Speaking Faith: Overcoming Obstacles Through God's Promises
Summary
The Word of God is unchanging and eternal, a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, guiding us both in the present and into the future. When we truly place our faith in God, it transforms not only our outlook but also the very words we speak. Too often, our anxiety and heaviness come from trusting in people or things that cannot bear the weight of our hope. But when our faith is rooted in God, it changes our language and empowers us to speak to the mountains—those obstacles, fears, and barriers that stand between us and God’s promises.
The story of Jericho reminds us that some walls cannot be brought down by our own strength or resources. The Israelites’ victory came not by might, but by obedience and the power of their spoken word. God instructed them to be silent until the appointed time, and then to shout in faith. Their breakthrough came when they spoke in agreement with God’s promise. In the same way, we must learn to speak to our own walls, declaring that they must move because God is taking us somewhere greater.
Sometimes, the reason our walls remain is because we give them too much attention—complaining, worrying, and magnifying them. This is a form of worship, and it only strengthens the barrier. Instead, we are called to let God arise and to bring down every imagination and high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Our faith must be expressed not just in thought, but in word and action.
Faith is not passive; it is active and expectant. Like ordering from a menu, when we see God’s promises in His Word, we don’t beg for them—we order them by faith, trusting that what He has said, He will do. The woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5 is a powerful example: she spoke her faith, acted on it, and received wholeness, not just relief. God meets us at the level of our faith, and He desires to break cycles, not just give us temporary breaks.
We must also be willing to spend our faith on others, interceding for those in bondage, addiction, or mental health crisis. Our words have power to call people out of darkness and into the light. And when the enemy comes with lies or symptoms, we must answer with the Word, rebuking what is not from God and standing firm in our identity as redeemed children of God. It is not enough to know the truth; we must speak it, for we have what we say and what we allow to stay.
Key Takeaways
- Faith in God Transforms Our Speech and Perspective
When faith is truly anchored in God, it changes not only how we see our circumstances but also how we speak about them. Our words become instruments of faith, declaring God’s promises over our lives and situations. Speaking in agreement with God’s Word is a powerful act that can move obstacles and bring about breakthrough. [01:56]
- Breakthrough Comes When We Stop Magnifying the Problem
Focusing on our barriers—complaining, worrying, or constantly talking about them—can become a form of worship that strengthens the very thing we want removed. Instead, we are called to let God arise and to bring down every high thing that exalts itself against His knowledge. Shifting our attention from the problem to God’s power is the first step toward victory. [09:23]
- God Meets Us at the Level of Our Faith
Just as the woman with the issue of blood received wholeness because she believed and spoke it, we too receive according to our faith. God’s promises are like items on a menu—if it’s in His Word, we can order it by faith, not by begging. The level of our expectation determines the level of our experience; God is willing to break cycles, not just give us temporary relief, if we dare to believe for more. [32:05]
- Our Faith Is Not Just for Ourselves, But for Others
We are called to spend our faith on behalf of those who are bound, broken, or in crisis. Interceding for others—speaking life, deliverance, and healing over them—can bring about transformation in their lives. The power of faith-filled words extends beyond our own needs and can be the catalyst for someone else’s miracle. [24:43]
- Knowing the Word Is Not Enough—We Must Speak It
Jesus modeled how to respond to the enemy: every temptation was met with a spoken Word from Scripture. The enemy is not moved by our silent knowledge but by our spoken faith. We must answer every lie, symptom, or attack with the truth of God’s Word, refusing to let anything contrary to His promise take root in our lives. [35:54]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:56] - The Power of Placing Faith in God
[03:52] - The Battle of Jericho: Speaking to the Wall
[04:45] - When Natural Strength Isn’t Enough
[09:23] - Worshipping Our Walls: The Danger of Magnifying Problems
[12:06] - Standing in Agreement with God’s Word
[14:25] - Faith as an Order: God’s Menu of Promises
[15:24] - Ordering by Faith, Not by Finances
[19:14] - The Cost of Ministry and Spiritual Battles
[20:38] - Deliverance for the Oppressed
[24:43] - Spending Faith on Others
[27:13] - Moving Differently When You Need a Miracle
[32:05] - Wholeness vs. Relief: Breaking the Cycle
[35:54] - Speaking the Word in the Face of Temptation
[40:41] - Responding to God’s Call
[43:12] - Celebrating New Beginnings
[44:52] - Prayer and Next Steps
Study Guide
Small Group Bible Study Discussion Guide
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### Bible Reading
Mark 11:22-24 (ESV)
> And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Joshua 6:1-5, 20 (ESV)
> Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” ... So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.
Mark 5:25-34 (ESV)
> And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” ... And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
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### Observation Questions
1. In Mark 11:22-24, what does Jesus say is necessary for a mountain (obstacle) to be moved? What role does speaking play in this process?
2. According to Joshua 6, what specific instructions did God give the Israelites before the walls of Jericho fell? What was the significance of their silence and then their shout?
3. In Mark 5:25-34, what did the woman with the issue of blood do before she was healed? What did Jesus say was the reason for her healing?
4. The sermon mentioned that sometimes our “walls” remain because we give them too much attention. What are some ways people “worship” their problems, according to the message? [[09:23]]
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus connects faith, speaking, and receiving in Mark 11:22-24? What does this suggest about the relationship between belief and our words?
