a prerogative that belongs exclusively to God?
II. The Sovereign Decree: A Divine Prerogative
When we open the Scriptures, the first and most striking observation we must make is this: the language of decreeing, in its ultimate and authoritative sense, is reserved for God alone. From Genesis to Revelation, it is the Lord who speaks and it comes to be. It is the Lord who issues decrees that cannot be overturned.
God’s Creative Decrees
The very first pages of Scripture establish this pattern unmistakably. In Genesis 1, we read the refrain that shapes the entire biblical understanding of divine speech:
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (Genesis 1:3, ESV)
This is not a prayer. It is not a request. It is not a declaration of faith in the hopes that light might appear. It is a sovereign decree issued by the Creator, and it carries within itself the power of its own fulfillment. The Psalmist reflects on this with awe:
For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. (Psalm 33:9, ESV)
God’s decrees are uniquely creative. They call into existence things that do not exist. They establish reality by divine fiat. No human being shares in this prerogative. We were present when God laid the foundation of the earth? We were there when the morning stars sang together? Of course not. The creative decree belongs to God alone .
God’s Sovereign Decrees in History
Beyond creation, God’s decrees govern the course of human history. The prophets regularly employed the language of declaring and decreeing—but always as those who spoke on God’s behalf, not on their own authority. When Isaiah records God’s challenge to the idols, the terms are striking:
“Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.” (Isaiah 45:21, ESV)
Here God challenges the false gods to demonstrate their divinity by doing what only He can do: declaring the end from the beginning. The ability to declare future events with certainty and to bring them to pass is presented as evidence of true deity .
The Apostle Paul affirms this sovereign governance when he writes that God works “all things according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11, ESV). This is the language of divine decree. Nothing lies outside its scope. From the fall of sparrows to the crucifixion of Christ—which occurred according to “the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23, ESV)—all things unfold under the sovereign decrees of the Almighty .
The consistent testimony of Scripture is that decreeing, in the sense of issuing an authoritative, effectual command, is the exclusive prerogative of the Triune God. He alone possesses the authority and the power to establish reality by His word.
III. The Central Proof-Text: Job 22:28 in Context
No examination of this topic would be complete without addressing the verse most commonly cited to support the practice of decreeing and declaring. It appears in the King James Version in a form that has captured the imagination of many:
“Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.” (Job 22:28, KJV)
At first glance, this seems to offer precisely what the practice claims: a divine promise that whatever we decree will be established. But the faithful student of Scripture knows that a verse removed from its context becomes a pretext. We must examine this passage carefully.
The Speaker and His Rebuke
The first and most crucial observation is this: these words were not spoken by God. They were not spoken by a prophet speaking on God’s behalf. They were spoken by Eliphaz the Temanite, one of Job’s three friends who came to comfort him in his affliction. And if we read the book of Job to its conclusion, we discover something remarkable about these friends:
After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” (Job 42:7, ESV)
God Himself declares that Eliphaz—the very man who uttered the words about decreeing a thing—did not speak what is right about God. The entire speech of Eliphaz, including chapter 22, is marked by a fundamental misunderstanding of Job’s situation and of God’s ways. Eliphaz operated on the simplistic assumption that suffering is always the direct result of specific sin, and that repentance would automatically restore prosperity. His advice to Job, while containing elements of truth, was ultimately a misrepresentation of God’s character and dealings .
To build a doctrine of prayer and spiritual authority on the words of a man whom God explicitly rebuked for not speaking rightly is, to say the least, precarious.
The Accurate Translation and Meaning
Even if we set aside the issue of the speaker’s divine rebuke, the verse itself, when accurately translated, does not support the “decree and declare” teaching. The ESV renders Job 22:28 this way:
You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways. (Job 22:28, ESV)
The Hebrew word gazar carries the sense of making a decision or cutting a deal, not issuing an authoritative, sovereign decree . In the context of Eliphaz’s argument, the meaning is clear: if Job will repent and return to God (22:23), if he will make God his treasure (22:24-25), then he will enjoy restored fellowship with the Almighty. In that context of restored relationship, his prayers will be heard, his decisions will be guided, and God will establish his ways.
