Speaking God's promises

What do Christians mean by “speaking God’s promises”?

If you sit in a church service for long enough you may hear someone say, “I’m standing on God’s promises,” or be encouraged to “speak the word over your life.” For someone who is new to Christian faith, or just looking in from the outside, that kind of language can sound strange. It may even seem similar to ideas of “manifesting” or “speaking things into existence” that are popular in wider culture.

The Bible is seen not just as a record of ancient religious thoughts, but as a collection of writings through which God still speaks today.

So what do Christians actually mean when they talk about “speaking God’s promises”? Is it about using the right words to make something happen, or is something else going on?

Where the idea comes from

For Christians, the starting point is the belief that God speaks.

In the opening chapters of the Bible, God is described as calling the world into being by his word. Later, God’s words come through prophets, through songs and prayers, and, for Christians, most clearly through Jesus himself. The Bible is seen not just as a record of ancient religious thoughts, but as a collection of writings through which God still speaks today.

Because of this, many Christians put a strong emphasis on spoken faith. In different churches, people might:

• read passages from the Bible out loud
• pray set prayers together
• sing hymns and songs rich with biblical phrases
• recite creeds that summarise core beliefs

In more informal settings, someone might read a verse aloud at home, or pray using their own words. Across traditions, there is a shared pattern: believers take words they believe come from God and say them back to him, and to one another, as an expression of trust.

When Christians talk about “speaking God’s promises”, they are usually referring to this kind of practice.

What Christians do not mean

Before looking at what this language is trying to express, it can help to clear up a common misunderstanding.

Popular culture sometimes suggests that words themselves have a kind of automatic power. Phrases like “I create my own reality” or “if you say it, you can make it happen” can give the impression that everything depends on human willpower and the right mindset. Some spiritualities use similar language about sending requests out into the universe.

Popular culture sometimes suggests that words themselves have a kind of automatic power.

Most Christians would be cautious about that way of thinking. While the Bible does take words seriously – it warns against lies, gossip and harsh speech – mainstream Christian teaching does not see words as tools to control God or the universe. God is not understood as a force that can be directed by human speech, but as a personal being who acts in freedom and love.

There is also a pastoral concern. If people are told that they can secure health, wealth or success simply by “declaring” it strongly enough, those who remain ill, bereaved or in difficulty may feel that they have failed. This sits uneasily alongside the many biblical stories of faithful people who still suffered, questioned and waited.

So when Christians speak about “God’s promises”, it is not supposed to be about magic formulas. At its best, it is something quieter and more relational.

Remembering what God has said

Christians believe that God has made many promises in Scripture: to be with those who trust him, to give wisdom when asked, to bring ultimate justice, to renew creation, and more. These promises do not remove all hardship, but they offer assurance about God’s character and long-term purposes.

In everyday life, it can be easy to forget those beliefs in the pressure of the moment. Worries and painful experiences often speak more loudly than abstract truths. Because of that, some believers deliberately speak certain verses out loud as a way of bringing those truths to mind again.

Imagine a parent sitting in a hospital corridor, quietly repeating a line such as, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you,” from a New Testament letter. Or a student catching a bus to an exam, whispering a Psalm that talks about God as a shepherd who guides and protects. Saying these words aloud does not force God to act, but it can help the person praying to remember who they believe God is.

It can be compared to reading a trusted friend’s letter again when life is difficult. The act of reading does not create the friend’s love, but it helps the reader to remember and receive it.

Choosing hope when fear is loud

Human beings naturally rehearse their fears. It is easy to think, “Nothing will ever change,” or, “I am completely on my own.” Those thoughts can feel convincing, especially in times of grief, illness or uncertainty.

When Christians “speak God’s promises”, they are often making a conscious decision to answer those fears with a different story. They may still feel afraid, sad or unsure, but they choose to say, for example:

“I feel alone, but I believe God is with me.”

“I do not know how this will unfold, but I believe God cares.”

This does not mean pretending everything is fine. The Bible itself contains many prayers of lament in which people bring their anger, confusion and sorrow honestly to God. Speaking a promise is not about denying pain; it is about refusing to let fear have the only word.

Continued below...

Different ways Christians practise this

Because Christianity is global and diverse, this kind of practice looks different from place to place.

In more liturgical traditions (such as Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and some Lutheran churches), spoken faith is often expressed through set prayers and creeds. Worshippers may pray the Lord’s Prayer, recite the Apostles’ Creed, or join in responses from the Psalms. These set forms allow people to “borrow” words when their own feel inadequate.

many Christians would agree on the underlying point: when life is confusing or painful, returning to what they believe God has said can be a source of comfort and guidance.

In many Pentecostal and charismatic churches, including in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, there may be more emphasis on spontaneously speaking Bible verses into particular situations – for example, praying a promise of peace over someone who is anxious. There can be a strong sense that saying God’s words aloud helps to strengthen faith and push back despair.

In more cautious traditions, there may be less use of the language of “declaring”, but believers still return to familiar scriptures in times of need, perhaps repeating them silently, writing them down, or using them in quiet prayer.

Despite these differences in style, many Christians would agree on the underlying point: when life is confusing or painful, returning to what they believe God has said can be a source of comfort and guidance.

How this differs from “manifesting” and positive affirmations

At first glance, “speaking God’s promises” may sound similar to using positive affirmations. Both involve repeated phrases. Both aim to shape how a person thinks and feels.

There are, however, some key differences:

Where the focus lies

• Positive affirmations often centre on the self: "I am enough," "I am powerful," "I can do this."
• Christian declarations are usually directed towards God’s character: “God is faithful,” “God is with me,” “Nothing can separate me from God’s love.”
  

What is being trusted

• Affirmations can suggest that outcomes depend mainly on inner strength or determination.
• Christian hope rests on someone outside the self. The trust is not, “I can guarantee this,” but, “Even if I cannot control this situation, I believe God is present and at work.”
  

Room for honesty

Some versions of positive thinking can make it hard to admit weakness or sadness.

Christianity is not, at heart, a method for using language more effectively, but a relationship with God through Jesus.

Christian faith, at its best, makes space for both confession of pain and expressions of hope. The Psalms, for example, move between anguish and trust, protest and praise.

There are Christians who find short, hopeful phrases helpful as a way of focusing their minds. The difference is that, ideally, those phrases are rooted in what they believe God has already said, rather than in an attempt to bend reality by sheer force of will.

Exploring this for yourself

For someone curious about Christian faith, all of this may feel quite new. There is no requirement to adopt particular phrases or techniques. Christianity is not, at heart, a method for using language more effectively, but a relationship with God through Jesus.

However, if the idea of “speaking God’s promises” has sparked interest, a few simple steps might be worth trying:

Read a short Psalm out loud, such as Psalm 23 (“The Lord is my shepherd”) or Psalm 121 (“I lift up my eyes to the mountains”), and notice any words or images that stand out.

Pray the Lord’s Prayer, found in the accounts of Jesus’ life (for example in Matthew 6:9–13), even if you are not sure where you stand with God. It has been used by Christians for centuries as a simple, honest way of talking to God.

Talk to a Christian you trust about any verses or prayers that have helped them when life has been hard.

For many believers, speaking God’s promises is not about denying reality, but about bringing reality – with all its mess and questions – into conversation with a God they believe hears, remembers and cares.