LIBERTY UNIVERSITY JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Can We Really Speak Things Into Existence?
A Paper Submitted to
the Faculty of the School of Divinity
in Candidacy for the Degree of
Doctor of Education in Christian Leadership (Ed. D) Department of Christian Leadership and
Church Ministries
By
Mary Gracias
Lynchburg, Virginia
9/2022
Can We Really Speak Things Into Existence?
The Apostle Paul wrote to his young protege Timothy saying, “What you have heard from
me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others
also” (2 Timothy 2:2). As disciples of Christ, what we learn from the Scriptures, we must pass on
this truth. Well, it should come as no surprise the evil one, Satan, tries to muddy the waters
with teaching that undermines the authority of the Scripture and the Sovereignty of God. One
pesky teaching that has permeated the church is the Word of Faith doctrine.
What is Word of Faith?
Word of Faith theology sets man to be a little god and gives such authority where a man
can shape their reality by the very words they speak. For example, “I spoke that into existence”
or “Name it and claim it.” This teaching is so popular that to say anything contrary means going
against the grain, and some even deem this orthodox teaching.
We must affirm what the Bible teaches in regard to our words. Without a doubt, our
speech matters to the Lord. When we traverse the Scriptures, we find the mention of the
tongue frequently. Just a quick look through proverbs, one can see the wisdom given in regard
to our speech. Proverbs 10:20 says, “The tongue of the righteous is pure silver; the heart of the
wicked is of little value.” Proverbs 18:6 says, “A fool’s lips lead to strife, and his mouth
provokes a beating.” One thing an honest reading of the Scripture will show us is that the
tongue is connected to the heart. Essentially, what one speaks out of their mouth comes out of
the very abundance of the heart.
The Lord Jesus even said, “A good person produces good things from his storeroom of
good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil” (Matthew 12:35). He
says, “I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will have to account for every careless
word they speak. For by your words, you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be
condemned” (12:36). We can even read this further illustrated in James 3:5-6, “So too, though
the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets
ablaze a large forest. And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed
among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on
fire by hell.” We readily sin with our words, which is why we should be slow to speak and quick
to listen.
God vs. Man
Yet, we still haven’t answered the question, can we create our realities with our words?
Can we speak certain things into existence, such as health, wealth, or anything else we
imagine? Well, the answer is simple; no, we cannot. This teaching is from the new age cultist
and depends not on the Sovereign God of the Universe but metaphysical laws that control all
things. In short, it is deism on steroids.
In the Word of Faith view, God created, put metaphysical laws in place, sits back, and
watches the world turn. So, man, to see things happen, must tap into these metaphysical laws,
by the force of faith to see things happen. In The Laws of Prosperity, Kenneth Copeland stated,
“I have learned the powerful force of the spiritual world that creates circumstances around us is
controlled by the words of the mouth. This force comes from inside us.”
The key verse Word of Faith teachers run to is Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the
power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Yet, if we read the proverb before,
we can see what wisdom the Scripture is pointing us to. “From the fruit of a person’s mouth his
stomach is satisfied; he is filled with the product of his lips” (Proverbs 18:20). Our words matter,
and we should use them wisely, but nowhere does the Scripture teach we are creating our
realities with our words. The Scripture makes clear the distinctions between the finite and the
infinite. See, God is God, and we are not. He has created and has that authority. Rest in
following Scripture’s commands, praying, and seeking to use our words to glorify God and edify
others.