This is not a blank check for believers to decree whatever they wish. It is a statement about the blessings that flow from humble, repentant fellowship with God. The “deciding” is the responsible action of a person walking in wisdom; the “establishing” is God’s gracious response to a life submitted to Him.
IV. The New Testament Pattern: Proclamation, Not Creation
When we turn to the New Testament, the pattern of speech for believers is consistent. We are called to proclaim, to confess, to pray, and to preach. We are never instructed to “decree” in the sense of issuing authoritative commands that create reality.
The Apostles’ Example
Consider the apostles in the book of Acts. When they faced threats from the religious authorities, they did not gather to “decree and declare” their safety or their vindication. Instead, they prayed. And their prayer is instructive:
“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29-30, ESV)
Notice the posture. They address the Sovereign Lord. They ask Him to act. They seek empowerment for faithfulness, not control over circumstances. They recognize that the authority belongs to God, and their role is to petition Him and to proclaim His truth .
When Peter encountered the lame man at the Beautiful Gate, he spoke words of healing:
But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6, ESV)
This sounds, on the surface, like a decree. But careful attention reveals the crucial distinction: Peter acts in the name of Jesus Christ. He is not exercising his own authority or releasing his own power. He is acting as an instrument of the risen Lord, speaking under divine authority and by specific divine enabling. This is not a pattern for believers to routinely “decree” healing over every situation; it is a demonstration of apostolic ministry accompanying the proclamation of the gospel .
The Confession of Faith
The New Testament does, however, use the language of “declaring” or “confessing” in a manner that is central to the Christian life. Paul writes:
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9, ESV)
Here, declaration is essential. But what are we declaring? We are not declaring our own prosperity or our own destiny. We are declaring a reality that exists independent of our confession: the lordship of Jesus Christ and the historical fact of His resurrection. Our confession aligns us with that reality; it does not create it. It is an acknowledgment of truth, not a creative act .
V. The Theological Crossroads: Word of Faith and Its Influences
To understand the popularity of “decreeing and declaring,” we must recognize that this practice does not emerge from a vacuum. It is most prominently associated with the theological stream often called the “Word of Faith” movement, which has been significantly influenced by metaphysical religious thought.
The Power of Positive Confession
Central to Word of Faith theology is the concept of “positive confession”—the belief that words contain creative power and that speaking positively (or negatively) activates spiritual laws that bring about what is spoken. This teaching draws, whether consciously or unconsciously, from the same wellspring as the New Thought movement of the 19th century, which gave rise to what is commonly known as “positive thinking.”
In this framework, faith becomes a force, and words become the vehicles that release that force. The believer is taught that by decreeing and declaring, they are cooperating with spiritual laws that God has established, and that their words will return to them with the reality they have spoken.
The Biblical Response
Against this, the Bible presents a different picture. Our words are important—Scripture is clear about that. James warns of the destructive power of the tongue. Jesus teaches that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. But our words derive their ultimate significance from the God to whom we relate, not from any inherent power they possess.
Jesus’ teaching on faith and speech must be understood in its proper context:
And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.” (Mark 11:22-23, ESV)
Notice the foundation: “Have faith in God.” The object of faith is not the words themselves, nor the act of speaking, nor even the faith within the believer. The object is God. The power resides in Him, not in the mechanism of speech. Jesus is teaching about the limitless possibilities of faith directed toward the living God, not giving believers a formula for controlling their circumstances by verbal decrees .
When we shift our focus from God to our own words, we have subtly but profoundly moved from biblical faith into something else entirely.
VI. The Proper Posture: Prayer, Not Decree
If decreeing and declaring, as popularly practiced, is not the biblical model, then what is? How should we speak to God and about our circumstances? The Scriptures point us consistently to a different posture.
Prayer as Dependence
Throughout the Bible, prayer is presented as the appropriate response of the creature to the Creator. It is an acknowledgment of dependence, not an assertion of authority. It is a reaching out to the One who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think.
The Psalmist models this posture repeatedly:
“Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!” (Psalm 31:2, ESV)
“Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint.” (Psalm 61:1-2, ESV)
This is the language of a child calling to a father, a servant petitioning a master, a creature crying out to the Creator. It is the opposite of decreeing. It recognizes that God is God and we are not.
