Transcription
Beloved, before your feet ever hit the floor, before you reach for a phone, before you reach for a feeling, reach for the word. Jesus said, "Thy word is truth." John 17:17. The psalmist said, "The entrance of thy words giveth light." Psalm 119:130. And Paul wrote, "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart." Romans 10:8.
Your first word sets your first steps. Your first voice decides your first victories. First voice, first choice. Say it out loud with me. The Bible is God speaking to me.
Let's pray. Father, in Jesus name, we thank you for your precious, holy, written word. Sanctify us through thy truth. John 17. We welcome the Holy Spirit, our teacher and guide to lead us into all truth. John 16:13. to unveil the word to our spirits. We are not hearers only but doers of the word. James 1:22 in Jesus name. Amen.
Now listen closely. Jesus didn't tell us to start our day by checking how we feel. He told us to say what we believe. Have faith in God. Whosoever shall say unto this mountain and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass. He shall have whatsoever he saith. Mark 11:22-23. Notice he mentioned saying three times and believing once. We believe and therefore we speak. Paul called this the spirit of faith. We also believe and therefore speak. 2 Corinthians 4:13. Say it with me. I believe, therefore I speak.
You see, faith doesn't ride on feelings. Faith rides on the word. Faith doesn't wait for evidence in your senses. It takes evidence from scripture. We walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed. John 20:29. And how does this faith come? Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17.
When you open your mouth in the morning, you are either opening the door to the word or you are opening the door to your worry. So, we choose the word. First voice, first choice. Some folks say, "Brother Hagen, I'll speak it after I feel it." No, that's not Bible faith. Bible faith speaks because it believes, and it believes because God has spoken. Let God be true, but every man a liar. Romans 3:4.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Proverbs 18:21. Your tongue is the rudder of your day. Your confession is the switch of your faith. Your words are the seeds of your harvest. Mark 4:14. Galatians 6:7-9. Keep the switch of faith turned on. Say that with me. I keep the switch of faith turned on.
Before your feet hit the floor, we are going to put the word where it works best, in your heart and in your mouth. Romans 10:8-10. The new birth came that way. With the heart, man believeth, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. Your day moves the same way your salvation came, believing and speaking. What God started by your confession of Jesus as Lord, he intends to continue by your confession of his word. Hold fast the profession of your faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promised. Hebrews 10:23.
Say this out loud so your own ears hear your voice. That's important. This is the day which the Lord hath made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24. Jesus is Lord over my spirit, my soul, and my body. Philippians 2:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:23. The word is first, the word is final. I believe, therefore I speak.
Now someone says, but brother Hagen, I went to bed troubled. All the more reason to wake up talking the word. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee. Isaiah 26:3. Peace doesn't float in by accident. It is guarded by prayer and spoken by confession. Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7.
So we will say it before we feel it, believe it because he said it, and act because faith is an act. And hear me now. This isn't positive thinking. This is Bible believing. This isn't mental gymnastics. This is the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:2. You are not trying to pry a blessing from a reluctant God. He that spared not his own son. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Romans 8:32. You have legal rights in Christ. You have authority in his name. John 14:13. You overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of your testimony. Revelation 12:11. So we will use the name. We will plead the blood and we will hold fast the word.
Let's dedicate the first voice of our day right now. Put a hand on your heart and say it boldly. Father, your word is first place and final authority in my life today. I set my mouth in agreement with you. I believe therefore I speak. I call this day blessed, guided, guarded, and supplied in Jesus name. Amen. Glory to God.
Now, listen carefully to this transition. In these next moments, we're going to learn it, then see it in the scriptures, then say it with our mouths, and finally do it in our daily walk. Because faith is an act, the first thing we must settle is this, the word first, unhooking from the senses and hooking into scripture.
Now, listen friends, faith must have an anchor. Not in your feelings, not in your circumstances, not in the reports of men. Faith is anchored in the word of God alone. Paul wrote, "So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17. Notice, faith doesn't come by feeling. Faith doesn't come by seeing. Faith doesn't come by touching. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word.
The nobleman in John 4 didn't have Jesus in his house. He didn't have a sign. He didn't have a wonder. He had one thing, a word from the master. And the Bible says, "The man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way." John 4:50. That's faith. He unhooked from the senses and hooked into the scriptures. Say it with me. I unhooked from the senses. I hook into the scriptures.
Some folks say, "Brother Hagen, I just don't feel healed." Well, who said anything about feelings? The Bible didn't say the just shall live by feelings. No, it says the just shall live by faith. Romans 1:17, Habakkuk 2:4. The Bible doesn't say we walk by sight. No, it says we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7. And Jesus said, "Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:29.
