Transcription
Now, before we do anything else, let's go before the Lord in prayer. Amen.
Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, we thank you for the privilege of opening the word of God. We thank you that the Holy Ghost is our teacher. He's our helper. He's our comforter. He's the revealer of truth and we trust him.
Now, we're not coming with empty hearts. No, we're not coming with closed ears. No, we're coming with open hearts and open ears ready to receive the incorruptible seed of the word of God. Say it out loud. I'm ready to receive. Say it again. I'm ready to receive.
Now, you can't receive with your arms folded and your mind closed. No. The word says in James 1:21, "Receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls." The word is able, but only if you'll receive it. Amen.
Jesus said in John 8:32, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. But truth doesn't make you free until you know it. And you don't know it until you receive it. Hallelujah. The psalmist said in Psalm 119 to 130, the entrance of thy words giveth light. It giveth understanding unto the simple. We're not staying in the dark. We're turning the light on. Amen. Glory to God.
So we say, Father, let your word have entrance tonight. Let light come. Let truth shine. Let faith rise. Now open your mouth and say this with me. I believe God's word. I receive God's word. I act on God's word and I'll never be the same. Say it again. I'll never never never be the same again.
Faith doesn't come by wishing. Faith doesn't come by worrying. Faith come by what? Hearing. And hearing by what? The word of God. That's Romans 10:17. Amen. So, we're not here for entertainment. We're not here for tradition. We're here for transformation. We're here for impartation. We're here for revelation. And we're going to get it through the word of God.
Some of you have been battling doubt all week long. That's all right. You came to the right place. You're going to shock that doubt right out of your spirit. Amen. Some of you have been struggling to sleep at night. That's all right. You're going to get rest tonight because the word will go to work before you lay your head on the pillow.
So, let's set our expectation. Say this with me. Tonight, I expect light. Tonight, I expect truth. Tonight I expect my faith to grow. Tonight I expect change. Hallelujah. Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God.
Now, are you ready? Because we're about to go into the word and then into confession. And when we speak the word, we shake the very gates of hell. Amen. Let's get ready to hold fast to the confession of our faith without wavering because he is faithful that promise. That's Hebrews 10:23.
Let's go on in now. Open your Bibles if you haven't already to Hebrews chap 10 23. Let's read it together. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised. Glory to God.
Hold fast. Hold fast. What does that mean? That means don't let go. That means grip it like your life depends on it. Because it does. It means don't drop your confession when the pressure's on. Don't loosen your grip when the winds blow. Don't change your words when circumstances change. Say what God said and keep on saying it.
Now notice what it says. Hold fast the profession of our faith. That word profession, it means confession. The Greek says it. The scholars say it. I say it. You ought to say it, too. Amen. Confession means saying the same thing God says. Not what your feelings say. Not what your bank account says. Not what your doctor's report says. Not what CNN says. Not what your emotions say. Know what God says. And what did he say? He is faithful that promised. Say that out loud. He is faithful that promised.
You don't base your confession on your condition. You base it on his character. And his character is faithful. Now, you hear people say, "Well, Brother Hagen, I just don't feel like it's working." Well, I don't base my confession on how I feel. I base it on what is written. Amen. Jesus didn't fight the devil with emotion. He fought him with the written word. It is written. It is written. It is written. That's Luke 4. And every time the devil came, Jesus didn't cry about it. He didn't talk about how hard it was. He didn't say, "Well, I guess God's trying to teach me something." No, he said, "It is written." That's confession. And Hebrews 3:1 says, "Jesus is the high priest of our confession. If we don't say it, he has nothing to work with. He only has authority to act on what we say when we say what he already said. Let me tell you something. Your confession builds a bridge between the promise and the manifestation. You want to walk into healing, start confessing healing. You want to walk into peace, start confessing peace. You want to sleep tonight without fear and anxiety, then say what God says about your peace. Say it again. I hold fast to the confession of my faith.
