Transcription
Now say it out loud with me. Say it like you mean it. I believe the word. I speak the word. I act on the word. And the word works. Say it again. I believe the word. I speak the word. I act on the word. And the word works. Hallelujah.
Now, you might have come in here tonight wondering why your prayers haven't been working. You might have prayed and fasted and cried and even begged God and still feel like heaven's brass. But I've got good news for you. God didn't move. His word hasn't failed. The problem isn't on his end. No, friends, the spirit of God spoke to my heart and said, "My people are not failing because they don't love me. They're failing because they've left the basics of faith. They've left the word."
Turn with me to Ephesians 6:10-13. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Now, that verse doesn't say to run, doesn't say to cry, doesn't say to complain, doesn't even say to ask someone else to stand for you. It says, "Stand." Glory to God. But here's the problem. Many folks today are trying to stand, but they've got nothing under their feet. No word, no foundation, no root. And Jesus said in Luke 6:49, "He that heareth and doeth not is like a man without a foundation, and immediately it fell." Say this, "I'm not falling. I'm standing on the word of God."
You see, God's been stirring me to bring a wakeup call to the church. Not condemnation. No, no, no. But correction, a call to get back to faith, get back to the word, get back to what works. You remember what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 13:5? He said, "Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith." Now, he didn't say, "Examine whether you go to church or whether you shout or whether you feel goosebumps." He said, "Check whether you're in faith." Why? Because Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith, it is impossible to please him." Not unlikely, not difficult, impossible. Say this with me. Faith pleases God. I live by faith. I speak by faith. I overcome by faith.
Now, what kind of faith are we talking about? Not this worldly mind over matter stuff. No, sir. I'm talking about Bible faith. I'm talking about the kind of faith that comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. That's Romans 10:17. I'm not talking about faith in yourself. I'm not talking about faith in your ability. I'm not talking about faith in the economy or the doctor or the preacher. I'm talking about faith in God Almighty. Faith in his word. Faith that takes hold and won't let go. And I'm telling you right now by the spirit of God, it's time for a reform. A faith reform. A return to the word. A return to standing. A return to confession. A return to spiritual authority. A return to power that flows from the name of Jesus and the promises of God. Too many are out there shouting revival, shouting glory, shouting harvest, but they forgot the foundation. They forgot the source of power. "The entrance of thy words giveth light." Psalm 119:130. Light. Hallelujah. The word brings light, and the light brings life.
And the Lord told me this. He said, "My people are praying without light. They're fasting in darkness. They're crying without revelation." And he said, "Bring them back to my word." So, I'm here to declare boldly, plainly, and without apology. These 12 faith reforms are not new. They're not complicated, but they are urgent. They will shock you. They will challenge you, but they will change you, and your prayer life will never be the same. So, get ready. Get your Bible, get your pen, get your heart open and your mouth ready, because we're about to walk through the word step by step, reform by reform. And when we're done, you're going to be stronger in faith, bolder in prayer, and more confident in your authority than ever before. Say it one more time before we dive in. I believe the word. I speak the word. I act on the word. And the word works. Amen.
Now, you hear people say it all the time. "Brother Hagen, I've been praying and praying and I just don't understand why I'm not getting any results." And I ask them one question, just one. I say, "What scripture are you standing on?" And eight times out of 10, listen now. I kept the record. Eight times out of 10, they'd look at me and say, "None in particular." And I'd say right back to them, "Well, that's exactly what you're going to get. Nothing in particular." Say it out loud. I'm not standing on emotion. I'm not standing on opinion. I'm standing on the word.
Let's go to the Bible now. Romans 10:17. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Not hearing by the news, not hearing by tradition, not hearing by what Aunt Sally said or what you feel. No, faith comes by hearing the word. And if your faith didn't come from the word, it's not faith at all. It might be hope. It might be wishing, but it's not faith.
Now, turn with me to John 15:7. Jesus is speaking here. He said, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." Not if you beg, not if you cry, not even if you pray long enough. No, he said, "If my words abide in you." Say that with me. "If His words live in me, then my prayers have power." God's not moved by desperation. He's moved by His covenant, by His word. He said in Jeremiah 1:12, "I will hasten my word to perform it." Not your tears, not your opinions, His word.
Now listen carefully. You cannot believe beyond what you know. You cannot stand on something you haven't seen. Faith begins where the will of God is known. And the will of God is found in the word of God. Turn over to 1 John 5:14. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."
