When faith in our words replaces faith in God’s will.
I want to talk about something I feel genuinely led to shed light on—not by my wisdom, but by God’s alone. I’m not the bold street preacher type. I’m not great at calling people out with perfectly placed Bible verses. I don’t have half of Scripture memorized. I stumble over my words, I second-guess myself, and I hate the idea of coming across as self-righteous or condemning. I am absolutely not a picture of “having it all together” spiritually. I fall short daily, and I know it. But when Jesus puts it on my heart to say something, I have to stop treating silence as obedience.
In the past, I let fear shut me down. That kind of silence is exactly what the enemy loves—quiet Christians who know better but stay muted because it feels safer. When I rededicated my life to Jesus this summer, I made Him a promise: I would stop being silent just because silence was easier. I’m already insecure enough about how much I talk; the irony is, I talk anyway. So how much more important is it that I speak when Jesus tells me to, even if it brings criticism or discomfort? We as Christians are called to hold one another accountable. The Bible does not say, “Once you’ve become a really polished, ‘good’ Christian, then you may speak up.” It says:
“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”
— Galatians 6:1, ESV
Gently, yes. Pridefully, no. But silence is not what we’re instructed to choose.
Yesterday, I went to a Bible study. The woman leading it kept saying things like, “I called it gone,” and, “I spoke it into existence.” Then she turned around and gave God the glory for healing her. So which is it? Did you, as a human, suddenly become a mini-god and speak that health into existence—or did God heal you? Because those are not the same thing.
When we say we can “speak things into existence,” we are quietly placing ourselves on a level God reserves for Himself. Lucifer tried that, and we know exactly how that ended for him. Our words do matter. They matter a lot. But if something is not already in God’s will, it doesn’t matter how many times we say it. Speaking is not the same thing as creating.
I’m not claiming to know this woman’s heart. I’m not God. I don’t see what He sees in her, in you, or in me. What I do know is that Jesus has pressed this issue heavily on my own heart for a while now, and I can’t keep pushing it aside. I’ve often wondered how to speak up. If writing is the tool God has put in my hands, then I want to use it for Him, however He chooses. Feral Faith is dedicated to and for Jesus. For me to hide what He’s shown me out of fear or insecurity would be shameful.
So I’m not writing this to condemn or insult anyone. I’m writing this because if Jesus has willed for me to speak up, then who am I to say no? He knows our hearts—every one of them. That’s exactly why I feel responsible to explain this using His words, not mine, and to let Scripture, not personal opinion, do the heavy lifting.
What follows is not about tearing people down, but about drawing a clear line between God’s power and ours, and putting our faith back where it belongs. In Jesus Christ; God, alone.
Can We “Speak Things Into Existence”? What the Bible Actually Says About Our Words:
In a lot of modern Christian circles, phrases like “decree and declare” or “speak it into existence” get thrown around as if our words themselves carry creative power—almost like a spiritual version of the law of attraction. The Bible absolutely teaches that our words matter. They can heal, wound, guide, deceive, bless, or destroy. But Scripture draws a sharp line between God’s creative power and our influential power. Confusing those two leads to bad theology, misplaced faith, and eventually, disappointment.
Let’s walk through some key passages that put this idea under a biblical microscope:
Only God Truly “Speaks Things Into Existence”
People often say, “God spoke the world into existence, and we’re made in His image—so we can too.” That sounds spiritual, but it’s not what the Bible says.
Lamentations 3:37, ESV– Who Really Makes Things Happen?
“Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?”
This verse cuts straight through the idea that human speech creates reality.
It doesn’t say, “Who can speak and make it happen if they have enough faith?” It doesn’t say, “Who can decree a thing and manifest it?” It says nothing happens unless the Lord has decreed it. Our words do not sit at the control panel of the universe. God’s will does.
Romans 4:17, ESV – As it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”— in the presence of God in whom he believed. Who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Calling Things Into Existence Is God’s Job
Paul describes God as the One: “…who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.” This isn’t a verse about what we can do—it’s about what God alone does.
• We don’t raise the dead with our speech.
• We don’t pull realities out of nothing with our declarations.
• We are witnesses and responders, not creators.
When we rip Romans 4:17 from its context and apply it to ourselves, we slowly rewrite the story: God becomes the helper to our decrees, instead of us being servants of His will. That’s pure blasphemy, no matter how you try to decorate it.