Now look at what we're about to do. We're not just here to learn. We're not just here to listen. We're here to say something. And I'm going to lead you in 15 confessions tonight that will shock your doubt, silence your fear, and shake your unbelief. Glory to God. We're not waiting for a feeling. We're not waiting for a breakthrough. We're confessing the breakthrough because faith is not passive. Faith is not silent. Faith speaks. Romans 10:6 says, "The righteousness which is of faith speaketh." 2 Corinthians 4:13 says, "We have in the same spirit of faith. We believe and therefore speak." Mark 11:23 says, "He shall have whatsoever he saith." So say this out loud. I believe, therefore, I speak. I have the spirit of faith. I speak faith. I live by faith. I hold fast to my confession. Hallelujah. Glory to God.
Now, get your heart ready. Get your mouth ready. Get your spirit ready. We're about to step into the 15 confessions that will shock your doubt. And we're going to speak them before you sleep tonight. Are you ready? Now, somebody said, "Brother Hagen, why say these things before you sleep?" Well, the Bible's got something to say about that. God didn't just talk about day. He talked about day and night. He told Joshua and Joshua 1:8, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night." Say, "Day and night." Say it again. Day and night. You see, night is not for fear. Night is not for anxiety. Night is not for worry. Night is not for dread. Night is not for replaying the devil's lies in your mind. Night is for the word. Night is for confession. Night is for faith. Psalm 4:8 says, "I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety." Say it. I sleep in peace. I dwell in safety.
Don't let the last voice you hear before you sleep be the voice of the world. Don't let it be the voice of fear or the news or some godless podcast. Let the last voice you hear be the voice of faith. Let it be the word of God in your own mouth. Isaiah 26:3 says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trustth in thee." How do you keep your mind on him? You speak his word. You keep it in your mouth and it'll settle your heart. Some of you losing the battle before bed because you're silent when you should be speaking. But not tonight. I said not tonight. Tonight we take the word and we put it in our mouth and we hold fast to the confession of our faith.
When I was lying on the bed of sickness in 1934, they said I'd never walk again. They said I'd die. But I took the word and began to speak it before I ever felt it, before I ever saw it. And I said, "I believe I receive healing according to Mark 11:24." And I said it at night and I said it in the morning and I said it till it worked because faith doesn't sleep. Faith doesn't shut off at 1000 p.m. The word works 24 hours a day. And confession is your nighttime medicine. Amen. Proverbs 4:20-22 says, "My son, attend to my words, incline thine ear to my sayings, for they are life unto those that find them, and health all their flesh." That word health is the Hebrew word for medicine. So take your medicine before bed. Don't swallow a pill and forget the promise. Take your medicine by the mouth of confession. Say this out loud. God's word is medicine. I take my medicine tonight. I sleep in peace. I rise in victory. I hold fast my confession. Glory to God.
Now, we're about to move into the next portion. We've laid the foundation. The power of confession is established. Your spirit is primed. Your mouth is ready. And now we step into the scriptures that will form the 15 confessions. And I promise you, if you were speaking before you sleep, you'll wake up stronger than when you laid your head down. Amen. Let's go on in.
Now listen to me. Everything we're about to confess is based on the word of God. Not on emotion, not on tradition, not on what some preacher said, unless he said what God said. Amen. We're not building on sand. We're building on chapter and verse. Now, I want you to see this and I want you to say this. Let's go to our foundation scriptures. 2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Now, look at that. If any man, any woman, any teenager, any child be in Christ, he is a new creature. Not going to be, not someday. He is. Glory to God. Say this with me. I am in Christ. I am a new creature. Old things have passed away. All things are become new. You say, "Brother Hagen, I don't feel new." Well, I didn't ask how you felt. I asked what the word said. Don't let feelings rob you of facts. Truth is greater than emotion.
