I remember being 10 years old, fearless, and shameless.
Most of what came out of my mouth about my future was either a declaration about what I was going to accomplish or what I so desperately hoped would happen.
As I got older through my middle school and high school years I was extremely specific about what I wanted.
“I’m going to get a D1 scholarship to play basketball in Florida and play basketball professionally overseas.” (Check and check!)
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said that sentence throughout my childhood, and at no point during these declarations did I ever think I was being unrealistic or naive.
I knew what I wanted and I spoke it with confidence.
I shared my dreams with anyone who would listen from family, to friends, and even people I didn’t know too well. I just couldn’t help myself!
Not only did I achieve my goals from childhood, but it happened down to the very details of what I said I wanted. I literally spoke my future into existence.
Now, I said all of that to make you aware of a very powerful principle you can use for your own life: speaking things into existence.
I know, I know, some of you are feeling extremely skeptical right about now. It almost sounds too good to be true. Well, I came to speak to the skeptics today. The people who have seen others grab ahold of their vision, and you wonder if it’s possible for you. I have good news, it is definitely possible for you!
Below I’m going to give you 3 major reasons why you should be speaking what you want and writing it down.
One Of The Most Powerful Forces On Earth Is The Spoken Word - Proverbs 18:21 says, “Life and death are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit”. At the age of 10 I had no idea what I was really doing, but the principle works just the same. I was speaking life! The words you choose to speak today will be the reality you live in tomorrow. The same is true for the written word. It isn’t a coincidence that people write goals and make vision boards and watch their dreams unfold before their eyes. Yes, you have to do the work, but you also have to use your power and speak it!
Your Words Reveal Your Level Of Faith - The truth is you won’t get too far without faith. I have faith in God, so that means I have faith in what God says. If He says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phillip 4:13), then I believe Him. The problem many people have is lack of faith. They see other people succeed, but deep down inside they don’t believe it’s possible for them. So instead of being positive, they complain and speak death over their situation. If you want to see this principle work in your life, you will have to get some faith! Start to believe for the impossible. If God does it for one, He will surely do it for another!
Your Words Make You Accountable- I’ve spoken some things that seem difficult and outlandish. The moment I put it out there I had to hold up my end of the bargain and work! Nothing in life comes free. Even though I spoke about all the things I wanted to do as a child, I still had to learn discipline and consistency. I did my part and God did His part. It’s a two way street. If you want to test yourself to see if you believe something is truly possible, say it out loud. Once other people here you say it, it’s no longer a secret desire hidden in your heart.
If you’re still not convinced, just take a close look at my life. Yes, I work hard, but I also pray and declare what I want. People have come into my life at “just the right time” to help me fulfill my dreams, and resources have found me when I needed them the most. I don’t believe in coincidences or accidents. I believe the Word of God.
I’ve chosen to make positive declarations over my life and I will continue to do it for as long as I live. Now, here is the wisdom behind this principle: Everyone doesn’t have your best interest in mind. While you are being positive and discussing your goals, there may be people who are secretly wishing you fail. Don’t share with everyone you know - at least not at first.
You shouldn’t always publicly declare your goals and dreams. Practice wisdom when you are deciding what to share. To take it a step further, it will help you to have a trusted friend or two who can encourage you as you strive for more.
Don’t wait another moment, start writing and speaking what you want today! Be clear, confident, and most importantly pray about it! Remember, God is not a genie in a bottle. Just because we ask for something doesn’t mean we’ll receive it.
One of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn is that the posture of my heart determines what I am ready to receive. This means if your motives are wrong when asking for something, you probably won’t get it. Reach for your dreams, but do it out of a pure heart and with purpose in mind!