It Will Be Done as Your Lips Have Spoken

Reading Scripture: Romans 10:10 

Verse to Memorize: Romans 10:10 

References: Numbers 13:31-33, 14:7-9; Daniel 3:17-18 Goal: to help believers overcome their limitations from negative confession and receive answers and blessings by making positive confession in faith. God says that death and life are in the power of the tongue. 

So, if we make a positive profession of faith and talk about the works of God with our lips, all our problems can be resolved and we will be able to give glory to God. Then, how can we realize the importance of our confessions and enjoy a victorious life with the profession of faith all the time?  

• 1. The importance of positive confession of faith

When faced with certain situations, those who believe in God need to be even all the more positive. Even some worldly people find a breakthrough and achieve many things because they have a positive mind-set. The Bible also tells us that God worked on those people who professed faith positively, who believed His Word, and who acted upon it. When the Israelites had come out of Egypt and before they entered Canaan, Moses sent out twelve spies to report back on the land of Canaan. Their confessions were totally different from one another. Ten out of the twelve were afraid of the inhabitants of the land and spoke ill of the land. They made negative reports. 

Only Joshua and Caleb made positive reports because they believed the promise of God. Numbers 14:7-9 reads, "The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey? They professed positively and it was a profession of faith. As a result, they were able to enter the land of Canaan. Among the men who were twenty and older who came out of Egypt at the time of the Exodus none but Joshua and Caleb could enter the land of Canaan. All of them died in the wilderness. 

A centurion came to Jesus for healing of his servant's paralysis as described in Matthew chapter 8. Jesus was moved by the heart of the centurion and wanted to go to his place to heal his servant. Then, the centurion made an amazing profession of faith?Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed." Jesus praised his faith, saying, "I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel." Just as the centurion had spoken, his servant's disease was completely healed. If the Lord praises our faith like the centurion, all our problems can be resolved quickly. No matter how difficult our problems are, God can solve any of them. So, if we pray, fast, and obey the Word of God; and, if we profess with faith, then nothing will be impossible. The following passages from Mark 7:24 say that a woman of the Syrophoenician race kept asking Jesus to cast the demon out of her daughter. 

But He said, "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." Most people would have felt bad or mistreated and would have left the place, but she rather unchangingly kept asking for His grace with a humble attitude and said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children's crumbs." The woman came before Jesus with faith, so she wasn't hurt or offended by any words she heard and she didn't change. Seeing her goodness and faith, Jesus immediately healed her daughter. As shown in her case, when we ask before God in a humble manner, the answer surely will come although we are faced with a difficult trouble. In Daniel chapter 3, the king Nebuchadnezzar threatened Daniel's three friends with being cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire if they did not fall down and worship the golden image that he had set up. 

Daniel 3:17-18 says, "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." They ended up being cast into the furnace but God protected them and even the hair of their head didn't get singed. If we don't compromise with the world like them and act in the Word of God, even if some trials or persecutions come, everything will be made to work together for good and we can receive blessings and glorify God.

• 2. One whose talk brings a rod to his back and one who brings himself a blessing

The Bible shows us many cases where some people bring a rod to their back with the words from their mouths, while others are blessed by their words. Esau, the elder son of Isaac, sold his birth right to his brother Jacob for lentil stew. He spoke without regard to his words, and future things were done as he had spoken. All blessings of the birthright as a first son were handed over to Jacob, his brother. 2 Kings chapters 6 and 7 also tells us a similar situation. 

The army of Aram laid siege to Samaria and the siege lasted long, so there was a great famine such that some people ate their children. Then, Elisha prophesied, "Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria." The royal officer on whose hand the king was leaning answered the man of God and said, "Behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" Then Elisha said to him, "Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat of it." The following day, he was standing at the gate to manage the people who came out of the castle to gain food and in the end, he was trampled on by the many people at the gate and died. He denied the word of the prophet and he received the cursing. In this way, a single utterance can bring the work of God or the work of Satan. 

2 Chronicles chapter 20 says the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon came to make war against Jehoshaphat of Southern Kingdom of Judah. Jehoshaphat turned his attention to seek help from the LORD and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. Then, the LORD said through a prophet that He would save them. Jehoshaphat the king encouraged the people saying, "Put your trust in the LORD your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed." Accordingly, he appointed those who sang to the LORD and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army. Then, God worked so that they could achieve a victory without a war just because God saw the king's positive confession and the deeds of faith.