2 Corinthians 5:21. For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Jesus was made sin not just for them, not just for preachers, for us. And now we are made the righteousness of God in him. Say it right now. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I don't have to earn it. I didn't work for it. I believe it and receive it. You're not a worm. You're not a beggar. You're not a sinner saved by grace. You were a sinner. You got saved by grace. But now you're righteous in him. Hallelujah.
Ephesians 1:3. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ whoath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Did you notice the tense? Hath blessed us. That's past tense. That's already done. Say this. I am already blessed. I'm not waiting for a blessing. I am the blessed. That's why I don't sing it's coming. No, it already came. His name is Jesus. He brought the blessing and he gave it to me. Amen.
Ephesians 1:6. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Say it out loud. I am accepted in the beloved. You're not rejected. You're not forsaken. You're not left out. You're accepted. You don't need 1,000 likes on social media to know your value. You're accepted in him. God sees you in Christ. He doesn't see your past. He sees his righteousness. He doesn't see your weakness. He sees his strength in you.
Hebrews 10:23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. For he is faithful that promise. Hold fast. That means don't drop it. Don't release your grip. Speak the word in the morning. Speak the word at noon. Speak the word before you sleep. Say it. I hold fast to my confession. God is faithful and I will not waver. Faith is not a feeling. Faith is not a mood. Faith is not goosebumps. Faith is speaking what God said over and over and over until the mountain moves.
Now we've laid the word foundation. We've planted our feet on solid ground. We're not making this up. We're not reciting a poem. These are confessions backed by scripture, declared by faith, powered by the spirit, and enforced by the blood. Say this with me. I am who God says I am. I have what God says I have. I can do what God says I can do. Glory to God.
Now, we're ready to enter into the next section where we take these truths and begin to release them with our mouth. The devil fears your voice when your voice is full of the word. We're stepping into the 15 in Christ confessions next. Get your mouth ready. Get your spirit stirred.
Now that we've seen what the word says, let's talk about what it does. Amen. The principle of confession is not a new idea. It didn't start with Brother Hagen. It started with God Almighty from the very beginning in Genesis 1. God didn't think the world into existence. He spoke it over and over again. It says, "And God said, and God said, and God said, and every time God said it was so." He said, "Let there be light." and light was. He said, "Let the earth bring forth and the earth brought forth." He said, "Let us make man in our image." And here we are. Hebrews 11:3 tells us plainly, "Through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God." Say it. The word frames my world.
You see, your words frame your world. Your confession creates your condition. If you don't like what you're seeing, check what you've been saying. The word of God didn't stop working when God finished creation. No. The same word that framed the universe is the word you speak from your mouth. And when you speak it in faith, it still works. Jesus said in Mark 11:23, "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." That tells me the saying part is just as important as the believing part.
Now listen to me. You can believe silently, but you can't receive silently. You've got to say it. Romans 10:9 says, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth under righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made under salvation. Salvation didn't come because you thought Jesus was Lord. It came when you confessed him as Lord. The principle of confession is the bridge from believing to receiving. Say that out loud. Confession is my bridge from believing to receiving.
Now, some folks say, "Well, I tried that once and it didn't work." No, it's not a formula to try. It's a law of the spirit to live. You don't try gravity once. You live under it and you live under the law of faith. The same way the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:13, "We having the same spirit of faith, according as is written, I believed and therefore have I spoken. We also believe and therefore speak." Say it. I believe, therefore I speak. Your spirit is the engine, but your words are the ignition. And when your confession aligns with God's word, something starts moving. That's why Hebrews 3:1 says Jesus is the high priest of our confession. He's not just the high priest of your silent thoughts. He acts on your words. And the devil knows that. That's why he works overtime to shut your mouth. But you're not going to let him. Not tonight. Not ever again. You say, "Brother Hagen, what if I don't feel like it?" Well, your feelings are not the boss. Your faith is. Your spirit is. And the word of God is. Don't confess what you see. Confess what you believe. Don't confess what you feel. Confess what's real in the spirit because what's in Christ is more real than what's in your mirror. Say it. The word in my mouth is God working in my life.