You see, if you're waiting on a sign to believe, you'll never move beyond natural human faith. But if you believe because the word says so, you're in the God kind of faith. Mark 11:22 says, "Have faith in God." The margin of my Bible says, "Have the faith of God." And what is the faith of God? It's believing in your heart and speaking with your mouth when there is no physical evidence, no visible sign, nothing but the naked word of God. Glory to God. That's enough. The word is enough.
Now listen, the first thing in the morning, you have a choice. You can hook into the senses, check the body, check the bills, check the news, or you can hook into the scriptures. You can open your mouth and say, "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24. You can say, "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want." Psalm 23:1. You can say, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13.
And when you say it, you're turning on the switch of faith. Just like electricity in this building has been here all the time. But until somebody flips the switch, no light, no power, no sound. Faith is present. Faith is available. Faith is in the word. But your mouth is the switch. Say it with me again. My mouth is the switch of my faith. I turn it on in the morning and I keep it on all day long.
Now notice something in Proverbs 18:21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Death and life, cursing and blessing, fear and faith are all in your mouth. That's why the first words you speak every morning matter. Before your feet hit the floor, set the course of your day by hooking into scripture.
Let me ask you this. When the pilot gets into the airplane, does he check his feelings or does he check his instruments? If he flies by feelings, he'll end up upside down. But if he flies by the instruments, he'll land safely every time. Friends, this Bible is your instrument panel. Don't fly your day by feelings. Fly it by the word.
So, I'm going to say it again. Unhook from the senses. Hook into the scriptures. Make the word your first voice, your first choice, your first authority. Say this boldly. God's word is first place in my life. God's word is final authority in my life. I live by faith. I walk by faith. I believe the word. I speak the word. The word works in me today. Hallelujah. Glory to God.
Now that we've laid the foundation, let's look at the first real life case study in scripture that demonstrates this principle. The nobleman who believed the word only. Let's open our Bibles to John chapter 4 beginning at verse 46. Here we see the first healing miracle in Jesus's ministry, the nobleman's son at Capernaum. The scripture says, "So Jesus came again into Canaa of Galilee, where he made the water wine, and there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea into Galilee, he went unto him and besought him that he would come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death." John 4:46-47.
Now look at Jesus' response. "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." 48. But the nobleman pleaded, "Sir, come down ere my child die." And Jesus said unto him, "Go thy way, thy son liveth." And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 50. Oh, glory to God. There it is. He believed the word. He didn't see a sign. He didn't see a wonder. He didn't get a report from the house. He didn't feel a change. He just believed the word. Say this with me. I believe the word whether I see it or not.
Now, notice it took him until the next day to get home. 24 hours with no physical evidence. 24 hours with no messenger. 24 hours with nothing but the word in his heart. Can't you imagine how the devil must have hounded his mind? Your boy's dead by now. You should have dragged Jesus with you. You're a fool for believing a word. But the scripture says he believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. Faith is not frantic. Faith is not in a hurry. Faith simply takes God at his word and goes its way in peace.
Now when his servants met him, they said, "Thy son liveth," he inquired of them the hour he began to amend. And they said, "Yesterday, at the seventh hour, the fever left him." Then the father knew it was the same hour in which Jesus said unto him, "Thy son liveth." John 4:51-53. Listen, he didn't get an instant manifestation. The boy began to amend. From that hour, he improved. Gradual recovery is just as much a miracle as instant recovery. Don't turn off the switch of faith just because it's not instant. Keep believing the word. Keep confessing the word. Keep walking by faith. Say this after me. I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe. And I believe the word of God.
Now friends, this case teaches us something vital. You don't need the physical presence of Jesus to receive. You don't need a sign. You don't need a wonder. All you need is the word. The nobleman believed the word alone and his whole household believed as a result. Glory to God. The same word works for us today. For Hebrews 13:8 says, Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever. And Romans 10:8 says, "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart." That is the word of faith which we preach. So before your feet hit the floor, anchor your heart in the word like that nobleman. Say, "If Jesus said it, I believe it." And that settles it.
Now, let's move to another shining example. A woman who didn't wait to feel it first. She said it before she touched it. and when she touched, she received it. Turn with me now to Mark chapter 5, beginning at verse 25. This is one of the clearest pictures in the word of how faith operates. "And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, when she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, 'If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.'" Mark 5:25-28.
Now stop there. She said, say that with me. She said her healing began with her words. She had heard of Jesus, but hearing alone didn't heal her. She had to say something. "If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole." She didn't say I might. She didn't say I hope so. She said I shall be whole. That's Bible faith. Believing and speaking before you see or feel a thing.