• 3. In order to receive answers to whatever we ask for with our lips

Romans 10:10 says, "For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." Does it mean that if you confess with your mouth everything will be done as you say? If you doubt in disbelief yet still just say that you believe, it does not lead to the achievement of the profession you made. It is not that everything will be done in accordance with the words we utter with our mouth alone. 

We have to believe in our hearts without any doubt and then make our profession. Those who believe in their hearts practice the Word of God, they cast away untruthful things, and they have come out of darkness into light. They give out the fragrance of the Christ and act as light and salt in the world. It is the true meaning of "For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness." People who truly revere God and love Him, live by His Word and seek His will so that God can answer the prayers of faith confessed with their lips Suppose a person gives offerings diligently, helps the poor, and attends every kind of services and all kinds of meetings. Although he prays to God, he is continually faced with a series of hardships, far from receiving answer. 

Then, eventually he complains and says, "Where is God!" What made him change like this? If he truly believed God from his heart, he would not change, but maintain his patience until the end. But he doesn't believe in his heart, but he just professes his belief with his mouth. In the end he reveals his real heart. Thus, we should understand the reasons why some people receive answers while others don't, even though they all work faithfully and give a lot of offerings. Those who truly believe God receive answers just as they confess with their mouths. Unbelievers can't receive answers, though they profess their faith, because it isn't a true profession. In the end, the evil that is in their hearts will be revealed. James 3:11 reads, "Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water". 

If you say you believe and you speak negative words, which is like the bitter water, it is not faith. When we believe God with patience until the end, He surely gives us answers just as we say with our mouths. I urge you to look back upon your words, checking if you complain or blame others with your mouth when you are in hardship or faced with tests and trials. Check to see if you hurt God's heart and the hearts of pastors and brothers and sisters in Christ. I want you to have holy lips that send out only sweet water and to make only positive confessions of faith. By doing so, I hope you will receive answers to whatever you ask and give glory to God.

Itafanyika Kama Ulivyosema kwa Midomo Yako

Usomaji wa Maandiko: Warumi 10:10

Mstari wa Kukariri: Warumi 10:10

Marejeo: Hesabu 13:31–33; 14:7–9; Danieli 3:17–18. Lengo: Kuwasaidia waumini kushinda mipaka inayotokana na maneno hasi na kupokea majibu na baraka kwa kutoa ushuhuda chanya wa imani. Mungu anasema kwamba uzima na mauti viko katika uwezo wa ulimi. Kwa hiyo, tukitamka maneno chanya ya imani na kusema kwa midomo yetu kuhusu kazi za Mungu, matatizo yetu yote yanaweza kutatuliwa nasi tutaweza kumtukuza Mungu. Basi, tunawezaje kuelewa umuhimu wa maneno tunayosema na kuishi maisha ya ushindi kwa kukiri imani daima?

• 1. Umuhimu wa kukiri imani kwa maneno chanya

Tunapokabili hali fulani, sisi tunaomwamini Mungu tunapaswa kuwa na mtazamo chanya zaidi. Hata baadhi ya watu wa ulimwengu hupata njia ya kuvuka vikwazo na kutimiza mambo mengi kwa kuwa na mawazo chanya. Biblia pia inatuambia kwamba Mungu alitenda kazi kupitia watu waliokiri imani kwa maneno chanya, walioliamini Neno Lake na kulitenda. Waisraeli walipotoka Misri na kabla ya kuingia Kanaani, Musa aliwatuma wapelelezi kumi na wawili wakaripoti kuhusu nchi ya Kanaani. Maneno yao yalitofautiana kabisa. Wapelelezi kumi kati yao waliwaogopa wakazi wa nchi hiyo na kusema mabaya kuhusu nchi. Walitoa taarifa za kukatisha tamaa.

Yoshua na Kalebu pekee ndio waliotoa taarifa chanya kwa sababu waliamini ahadi ya Mungu. Hesabu 14:7–9 inasema, “Nchi tuliyopita kati yake ili kuipeleleza ni nchi njema sana. Ikiwa BWANA anatufurahia, atatuingiza katika nchi hii na kutupa, nchi itiririkayo maziwa na asali. Ila msimwasi BWANA, wala msiwaogope watu wa nchi hiyo, kwa maana wao ni chakula kwetu.” Maneno yao yalikuwa chanya na yalionyesha imani. Kwa sababu hiyo waliweza kuingia Kanaani. Kati ya wanaume waliokuwa na umri wa miaka ishirini na zaidi walipotoka Misri wakati wa Kutoka, Yoshua na Kalebu pekee ndio walioingia Kanaani. Wengine wote walikufa jangwani.

