Speaking Faith: The Power of Words and Timing

Today’s focus is on the power of our words, the necessity of faith that speaks, and the wisdom of waiting on God’s timing. Life often tempts us to speak negatively about ourselves and our situations, but Scripture calls us to declare God’s truth over our lives, even when circumstances seem contrary. David, in Psalm 103, models this by commanding his soul to bless the Lord and remember His benefits—healing, forgiveness, redemption, and satisfaction. We are reminded to speak God’s promises, not our problems, and to call things that are not as though they were.

The story of the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4 illustrates how we can become accustomed to disappointment, learning to live without hope for change. Yet, God sees our deepest desires and is able to resurrect what seems dead. When her son died, the Shunammite woman declared, “All is well,” not because it looked or felt that way, but because she was aligning her words with God’s character and power. Faith is not just believing in the heart but speaking with the mouth, even before we see the answer.

Jesus teaches us that faith moves mountains, but if our faith isn’t strong enough to move our mouth, it won’t move our mountain. We are not fighting for victory, but from victory—Christ has already secured it for us. The challenge is to resist the temptation to quit, especially when God’s timing doesn’t match our own. Waiting in the flesh leads to frustration, but waiting in the Spirit, with expectation, renews our strength and keeps our hearts from growing weary.

Time is often the greatest test of faith. Like the father in Mark 9, we may believe, yet struggle with unbelief because we haven’t seen the answer for so long. Jesus is not bound by our clocks; He redeems time and meets us at our level of faith. The key is to be honest with God about our doubts and to seek wisdom before we speak or act. Wisdom, Scripture says, was present before creation and is the principal thing to seek. With wisdom comes the ability to prepare, to speak rightly, and to see God open doors we never imagined.

Ultimately, God meets us at our level of expectation. If we will bless the Lord, speak His promises, wait with expectation, and seek wisdom, we will see His goodness in the land of the living—better than ever, even when it doesn’t feel like it.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The words we speak to ourselves shape our reality. Like David, we must command our souls to bless the Lord and remember His benefits, especially when circumstances tempt us to speak defeat or discouragement. Speaking God’s truth over our lives is an act of faith that aligns us with His promises, not our problems. [07:12]
• 2. Faith is not passive; it is active and vocal. The Shunammite woman’s declaration, “All is well,” in the face of tragedy, was not denial but prophetic faith—calling things that are not as though they were. If our faith cannot move our mouth, it will not move our mountain; we must speak God’s promises even before we see them fulfilled. [27:45]
• 3. God’s timing is not our timing, and impatience can lead to frustration, weariness, and even giving up. Waiting in the Spirit means waiting with expectation, not irritation. When we set our clocks to “kingdom standard time,” we trust that in due season, if we do not lose heart, we will reap the harvest God has promised. [69:18]
• 4. Unbelief often grows in the soil of delay. Like the father in Mark 9, we may believe but still struggle with doubt because we have never seen the answer. Jesus invites us to be honest about our unbelief, for He is not limited by time and can redeem what seems lost; He meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be. [78:30]
• 5. Wisdom is the principal thing—before we speak, act, or make decisions, we must seek God’s wisdom. Wisdom was present before creation and brings with it time, honor, and provision. Investing time in seeking wisdom prevents unnecessary repair and opens up divine options beyond what we can see. [85:36]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:10] - Bless the Lord, O My Soul
• [07:12] - The Power of Self-Talk
• [13:45] - Remembering God’s Benefits
• [18:30] - The Shunammite Woman’s Deep Desire
• [27:45] - Speaking Faith in the Face of Loss
• [34:20] - Faith That Moves Mountains
• [41:00] - Living From Victory, Not For Victory
• [48:10] - Responding to Bad News
• [56:48] - Better Than Ever: Faith in Hard Times
• [65:55] - The Temptation to Quit and God’s Timing
• [69:18] - Waiting in the Spirit vs. Waiting in the Flesh
• [74:36] - Expecting God’s Goodness
• [78:30] - Lord, I Believe; Help My Unbelief
• [85:36] - Wisdom: The Principal Thing
• [90:52] - Jesus and the Woman Caught in Adultery
• [95:23] - God Meets Us at Our Level of Faith
• [96:30] - Closing and Invitation

Bible Reading

Psalm 103:1-5 (ESV) — > Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
> Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
> who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
> who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
> who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

2 Kings 4:8-37 (ESV) — (Story of the Shunammite woman and her son)

Mark 9:17-24 (ESV) — > And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute... And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

Observation Questions

1. In Psalm 103, what specific “benefits” does David tell his soul to remember and bless the Lord for?
2. When the Shunammite woman’s son died, what did she say to her husband and to the prophet’s servant? Why is this significant? [27:45]
3. In Mark 9, what was the father’s honest prayer to Jesus regarding his faith and unbelief? [01:18:30]
4. According to the sermon, what is the difference between waiting “in the flesh” and waiting “in the Spirit”? [01:09:18]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does David command his own soul to bless the Lord, even when he may not feel like it? What does this reveal about the power of self-talk and faith? [07:12]
2. The Shunammite woman says “All is well” even though her son has died. Is this denial, or is it something else? What does this teach us about speaking faith in difficult situations? [27:45]
3. The father in Mark 9 admits both belief and unbelief. What does Jesus’ response show us about how God meets us in our faith journey? [01:18:30]
4. The sermon says, “If your faith isn’t strong enough to move your mouth, it won’t move your mountain.” What does this mean in practical terms for how we speak about our lives and problems? [27:45]

Application Questions

1. Think about the words you say to yourself when you’re frustrated, discouraged, or afraid. Are they more like David’s words in Psalm 103, or do they focus on your problems? What is one way you can start speaking God’s truth over your life this week? [07:12]
2. The Shunammite woman chose to say “All is well” even when everything looked hopeless. Is there a situation in your life where you’ve been speaking defeat or discouragement? What would it look like to start declaring God’s promises instead? [27:45]
3. The sermon talks about “waiting in the Spirit” with expectation, not irritation. When you’re waiting for God to answer a prayer, do you tend to get frustrated or do you wait with hope? What is one practical thing you can do to shift your attitude while you wait? [01:09:18]
4. The father in Mark 9 was honest about his doubts. Is there an area where you need to be more honest with God about your unbelief? How might that honesty open the door for God to work in your life? [01:18:30]
5. The sermon says we are “fighting from victory, not for victory.” How does this change the way you approach challenges or setbacks? Can you think of a recent situation where you forgot this truth? [48:10]
6. Wisdom is described as “the principal thing” and something to seek before speaking or acting. Is there a decision or conversation coming up where you need to pause and seek God’s wisdom first? What would it look like to do that? [01:25:36]
7. The pastor said, “God meets us at our level of expectation.” What are you expecting God to do in your life right now? Is your expectation too small? How can you raise your level of faith and expectation this week? [01:35:23]