Now, how do you know what His will is? You open this book, you find a promise, you find a provision, and you build your prayer life on it. Glory to God. When I was on my deathbed at age 16, paralyzed, heart deformity, incurable blood disease, doctors said I wouldn't make it. But I found a verse, Mark 11:24. "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." That was my verse. That was my legal claim. That was my covenant ground. And I said out loud, "I believe I receive my healing." And the devil said, "You don't look healed. You don't feel healed." And I said, "I didn't say I felt it. I said I believed it." And I believed it in the face of pain. I believed it in the face of symptoms. I believed it when nobody else believed it. And that word brought me out.
You see, beloved, until the word is the basis of your prayer life, you're shooting blanks. You're shadow boxing. You're praying in the dark. But "the entrance of his words giveth light." Psalm 119:130. Let me say this to you. Before you pray, go to the word. Don't let your need drive you. Let the word lead you. Don't throw words up into the sky and hope something sticks. Find your verse, take your stand, speak it aloud, and watch God work. Say it again with me. Faith begins where the will of God is known. I find the word. I stand on the word. I pray the word. And I get results. Hallelujah.
Now, I want you to listen closely here because this right here is where most folks miss it. They think prayer is just throwing words up into the clouds. "Lord, bless me. Lord, help me. Lord, do something." But listen to me, child of God. God doesn't respond to generalities. He responds to faith. And faith is always specific. Say that out loud. My faith is specific. My prayers are specific. My results are specific.
Turn back with me to Mark 11:24 again. Jesus said, "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." What things? Whatever you desire. But you've got to know what that thing is. You don't just say, "Lord, bless me." What kind of blessing do you need? You don't just say, "Lord, give me peace." What's stealing your peace? "Lord, heal me." Where are you standing in the word concerning healing? Listen, faith doesn't work on "maybe." Faith doesn't work on guesswork. Faith works when you put your finger on a verse and your voice on a promise, and that verse becomes your prayer language. That verse becomes your confession. That verse becomes your expectation.
Turn with me now to Philippians 4:6. "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Did you catch that? Let your requests—requests plural—be made known. Not vague impressions, not moans, not groans, not silent mental fog. Speak it, name it, thank Him for it. Hallelujah.
You see, Jesus Himself, when He walked this earth, asked blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:51, "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?" Now, wait just a minute. Jesus already knew Bartimaeus was blind. It was obvious, but He still asked the question, "What do you want Me to do for you?" Why? Because faith has to say it. Faith has to name it. Bartimaeus said, "Lord, that I might receive my sight." Jesus said, "Go thy way. Thy faith hath made thee whole." You see, it wasn't just the need that got him healed. It was the specific request spoken in faith.
Let me give you an example from my own life. Years ago, a woman came to me after a morning class. She said, "Brother Hagen, pray for me." I said, "What for?" She said, "Uh, oh, nothing in particular." I said, "That's what you'll get. Nothing in particular." Now, I'm not trying to be cute. I'm trying to be real. Too many believers are sincere but sincerely ineffective because they never get specific. Say this with me. I name my need. I stand on the word. I believe I receive. And I thank God in advance. Glory to God.
The Lord said to me once, "Tell my people to stop asking Me to do what I've already done and start believing to receive what I've already given." How can you believe you receive it if you don't even know what it is? Uh, let me put it this way. Imagine going to a restaurant. You sit down, the waiter comes and says, "What would you like today?" And you answer, "Oh, food. Just bring me something." "No, sir." You'd never do that. You open the menu, you find the item, you give your order, and you expect that exact item to come to your table. Well, the word of God is your covenant menu. The promises of God are available. The provisions are laid out. Now, it's time to place your order with boldness. Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace." Not nervously, not hesitantly, boldly. Why? Because we're coming in the name of Jesus, based on the word of God, with faith that receives. Say this one more time. My God is not the author of confusion. My prayers are not confused. I pray with precision. I believe with clarity, and I receive with joy. Amen.
Hallelujah. Now, hear me and hear me clear, because this one right here will set you free. If you've been stuck in spiritual frustration, God does not respond to begging. He responds to believing. Let me say it again. God does not respond to begging. He responds to believing. Now, say it out loud with me. I am not a beggar. I am a believer. I ask in faith, not in fear. I receive in confidence, not in confusion. Glory to God.
Now, open your Bible to Hebrews 11:6. "But without faith it is impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." That verse doesn't say God rewards desperation. It doesn't say God rewards emotional pleading. It doesn't say God rewards tears. It says He rewards those who believe He is and who seek Him in faith.