Mathayo 8 inaeleza jinsi jemadari mmoja alivyomwendea Yesu ili amponye mtumishi wake aliyepooza. Yesu aliguswa na moyo wa jemadari huyo na akataka kwenda nyumbani kwake kumponya mtumishi wake. Ndipo jemadari akatoa ushuhuda wa ajabu wa imani: “Bwana, sistahili wewe uingie chini ya dari yangu; sema neno tu, na mtumishi wangu atapona.” Yesu akaisifu imani yake, akisema, “Sijaona imani kubwa namna hii kwa mtu ye yote katika Israeli.” Kama jemadari alivyosema, ugonjwa wa mtumishi wake ukaponywa kabisa. Bwana akiisifu imani yetu kama hiyo, matatizo yetu yote yanaweza kutatuliwa upesi. Haidhuru matatizo yetu ni magumu kiasi gani, Mungu anaweza kuyatatua. Kwa hiyo, tukiomba, kufunga, kulitii Neno la Mungu na kukiri kwa imani, hakuna kitakachoshindikana. Marko 7:24 na kuendelea inasema kwamba mwanamke mmoja Msirofoinike aliendelea kumsihi Yesu amtoe pepo binti yake.

Yesu akamwambia, “Waache watoto washibe kwanza, maana si vizuri kukitwaa chakula cha watoto na kuwatupia mbwa.” Watu wengi wangeudhika au kujiona wametendewa vibaya na kuondoka, lakini mwanamke huyo aliendelea kuomba neema ya Yesu kwa unyenyekevu na bila kubadilika, akisema, “Ndiyo, Bwana, lakini hata mbwa walio chini ya meza hula makombo ya watoto.” Alimwendea Yesu kwa imani, kwa hiyo hakukwazika wala kuudhika kwa maneno aliyosikia na hakubadili msimamo wake. Yesu alipoona wema na imani yake, akamponya binti yake mara moja. Kama tunavyoona katika kisa chake, tunapomwomba Mungu kwa unyenyekevu, tutapata jibu hata tunapokabili shida ngumu. Katika Danieli 3, Mfalme Nebukadneza aliwatishia marafiki watatu wa Danieli kwamba wangetupwa katika tanuru ya moto mkali wasiposujudia sanamu ya dhahabu aliyokuwa ameisimamisha.

Danieli 3:17–18 inasema, “Mungu wetu tunayemtumikia aweza kutuokoa na tanuru ya moto uwakao; naye atatuokoa na mkono wako, Ee mfalme. Lakini ijapokuwa hatafanya hivyo, ujue, Ee mfalme, ya kuwa sisi hatuitumikii miungu yako, wala hatutasujudia hiyo sanamu ya dhahabu uliyoisimamisha.” Walitupwa ndani ya tanuru, lakini Mungu akawalinda hata nywele za vichwa vyao hazikuungua. Tusipoungana na ulimwengu kama wao na tutende kulingana na Neno la Mungu, hata tukipata majaribu au mateso, mambo yote yatatendwa kwa faida yetu, nasi tutapokea baraka na kumtukuza Mungu.

• 2. Maneno yanayomletea mtu adhabu na maneno yanayomletea baraka

Biblia inaonyesha mifano mingi ya watu ambao maneno yao yaliwaletea adhabu, na wengine waliobarikiwa kwa maneno yao. Esau, mwana mkubwa wa Isaka, aliuza haki yake ya mzaliwa wa kwanza kwa ndugu yake Yakobo ili apate chakula cha dengu. Alizungumza bila kufikiri kuhusu maneno yake, na hatimaye mambo yakatokea kama alivyosema. Baraka zote zilizokuwa za mzaliwa wa kwanza zikamwendea Yakobo ndugu yake. 2 Wafalme sura ya 6 na 7 zinaeleza kisa kingine kama hicho.

Jeshi la Aramu lilizingira Samaria kwa muda mrefu, kukatokea njaa kubwa kiasi kwamba baadhi ya watu wakala watoto wao. Ndipo Elisha akatabiri, “Kesho wakati kama huu, kipimo cha unga safi kitauzwa kwa shekeli moja, na vipimo viwili vya shayiri kwa shekeli moja, katika lango la Samaria.” Afisa ambaye mfalme alikuwa ameuegemeza mkono wake akamjibu mtu wa Mungu, “Tazama, hata BWANA akifanya madirisha mbinguni, jambo hili laweza kuwaje?” Elisha akamwambia, “Tazama, utaliona kwa macho yako, lakini hutakula.” Kesho yake afisa huyo alisimama langoni kusimamia watu waliokuwa wakitoka mjini kutafuta chakula. Mwishowe akakanyagwa na umati mkubwa langoni, akafa. Alilikataa neno la nabii na akapata laana. Hivyo, tamko moja linaweza kusababisha kazi ya Mungu au kazi ya Shetani.