So tonight, we're not playing games. We're not reciting chants. We're releasing power. We're holding fast to the confession of our faith. And it's time to step into it. Are you ready? We're about to speak the 15 in Christ confessions that will shock your doubt and silence your fear. And when you speak them, say them strong. Say them loud. Say them like you mean it. Because God means every word he wrote. And faith means every word you speak. Let's go on in.
Now, now that we've seen what the word says, now that we understand what confession is and why it works, now that our hearts are stirred and our mouths are ready, it's time to step into the doing. Because the Bible doesn't say, "Blessed are the hearers." It says in James 1:22, "Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own self." So tonight, we're going to do the word. We're going to speak the word. We're going to activate the word. And I'm going to lead you in 15 mighty confessions straight out of the word of God in him and in Christ. Truths that will shake your soul free from doubt and flood your heart with faith. These are not just statements. They're spiritual weapons. They're not positive thinking. They are eternal truth. They're not motivational slogans. They are legal declarations based on what the blood of Jesus has purchased. Say this with me right now to prepare your spirit. I'm about to speak truth. I'm about to shake fear. I'm about to establish my victory. The devil is nervous because my mouth is full of faith.
You see, Satan can't stop a believer who knows who they are in Christ. He can't defeat a Christian who holds fast to the word of God. And he can't stand a mouthful of faith-filled confession. Hebrews 4:12 says, "The word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. One side of that sword is in God's mouth, the other side is in your mouth." When you speak the same thing God speaks, you become a two-edged threat. Heaven backs you. Hell fears you. Victory belongs to you. So don't whisper these confessions. Don't mumble. Don't halfway say them. Say them bold. Say them strong. Say them like you believe it because you do. Amen.
And let me tell you something else. If you'll take these 15 confessions and say them before you go to bed every night for seven nights, just seven, you'll start waking up different. You'll rise in strength. You'll walk in peace. You'll live in the light. Psalm 149:5-6 says, "Let the saints be joyful in glory. Let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand." That's what these confessions are. A sword in your hand, a shout in your mouth, and a miracle in motion. So, are you ready? Say it one more time. I'm ready to speak the word. I'm ready to shock my doubt. I'm ready to confess my victory. Then, let's go on in.
The 15 in Christ confessions are coming next. All right, here we go. These are not my words. These are his words. They are spirit breathed, blood-backed, covenant sealed. And when you speak them, you give the Holy Ghost something to work with. Amen. Say this right now. I speak the word with boldness. I speak the word with faith. And I receive what I say.
Now repeat each of these confessions after me. Say them strong. Say them from your spirit.
One, I am a new creature in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17. Old things are gone. All things are new. I'm not who I was. I'm not what I did. I am brand new. Hallelujah. Say it. I am a new creature in Christ. Old things are passed away. All things are new.
Two. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:21. I don't earn it. I don't achieve it. I receive it by faith. I'm not trying to be righteous. I am. Say it. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I stand clean before God.
Three. I am blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ. Ephesians 1:3. I'm not cursed. I'm not lacking. I'm not behind. I am blessed. Say it. I am blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.
Four. I am accepted in the beloved. Ephesians 1:6. I'm not rejected. I'm not an outsider. I am welcomed. I am wanted. I belong. Say it. I am accepted in the beloved. God delights in me.
Five. I have redemption through his blood. Ephesians 1:7. I'm not under guilt. I'm not under shame. I'm not under judgment. I am redeemed. Say it. I have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sin.
Six. I have peace with God through Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1. No more fear, no more torment. I have peace. Say it. I have peace with God. My heart is settled. My spirit is steady.
Seven. I am more than a conqueror through him who loves me. Romans 8:37. I'm not barely making it. I'm more than a conqueror. Say it. I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus.
Eight. I have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16. My mind is sound. My thoughts are righteous. Say it. I have the mind of Christ. I think God's thoughts.
