Acts 18:9; “Now the Lord appeared to Paul in the night by the vision, “do not be afraid, but speak, and do not be silent.”
Apostle Paul had been speaking until he got to this point, where the Lord needed to appear to him and instruct him in a vision to speak, he should not be silent! Another translation says speak and hold not thy peace. And I believe that as the Lord spoke to him the Spirit entered into him and set him upon his feet. Why should he not keep silent? The reason is this; When there is silence no one knows the mind of God, when there is silence the agenda of God cannot be communicated to a people. That the word of the Lord is scarce does not mean God is not speaking, but because the vessels of God’s utterance are not speaking. Romans 10 verse 14 says; “How then shall they call on Him whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? This means that a preacher is one who speaks and is not silent. God does not communicate His message for the preacher to keep silent, He speaks so that the preacher should speak. Prophet Jeremiah said your word is like fire in my bones, I can’t keep it to myself. So, the word of God ought to be proclaimed, Jesus said whatever has been told you in the secret, declare it at the roof tops.
But what is the essence of speaking? Why do men speak and why should men speak? When God created the earth in Genesis chapter 1, the Bible recorded in verse 1 that the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Verse 3 then says “then God said.” Meaning that God spoke, He was not silent, He didn’t hold His peace. He began to speak, and as He was speaking, He began to see changes. So, speaking talks about vocalization of thoughts, ideas or intent. So, when you speak, it is so that you can either give a command, communicate a message, edify or encourage a people, and to create or give a narrative about something. The Scripture says in Colossians 4 verse 6; “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” So, there is a way to answer each one, there is a way to speak to each one; and you do that by speaking. The Scripture here says what you speak should be with grace and seasoned with salt. How should a leader speak Words with grace, Words that are seasoned? Isaiah 61 gives us an insight. It says; “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings.” Another translation calls good news. So, the first thing the anointing of the Spirit does is to speak through you, It says to preach; another word for preach is to speak. So, you speak Words that are good, Words that edify, Words that build up. What kind of Words do you speak?
Many times, as humans and as leaders we have made careless mistakes of Words that we often times become conscious of its effect and would retract it immediately. The reason is simply because we know that Words are powerful and they can shape, build or destroy. When God was speaking to Jeremiah in verse 1 of chapter 10, He said see I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.” He wouldn’t do this by using a caterpillar or a bulldozer but by the Words of His mouth. In Isaiah 11 verse 4 the Scripture was speaking concerning Jesus, it says; “He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth.” That talks about Words. In another place in Psalm 2 verse 8, the Bible says; “You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.” These can only be accomplished by spoken Words.
James 3 verse 2, says; “If any man offends not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” So, you are perfect to the degree of how careful you are in the use of Words. The Bible says by your Words you are justified; speaking to the fact that you can be blameless just by accessing the Words you speak and you can be condemned or found guilty by the Words you speak.
Having had this background understanding; knowing that we ought to speak and not be silent, how then can we speak the right Words? You speak the right Words based on the condition of your heart. The Bible says, guard your heart with all diligence for out of it proceeds the issues of life. So, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. So, what men or leaders speak is the outflow of what is in the heart. What then should we be doing? We must make sure that we retain the word of God in our heart. So, that each time we speak what flows out of us would be the word of God. We must take heed to what we mediate on or allow the gateways of our senses to feed on. Because they ultimately shape or determine what we say or speak.
At the end of the paragraph before the last one I used the word decree because since we have seen that Words are not just harmless utterances whether we mean it or not; or as we take it on the surface or as a light matter, it then means that Words are decrees, Words are laws. So, what is a decree? A decree according to Merriam-Webster dictionary is an order usually having the force of law. It could be a verbal or written order that is as powerful as the one who speaks it. I say this because Words are taken as a law to the degree of the authority of the one who speaks it. Another word similar in meaning to decree is an edict. It means an official order or proclamation issued by a person in authority.