2 Mambo ya Nyakati 20 inasema kwamba wana wa Moabu na Amoni walikuja kupigana na Yehoshafati, mfalme wa ufalme wa kusini wa Yuda. Yehoshafati akamwelekea BWANA ili atafute msaada, akatangaza watu wote wa Yuda wafunge. Ndipo BWANA akasema kupitia nabii kwamba atawaokoa. Mfalme Yehoshafati akawatia moyo watu akisema, “Mwamini BWANA, Mungu wenu, nanyi mtathibitika; waaminini manabii wake, nanyi mtafanikiwa.” Kwa hiyo akaweka mbele ya jeshi watu waliomwimbia BWANA na kumsifu wakiwa wamevaa mavazi matakatifu. Mungu akawapa ushindi bila vita, kwa sababu aliona ushuhuda chanya wa mfalme na matendo yake ya imani.

• 3. Ili kupokea majibu ya kila tunachoomba kwa midomo yetu

Warumi 10:10 inasema, “Kwa maana kwa moyo mtu huamini hata kupata haki, na kwa kinywa hukiri hata kupata wokovu.” Je, hii ina maana kwamba kila kitu kitakuwa kama unavyosema ukikiri kwa kinywa? Ukisema tu unaamini huku moyo wako ukiwa na mashaka na kutokuamini, maneno hayo hayatasababisha jambo ulilolikiri litimie. Si kwamba kila kitu hutokea kwa sababu tu tumetamka maneno fulani kwa midomo yetu.

Ni lazima tuamini mioyoni mwetu bila mashaka kisha tukiri kwa vinywa vyetu. Wale wanaoamini moyoni hutenda Neno la Mungu, huondoa mambo yasiyo ya kweli na kutoka gizani kuingia nuruni. Hutoa harufu nzuri ya Kristo na kuwa nuru na chumvi ulimwenguni. Hiyo ndiyo maana ya kweli ya maneno, “Kwa moyo mtu huamini hata kupata haki.” Watu wanaomcha Mungu kwa kweli na kumpenda huishi kwa Neno Lake na kutafuta mapenzi Yake, ili Mungu aweze kujibu maombi ya imani wanayokiri kwa vinywa vyao. Tuseme mtu anatoa sadaka kwa bidii, huwasaidia maskini na huhudhuria ibada na mikutano ya kila namna. Ingawa anamwomba Mungu, anaendelea kukabili magumu mfululizo badala ya kupokea majibu.

Hatimaye analalamika na kusema, “Mungu yuko wapi?” Ni nini kilichomfanya abadilike hivyo? Kama angemwamini Mungu moyoni kwa kweli, asingebadilika; angeendelea kuwa mvumilivu hadi mwisho. Lakini hamwamini moyoni; anakiri imani kwa kinywa tu. Mwishowe moyo wake halisi hudhihirika. Kwa hiyo, tunapaswa kuelewa kwa nini baadhi ya watu hupokea majibu na wengine hawapokei, ingawa wote wanafanya kazi kwa uaminifu na kutoa sadaka nyingi. Wale wanaomwamini Mungu kwa kweli hupokea majibu kama wanavyokiri kwa vinywa vyao. Wasioamini hawawezi kupokea majibu hata wakikiri imani, kwa sababu huo si ushuhuda wa kweli; hatimaye uovu ulio mioyoni mwao hudhihirika. Yakobo 3:11 inasema, “Je! Chemchemi katika jicho moja hutoa maji matamu na maji machungu?”

Ukisema unaamini lakini ukatamka maneno hasi, ambayo ni kama maji machungu, huo si imani. Tukimwamini Mungu kwa uvumilivu hadi mwisho, hakika atatujibu kama tulivyosema kwa vinywa vyetu. Ninawasihi uyatafakari maneno yako: unapokuwa katika shida, majaribu au mitihani, je, unalalamika au kuwalaumu wengine? Jiulize ikiwa umeuumiza moyo wa Mungu na mioyo ya wachungaji na ndugu na dada zako katika Kristo. Natamani uwe na midomo mitakatifu inayotoa maji matamu pekee na ukiri kwa maneno chanya ya imani tu. Kwa kufanya hivyo, natumaini utapokea majibu ya kila unachoomba na kumpa Mungu utukufu.