Now, I'm not against emotion, friend. You've got a soul. You've got feelings. But faith is not a feeling. Faith is of the spirit. It believes before it sees. It shouts before it touches. It rejoices before it receives the manifestation. Too many dear saints are begging like orphans outside the house when all the while the Father is saying, "Come on in. You're a son. You're a daughter. The table's set. The promises are yours." Turn with me to Galatians 4:7. "Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." You're not a slave. You're a son. You're not a beggar. You're an heir. And heirs don't beg for what already belongs to them. They take hold of it by faith.
Let me give you a natural example. Suppose your dad deposited $10,000 into your account. You go down to the bank and you say, "Please, Mr. Banker, please, I'm begging you. Could I just have $20? I'm desperate." And the banker says, "Ma'am, sir, you don't have to beg. It's already yours. Just sign for it and receive it." That's exactly how believers treat God. "Oh, God, if You just would. Oh, God, if You could only hear me. Oh, God, I'm trying so hard." But God says, "I already gave it. It's already in your covenant account. Now access it by faith."
Turn to Ephesians 1:3. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." Not "will bless us," not "might bless us." It says He *hath* blessed us. It's done. It's deposited. It's finished. All we do now is receive.
You see, the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5 didn't beg Jesus to come to her. No. The Bible says she said, "If I may but touch his clothes, I shall be whole." She acted in faith. She spoke in faith. She took her healing. She didn't beg. She believed. And Jesus said, "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole." Say it again with me. "My Father is faithful. I am an heir. I don't beg. I believe. I don't plead. I receive. I ask boldly. I speak boldly. And I walk in the promise."
Now listen here. Begging is the language of doubt. Believing is the language of faith. And God is not moved by pity. He's moved by faith. Turn to James 1:6-7. "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." Did you hear that? Let not that man, that doubting man, think that he shall receive anything. Why? Because faith receives; doubt forfeits.
Now, I know that sounds strong, but it's not harsh. It's holy. It's heaven's way of pulling you out of religion and into results, out of tradition and into triumph. I remember the days when I used to lay in that bed, paralyzed. I'd cry. I'd plead. I'd ask the Lord over and over to heal me. But nothing changed. Then one day, I stopped crying and I said, "Lord, Your word says I'm healed." And I believed I received. And the moment I believed—not felt, not hoped, not begged—believed, I was raised up. So stop begging, child of God. Stop crying in fear, and start declaring in faith. Say this loud enough for the devil to hear you. I am not a beggar. I am a believer. I don't plead for what's mine. I take it by faith in Jesus' name. Hallelujah.
Glory to God. Now listen, church. If there's one thing that'll short-circuit your faith faster than anything else, it's unforgiveness. I said it'll shut it down, cut it off, and leave your prayers lying powerless. It is the faith killer. And Jesus Himself said so. Turn in your Bible to Mark 11:23-25. Now, you ought to have this one underlined, starred, and dog-eared. Verse 23: Jesus said, "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; 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." Glory to God. That's faith in action right there. Then verse 25: "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." Oh, my. Forgiveness is not optional. It's not a suggestion. It's a requirement if you want your faith to work.
Now, I want to say something strong here. You cannot hold a grudge in your heart and expect your mountain to move. I don't care how loud you shout, how many hours you pray, or how many Bible verses you quote. If you're walking in unforgiveness, your faith is bound. Say it out loud. I forgive. I walk in love. I release every offense. And my faith works mightily in Jesus' name. Hallelujah.
Now, let me tell you a story. A number of years ago, I was holding a meeting. A dear lady came forward for healing. She'd been prayed for before by every healing evangelist in the country, she said. But nothing changed. I laid hands on her and the Lord prompted me, not audibly, just inwardly, to ask her if she was holding unforgiveness. I asked her and she said, "Well, there is one person. I just can't let it go." I said, "Sister, you'll have to. Your healing is being held up not by God, not by the devil, but by your own heart." Right there, she forgave. She wept. She let it go. And when I laid hands on her again, the power of God shot through her body like fire, and she was instantly healed.
Turn to 1 John 3:21-22. "Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." Now, what's one of the chief commandments? Turn over to John 13:34. Jesus said, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." You see, faith and love are spiritual twins. You can't separate them. Galatians 5:6 says, "Faith worketh by love." You want your faith to work? Check your love life. Let me put it this way. You cannot walk in faith and walk in offense at the same time. They won't share the same heart. I never allow bitterness to stay a moment in me. Doesn't matter what they did. Doesn't matter what they said. I choose to forgive fast and walk clean. And you can too. You may say, "But Brother Hagen, I don't feel like forgiving." Well, forgiveness is not a feeling. It's a decision. You act your way into forgiveness and let the feelings catch up later. Say this with me. Say it strong. I forgive everyone of everything. I walk in love. I walk in peace, and my faith works every time. Glory to God.