Now the scripture continues, "And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague." 29. Notice the order. First she said it, then she acted. Then she touched, then she felt. Say it with me. She said it. She acted. She touched. She felt. This is the rhythm of faith. Say it. Do it, receive it, tell it. Say that with me. Say it. Do it. Receive it. Tell it.
Jesus himself confirmed this. Verse 34 says, "And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. Go in peace and be whole of thy plague." Notice he didn't say, "My power made you whole." He said, "Thy faith hath made thee whole." Yes, the power of God flowed, but it was her faith that tapped into it. And how did her faith work? By saying and then acting on what she said.
Now, let's make this personal. Before your feet hit the floor, don't say, "I'm afraid of this day. I don't know how it will go. I just hope I make it through." No. Say what God says. Say, "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. I am strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world." Say it before you feel it. Say it before you see it. Say it before you know it. Say it because he said it. And when you say it, act like it's true. And you will receive it.
Lift one hand right now and declare this with me. I say it before I see it. I say it before I feel it. I say it because he said it. My faith makes me whole today. Glory to God. You see, both the nobleman and the woman with the issue of blood show us the same principle. Faith is anchored in the word, and faith speaks before it sees.
Now, let's take a step deeper and talk about why these declarations work. Why words spoken in faith are like a switch, a seed, medicine, and a legal right. Now, some may ask, Brother Hagen, why do we have to say it? Why do we have to declare it out loud? I'll tell you why. Because that's the way faith works.
First, your confession is the switch. God's power is always present. Luke 5:17 says, "The power of the Lord was present to heal them," but not everyone in that room was healed. Why? They never flipped the switch of faith. The electricity can be in the building, but if you don't hit the switch, you sit in the dark. Faith is the switch. Your words turn it on. Mark 11:23 says, "He shall have whatsoever he saith," not what he thinketh, not what he hopeth, not what he feelth, what he saith. Say this with me. "My mouth is the switch of my faith. I turn it on with my words."
Second, your confession is seed. Jesus said in Mark 4:14, "The sower soweth the word. Every word you speak is a seed planted in the soil of your heart and your life." Proverbs 18:21 tells us, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." Notice that your words produce fruit. If you sow seeds of fear, you'll reap fear. If you sow seeds of doubt, you'll reap defeat. But if you sow seeds of faith, you'll reap victory. Galatians 6:7 says, "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Say this out loud. Every morning I sow words of life. Every day I reap a harvest of victory.
Third, your confession is medicine. Proverbs 4:20-22 says, "My son, attend to my words. Incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes. Keep them in the midst of thine heart; for they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh." That word health in the Hebrew means medicine. God's word is medicine. You wouldn't take a prescription one time and throw the bottle away. No, you take it morning and evening, day after day, until strength is restored. Do the same with God's word. Take your dose every morning with your mouth. Say it with me. God's word is medicine to my body, strength to my soul, and life to my spirit.
Fourth, your confession is your legal right. Colossians 2:14-15 says, "Jesus blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and spoiled principalities and powers. He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." When he rose from the dead, he gave the church the right to use his name. John 14:13-14 says, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the father may be glorified in the Son." That word ask also means demand as your right. You're not begging God to move. He already did in Christ. You are enforcing your rights by your confession. Say this boldly. I have legal rights in Christ. I overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of my testimony. I use the name. I plead the blood. I speak the word. And the devil has no place in me. Glory to God.
That's why declarations work. They're not empty words. They are the switch of faith, the seed for harvest, the medicine for health, and the legal right of every believer. And now with this understanding, we're ready to lay hold of the seven early morning declarations that every believer should make before their feet hit the floor. And the first one has to do with who you are in Christ. Your identity, your lordship, your position.
Now, before your feet hit the floor, the very first declaration must settle the biggest question of all. Who is Lord over this day? And who am I in him? Romans 10:9 says, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Salvation begins with lordship. Jesus is Lord. And listen, he's not just Lord on Sunday morning. He's not just Lord when you feel spiritual. He's not just Lord when circumstances are good. He is Lord every day over every step, over every detail. Say it with me. Jesus is Lord over this day.
Then we must settle who we are in him. 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new." You are not who you were yesterday. You are not what the devil says you are. You are not what failure says you are. You are who God says you are. Ephesians 1:7 says, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace." You are redeemed. You are forgiven. You are accepted. You are beloved. Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." So don't you start your day saying, "I feel guilty. I feel unworthy. I feel defeated." No. Start your day declaring, "I am the righteousness of God in Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:21. Your feelings don't change your standing. Your mistakes don't erase your position. Your position is in Christ and in him. You are new, forgiven, righteous, and accepted. Say this boldly before your feet hit the floor. Jesus is Lord over my spirit, my soul, and my body. I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. Old things are passed away, and all things are new. I am forgiven. I am accepted. I am beloved. There is no condemnation for I am in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah.