Our Plans and Words Are Always Under God’s Will- James 4:13–15, ESV
James addresses people who talk confidently about their future plans:
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
His correction?
“You ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”
Key point: Even something as simple as “I’ll go to this city” is subject to God’s will, let alone “I decree financial increase” or “I create my reality with my words.”
James reminds us:
• We are not in control of outcomes.
• Our lives are “a mist” that appears briefly and then vanishes.
• Wise speech acknowledges God’s sovereignty, not our supposed creative power.
“Speaking things into existence” flips that. It quietly assumes reality bends for us, instead of us bowing to God.
What About “Death and Life Are in the Power of the Tongue”? Proverbs 18:21, ESV
This verse gets quoted constantly: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”
From this, some conclude: “See? My words literally create life and death realities!”
But look at how Proverbs works. Proverbs is wisdom literature, describing how life generally works:
• Words can crush a person’s spirit or build it up.
• A false witness in court can literally lead to someone’s death.
• Gossip can destroy reputations and relationships.
• Wise counsel can save a life from foolish choices.
Proverbs isn’t teaching that your tongue is a mini-God that creates universes. It’s teaching that:
• Your words carry massive influence.
• They shape your path, your relationships, and even your destiny in a very real, practical way.
Influence is not the same thing as creation.
You can absolutely wreck your life with your mouth—but that’s not the same as manifesting a mansion by repeating positive affirmations.
Jesus: “Your Will Be Done,” Not “My Will Be Spoken”
When Jesus teaches us how to pray, He doesn’t say:
• “Declare your destiny.”
• “Speak reality into alignment with your desires.”
He says: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) Prayer isn’t about bending heaven to our words. It’s about bending our hearts to God’s will. Later, Jesus gives a sobering warning:
Matthew 12:36, ESV: “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.”
Notice what He emphasizes:
• The seriousness of our words.
• Accountability before God.
• Moral weight—not creative power.
If anything, Jesus pushes us to fear saying too much, not to walk around casually “decreeing” things as though we hold the universe in our mouths.
So Are Our Words Powerless? Not Even Close.
Rejecting the “speak things into existence” idea does not mean our words don’t matter. Scripture insists they do:
• Words can encourage or crush.
• Words can point people toward Christ or away from Him.
• Words can confess truth or spread lies.
• Words can stir faith or feed fear.
Our words are not creative in the God-sense, but they are formative in the human sense.
Think of it like this:
• God’s words: “Let there be light” → light exists where there was none.
• Our words: “I forgive you,” “I hate you,” “I believe you,” “I don’t care” → these don’t create new matter, but they profoundly shape hearts, choices, and consequences.
That’s not a small thing. That’s terrifying and beautiful responsibility.
Faith vs. Verbal Force: Where Is Our Trust Really Placed?
The theology of “speaking things into existence” often quietly shifts trust:
• From God to our technique.
• From His promises to our phrasing.
• From “Your will be done” to “If I say it enough, it’ll happen.”
Biblical faith doesn’t say,
“I create with my words.”
Biblical faith says:
• “God is sovereign.”
• “God is good.”
• “God hears.”
• “God can intervene.”
• “God’s will is wiser than my wishlist.”
We pray boldly. We ask big. We speak God’s promises. But we don’t treat our mouths like magic wands. Nor should we treat God like a genie in a lamp. That is a whole new post for a later date.
How to Use Your Words Biblically and Powerfully
If we drop the myth of “speaking things into existence,” what do we do with our tongues?
Scripture gives us plenty to work with:
• Pray in dependence: “Lord, if it is Your will…” (James 4:15)
• Agree with God’s Word: Not to force reality, but to align your mind and heart with truth.
• Encourage others: Speak life in the sense of comfort, correction, and hope.
• Confess sin and truth: With your mouth, confess Christ as Lord. That’s not manifesting reality—it’s responding to the reality of who He is.
• Bless, not curse: Refuse to use your tongue as a weapon against people made in God’s image.
Your tongue is not a creator, but it is a steering wheel. It can aim your life toward wisdom or foolishness, humility or pride, obedience or rebellion.
Conclusion: Creator vs. Creature
In the end, this is about remembering who’s who.
• God: Speaks worlds into existence, calls things that are not as though they are, decrees reality.
• Us: Dependent creatures whose words matter deeply, but always live under His authority and will.
