Speaking Faith: Exercising God-Given Authority

Many believers struggle to discern God’s voice, often feeling more attuned to the negative whispers of the enemy than the gentle leading of the Spirit within. Yet, Jesus assures us that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. The challenge is not that God is silent, but that what He says is so good, so full of grace and authority, that it can be hard to believe. We must agree with Jesus, confessing by faith that we do hear His voice, even when our feelings or circumstances suggest otherwise.

A key aspect of our walk with God is understanding the authority He has given us. From the very beginning, God created humanity to have dominion over all the works of His hands. This dominion is not passive; it is exercised through speaking. When Jesus ministered, He rarely prayed for situations to change—instead, He spoke directly to the problem, whether it was a storm, a sickness, or even death itself. The apostles followed this pattern, commanding healing and deliverance in Jesus’ name. Prayer is vital, but there is a time to stop asking God to do what He has already empowered us to do, and to start speaking with the authority He has given.

Many of us, like children running to their parents for help, have grown accustomed to asking God to intervene in every difficulty. But as we mature, God expects us to use the authority He has entrusted to us. Just as a parent eventually expects their child to stand up to bullies on their own, God wants us to confront the challenges of life by speaking His word and exercising dominion. If we do not use our authority, the enemy will take advantage, “chancing” us out of what rightfully belongs to us.

God’s creative power is released through words. In Genesis, God did not lament the darkness—He spoke light into existence. We are made in His image, called to operate as He does. Instead of merely describing our problems or waiting for God to act, we are to call forth what is needed, commanding situations to align with God’s will. This is not presumption, but partnership with God’s design.

Ultimately, the church today must recover the balance between prayer and speaking. We are called to pray, but also to declare, to command, and to enforce the victory Christ has won. When we open our mouths in faith, we give God something to work with, and the enemy cannot withstand the authority of a believer who knows and uses their God-given dominion.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Hearing God’s Voice Requires Faith in His Goodness Many struggle to hear God because what He says is often so gracious and full of promise that it seems unbelievable. Jesus said His sheep hear His voice, so we must align our confession with His word, even when our experience lags behind. Faith is agreeing with God’s assessment of us, not our own doubts or the enemy’s accusations. The more we affirm that we hear His voice, the more attuned we become to His leading. [00:30]
• 2. Authority is Exercised by Speaking, Not Just Praying Jesus and the apostles modeled a life where speaking to situations—storms, sickness, lack—was the primary way to exercise dominion. Prayer is essential, but there comes a point where we must stop asking God to do what He has already authorized us to do. Speaking in faith is commanding circumstances to obey the will of God, not passively waiting for change. This is the practical outworking of our partnership with God. [06:00]
• 3. Maturity Means Using the Authority God Has Given Just as a child must eventually stand up to bullies without running to their parent, believers must grow into the authority Christ has given. God intervenes for us when we are spiritual infants, but as we mature, He expects us to act in His name. If we do not exercise our authority, the enemy will take advantage, and we will miss out on the fullness of our inheritance. Maturity is marked by taking responsibility to speak and act in faith. [10:46]
• 4. God’s Creative Power Flows Through Our Words In creation, God did not describe the darkness—He spoke light into being. We are made in His image, called to operate as He does by calling forth what is not yet seen. Complaining or merely describing our problems does not change them; speaking God’s word over them does. Our words, spoken in faith, release God’s power into our circumstances. [12:18]
• 5. The Enemy Exploits Silence—Open Your Mouth in Faith The devil is a “chancer,” taking advantage of believers who do not use their authority. When we keep silent in the face of adversity, we allow the enemy to continue his work unchallenged. We must confront him directly, commanding him to cease his maneuvers in Jesus’ name, and declare God’s promises over our lives and families. Victory is not in passivity, but in bold, faith-filled speaking.
  
  ** [28:12]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:30] - Why We Struggle to Hear God’s Voice
• [02:04] - Speaking to Things: Jesus’ Example
• [03:30] - The Apostles and the Power of Speaking
• [06:00] - The Difference Between Praying and Speaking
• [06:52] - A Childhood Lesson in Authority
• [08:44] - Growing Up: From Dependence to Dominion
• [10:46] - God’s Expectation for Mature Believers
• [12:18] - God’s Method: Speaking Creation into Being
• [19:24] - Exercising Dominion Over Storms
• [22:00] - The Enemy Will “Chance” You If You Let Him
• [24:30] - Real-Life Testimonies of Authority
• [28:12] - Stop Crying, Start Commanding
• [32:08] - Activating Authority Through Speaking
• [33:00] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Bible Reading

1. John 10:27 (ESV) — > "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."

2. Psalm 8:4-6 (ESV) — > "What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet."

3. Genesis 1:26 (ESV) — > "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'"

Observation Questions

1. According to John 10:27, what does Jesus say about His sheep and their ability to hear His voice?
2. In Psalm 8:4-6, what position and responsibility has God given to humanity in creation?
3. In Genesis 1:26, what does it mean that humans are made in God’s image and given dominion?
4. The sermon mentioned that Jesus and the apostles often spoke directly to situations rather than only praying. What are some examples from the Bible or the sermon where this happened? [03:30]

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon says many believers struggle to believe what God says because it is “so good, so full of grace and authority.” Why might it be hard for people to accept God’s voice over negative thoughts? [00:30]
2. What does it look like in real life to “exercise dominion” by speaking, as opposed to only praying? How does this relate to the way God created the world in Genesis 1? [12:18]
3. The pastor compared spiritual maturity to a child learning to stand up to bullies instead of always running to their parent. What does this analogy teach us about how God expects us to grow in using our authority? [10:46]
4. The sermon says, “If we do not use our authority, the enemy will take advantage, ‘chancing’ us out of what rightfully belongs to us.” What does it mean for the enemy to “chance” a believer, and how can this be prevented? [28:12]

Application Questions

1. The sermon challenges us to confess by faith that we hear God’s voice, even when we don’t feel like it. When was the last time you doubted whether you could hear God? What would it look like to start agreeing with Jesus’ words about you? [00:30]
2. Think about a current situation in your life where you have been praying for God to intervene. Is there an area where you sense God is asking you to speak His word or take authority instead of just waiting? What would that look like practically? [06:00]
3. The pastor shared a story about learning to stand up to bullies as a child. Are there “bullies” (problems, fears, or spiritual opposition) in your life that you have been running from instead of confronting with the authority God has given you? What is one step you can take this week to face them? [10:46]
4. God’s creative power is released through words. Are there areas in your life where you tend to complain or just describe the problem instead of speaking God’s promises over them? What is one specific promise from God’s Word you can start declaring over that situation? [12:18]
5. The sermon says the enemy exploits our silence. Is there a place in your life where you have been silent in the face of adversity? What would it look like to “open your mouth in faith” this week? [28:12]
6. The pastor gave an example of someone commanding the enemy to stop working in their family. Is there a relationship or situation where you need to take spiritual authority and speak God’s truth? What words or prayers could you use? [32:08]
7. The church today often prays a lot but speaks very little. How can you find a better balance between praying and speaking God’s Word in your daily walk? What is one area where you want to start practicing this? [32:08]