Now, when you declare his lordship and your identity, you set the foundation for the rest of your confessions. Lordship settles authority. Identity settles stability. And the next step flows right out of this. When you know who you are in Christ, then you can stand boldly in your authority and protection.
Now that we've declared Jesus is Lord and we know who we are in him, the next declaration before your feet hit the floor is this. I walk in authority and I live under divine protection. Luke 10:19. Oh, I love this verse. Jesus said, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." That word power means authority. Authority is delegated power. Just like a policeman standing in the intersection, he may not have the strength to stop a truck, but he has the authority of the law behind him when he raises his hand. Every driver knows they must obey. That's authority. Say this with me. I have authority in Jesus's name.
Colossians 2:15 says, Jesus spoiled principalities and powers. He made a show of them, openly triumphing over them in it. The devil is a defeated foe. He's not going to be defeated. He already is defeated. And that victory belongs to the believer in Christ. Psalm 91 promises divine protection. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God; in him will I trust." Psalm 91:1-2. Notice again, "I will say of the Lord." Protection flows when you declare it. Later in that same psalm, "There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." Don't get out of bed saying, "I'm afraid of accidents. I'm afraid of disease. I'm afraid of what may happen." No. Say what God says. Declare your authority and declare your protection. Say this with me right now. I tread on serpents and scorpions. I tread over all the power of the enemy. Nothing shall by any means hurt me. No evil shall befall me. No plague shall come near my dwelling. Angels have charge over me today. Glory to God. Authority has been given to you in the name of Jesus. Protection has been promised to you in the word of God. And when you start your day by declaring it, you walk out under a shield that the devil cannot penetrate.
And now once lordship is settled and authority is declared, the next step is this. You need guidance and wisdom for the decisions and steps of your day.
Now child of God, after you have declared his lordship, after you have stood in your authority and protection, the next thing you must declare before your feet hit the floor is this. God guides me today and I have his wisdom for every decision. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us plainly, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Did you hear that? He shall direct your paths. Not he might, not he could, he shall. That's a covenant promise. Psalm 32:8 records God's own words. "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go. I will guide thee with mine eye." Oh, praise God. He himself is committed to guiding his children. And James 1:5 adds this, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Do you see how strong that is? Ask and it shall be given. Wisdom is not withheld from you. It's poured out liberally upon you.
Now, some people wake up worried. What if I make the wrong decision? What if I take the wrong step? What if I miss it? No. Don't talk failure before your eyes. Talk guidance. Talk wisdom. Talk direction. Let the first thing out of your mouth set the compass for the day. Say this boldly with me now. The Lord instructs me and teaches me in the way I should go. The Lord guides me with his eye upon me. I trust in the Lord with all my heart. I do not lean on my own understanding. In all my ways I acknowledge him and he directs my path. I ask for wisdom and I receive it liberally. Glory to God. That settles the question. You don't start your day in confusion. You start in confidence. You don't walk in uncertainty. You walk in divine clarity. His word is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path. Psalm 119:105.
So before your feet hit the floor. You have set your heart. Jesus is Lord. You walk in authority and protection and your steps are ordered with wisdom. And what follows that? Your provision. The next declaration must concern the work of your hands and God's supply for your needs.
Now, after you've declared Jesus as Lord, stood in your authority, and received guidance, the next thing you must do before your feet hit the floor is settle this. God is my source, and the work of my hands is blessed. Philippians 4:19 says, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Did you hear that? All your need. Not some, not part, not most, all. And not according to the economy, not according to your paycheck, not according to Wall Street, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Psalm 23:1 says, "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want." David didn't say, "I might not want." He didn't say, "I hope I don't want." He said, "I shall not want." Why? Because the Lord himself is his shepherd. Deuteronomy 8:18 adds this, "But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant." God gives you the ability, the ideas, the opportunities, and the strength to prosper. Not just so you can be comfortable, but so his covenant can advance. 2 Corinthians 9:8 declares, "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." Notice those words, always. All, all, every. God wants you fully supplied, not for selfish hoarding, but so you can abound in every good work.