Nine. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13. Not by my strength, but his. Say it. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Ten. I've been delivered from the power of darkness. Colossians 1:13. Satan has no authority. Darkness has no claim. Say it. I am delivered from darkness. I walk in the light.
Eleven. Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4. I'm not afraid. I'm not overwhelmed. I overcome. Say it. Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.
Twelve. The law of the spirit of life in Christ has made me free. Romans 8:2. I am free from sin. I am free from shame. I am free from sickness. Say it. I am free by the law of life in Christ Jesus.
Thirteen. The spirit himself bears witness. I am a child of God. Romans 8:16. I'm not an orphan. I'm not forgotten. I'm not alone. Say it. I am a child of God. The spirit confirms it.
Fourteen. I hold fast the confession of my faith. Hebrews 10:23. I don't waver. I don't quit. I speak and I stand. Say it. I hold fast my confession. God is faithful.
In Christ I live. In Christ I reign. In Christ I win. This is my reality. This is my identity. This is my testimony. Say it. In Christ I live. In Christ I reign. In Christ I win.
Now shout it. That's who I am. That's what I have. That's what I say. And I will never be the same again. Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God.
Now, if you'll take these 15 confessions and say them every night before you sleep for the next seven nights, you'll start seeing a change, not just around you, but in you. Because the word spoken in faith goes to work in the spirit. It shifts things. It renews the mind. It transforms the heart. It silences fear and builds a foundation that the devil can't shake.
Now, are you ready to take this even further? Now, I want to share something with you that changed my life back in 1933 when I was lying on a bed of sickness, paralyzed, given up to die. I heard a Methodist minister on the radio out of Dallas say this and it stuck with me. He said it would benefit every Christian to go through the New Testament, especially the epistles, and underline or write out every scripture that says in Christ, in him or in whom. Then begin to confess them because they describe who you are and what you have as a believer. And friend, I took him at his word. I got a pencil. I got a New Testament and I begin to underline and I begin to say what I read. And the more I said it, the stronger I got. The more I said it, the clearer it became. And one day it became so real to me that I swung my legs off that deathbed and stood up. That's the power of speaking who you are in Christ.
Now listen carefully. There are over 130 verses in the New Testament that use phrases like in him, in whom, in Christ. Not all of them tell you something specific, but most do. And I begin to meditate on them. I begin to confess them. I begin to live in them. Say that I live in the in him realities. This is what I'm challenging you to do. You can't walk in victory if you live in Leviticus. Amen. I'm not saying don't read the Old Testament. It's all inspired. But if you want to know who you are now, you've got to live in the epistles. That's where you'll find what Jesus did for you, who you became in him, and what's already yours. You won't find out why Jesus died in the Gospels. You'll see that he did die, but the explanation is in the epistles. That's where you find the revelation knowledge what happened between the cross and the throne. That's where you find out what happened to you when you got born again. Say this out loud. I will live in the epistles. I will underline every in him verse. I will confess who I am in Christ every day.
You don't grow strong by wishing. You grow strong by feeding. And the best food for the believer is their identity in Christ. When you say what God says about you, you begin to rise. When you agree with God, his power goes to work. When you confess who you are in Christ, doubt has to go, fear has to flee, and boldness takes over. So go through those epistles, underline, write out, speak, declare, put the word on your mirror, put it on your dashboard, put it in your mouth, and never take it out. Because the more you say it, the more you see it. And the more you see it, the more you believe it. And the more you believe it, the more you'll walk in it. Hallelujah. Say this with me right now. God said it. I believe it. I say it. That settles it. Amen.
Now, we're going to walk through a testimony illustration. next one that will show you how these confessions work in real life, how they bring transformation, and how they release miracles. Now, I want to share with you a testimony, a real story that proves this principle. You see, I've been preaching for many years now, and I've seen all kinds of situations, hopeless cases, terminal diseases, broken minds, shattered families, but I've never seen the word of God fail when it was spoken in faith. Not once.