2. The Israelites were told to be silent for six days and then shout on the seventh. What might this teach us about timing, obedience, and the power of words in spiritual breakthrough? [[03:52]]
3. The woman in Mark 5 didn’t just hope for healing—she spoke it and acted on it. What does her story reveal about the difference between passive and active faith? [[28:15]]
4. The sermon says that focusing on our problems can become a form of worship. How might this perspective change the way someone deals with anxiety or persistent struggles? [[09:23]]
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### Application Questions
1. The sermon said, “When faith is truly anchored in God, it changes not only how we see our circumstances but also how we speak about them.” Is there a situation in your life right now where your words have been more negative or doubtful than faith-filled? What would it look like to start speaking God’s promises over that situation? [[01:56]]
2. Are there any “walls” in your life—obstacles, fears, or barriers—that you have been magnifying by worrying, complaining, or talking about them constantly? What is one practical step you can take this week to shift your focus from the problem to God’s power? [[09:23]]
3. The message compared God’s promises to items on a menu, saying we “order” by faith, not by begging. Is there a promise from God’s Word you need to “order” by faith right now? What would it look like to do that in prayer and in your daily speech? [[14:25]]
4. The woman with the issue of blood received wholeness, not just relief, because she dared to believe for more. Are there areas in your life where you have settled for temporary relief instead of believing for a complete breakthrough? What would it mean to ask God to break the cycle, not just give you a break? [[32:05]]
5. The sermon challenged us to “spend our faith” on others, especially those in bondage or crisis. Who is someone in your life right now that needs you to speak life, healing, or deliverance over them? How can you intentionally pray and speak God’s truth for them this week? [[24:43]]
6. When the enemy brings lies, symptoms, or attacks, the message said we must answer with the Word, not just know it. What is one lie or negative thought you’ve been battling? What specific Scripture can you speak out loud to confront it? [[35:54]]
7. The sermon said, “You have what you say and what you allow to stay.” Is there something you’ve been allowing to “stay” in your mind or life that you need to start rebuking and speaking against? What will you do differently this week to stand firm in your identity as a redeemed child of God? [[39:26]]
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Devotional
Day 1: Speak to Your Mountain—The Power of Faith-Filled Words
Faith in God empowers you to speak to the obstacles in your life with authority, knowing that your words, when rooted in trust in Him, have the power to move mountains. When you place your faith in God rather than in people or things, your speech changes; you begin to declare God’s promises over your situation instead of rehearsing your fears. Jesus teaches that what you say in faith will be done, and that you can command the barriers in your life—whether fear, sickness, or intimidation—to move, trusting that God will honor your faith-filled words. The key is not just believing in your heart, but also boldly speaking out what you believe, refusing to let doubt silence your confession. [01:56]
Mark 11:22-24 (ESV)
And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Reflection: What is one obstacle in your life that you need to speak to today with faith, declaring God’s promise over it instead of rehearsing your fears?
Day 2: You Have What You Say—Ordering from God’s Menu
God’s Word is like a menu filled with promises, and you are invited to “order” from it by faith, not by begging or hoping, but by confidently declaring what God has already made available to you. Just as you expect your meal to arrive after placing an order at a restaurant, you can expect God to fulfill His Word when you speak it in faith, even if you don’t see immediate results. Your expectation should be so strong that your attitude and actions begin to align with what you have spoken, trusting that if it’s on God’s menu—healing, provision, peace—it’s yours to claim. The difference between requesting and ordering is the confidence that comes from knowing what God has promised; you don’t have to wonder if He will do it, you simply believe and speak it. [15:24]
2 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV)
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
Reflection: What is one promise from God’s Word that you need to “order” by faith today, and how can you begin to speak and act as if it is already yours?
Day 3: Faith for Others—Spending Your Faith on Someone in Need
Sometimes the battles you face are not just about you, but about someone God wants to reach through your faith. Like those who prayed for the demon-possessed man in Mark 5, you are called to intercede and speak life over others who are bound, addicted, or in crisis, believing that your faith can help bring them out of darkness. God responds to the prayers and declarations of those who are willing to “spend” their faith on behalf of others, calling them into freedom, healing, and wholeness. Instead of judging or distancing yourself from those in need, you are invited to use your spiritual authority to speak God’s deliverance and blessing over their lives, trusting that He hears and answers. [21:51]
Mark 5:18-20 (ESV)
As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
Reflection: Who is one person in your life facing a crisis or bondage that you can intentionally speak God’s promises over and pray for today, believing for their breakthrough?
Day 4: Wholeness Over Relief—Ask for the Cycle to Be Broken
God desires not just to give you temporary relief, but to make you whole—to break the cycles that keep you bound, just as He did for the woman with the issue of blood. Your faith sets the level of your experience; if you only ask for a little relief, that’s what you’ll receive, but if you dare to believe for complete wholeness, God is able to do it. When you speak and act in faith, refusing to settle for less than God’s best, you invite Him to break generational patterns, persistent struggles, and recurring problems in your life. Don’t just ask for a break in your situation—ask for the cycle to be broken, and stand firm in your confession even when symptoms or old patterns try to return. [32:05]
Mark 5:34 (ESV)
And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Reflection: Is there a recurring struggle or cycle in your life that you have settled for? What would it look like to ask God for complete wholeness and to declare the cycle broken today?
Day 5: Answer the Enemy—Speak the Word, Don’t Just Know It
Victory over the enemy comes not just from knowing God’s Word, but from speaking it out loud in the face of temptation, accusation, or fear. Jesus modeled this in the wilderness, answering every attack of the devil with Scripture, refusing to let the enemy’s words go unchallenged. You must not allow negative thoughts, lies, or symptoms to take up residence in your mind or life; instead, answer them with the truth of God’s Word, rebuking what is not from God and declaring what is. It’s not enough to be filled with knowledge—you must express it, speaking God’s promises and authority into your situation so that the enemy knows he is trespassing and must leave. [35:54]
Luke 4:3-4 (ESV)
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”
Reflection: What negative thought, lie, or temptation do you need to answer today with God’s Word, and what specific Scripture will you speak out loud in response?
Quotes
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