Now listen to me. Don't you start your day saying, "I never have enough. I can't make ends meet. Things just get worse." No. Replace those words with God's words. Remember, your mouth is the switch. If you say lack, you'll reap lack. If you say provision, you'll walk in provision. Say this boldly with me. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. My God supplies all my needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. God gives me power to get wealth to establish his covenant. I have all sufficiency in all things and I abound to every good work. The work of my hands is blessed and everything I touch prospers. Glory to God. That will set your finances and your labor on the right track before your feet hit the floor.
So far, we've declared lordship and identity, authority and protection, guidance and wisdom, and now provision and the work of our hands. But my friends, what good is prosperity without health? The next declaration will address your healing and strength.
Child of God, before your feet hit the floor, you must settle the matter of your health. What good is provision if sickness robs you? What good is wisdom if weakness holds you back? Thank God, healing belongs to us in Christ. 1 Peter 2:24 says, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." Did you hear it? Ye were healed. Not going to be, not someday in the future. Ye were. If ye were, then ye are. Healing is already purchased. Matthew 8:17 declares, "Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." Isaiah 53:4-5 says, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: and with his stripes we are healed." That word griefs in the Hebrew means sicknesses. He bore them so you don't have to. And Proverbs 4:20-22 tells us that God's word is life unto those that find them and health to all their flesh. That word health means medicine. So every morning take your dose of the word just like medicine.
Now some folks get discouraged if healing isn't instant. Remember the nobleman's son? We studied him earlier. The fever left, and from that hour he began to amend. [snorts] Sometimes healing is instant. Sometimes healing is gradual. But either way it is divine. Don't turn off the switch of faith just because you don't feel it yet. Keep declaring. Keep believing. Keep amending. Say this boldly with me. By his stripes I was healed. Therefore, by his stripes I am healed. Himself took my infirmities. Himself bore my sicknesses. God's word is medicine to my body, health to all my flesh. I am strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Glory to God. That's how you start your day. Not waiting for the pain to leave before you believe, but declaring the word because it's true. And as you declare it, healing power is working in your body. Strength is rising in your spirit and vitality is flowing into your life.
Now, once your body is settled in the word, there's something else you must guard your inner atmosphere. The next declaration deals with your peace and your joy.
Beloved, after you've declared healing and strength, you must settle the atmosphere of your soul. Your spirit can be alive, your body strong, but if your mind is in turmoil and your emotions are in despair, the devil will still try to steal your victory. That's why before your feet hit the floor, you must declare, "I have God's peace, and I walk in God's joy." Jesus said in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Notice he didn't say he would give peace someday. He said, "My peace I give unto you." That peace is a present possession. You don't have to beg for it. You don't have to wait for it. It belongs to you now. Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." When you commit your day to him, thanksgiving guards your mind, and peace becomes your shield. And don't forget Nehemiah 8:10. The joy of the Lord is your strength. Joy is not an emotion. Joy is a force. Joy comes from the spirit of God within you. Galatians 5:22 says, "Joy is a fruit of the spirit." That means it's already planted in you. You don't wait for circumstances to give you joy. You release joy by faith. Say this boldly with me. I have the peace of God today. Jesus gave me his peace and I refuse to let my heart be troubled. The peace of God guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. The joy of the Lord is my strength. I choose joy. I rejoice in the Lord always. Hallelujah.
Now, when you declare peace and joy before your feet hit the floor, you shut the door to worry and despair. You're not moved by bad news. You're not shaken by circumstances. You carry an atmosphere of heaven into your day. But listen carefully. There is one more declaration and it is the hinge on which all the others swing. It is the foundation of faith, the atmosphere of victory, the thing that causes your prayers to work. Love and forgiveness.
Now beloved, we've declared lordship and identity, authority and protection, guidance and wisdom, provision and prosperity, healing and strength, peace and joy. But hear me now. None of it will work if you do not walk in love and forgiveness. Galatians 5:6 says, "Faith which worketh by love." Your faith may be strong, your confession may be bold, but if love is not active, the whole system is shortcircuited. Love is the power line through which faith flows. Jesus said in John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." Love is not an option. Love is not a suggestion. Love is a commandment. And in Mark 11:25, right after teaching on mountain-moving faith, Jesus added this warning. "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." Notice he tied forgiveness directly to faith. You can't hold grudges and expect mountains to move. Romans 5:5 says, "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Thank God you don't have to love in your own strength. God's own love has been poured into your heart. It is in there right now. You just have to let it flow.
So before your feet hit the floor. Settle it. No offense will stick to me today. No bitterness will live in me today. I forgive quickly, freely, and fully. I walk in love as a way of life. Say this boldly with me. The love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost. I walk in love today. I forgive everyone, everything, every time. I refuse to hold grudges. I refuse to walk in bitterness. My faith works because my love works. I love because he first loved me. Hallelujah.
