To Decree & Declare, or Not?

I asked a question and challenged fellow believers to prove with scripture the validity of the doctrine of "decree & declare". This false doctrine seems to have come from the Word of Faith movement and has now spread like wildfire throughout charismatic & Pentecostal churches. This teaching has been made popular by celebrity status preachers and is partner with the teaching that by faith we can put a "demand" on God to answer and perform our petitions by using God's own word to do so. The latter mentioned teaching gives the impression that we can hold God hostage with the Bible and boss him around based on what we believe he said, and the former leads me to believe that we have harnessed some magical word power that gives us the ability to change any circumstance with the words of our mouths like GOD. The primary scripture used to support the doctrine and now popular practice of "Decree & Declare" is found in JOB 22:28.

JOB 22:28; "Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways."

According to what we see here it would appear that we can at least "decree a thing" and expect to see it performed for us. Really? Is this in context with the rest of the scriptures in this passage, and what is a "decree" according to the Bible? The original Hebrew word that translates as "decree" that used in Job 22:28 is "gazar"; pronounced "gaw-zar", and based on the context it can mean: to cut in two, divide; cut down; cut off, destroy, exterminate, separated, excluded, to be decreed, snatch, and decide. One Hebrew word can carry several meanings and the context in which it is used determines its meaning. Proverbs 18:21 mentions "Death and life are in the power of the tongue", but that scripture is talking about a judicial situation and serves as an admonition to us to watch how we speak in such a scenario. If you are going to court remember that verse just in case.

ROMANS 4:17; "(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were."

WHO is this talking about? Look at it a bit closer. It's talking about "GOD" as the one who speaks things that are not as though they were, not you. I bet you were getting ready to speak something or decree & declare until reading this ruined it huh? Oh well. Let us examine the context used in our key scripture in order to find the definition or definitions that best fit the way the word is used and was originally intended. The context in which this scripture is given comes via a conversation of unjust accusation by Eliphaz the Temanite against Job. Eliphaz is accusing Job of being unrighteous and deservedly punished by Yah for sin. He is reprimanding him by telling him how the Almighty will restore him if he repents and changes his ways. The words spoken carry some truth but they are delivered with the wrong spirit and were not validated by Yah as being just concerning him as it related to Job. For proof let us look at what GOD himself says to Eliphaz.

JOB 42:7-8; "And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. 8) Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job."

In so saying, the verse given in Job 22:28 is a supposition by a self-righteous false accuser of a righteous man who had done no wrong to deserve his situation but was being unjustly afflicted by Satan. This verse has no supporting scripture in the entire Bible to validate the doctrine of "decreeing and declaring". The doctrine or practice of "decreeing and declaring" was never taught or practiced by Christ or his apostles. The most appropriate word of those given for the definition of the Hebrew term "gazar" which translates as "decree" is the term "decide". Let's substitute "decide" in the verse and see how it reads. Feel free to try the other words as well and look it up for yourself. Here we go:

JOB 22:28; "Thou shalt also DECIDE a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways."

So, if we read above and below verse 28 as to what Eliphaz is saying and put it all together then we can see that he is telling Job that if you live right before the Lord and delight in him, when you go to GOD to make a prayerful decision (petition) he will answer your prayer and favor you. Verses 27-30 of Job chapter 22 are about a person in right standing with the Lord having their prayers received and answered whether it be for them or in intercession for another.

We can support that with scripture but we cannot create a doctrine of Bible "hokus pokus" or "blabbus grabbus", and false authority as taught by false prosperity teachers using "New Age" teachings from anti-Christ gurus, motivational speakers, celebrities, and preachers like the late Napolean Hill, the late L. Ron Hubbard, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Tony Robbins, Oprah, the late Reverend Ike, Cindy Trimm, Bishop E. Bernard Jordan, Mike Murdock, Todd Coontz, Paula White, Juanita Bynum, Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Fred Price Sr., Jesse Duplantis, Manasseh Jordan, and on and on. Don't stop reading because your favorite person or preacher is mentioned. You need to study your Bible more carefully instead of being mad at me.

Kings, rulers, ruling councils, and those in positions of authority to affect societal norms and ordinances in the world or the Church make decrees as a matter of law which govern how people live their lives. Secular authorities make decrees for the government and its citizens. The LORD and the Apostles of Christ made decrees to govern the Church. Decrees were meant to give us a rule of law and a standard by which to live. There are 47 verses and 48 times in the Old Testament that the term "decree" is used with one of those being the plural form "decrees". In each instance it is used by a governmental or heavenly authority, or in addressing such authority. The terms are only used a total of 3 times in the New Testament and twice refer to the laws of Caesar and once as given by the apostles to the Church. We are "kings and priests" according to the Bible in REVELATION 1:6. 

REVELATION 1:6; "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." 

Understand that we are kings under the King of kings within his kingdom so we operate and live by his decrees and not our own. We can only make decrees or decisions about our own lives as it pertains to the Word of God and not in contradiction to it. In other words, you can only say what Adonai Yeshua has already said. That basically amounts to a "confession" in agreement with Yah's word, and we are to confess the word in making our petitions unto Yah in prayer and in our daily walk. This is scriptural. 

Anybody can make a declaration. The term "declare" is used 77 times in the Old Testament and 18 times in the New for a total of 95 times. To "declare" as used in the scriptures means: to relate fully, manifest, certify, represent as a spokesman, predict, profess, denounce, pronouncement, make known, announce, narrate all the way through, rehearse, expound, indicate, define, proclaim, preach, teach, show, give a token, give proof, evidence, give understanding to, make plain, give clarity, report, tell, speak. There are more definitions for the word "declare" but please take note that they all mean pretty much the same thing but can be said in different ways as used in scripture. They all point to you speaking or doing something that makes known your intentions, relays information, or gives a clear explanation. 

You cannot decree and declare anything as if you are creating it with your words based on your assumed authority in the Kingdom of God. You don't have that kind of power; only the LORD alone does. What you can decree and declare is what the LORD has already said, and again this is done in prayer. When we pray we bring Yah his word demonstrating our faith in it as a part of our petition trusting that he is faithful to respond because he will not deny himself as the scriptures have said. 

2nd TIMOTHY 2:13; "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." 

This means that the LORD is faithful to keep his own word, but it does not mean in anyway that we can use Yah's word to hold him hostage and force him to do our bidding because we have memorized a few scriptures. You have to approach the throne of Yah boldly which means in confidence of your relationship with him, not demanding anything of him. Please remember that God Almighty is exactly that, GOD ALMIGHTY. You are animated dust who has been granted salvation and audience with the King of the universe so in your confidence approach reverently, respectfully, fearfully, and in faith. You don't demand anything of Christ the King. You ask, which means you plead and petition in humility like a child would a parent. If your parents were anything like mine then you know that to make a demand or approach any other way got your behind tore up or got you knocked out. Don't be stupid; this is God Almighty we are talking about. 

"Decreeing and declaring" is not taught anywhere in the Holy Scriptures but confession and petitioning is. We are limited in our ability to decree or declare anything. Let's keep it simple and make it plain. Stop repeating and practicing "New Age" doctrines masked as deep Bible teachings by Pulpit Pimps & Pimpettes. We pray in faith unto GOD by the principle of "ask, seek, knock" as the Lord Yeshua the Messiah taught us and told us to do. If it works for receiving the Holy Ghost then the same principle will work for everything else in Yah's will. We don't need new innovative ways to do the business of the Kingdom of God; we just need to practice what we've already been given. Stick with the Word, not what you heard. Shalom! ~ I.J. West 

MATTHEW 7:7-8; "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8) For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."