The Scriptures says; “Where the word of a king is, there is power; and who may say unto him, what doest thou?” The latter part of this verse says; “And who may say unto him what doest thou?” In other Words, no one can question, challenge or contradict the Words of a king. This is the reason why the Bible says life and death lies in the power of the tongue; so, also the Words of a king; it has the capacity to give life and it has the capacity to destroy life. This is the reason why the word of God is so powerful. Anytime the word is uttered by the king, it has the capacity to compel obedience. So, before a decree can be made there are some levels of authority possessed by the one who makes such a decree.
So, decrees can be made concerning a family, a marriage, an institution, a destiny, a nation, a tribe etc. Men have also been given the authority, power and ability to say or make decrees. So, nations, families, institutions and marriages are product of the decrees that either men or God has made concerning them. So, having answered the question of what should we speak, I would discuss briefly on how should we speak. It is one thing to know what to say, it is another thing to know how to say what you want to say. So, what must a leader know in order to speak how he ought to speak in order to see change?
#. Speak as you have been spoken to: in Genesis chapter 1 verse 2, the Bible says and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the deep. ‘Then God said’; if God could wait for the activity of the Spirit before speaking, we also must wait for the Spirit to speak before we speak. Prophet Ezekiel gave us an insight He said I prophesy as I was commanded. In other Words, I make decrees just as I hear My Father make decrees. Jesus said as I hear My Father say I say; as I see Him do I do. If prophet Ezekiel was not commanded, he wouldn’t prophesy. The Bible speaking concerning Jesus, it says; He will not judge by the hearing of His ears nor by the seeing of His eyes. Isaiah says He awakens me morning by morning. Meaning that every morning that God commands has its own word. God asked Job have you ever commanded the morning? Your decree must be what your ears are awakened to every morning. Jesus is the bright and the morning star. So, when the morning is commanded Jesus is the light that brightens it. That is the word. This is what every leader should speak about in order to create change. Your tongue must be bridled or guided by the Holy Spirit. You must speak without fear but don’t be neither arrogant or timid. Words spoken out of arrogance or anger are usually Words that are not perfect. It is best to speak when you are calm. And it takes a broken person to retract Words or to be sorry to have spoken rudely. However difficult the message is, you must deliver it just as it has come to you.
#. Wisdom: There is a way Words should be spoken; it is the Spirit of wisdom that helps you in such situations. Proverbs 25 verse 11 says; A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Perfect Words are produced by wisdom. Words that suit a situation, Words that is right in a particular circumstance is spoken or given by the Spirit of wisdom. Proverbs 8:15-16. “By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes’ rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.” Decrees are made or produced by wisdom. For a decree to carry the capacity to change a territory, a people, or a destiny it must be produced by this virtue. This is the word that gives direction as to what should be done or which way a people should go.
#. Faith: Jesus was teaching His disciples and He said in Mark 11:22-23. “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” The Bible says in Hebrews 11:3, By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. Meaning that God is a creative speaking Spirit, if the world was created or designed by the word, it then means that one who has created and designed the world expects the world to be filled by the word. This is how dominion is achieved. When God blessed, the man saying; be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth. Man was meant to continue to speak and multiply the word of God on the earth until the earth is covered with the knowledge of the word as the water covers the sea. This cannot be achieved by silence; it is achieved by speaking. Decrees that change territories must be spoken by faith, because without faith the word or decree cannot call things that be not and they will appear as though they were. All things were created or made by the word and without the word nothing was made that was made.
Prayer: In Mark 11 verse 24, Jesus was speaking to His disciples saying “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Meaning that decrees can be altered in the place of prayer. The Bible says whatever you bind on the earth is bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth is loose in heaven. If you don’t pray you are not ready to unveil or discover what God has destined you to be. At best you will be a type and shadow of the real you that God wants. If you don’t pray your decrees or Words may not carry weight in the Spirit.
A decree was made concerning the Jews in Shushan but hear what Mordecai said to Esther for if you remain silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance]. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this [and for this very purpose]?” and the Bible recorded that Esther said if I perish, I perish. The outcome was that the decree was reversed and went in favor of the Jews. Decrees are made, laws are established by those who pray. When a decree went out by the king against Daniel it was reversed in favor of the God of Daniel. Only Him should be served.