Now you've built the complete circle of declaration, seven pillars to start every day strong. Lordship, authority, guidance, provision, healing, peace, and love. But listen, confession is not a theory. Confession is an act. Faith is an act. So, in the next section, we'll take these seven declarations and show you how to put them into daily practice before your feet hit the floor.
Now, listen closely, friends. Faith is not just believing quietly on the inside. Faith is not wishing. Faith is not hoping. Faith is an act. James 2:17 says, "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." Another translation says, "Faith by itself, if it does not act, is dead." So, what do you do before your feet hit the floor? You act on the word. You put these seven declarations into practice. Here's how.
When you wake up, don't reach for the phone. Don't reach for the news. Don't even reach for the coffee. First, reach for the word. The first voice out of your mouth must be God's word. Remember Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." So start speaking life. Put a card on your nightstand with the seven declarations. Or set your alarm to say, "Speak the word first." When you open your eyes, lay your hand on your heart, look up to your Father, and begin to say, "Jesus is Lord over this day. I tread over all the power of the enemy. The Lord directs my steps. My God supplies all my needs. By his stripes, I am healed. The peace of God guards my heart. The love of God is shed abroad in my heart." Say it out loud. Don't just think it. Faith works when you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth. Romans 10:9.
And then stand up on those words. Literally let your feet hit the floor on faith. Walk across the room saying it. That's acting on the word. Joshua 1:8 tells us, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." Did you hear that? Success starts with the word in your mouth. Psalm 1 says the same thing. His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. How do you meditate day and night? You speak it, you mutter it, you roll it over with your mouth.
Now, some of you say, "Brother Hagen, I did it one morning and I didn't see anything." Well, if you took medicine once and threw the bottle away, would you expect results? No. You keep taking it. The same is true with the word. Keep speaking it. Keep acting on it. Keep the switch of faith turned on. Say this with me now. Faith is an act. I act on the word every morning. Before my feet hit the floor, I speak the word. I walk the word. I live the word. and I will see the word come to pass in my life. Hallelujah. That's how you turn daily declarations into a daily habit of victory.
But sometimes feelings will fight you. Sometimes circumstances will contradict you. The next thing we must learn is what to do when feelings don't match your faith. How to troubleshoot when the devil whispers, "It's not working."
Now, I want to be real practical here because many believers start out strong in confession, but then feelings rise up and try to contradict what they've declared. The devil whispers, "It's not working. You're not healed. You're not protected. You're not provided for. Look around. Nothing has changed." But listen, faith never looks at feelings. Faith looks at the word. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:7, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." And in Romans 4, speaking of Abraham, the Bible says, "He considered not his own body now dead, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform." Abraham didn't deny the facts. He simply refused to let the facts override the promise. That's faith.
So, what do you do when your feelings don't match your faith? Let me give you some anchors.
One, don't turn off the switch of faith. Remember the nobleman's son? The fever left, but the scripture says the boy began to amend. John 4:52. Healing didn't show up in full instantly. It grew stronger over time. Don't cancel what God started by saying, "Well, I guess it didn't work." Keep the switch of faith turned on. Say it with me. I refuse to turn off the switch of faith.
Two, guard your tongue. Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." Don't undo your morning confession with careless words in the afternoon. James 3:10 says, "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be." If you've declared healing in the morning, don't complain of sickness at noon. If you've declared provision at sunrise, don't confess lack at sunset. Your words must stay in agreement with God's word. Say this, "My words agree with God's word all day long."
Three, check your love walk. Remember, faith works by love. Galatians 5:6. Mark 11:25 ties forgiveness directly to faith. If prayers seem hindered, check your heart. Are you holding something against someone? Are you walking in offense? That will shortcircuit your faith. The answer is simple. Forgive. Say it. I forgive quickly, freely, and fully.
Four, reinforce at night. Don't just speak in the morning. Close your day in the word. Psalm 4:8 says, "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety." At night, thank God for the day, reaffirm your confessions, and rest in his promises. Say this, "I sleep in peace, and I rise in faith."
Now, feelings may scream otherwise. Circumstances may contradict, but remember, the word is truer than what you see. The word is stronger than what you feel. The word is final authority. Say this boldly with me now. I walk by faith, not by sight. I hold fast the confession of my faith without wavering. God is faithful that promised. I refuse to be moved by feelings. I refuse to be moved by circumstances. I am moved only by the word of God. Hallelujah. That's how you troubleshoot when feelings don't match faith. You hold steady. You guard your tongue. You walk in love. You reinforce the word. And you keep the switch of faith turned on.
