Probably one of the most misunderstood elements of faith is speaking those things that be not as though they were. It was misunderstood when Jesus spoke to the fig tree and it's still misunderstood today. Let’s just take a few minutes to examine a few verses of scripture:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1, KJV)

The Amplified Bible says it like this: Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].

There are two sides to everything. There is a natural side and a spiritual side. You and I have a natural body that is temporal, but we also have a spirit body that is eternal. Everything that you see in nature was initially created by the faith utterances of God. God spoke and there was!!!

Jesus followed the same pattern as His Father. When He spoke to a live tree to dry up, it perished. When He spoke to demons, they had to leave. When He spoke to the storm, it had to quit storming. When He spoke to sick people, they became well. When He spoke to dead people, they came to life. Was all that a show to prove who He was, or was it a teaching lesson for all of us? Were these examples of calling those things that be not as though they were? I think so!

Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. (Proverbs 6:2)

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (Luke 6:45)

This is where the rubber meets the road. What is coming out of your mouth? Is it criticism, bitterness and hate? Or, is it exhortation and encouragement? Is it words that build up or tear down? Is it words of hope or words of fear and anxiety? Whatever is coming out your mouth is in abundance in your heart!!! It’s not just a little bit, it’s a lot!!!

Jesus preached good news to the poor. If I was poor, good news would be that I did not have to stay poor all my life. Jesus spoke healing to the sick and freedom to the demon possessed. We have Jesus living inside of us!!! Should we not be speaking the same type of things? This is not hyper-faith as some propose but simply doing what we have been commissioned to do.

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. (Matthew 16:15-20)