Let me give you one more scripture. Matthew 5:44. Jesus said, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." That's not weakness. That's power. That's freedom. That's how faith stays alive and unhindered. So, here's the reform: If you've got bitterness, clean it out. If you've got offense, lay it down. Don't go one more day. Don't pray one more prayer until you release that grudge and watch your faith rise like a flood. Say it again. Unforgiveness has no place in me. I forgive now. I forgive fast. My heart is clean, and my faith is strong. Hallelujah.
Hallelujah. Now, I want you to listen very carefully, because what I'm about to say is not popular, but it's powerful. If you want your faith to work, if you want your prayers to hit heaven and not just the ceiling, then hear this: You must keep a clean heart before God. Not perfect. I didn't say perfect. No man ever was but Jesus. But clean, transparent, sensitive to the Spirit. Let's go to the word. 1 John 1:7. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin." That's not just a one-time cleansing at salvation. That's a continual cleansing as we walk in the light. Glory to God.
Now, flip over to 1 Corinthians 11:31. This one right here will save your life. "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." Now, what does it mean to judge yourself? That means the moment the Holy Ghost shows you something off, you deal with it. You don't wait. You don't justify it. You don't excuse it. You repent and get right fast. Say it with me. I judge myself quickly. I repent instantly. I keep my heart clean, and my faith alive.
Too many Christians are walking around with layers of spiritual grime. And they wonder why their prayers fall flat. But listen, God never stopped being faithful. They just stopped being sensitive. I remember a man came to me once. He'd been prayed for dozens of times, no healing. Finally, I asked him, "Is there anything between you and the Lord?" He broke down. Said, "Brother Hagen, I've been holding bitterness, disobedience. I just thought God would overlook it." I said, "No, sir. He'll forgive it, but He won't overlook it." You see, when you tolerate sin, willful disobedience, rebellion, immorality, bitterness, you short-circuit your spiritual pipeline. Your faith won't work. Your prayers won't work.
Turn to Isaiah 59:1-2. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." That's not Old Testament condemnation. That's divine clarity. God saying, "I'm still able. I'm still listening." But sin builds a wall between us. Now, don't get under condemnation. Get under correction. That's what this reform is all about. Psalm 139:23-24, David said, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." It's time we pray that again. It's time we get serious about purity, not religious legalism, not fear-based striving, but Holy Ghost honesty, walking in the light. Say this with me now. I love the light. I welcome correction. I walk in the word. I repent quickly, and my heart is clean before God. Hallelujah.
Now, here's the beauty of it. When you judge yourself, when you deal with that thing, God doesn't condemn you. He cleanses you. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." All, not some, all. And I've found this: the quicker you repent, the faster your faith flows. Don't let things build up. Don't let little compromises pile into big barriers. Keep short accounts with God. I tell the Lord, "Search me daily. Correct me hourly. Keep me clean moment by moment." That's how you stay sharp in the spirit. That's how your prayers carry power. So if you want your prayer life to be strong, check for sin and judge yourself quickly. Not because God is mad at you, but because He's trying to flow through you, and sin blocks the flow. Let's confess it now. I walk in the light. I judge myself quickly. I keep nothing hidden. I welcome the Holy Spirit's correction. I am clean. I am forgiven. And my faith works unhindered in Jesus' name. Hallelujah. Somebody give God praise.
Now, hear me, child of God, because this is where the devil trips up a whole lot of believers. They're waiting. They're waiting for a chill, waiting for a tingle, waiting for a goosebump, waiting for some kind of emotional confirmation. But faith doesn't wait on feelings. Faith acts on the word. Say it out loud right now. I don't live by feelings. I live by faith. I don't walk by emotion. I walk by the word. Glory to God.
Now turn in your Bible to 2 Corinthians 5:7. "For we walk by faith, not by sight." And that word "sight" there doesn't just mean what you see with your eyes. It means what you perceive with your natural senses. That includes how you feel. If you're waiting until you feel healed before you believe you're healed, you'll stay sick. If you're waiting to feel forgiven before you believe you're forgiven, you'll stay condemned. If you're waiting to feel bold before you speak the word, you'll stay silent. Faith moves first. Feeling follows. Say it again. Faith moves first. Feeling follows. I act on the word regardless of what I feel.