And now that you know how to troubleshoot, we're ready to practice together all seven declarations in one powerful flow.
Now beloved, we've walked through each declaration one by one, but I don't want you to leave with scattered pieces. I want you to have the full flow, the complete rhythm of faith, all seven tied together as one mighty confession. Hebrews 10:23 says, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised." Notice it says, "Us."
There's something powerful when believers decree together. Psalm 107:2 declares, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, not think so, not wish so, say so." So right now, let's make the full seven declarations as one voice. Say it strong, say it bold, say it loud enough that your own ears hear your voice. Faith comes by hearing and that includes hearing yourself speak.
Lift one hand and declare one lordship and identity. Jesus is Lord over my spirit, my soul, and my body. I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. Old things are passed away and all things are new. I am forgiven, accepted, and beloved. There is no condemnation for I am in Christ Jesus.
Two, authority and protection. I tread on serpents and scorpions. I tread over all the power of the enemy. Nothing shall by any means hurt me. No evil shall befall me. No plague shall come near my dwelling. Angels have charge over me today.
Three, guidance and wisdom. The Lord instructs me and teaches me in the way I should go. The Lord guides me with his eye upon me. I trust in the Lord with all my heart. I do not lean on my own understanding. In all my ways I acknowledge him and he directs my paths. I ask for wisdom and I receive it liberally for provision and work of my hands. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. My God supplies all my needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. God gives me power to get wealth to establish his covenant. I have all sufficiency in all things and I abound to every good work. The work of my hands is blessed and everything I touch prospers.
Five. Healing and strength. By his stripes I was healed. Therefore, by his stripes I am healed. Himself took my infirmities. Himself bore my sicknesses. God's word is medicine to my body, health to all my flesh. I am strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.
Six, peace and joy. I have the peace of God today. Jesus gave me his peace and I refuse to let my heart be troubled. The peace of God guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. The joy of the Lord is my strength. I choose joy. I rejoice in the Lord always.
Love. Forgiveness. The love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost. I walk in love today. I forgive everyone, everything, every time. I refuse to hold grudges. I refuse to walk in bitterness. My faith works because my love works. I love because he first loved me. Hallelujah.
That's the seven-fold confession of a victorious believer. If you'll take just five minutes every morning before your feet hit the floor and declare this, you'll walk out clothed in faith, wrapped in peace, filled with strength, and armed with victory.
Now, some of you listening may be saying, "Brother Hagen, I've never even made Jesus Lord of my life. I don't know if I'm in Christ yet." Well, this is where it all begins. The next step is the most important of all. Receiving Jesus as Lord or rededicating your life or being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Now, beloved, we've been talking about declarations, about speaking the word, about walking in faith, but listen to me carefully. All of this begins with one declaration above all others. Jesus is Lord. Romans 10:9:10 says that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made under salvation. Did you hear that? Salvation comes the same way. Healing comes the same way provision comes by believing in your heart and saying with your mouth.
Maybe you've never made Jesus Lord of your life. Maybe you've been religious, but you've never been born again. Or maybe you once walked with him, but you've grown cold. You've drifted and you know in your heart you need to rededicate your life. Friend, this is your moment.
And maybe you are saved, but you've never been filled with the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. Acts 1:8 says, "But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you." Luke 11:13 says, "How much more shall your heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" The Holy Spirit is God's gift of power to live a victorious life every day.
So right now, if you need salvation, rededication, or the baptism of the Holy Spirit, pray this prayer with me. Say it out loud so your own ears hear your voice. Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. I believe he died for my sins and rose again the third day. I confess Jesus Christ as my Lord and my Savior. Come me into my heart, Lord Jesus. Make me a new creation. Forgive me of my sins. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. I receive the gift of power right now. I will speak with other tongues as the spirit gives me utterance. Thank you, Father. I am saved. I am forgiven. I am filled in Jesus name. Amen.
Glory to God. If you prayed that from your heart, you are now a child of God or you've been restored or you've been filled with the spirit and your first words tomorrow morning can be words of victory. Because the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now dwells in you. Romans 8:11.
Now that you've prayed and made the most important decision of your life, I want to help you form a habit, a daily discipline that will anchor these declarations into your lifestyle. That's why I want to introduce you to a challenge, a 21-day first words challenge. Now, child of God, you've prayed, you've confessed, you've declared, but let me tell you something. Faith is a lifestyle, not a moment. Victory doesn't come by saying it once. Victory comes by saying it and saying it and saying it until it becomes a part of you. Romans 10:17 says, "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." Notice it doesn't say faith comes by having heard. No, faith comes by hearing and hearing. Continuous action every day. every morning.