Years ago, I was holding a meeting in a little church down in East Texas. A woman came in one night, walked straight up to me after the service and said, "Brother Hagen, the doctor say I've got three months to live." I looked at her and I didn't say what the doctor said. I said, "But what does the word say?" She said, "I don't know what the word says." And I said, "Then that's the first thing we need to fix." I gave her one scripture, 1 Peter 2:24, "By his stripes ye were healed." And I said, "Now go home and say that out loud 50 times before you go to bed tonight." She looked at me kind of sideways. She said, "Uh, you mean say it out loud?" I said, "That's right. Say it. Not think it. Say it." You see, your tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Psalm 45:1. And what you write on your heart by speaking, you'll walk in. She came back the next night and said, "Brother Hagen, I did it." I said, "Good. Do it again and again and again." Night after night. She said that one scripture, by his stripes I was healed. She said it when she felt weak. She said it when she felt afraid. She said it when the pain came. And do you know what happened? 3 weeks into that confession, she woke up one morning completely healed. Doctors couldn't find a trace of the disease. Not one trace. Glory to God.
Now, here's what you need to understand. She didn't get healed because she begged God. She didn't get healed because she cried. She got healed because she agreed with God. She took the word. She put it in her mouth. She held fast to it and it became medicine to her body. Just like Proverbs 4:22 says, "They are life unto those that find them and health to all their flesh."
Let me give you another one. A man once came to me with depression so thick he hadn't left his house in two years. His mind was tormented. He said, "Brother Hagen, I don't know how to get free." I said, "Start saying what God says about you." I gave him this confession. God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7. I said, "Say it when you wake up. Say it every hour. Say it when fear arises. Say it before you sleep." And friend, within days, his mind started clearing up. Peace began to settle in. Within weeks, he was out of the house, back in church, working again, testifying everywhere he went. God gave me back my mind. He gave me back my peace. And it started with my mouth. Say it right now. My mouth is a weapon. My words are my victory. I say what God says, and I have what he promised.
You see, confession isn't just doctrine. It's deliverance. It's healing. It's restoration. I've seen marriages turned around by a change of words. I've seen bodies healed by a change of confession. I've seen demons flee just because somebody stopped speaking fear and started speaking faith. You don't have to feel strong to speak strong. You don't have to feel bold to declare bold. You speak it first and the feeling follows. Hallelujah. That's why we're not just talking tonight. We're declaring. And we're not just declaring, we're expecting because confession creates possession.
Now, we're about to take this even deeper into how God sees things versus how man sees things. And friend, that will make all the difference in how you talk and how you live. Now, listen closely because this is one of the biggest problems that keeps believers from walking in victory. They keep looking at themselves the way they feel instead of the way God sees them. But I came to tell you, God doesn't look at you through your feelings. He looks at you in Christ. He doesn't see you in your weakness. He sees you in his strength. He doesn't see you in your past. He sees you in his promise. Say it out loud. God sees me in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 didn't say if any man feel saved. It didn't say if any man feel holy. It said if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. That's a fact, not a feeling. I remember one time a man said to me, "Brother Hagen, I just don't feel righteous." I said, "Well, the Bible didn't say you'd feel righteous. It said you are the righteousness of God in Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:21, "that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Say it. I am the righteousness of God in Christ.
Now, somebody says, uh, "But, Brother Hagen, I've done some terrible things in my past." Friend, so had Paul. But God doesn't deal with you based on your past. He deals with you based on what Jesus did at the cross. That's why Isaiah 43:25 says, "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgression for mine own sake and will not remember thy sin." He doesn't just forgive. He forgets. God looks at you through the blood. And through the blood, you're clean. Through the blood, you're new. Through the blood, you're justified. Through the blood, you're accepted. You say, "Well, I don't feel accepted." Doesn't matter. You're accepted in the beloved. That's what Ephesians 1:6 says. You say, "I don't feel like I can win." Doesn't matter. Romans 8:37 says, "In all these things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." You say, "I feel weak." That's all right. Joel 3:10 says, "Let the weak say, I am strong." Notice it didn't say, "Let the weak feel strong." It said, "Let the weak say, glory to God." God says, "Say it before you see it. Say it before you feel it. Say it because I said it."