Now, let me take you back to my testimony. When I was paralyzed on that deathbed, the Lord spoke to me through Mark 11:24. "Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." I saw it, I believed it, but I was still paralyzed, still weak, still couldn't walk. And the Lord said to me, "Well, you believe you receive healing now. Get up." I said, "Master, Lord, I can't." He said, "You can if you believe. Heal people ought to be up at 10:00 a.m." And so, I pushed myself up. I swung my legs over the side of the bed. My knees buckled. My heart was pounding. But I stood. I walked, and strength came as I acted. Not before, not when I prayed, not when I confessed, but when I moved. You see, that's how faith works. Faith without action is dead. James 2:17, "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."
So stop waiting for your feelings to confirm what God already said. You've got a "more sure word of prophecy." This word right here, 2 Peter 1:19. If He said you're healed, then act like it. If He said you're forgiven, then stop groaning. If He said you're free, then speak like it. Walk like it and live like it. Feelings are fickle. Faith is firm. Feelings change. Faith stands. Say this with me right now. I am not led by my feelings. I am not governed by my emotions. I am anchored to the word. I act by faith, and God honors it every time. Hallelujah.
Somebody says, "But Brother Hagen, what if I act on the word and nothing happens?" Something did happen the moment you acted. You may not see it yet. You may not feel it yet, but God always honors His word. The moment Peter stepped out of the boat in Matthew 14, he walked on the water, but he didn't float in the boat wondering what it would feel like. He stepped out. The moment the lepers in Luke 17 turned to go show themselves to the priest, they were healed as they went. God moves with the movers. God responds to faith in action. So I ask you, what are you waiting for? What has God said that you've been hesitant to act on? What promise have you been putting off until you feel ready? Stop hesitating and step out. Declare this now with boldness. I act on the word. I step out in faith. I move in obedience. And the power of God meets me every time. Praise God forevermore.
Hallelujah. Now, this one right here, if you'll take hold of it, will change your life from the inside out. Because just like your natural body needs food and medicine, your spirit needs something even more powerful. It needs the word of God daily, consistently, continually. Say this out loud with me. The word is my food. The word is my medicine. The word is working in me right now.
Let's go to Proverbs 4:20-22. This is God's prescription pad straight from the Great Physician. "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 to your flesh, not just to your spirit, not just to your mind, but to your body. Glory to God.
Now, let me ask you something. How do you take natural medicine? Do you take it once a month and hope it works? Do you take it when you feel spiritual enough? No. You take it according to the doctor's instructions. Well, Dr. Jesus has given you your prescription. "Attend to my words. Keep them before your eyes. Hide them in your heart." Listen, you can't live off one verse a week. You can't survive on yesterday's manna. Faith doesn't come by what you heard. Faith comes by hearing. Present tense. Romans 10:17. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Say this. Faith doesn't come by having heard. It comes by hearing and hearing.
Again, I tell people when I was believing for my healing, I didn't just read one verse and close the Bible. No, I fed on the word. I meditated on healing scriptures every single day. Morning, noon, and night. I read them. I spoke them. I thought about them. I thanked God for them until the word became more real than the disease. You've got to saturate yourself in the word until the word takes over. Until what God says becomes bigger than what the doctor says or what the economy says or what your feelings say.
Let me ask you something. What would happen if you stopped taking your blood pressure medicine for two weeks? Well, friend, your pressure would rise again. And yet folks wonder why their faith gets weak. They've gone days, even weeks without feeding on the word, and their spirit is starving. But thank God, it's never too late to start. You can begin today to take the word like a prescription three times a day, morning, afternoon, and night. Let me give you a routine: Every day, read aloud healing verses like Matthew 8:17, 1 Peter 2:24, Psalm 107:20, Proverbs 4:20-22. Read them slowly. Read them prayerfully. Read them expectantly, and speak them over your body. Say it again now. The word is medicine. I take my dose daily. I meditate constantly. And the word is healing me.
Now, now remember this. You don't wait until you're sick to start taking medicine. You build it into your system before the symptoms ever show up. And that's what happens when you stay in the word. You get ahead of the devil. You stay strong in the spirit. You resist the lies before they even arrive. I remember one man came to me. He said, "Brother Hagen, I tried that word thing and it didn't work." I said, "No, son. The word tried you, and you didn't stick with it. The word always works, but it works when it's received, believed, spoken, and acted upon continually." Let's say this together. God's word is life to me. God's word is health to me. I take it daily. I keep it in my heart. I speak it with my mouth. And it is producing results. Hallelujah. The word is working in you right now.