So, here's what I'm challenging you to do for the next 21 days. Before your feet hit the floor, speak these seven declarations out loud. Make the word of God the first words out of your mouth. Not your feelings, not your worries, not your to-do list, the word. Why 21 days? Because studies tell us it takes about 21 days to form a new habit. And once you form the habit of speaking God's word first, you'll never want to go back.
Here's how the challenge works. Set your alarm with a reminder. Label it. Speak the word first. When it rings, you know what to do. Keep your declarations handy. Write them on a card by your bed or save them on your phone. Don't leave it to memory alone. Keep them before your eyes. Say them out loud, not a whisper, not just in your head, loud enough for your ears to hear your voice. Romans 10:10 says, "With the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. Your mouth is the doorway. Journal your victories. Each day, write down one thing you notice. Peace, wisdom, favor, healing, provision. It may be big. It may be small. But you'll see God's word at work. Don't quit. Galatians 6:9 says, "And let us not be weary and welloing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. Keep sowing the word with your mouth, and the harvest will come."
Say this after me. For the next 21 days, the word of God will be the first words out of my mouth. I will sow life and I will reap victory. I will keep the switch of faith turned on and in due season I will reap my harvest. Glory to God.
This challenge is not a gimmick. It's a discipline. It's training your heart and your mouth to walk together in faith. James 3:4 says, "The tongue is like the rudder of a ship. It may be small, but it sets the whole course." When you set your tongue with God's word, you set your course for victory. And after 21 days, it won't just be a challenge. It will be your lifestyle every day. The first words out of your mouth will be words of life, words of faith, words of victory.
Now, let's seal this teaching with one more act together, a final consolidated confession and blessing that ties all seven declarations into one stream. Now, beloved, we've walked through the word step by step. We've studied the nobleman, the woman with the issue of blood. And we've built seven pillars of daily confession. We've issued the 21-day challenge. But let's tie it all together right now in one mighty declaration, a consolidated confession of faith. Hebrews 4:14 says, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast our profession. Jesus is listening to your confession right now. He is the high priest of what you say. And Numbers 14:28 reminds us, "As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you."
So let's say this together. Lift one hand to heaven, put the other on your heart, and declare boldly, Jesus is Lord over my spirit, my soul, and my body. I am a new creature in Christ. Old things are passed away and all things are new. I tread over serpents, scorpions, and all the power of the enemy. Nothing shall by any means hurt me. The Lord instructs me, teaches me, and directs my paths today. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. My God supplies all my needs according to his riches and glory by Christ Jesus. By his stripes, I was healed. Therefore, I am healed. His word is life and health to all my flesh. The peace of God guards my heart and mind. The joy of the Lord is my strength. I choose joy and I walk in peace. The love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost. I walk in love. I forgive everyone, everything, every time. I hold fast my confession of faith without wavering. For God is faithful that promised. Hallelujah.
Glory to God. That's your consolidated declaration. Seven pillars joined into one stream of power. If you'll take this confession every morning, you'll walk out dressed for victory, equipped for the fight, ready for the day.
Now, let me bless you before we close. Stretch your hands toward heaven and receive this blessing. The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace. Numbers 6:24-26. And as Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:201, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that workketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end." Amen.
Praise God forever more. The blessing is spoken. The word is declared. The victory is yours. And now as we finish, I want to leave you with practical steps to carry this into tomorrow morning and every day after.
Now, friends, we've walked a long way together, step by step through the word, through the seven declarations, through faith and confession. But victory is not just in the hearing, it's in the doing. James 1:22 says, "Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." So, let me give you some practical steps for tomorrow morning.
Set your alarm with a reminder. Let it say before your feet hit the floor, speak the word. That way, the very first thing you see is your instruction from the word of God. Keep your declarations in front of you. Put them on a card by your bed. Keep them in your phone. Place them where you can't miss them. Proverbs 4:21 says, "Let them not depart from thine eyes." Say them out loud. Romans 10:10 says, "With the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. Whispering won't do. Thinking it won't do. Say it loud enough that your own ears hear your voice. Journal your victories. Write down one thing each day that you notice peace, provision, guidance, strength. You'll look back after 21 days and see a harvest of testimonies.
Say this with me as we close. I will be a doer of the word, not a hearer only. I will speak the word first. I will walk the word daily. I will see the word come to pass in my life in Jesus' name. Amen. Hallelujah.
The word has gone forth. The seed is planted. The spirit of God will remind you. And as you put this into practice before your feet hit the floor, you'll live each day in victory. Because faith is an act, confession is the key, and the word always works. Glory to God forever.