Prayer Aligned with God’s Will
The New Testament clarifies the proper basis for confident prayer:
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. (1 John 5:14, ESV)
The confidence in prayer is not rooted in the power of our words, but in the alignment of our requests with God’s revealed will. We are not called to command reality, but to discern God’s will and to pray in accordance with it. This requires humility, submission, and a heart saturated with Scripture so that we may know what is pleasing to Him.
Jesus Himself modeled this in the Garden of Gethsemane. Facing the cross, He did not decree His deliverance or declare His victory over the circumstances. Instead, He prayed:
“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42, ESV)
Here is the perfect model of prayer: honest petition joined with absolute submission to the Father’s will. It is the prayer of a Son who knows His Father’s sovereignty and goodness, and who trusts Him even when the path leads through suffering.
Proclaiming God’s Truth
This is not to say that believers should be silent about God’s promises or passive in the face of difficulty. There is a robust place for proclamation in the Christian life. We are to declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into marvelous light. We are to proclaim the gospel to every creature. We are to speak the truth in love to one another. We are to encourage, exhort, and build one another up.
But this proclamation is always focused on God—His character, His works, His promises. We declare what He has done, what He has said, and who He is. We do not declare our own destiny as if we were gods. We declare our trust in the God who holds our destiny in His hands.
VII. Practical Implications for the Believer
How then should we apply this understanding to our daily walk with Christ? What does it look like to speak in a manner consistent with biblical faith?
Speak the Truth in Faith
We are called to speak truthfully about our circumstances, about ourselves, and about God. This means acknowledging the reality of trials while also affirming the greater reality of God’s presence and faithfulness. It means confessing our sins honestly, knowing that He is faithful and just to forgive. It means speaking words of life and grace to those around us, building them up and pointing them to Christ.
Pray with Humble Confidence
We are invited to bring our requests to God with confidence, not because our words have power, but because our Father is good and hears His children. We can pray boldly, knowing that nothing is too hard for the Lord. But we pray with the submission that says, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.”
Trust God’s Sovereignty
The ultimate antidote to the anxiety that often drives the “decree and declare” mentality is a deep trust in God’s sovereignty. If God is truly working all things according to the counsel of His will, if He truly causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, then we do not need to manipulate reality with our words. We need to rest in the hands of a faithful Creator and continue doing good.
The Psalmist models this rest:
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. (Psalm 37:5, ESV)
Our role is to commit—to entrust our way to Him. His role is to act. This frees us from the exhausting burden of trying to control outcomes through formulas and declarations, and invites us into the peace of trusting a sovereign God.
Speak Scripture Accurately
Finally, we must be committed to handling the Word of God accurately. This means resisting the temptation to lift verses from their context and press them into service for our preferred practices. It means studying Scripture to understand its original meaning and its place in the whole counsel of God. It means being like the Bereans, who examined the Scriptures daily to see if what they were being taught was true.
Conclusion: The Freedom of Humble Speech
So, should Christians be decreeing and declaring? Is this practice biblical?
The answer, based on a careful examination of Scripture, is that the practice of “decreeing and declaring” as popularly taught—the idea that believers can speak things into existence, command spiritual realities, and shape their destinies through the power of their words—finds no support in the Bible. The sovereign decree belongs to God alone. The creative word belongs to the Creator. The New Testament pattern for believers is not decreeing, but praying; not commanding, but petitioning; not speaking reality into being, but proclaiming the reality of who God is and what He has done.
The words of Eliphaz, so often cited for this practice, were spoken by a man whom God rebuked for not speaking what is right. The accurate translation of that verse points to decision-making in the context of restored relationship with God, not to a blank check for verbal decrees.
We are freed from this burden. We do not need to wonder if we have decreed correctly or declared sufficiently. We do not need to fear that our negative words have released destructive forces. We have a Father in heaven who loves us, who hears us, and who works all things according to His perfect will. Our role is to trust Him, to pray to Him, to proclaim His truth, and to walk in humble obedience.
Let us, then, with confidence and humility, bring our petitions to the throne of grace. Let us declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness. Let us speak the truth in love. And let us rest in the sovereignty of the God whose decrees stand firm forever, and whose love for us in Christ Jesus is unshakeable and eternal.
To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.