Now, this next reform is crucial, especially in the times we're living in. You listen to me. There's a whole lot of spiritual noise in the air today. So many voices, so many new revelations, so many YouTube prophets, so many self-proclaimed experts who've left the word and are following trends, not truth. But hear me and hear me well: If it's not built on the word, you don't need it. If it doesn't line up with scripture, you better shut it off. Say it with me right now. I follow the word. I don't follow voices. I'm grounded in truth, not tossed by trend.
Let's go to 2 Timothy 4:3-4. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." Now, I don't care how spiritual it sounds. If it's not the word, it's a fable. The devil doesn't mind people being deep as long as they're not solid. He doesn't care how many visions or dreams you've had. If you've left your Bible closed, you've missed the main thing. I've said it before and I'll say it again: If it's new, it's not true. And if it's true, it's not new. Faith doesn't need a new wave. It needs the unchanging word.
Turn to 2 Peter 1:19. This will nail it down. "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed." More sure than what? More sure than visions, more sure than feelings, more sure than manifestations. "You do well," Peter said it. "You do well to take heed to the word." Not YouTube comments, not trending sermons, the word.
Now, I've been around a long time. I've seen fads come and go. I've seen people run from meeting to meeting looking for fire, looking for signs, looking for a thrill, and their lives are still in a mess. Why? Because they never planted their roots in the word. Say this right now with boldness. I don't chase fire. I build my faith. I don't run to fads. I run to the word.
Now, let's be clear. God still speaks. He still leads by His Spirit. But listen, He never contradicts His word. John 16:13 says, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth." What truth? "Thy word is truth." John 17:17. I've had folks tell me, "Brother Hagen, I had a dream. I heard a voice. I felt something in my spirit." And I say, "Uh, that's fine, but what chapter and verse are you standing on?" Because God gave us a book, church, 66 Spirit-breathed books. And if you won't listen to what He already said, why should He say anything new? Don't you be tossed to and fro. Don't you be like the Ephesians 4:14 crowd, "carried about with every wind of doctrine." You get anchored. Say this now with authority. I'm not moved by trends. I'm not shaken by opinions. I'm rooted in the word. I'm grounded in truth. I build my life on the Rock. Glory to God.
So if someone comes to you with something that sounds strange, don't swallow it. Check the word. If a teaching gets popular but contradicts scripture, don't follow it. Follow Jesus. Follow His word. That's where the power is. That's where the safety is. That's where the victory is. Tune out the noise and tune into truth. Tune out confusion and tune into clarity. Stay in your Bible, and your faith will stay strong. Say it one more time. The word is enough. The word is my foundation. The word is my security. I will not be moved. Hallelujah.
Now, if I could get every believer to take just this one reform seriously, it would transform their lives completely. You hear me? Completely. Why? Because this right here is where most folks win or lose the fight of faith. You cannot talk defeat and walk in victory. You cannot speak fear and live in faith. You cannot confess sickness and expect healing. You cannot speak the problem and receive the promise. You've got to do what that centurion did in Matthew 8:8. He said, "Speak the word only and my servant shall be healed." Say that now. Speak the word only. Speak the word only. Speak the word only.
Now, that's not just a cute phrase. That's a spiritual law. Let's go to Proverbs 18:21. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." That's not symbolic. That's not poetic. That's literal. Death and life are in your mouth, and you are eating the harvest of what you say every day. Let me ask you something. If we recorded your words all week and played them back, would we hear faith or fear? Would we hear victory or victimhood? Would we hear the word or the world? Jesus said in Mark 11:23, "He shall have whatsoever he saith." Now listen, church, that works both ways. It works for faith, and it works for fear. It works for healing, and it works for sickness. You are having today what you said yesterday. And if you want tomorrow to look different, you better change your words today. Say it again. My mouth is a faith instrument. My words release power. I speak life. I speak victory. I speak the word only.
Now, let me tell you something. Speaking the problem may feel honest, but it's not helpful. God didn't say to say what you see. He said to say what He said. Let me say that again. God didn't call you to repeat what you see. He called you to declare what He said. That's what Abraham did. Romans 4:17 says, "As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations, before him who he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were." He didn't deny the facts. He just declared a higher truth. He was old, but he said, "I am the father of many nations." His wife was barren, but he said, "So shall thy seed be." And his faith spoke before it ever saw.
You see, your mouth is a steering wheel of your life. James 3:4 says, "Your tongue is like the rudder of a ship. It may be small, but it determines the whole direction of the vessel." So if your life is off course, don't just cry; correct your confession. Let me give you something practical. Don't say, "I'm so weak." Say, "Let the weak say I am strong." (Joel 3:10). Don't say, "I'm always broke." Say, "My God shall supply all my need." (Phil. 4:19). Don't say, "I'm so afraid." Say, "God hath not given me the spirit of fear." (2 Tim. 1:7). Say it with me now. I don't say what I feel. I say what I believe. I don't say what I fear. I say what God said. I speak the word only.