Now, let me remind you, feelings are flaky. Feelings are up and down. But God's word is forever settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89. And if it's settled in heaven, you might as well settle it in your heart and settle it in your mouth. Say it right now. I don't walk by feelings. I walk by faith. I don't confess my emotions. I confess the truth. God's word is final. My confession is firm. My victory is sure.
You see, when God told Samuel to anoint David, he said in 1 Samuel 16:7, "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." And friend, God is looking at your heart, not your habits. He's looking at your spirit, not your slip-ups. And if you're in Christ, your spirit is righteous, holy, accepted, powerful, and alive. Now, it's time for you to see yourself the way God sees you. It's time to speak over yourself what he says, not what others say. And it's time to let your words line up with heaven. Because when your confession aligns with God's perception, then transformation takes place. Amen.
Now, we're about to move into something very practical. What to do before you sleep. We're not done yet. We're going to show you how to make this a daily habit that builds unstoppable faith. Now, I want to talk to you about something that'll anchor all of this into your daily life, your nightly faith habit. We've been shouting. We've been confessing. We've been learning. But now we've got to live it. We've got to walk it. We've got to say it when no one's watching. Because faith doesn't end when the sermon ends. Faith begins where the feeling stops.
Let me ask you, what are the last words that come out of your mouth before you sleep? Is it fear? Is it frustration? Is it, "I'm tired. I'm worried. I hope I make it through tomorrow." No. No. No. Psalm 141:3 says, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips." Don't let your pillow become a pulpit for fear. Let it become a platform for faith. The last thing you say before bed should be the strongest thing you believe. That's why I call this the nightly faith habit. Proverbs 3:24 says, "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid. Yay, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet." Say that out loud. "My sleep shall be sweet." Sweet sleep comes from a settled spirit. And a settled spirit comes from a spoken word.
Every night before I sleep, I take time to confess who I am in Christ. Not for a show, not for a feeling, but for formation. I'm forming something in my heart, and when the pressure comes, that's what'll come out. Isaiah 50:4 says, "He wakenth morning by morning that I should know how to speak a word in season." Well, if he awakens you in the morning, he can settle you in the evening. And if your last words are full of life, your dreams will be full of peace. Because the word works even while you sleep.
So here's what I'm challenging you to do. Every night before you turn out the lights, speak the 15 in Christ confessions we declared earlier. Say them out loud. Whisper them if you need to, but say them. Don't go to bed till the word is the last thing on your lips. Say it with me. I don't sleep on worry. I sleep on the word. I don't lay down in fear. I lay down in faith.
And listen, this is not about performance. It's about positioning. You're positioning your heart to trust. You're giving the Holy Ghost something to work with while you sleep. Psalm 16:7 says, "I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel. My reins also instruct me in the night seasons." Did you hear that? God will speak to you in the night seasons. He'll teach your spirit while your body rests. But only if you filled your spirit with his word. That's why your nightly confession habit is so powerful. Because as you speak the word, you sow the word. As you sow the word, you sleep in peace. And as you sleep in peace, you wake in strength. It's not just what you hear in church. It's what you say at night that determines what you believe in the fight.
Now, we're about to move into the challenge. a call to action, a moment to make this more than a sermon, but a lifestyle. Now, friend, if everything we've just said is true, and it is, then the only thing left to do is do it. James 1:22 says, "But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." You've heard the word tonight. You've confessed it. You've seen it. You felt it rising in your spirit. But now you must act. And this is your action step. the seven night confession challenge.
Here's what I want you to do. And I believe the Holy Ghost is prompting many of you right now to say yes for the next seven nights. Before your head hits the pillow, before the lights go off, before you say good night to anybody else, speak out loud the 15 in Christ confessions we declared earlier. Say them slowly. Say them boldly. Say them intentionally. If it takes five minutes, fine. If it takes 10, fine. But don't go to sleep without sowing the word.