LORD said, “Shall I keep secret from Abraham [My friend and servant] what I am going to do, 18since Abraham [h]is destined to become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him? 19For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and [the sons of] his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is righteous and just, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised him.” And Abraham interceded on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah changing the decree God has made concerning the city. Without intercessors decrees persist, without intercessors new decrees will not be made or altered.
#. Knowledge: The Bible says in Daniel 9 verse 2, “in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.” Men are not made to be victims of decrees but to have dominion over it, especially when they are negative. But what makes you become a victim of it is because you are ignorant of it. And this is the reason why the Holy Spirit is drawing our attention to it at such a time as this.
I want us to note what Daniel said in this verse; “he said I understood by the books.” Another translation said I perceived, He didn’t just read the books, the Spirit of understanding gave him insight. Another translation puts it this way; I, Daniel, observed in the books. God said my people perish because they lack knowledge. Your ignorance of existing decrees will hinder you from countering such a decree with a new one. So, what have you declared concerning your family, concerning your destiny? What is the decree you have countered or altered concerning your family or destiny?
Jesus said in Matthew 4 verse 4. “It is written”, talking about knowledge. “Man shall not live by bread alone.” Another word for live is existence. It says; but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. This is where my emphasis would be. What is Jesus saying here? It means that Words can proceed from the mouth of men and Words can proceed from the mouth of God. The Words that proceed from the mouth of God is the word that gives life and power. Because the Words are spirit and they are life. I want us to keep this at the back of our minds. So, ultimately, it is God’s decree which is the word of God that has a stronger effect. But until we find where it is written our experiences may not change. The Bible says Jesus found where it was written concerning Him. He wasn’t ignorant of it.
#. Righteousness and Obedience: This is the secret of altering decrees and enforcing decrees. If you are obedient and righteous, you get God to be on your side. And when God is on your side, no one can be against you. Until obedience is complete, decrees cannot be altered, until obedience is complete decrees cannot be enforced, disobedience cannot be punished. You must be in tune with God at all times by being led by His Holy Spirit. In the book of Numbers 23 from verse 20, the Bible says; “Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.” This was Balaam speaking to Balak. Why did He make this statement? Verse 21 says; “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.”
Did we see that? As long as they are in Christ Jesus God has shielded them. Because they are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. So, no negative decree or word or pronouncement went up against them. Because they are obedient and have walked in the ways of God, the Bible says in verse 23; “Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, what hath God wrought!” Did we see that? They remain a blessed people. So, negative decrees were altered and countered because they are pleasing the Lord and they are serving in His will. God said to Abraham I will bless those who make good decrees concerning you and I will curse and counter those who make bad decrees concerning you.
So, Words and decrees determine the extent to which people rise, rule and reign on the earth. Just as kings, nations, family, tribe or community reign by Words or decrees, they can also fall by Words or decrees. God said in Genesis 1 verse 26, let us make man in our image according to our likeness, let them have dominion. We saw that dominion in Genesis chapter 2 verse 19, it says; “Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever name he called each living creature, that was its name.” Another word we can use to replace that is decree. So, whatever decree He makes concerning any animal that was it. The Bible says concerning Joshua when he commanded the sun to stand still; it says in the day that the Lord harkened to the voice of a man. The Scripture gave us a clearer understanding concerning prophet Samuel, it says God did not allow any of his word-his decree to fall to the ground.
So, whatever decree he makes will come to pass, and whatever he says will be established. This is the secret to shaping your leadership destiny in all areas. You can neither create change or enforce it over a nation, people, tribe or race if your lips are sealed. You are a creative speaking spirit and the more you speak the better your experiences.
Having become one who speaks and is not silent, speak every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, not the Words that proceeds out of the mouth of men, but the mouth of God. And as it proceeds from the mouth of God you echo it for men to hear. Don’t be silent speak as you have been spoken to.
Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Apeh Francis Abah!
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