Now, I know people think that's extreme. They say, "Well, Brother Hagen, I don't want to be in denial." No, you're not denying the facts. You're declaring the truth. Facts change. But the word of God never changes. And the more you say it, the more you believe it. And the more you believe it, the more you see it. I've done this for decades. I still do it every day. I wake up declaring the word. I walk through my day declaring the word. I go to sleep with the word on my lips. And that's why my faith is alive and strong. Let's say it again, with boldness. I speak life. I speak healing. I speak provision. I speak protection. I speak truth. I speak victory. I speak the word only. And it shall come to pass. Hallelujah.
Now, I want you to get this down in your spirit. Real faith doesn't flinch and real faith doesn't back off. When you've spoken the word, when you've prayed the prayer of faith, when you've done all to stand, then stand. Let's go to Ephesians 6:13-14. "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore." Don't sit down. Don't step back. Don't waver. Stand therefore. Say it now like you mean it. I stand my ground. I don't back off. I don't turn loose. I hold fast my confession. Glory to God.
Now listen. The moment you pray, the power of God goes into motion. But here's what happens to so many believers: If they don't see an instant result, they back off. They start wavering. They start watching the clock. "Maybe it's not working. Maybe God didn't hear me. Maybe I need to ask again." And the devil loves that because he knows if he can get you to doubt, he can get you to disconnect. But what does the Bible say? Hebrews 10:23, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised." That word "profession" means confession. Hold fast your confession. Don't change what you're saying. Don't adjust your words to match your feelings. Keep saying what God said. That's how you stand.
You know, back when I was still on that bed of affliction, paralyzed, incurable, after I believed I received healing, nothing looked different for a while, but I stood. I didn't flinch. I didn't say, "Well, maybe it didn't work." I said, "According to Mark 11:24, I believed I received, therefore, I'm healed." And I said it again and again and again. And friend, the power manifested because I stood. You've got to be like Abraham. Romans 4:20 says, "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God." Now, what does it mean to stagger? It means to wobble, to hesitate, to shift back and forth. But Abraham didn't stagger. He stood and he praised while he stood. So don't you stagger at your promise. Don't you waver at your word. If you believed you received it, then it's yours. Now stand until you see it. Say it with me. I stagger not. I waver not. I believe. I receive. I hold fast my confession, and I shall see the manifestation.
Now, let me tell you what the devil wants. He wants to pressure you into letting go. He wants to talk you out of your miracle. He wants to get you looking at the wind and the waves like Peter did. But I'm telling you, don't you dare let go. Hebrews 10:35-36 says, "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." You hear that? After you've done the will of God—what's the will of God? To believe, to speak, to stand. Then what do you need? Patience, endurance, refusal to quit. God is not slow. He's faithful, and He's watching to see who will hold fast under pressure. So when the symptoms speak, stand your ground. When the bills pile up, stand your ground. When your mind feels weary, stand your ground. Because the manifestation is on the other side of endurance. Say it again. Say it boldly. I stand my ground. I will not back off. I will not turn loose. God is faithful, and I will see what He promised. Hallelujah.
Glory to God forevermore. Now listen to me. This one right here is one of the most neglected, yet one of the most powerful expressions of faith there is. Praising God before the manifestation, rejoicing before the answer shows up. Anybody can shout after the walls fall, but faith shouts while the walls are still standing. Anybody can praise after the money hits the account, but faith praises when the bank balance says zero and the promise says abundance. Say it out loud with me. I praise before I see it. I rejoice before it shows up because I know it's already mine.
Let's go to the word. Philippians 4:6-7. "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing 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." You see it? Don't just pray. Pray with thanksgiving. That means the moment you pray, you start praising. Don't wait till the pain leaves. Praise God for healing now. Don't wait until the situation changes. Thank Him now that the answer is on the way. Thanksgiving is the voice of faith. Praise is the language of expectation.
Hebrews 13:15 says, "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." Now, what's a sacrifice? It means it's not always easy. It's not always convenient. It's not always emotional, but it's always powerful. You praise anyway. You thank anyway. You rejoice anyway.