You say, "Brother Hagen, is it really that important?" Absolutely. Mark 4:14 says, "The sower soweth the word." You sow the word by speaking it. And if you don't sow it, there'll be no harvest. You say, "But what if I miss a night?" Then start again. This is not a ritual. It's relationship. It's renewal. It's transformation. You say, "Well, I don't feel anything." That's all right. The word isn't based on what you feel. It's based on what God said. You don't need a chill down your spine. You need truth in your mouth.
And I want to make it even easier for you. There's a free printable available, 15 confessions straight from the word. Download it, print it, tape it next to your bed, put it on your nightstand, keep it where your Bible sits. And if you're watching this online, drop a comment right now. I hold fast. Let the world know you're taking a stand. Say it again. I hold fast to the confession of my faith.
Some of you will start seeing change in 24 hours. Some will feel fear break off the first night. Others will see their dreams become peaceful, their waking hours become bolder, and their spirit man rise up strong. But all of you, every single one will see God's word work in your life. Why? Because he is faithful that promised. Hebrews 10:23. You do your part, he'll do his. You speak the word, he'll confirm it with signs following. You open your mouth, he'll fill it with good things. Hallelujah. Say this now. I take the challenge. I speak the word. I sow the word. I harvest the word. And I will never never never be the same again. Glory to God.
Now, let's bring this to a powerful close with a declaration prayer. Now, we're going to seal everything we've heard and everything we've spoken with a declaration of faith. We're not praying from weakness. We're praying from victory. We're not asking God to do what he's already done. We're declaring what he already gave. And we're not hoping for change. We're confessing it into motion. Lift your hands right where you are and say this with me loud and clear.
Father God, I thank you for your word. I believe your word. I receive your word. Your word is alive in me. It is sharper than any sword. It divides truth from lies. It breaks chains. It builds faith. It shapes my destiny. I declare I am who you say I am. I have what you say I have. I can do what you say I can do. I am a new creature in Christ. I am the righteousness of God in him. I am blessed with every spiritual blessing. I am accepted in the beloved. I am redeemed. I am delivered. I am victorious. I hold fast my confession. I speak the word before I sleep. I rise in peace. I walk in power. I live in faith. Fear has no hold. Doubt has no place. My words are lined up with heaven. and I will not be moved. For you, oh Lord, are faithful. And I declare by faith with boldness and in Jesus name. I will never, never, never be the same again. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah.
Now shout it one more time. I hold fast. I confess victory. I am in Christ. Glory to God forever.
Now listen to me, child of God. Don't let this be a one-time moment. Don't let tonight be a spark without a flame. Keep the fire burning. Keep the word flowing. Keep your confession alive. You say, "Brother Hagen, what if I miss a night?" Well, don't beat yourself up. Pick yourself up. Start again. Speak again. Confess again. Because God didn't call you perfect. He called you in Christ. And in him there is always grace to start fresh and faith to finish strong. Philippians 1:6 says, "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." You're not in this alone. The Holy Ghost is your helper. The word is your foundation. Your confession is your weapon and Jesus is your victory. Stay in him. Stay in the word. Stay in the flow of faith and stay in the place of confession. Don't go back to small thinking. Don't go back to silent nights filled with fear. Don't go back to the lies of the enemy that say you'll never change. No, no, no. Say what God says and say it until your soul believes it and your life reflects it. Say this one last time with me. I hold fast to the confession of my faith because God is faithful who promised. I sleep in peace. I awake in victory. I walk in Christ. And remember this, you don't have to wait on God. He already moved. He already spoke. He already gave. Now it's your move. Speak, confess, declare. Because faith isn't finished until it's spoken. This is Brother Hagen reminding you, stay in the word, stay in the spirit, and stay in him. God bless you. I love you. Now go confess your victory.