I have this notebook where I write down questions that I have asked the Lord in prayer and when I get an answer I write down the answer and go back to the original question and put down the date of the answer so I can connect the two. For a couple of weeks I have known that I was supposed to write about “Declarations and Decrees” but I’ve been waiting on timing and direction.
When I looked up the definition of “declaration” it means to affirm, proclaim tell or assert something.
The Hebrew word for declaration is nagad and it means:
Another Hebrew word is dabar which is usually translated as “to speak”.
The Greek has seven words that mean “declare”:
- 27 for I did not shrink from declaring (Anaggellio) to you the whole counsel of God. Acts 20:27
- 23 And then will I declare (homologeo) to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:23
- 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed (apophtheggomai) them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. Acts 2:14
- 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, declaring loudly (boao) that he ought not to live any longer. Acts 25:24
- 4 and was declared (horizo) to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, Romans 1:4
- 17 Now in this that I declare (paraggelo) unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. 1 Corinthians 11:17
- 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared (apaggello) unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. Luke 8:47
A decree is defined as an official decision or command issued by a legal authority. The Hebrew word for decree is dath.
In the Old testament the word decree is used in Ezra 4:19, 6:1, 7:1, Esther 2:8 and Jonah 3:7 and when our Heavenly Father has decreed something. It has to do with making laws, royal edicts, commandments which does not fall under the authority given to us.
In each of these cases the decree had authority behind but a decree does not have the power to create obedience. A great example of this would be the Lord’s commands… they have God’s authority behind each of them, but many people choose to not follow them.
Where do many believers get the idea that they can declare or decree a thing and it will happen?
17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. Romans 4:17
I was taught for years to “call things into being”, but if you read this verse carefully it doesn’t say we have power to call things into being, it says “the God”…… “who gives life to the dead”….. and “calls into being things that were not.”
Who calls into being things that were not? The answer is God. Another verse that is misused is from Job.
28 What you decree on will be done, and light will shine on your ways. Job 22:28
Let’s look at the verses around this one verse to understand the context and where the authority is coming from.
1 “Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. 22 Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart. 23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent 24 and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines, 25 then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you. 26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God. 27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. 28 What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways. 29 When people are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then he will save the downcast. Job 22:21-29
This is one of Job’s friends telling Job to 1. Submit to God 2. Accept instruction from God 3. Return to God 4. When Job prays to Him 5. God will hear 6. Job will fulfill his vows 7. What Job decided on (prayed) will be done for Him and light shine on His ways.
Even though Job’s friend completely misunderstood what was going on in Job’s life and seemed to lack in the friendship department, there is a lot of wisdom in what his friend was sharing. James told us to submit to God. Our Savior told us to ask in prayer. Job’s friend wasn’t saying… Hey Job declare you want a brand new Mercedes and it will come to pass, better yet decree it because it’s the Lord’s promise spoken through Jeremiah that you have a future and a hope therefore it must happen.
Let’s talk about true biblical declarations and decrees.
- PRAISE- the truth is Praise is a declaration to God from your heart.
I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will declare all your wonders.
I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. Psalms 9:1-2“I will declare that your love stands firm forever” Psalm 89:2
2. RENEWING OUR MIND- declarations can be a means of replacing falsehood with truth, they are a way we can encourage ourselves, and they can serve as of a means of being “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Tim 1:7
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:19
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Ps 139:14
3. PROPHETIC DECREES- Our heavenly Father has given a lot of decrees through His prophets, but the prophets are not making these decrees on their own initiative.
16 These are the decrees, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father’s house. Numbers 30:16
6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these decrees, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. Deuteronomy 4:6
Please notice that the Lord encourages these decrees to be kept, but just speaking it out doesn’t force people to keep them.
Our bible is our plumb line and it will never lie to us. Look to those that came before us like Abraham, Isaac, Moses, and our apostles. If they made declarations, what were their intentions? Were they praising God like David so often was? Were they declaring the Gospel of Christ? Or were they declaring provision, healing, a new job, new car, yeah I know that was stretching it LOL. If they made a decree was it based on their own desires or were they instructed to do so by God?
If we truly want to be effective warriors for the Lord, then we need to know our authority, how to use our weapons. We have to stand on truth and belt that around us. Let’s take wisdom from Job’s friend when he said: 1. Submit to God 2. Accept instruction from God 3. Return to God 4. Pray to Him and let the Lord shine upon your ways.
UPDATE: This is a good pdf by The College of Prayer International
PRAYER, DECLARATION, AND “DECREEING PRAYER”
Becoming a Woman Warrior of God 
I’ve been uncomfortable with quite a few of the declaration and decree teachings out there because they strike me as operating in a spirit of witchcraft. This is good.
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