Let me take you to an Old Testament example. 2 Chronicles 20. King Jehoshaphat had a multitude of armies coming against him. He didn't have the numbers. He didn't have the weapons. But he had a word from God. And do you know what he did? He appointed singers to go out ahead of the army, "Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever." And as they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against their enemies. And victory was won not by the sword, but by the song. Let me tell you, your praise confuses the enemy. Your thanksgiving shuts down doubt. Your rejoicing is the sound of a believer who already knows the outcome. Say this with me now. I rejoice in advance. I praise before I see. I'm not waiting on the evidence. I already have the promise.
Now, I remember a time when I needed a financial breakthrough. I'd prayed, I'd believed, I'd confessed, and I asked the Lord, "What now?" He said, "Praise Me." So, I danced, I shouted, I lifted my hands. I rejoiced. Nothing changed in the natural, but everything shifted in the spirit. And within a short time, the breakthrough came. Not because I begged, but because I believed and praised. Don't wait for the check to clear. Don't wait for the symptoms to go. Lift your hands right now and praise Him like it's already done, because in the spirit, it is. I praise You, Lord. I thank You, Lord. I rejoice in Your promise. I magnify Your name. It is done. It is finished. It is mine. Hallelujah.
So, don't let the devil keep your praise hostage. Don't let circumstances steal your song. Don't wait until the
Battle's over. Shout now. Praise is my weapon. Thanksgiving is my victory. I shout now. I rejoice now. I receive now. Glory to God.
Now, child of God, this is the final reform in this series. But don't you treat it lightly because it might just be the most important discipline in the daily life of a believer. If you're serious about walking in victory, you're going to have to do this every day. Not once in a while. Not just at church. Every day. My mouth is not idle. My mouth is on assignment. My words release God's power every single day.
Let's go back to our foundational truth. Mark 11:23. "For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, 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." Three times Jesus said, "Say." One time he said, "Believe." You got to believe it once, but you got to say it constantly. Why? Because your mouth sets your miracles in motion. Your confession is what builds the track for God's power to run on. Your words are the steering wheel of your spirit. And when you speak in line with God's word daily, consistently, you're creating a supernatural momentum in your life.
Let me ask you, what are you saying over your body? What are you saying over your mind? What are you saying over your children? What are you saying over your money? Because what you say is what you sow and your harvest is riding on your mouth. I speak on purpose. I speak by faith. My mouth builds miracles. I don't waste my word.
Let's go to Job 22:28. "Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and the light shall shine upon thy ways." You want to walk in light, then decree the word. Don't say what you feel. Don't say what the news says. Don't say what fear says. Say what God says.
Now, I've taught this for decades, and I still practice it. I've got a confession list I go through daily. I call it my faith medicine. It's how I take my spiritual vitamins. Every morning, every night, throughout the day, I speak the word over myself. Let me give you a sample. You say it with me now. Said, "I am a new creation in Christ. I am the righteousness of God. I walk by faith and not by sight. I am healed from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. My God supplies all my need according to his riches and glory. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. I am the head and not the tail. I'm above only and not beneath. I have the mind of Christ. Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world." Who? Hallelujah.
You speak that every day and the devil will think twice before knocking on your door. You speak that over your children, over your finances, over your ministry, and things will begin to align. The devil hates a believer with a disciplined tongue. Why? Because he can't control a mouth that's full of the word. And when your confession lines up with God's truth, miracles have no choice but to manifest.
So, here's what I charge you to do starting today. Create your confession list. Speak it daily. Speak it boldly. Speak it with authority. And watch your world change. Because as Hebrews 10:23 says, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promised." That's your job. Hold fast. Don't change what you say to match what you see. Keep saying the promise until the power shows up. Say it now and shout it loud.
I hold fast. I confess daily. My words are weapons. My mouth is a miracle launcher. And I will see everything God has promised. Glory to God. I am a born-again spirit-filled word-speaking devil-stomping child of God. I walk by faith not by sight. I live by the word not by the world. The greater one lives in me and he puts me over every time. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. Sin has no power over me. Sickness has no place in me. Fear has no voice in me. I am redeemed from the curse. Blessed in the city, blessed in the field, blessed going in, and blessed coming out. God's word is medicine to my flesh. I take it daily, speak it boldly, and expect results always. The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. I call my body healed. I call my mind sound. I call my finances blessed. I call my home peaceful. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. And every tongue that rises against me in judgment, I condemn it in Jesus name. I hold fast to the word. I refuse to quit. I rejoice before I see it. I praise before it comes. And I speak the word only day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment. I'm not moved by what I see. I'm not led by what I feel. I'm anchored in the truth. And the truth is I win. I overcome. I stand and I receive in Jesus mighty name. Amen.