Lamentations 3:37 reminds us nothing happens unless God has decreed it. Romans 4:17 reserves creative speech for God alone. James 4 tells us to plan and speak with “If the Lord wills.” Proverbs 18:21 warns us about the impact of our words, not their supposed divine-level creative power. Jesus teaches us to pray, “Your will be done,” and warns that we’ll answer for every careless word.
Our words are not tools for creating reality.
They are tools for submitting to God, pointing to truth, and building up others.
That’s not less powerful than “speaking things into existence.”
It’s just honest, Biblical, and God-centered—exactly where our faith belongs.
If you’ve read this far, you can’t honestly say you “didn’t know better” anymore.
Scripture is clear: God alone speaks things into existence. Our words are real, weighty, and deeply influential—but they are not creative in the way His are. When we claim, “I spoke it into existence,” we are not using cute Christian language. We are stepping into territory that belongs only to God. That is not a minor phrasing issue. That is pride. That is us quietly auditioning for a role we were never meant to play.
And let’s be blunt: this whole idea of “speaking it into existence” is not some deep hidden revelation reserved for super-spiritual Christians. It is witchcraft language and New Age practice with Bible stickers slapped on top.
In witchcraft and New Age spirituality:
• People speak “spells,” “incantations,” or “affirmations” to manifest what they want.
• They believe the universe, “energy,” or their own “divine power” responds to their words.
• They use spoken intention to bend reality toward personal desire—health, money, love, protection.
Sound familiar?
When Christians start saying:
• “I called it gone.”
• “I spoke it into existence.”
• “I decreed my healing / breakthrough / money.”
we are not walking in biblical faith—we are borrowing the mechanics of witchcraft and manifestation and trying to baptize them in Jesus’ name.
In Scripture, God’s people are never taught to speak reality into being. We are taught to pray, to ask, to submit, to trust, and to obey. We are not told to treat words like spells. That’s what pagans and occult practitioners do. When the church starts using the same framework—words as tools to control outcomes—we are no longer just “a bit off.” We are playing with the same spiritual matches, just in a different room.
So, yes, this matters. This “little habit” of speech is not harmless.
If you’ve built your language, your prayers, or even your ministry around “decreeing and declaring” as if your words force God’s hand or shape reality by sheer repetition, then you need to hear this plainly: that is not biblical Christianity. It may be emotional, exciting, and popular, but it is functionally closer to New Age manifestation and witchcraft than to humble, God-centered faith. You can’t slap an “in Jesus’ name” at the end of self-exalting speech and call it obedience.
That doesn’t mean you’re beyond hope. It means you’re accountable.
Teachers, leaders, influencers—if you’ve stood in front of people and implied that their mouths create reality, you will answer to God for that. You are shaping how people see Him and how they trust Him. Scripture says teachers will be judged more strictly. You don’t get to shrug this off as “style” or “preference.” Either God is the One who decrees, or you’ve tried to sit on His throne with your vocabulary.
But this call to account is not just for “them out there.” It’s for me. I am not writing this as someone above you, but as someone who has been corrected and is still being corrected. I’ve believed soft, flattering lies because they felt empowering. I’ve been quiet when I should have spoken because that felt safer. I’ve tried to protect my own comfort instead of fiercely protecting God’s glory. I am not better than you—I am simply refusing to keep participating in the lie.
So here’s the line:
• Repent of any belief that your words create reality.
• Repent of flirting with New Age ideas and witchcraft-style “manifestation” dressed up in Christian language.
• Give the glory for every healing, every provision, every mercy back to God alone.
• Use your words to submit to His will, not to compete with it.
If you’ve said, “I spoke it into existence,” you can repent today. You can say:
“Lord, forgive me for taking credit that belongs only to You.
Forgive me for talking like a mini-god instead of acting like a dependent child.
Expose any New Age or occult thinking I’ve let creep into my faith.
Teach me to pray, ‘Your will be done,’ and mean it.”
This isn’t about shaming you; it’s about freeing you. You were never meant to carry the pressure of being your own creator. You were never meant to perform spiritual gymnastics to “manifest” what a sovereign God already controls. You were meant to rest in the power of the One who already is.
Our words are not worthless—but they are not sovereign.
Let’s stop pretending otherwise.
Let’s be the generation of Christians who are known not for how loudly we decree, but for how deeply we trust. Not for how aggressively we “manifest,” but for how clearly we reject spiritual counterfeits. Not for how boldly we “speak it into existence,” but for how faithfully we cling to the one and only God who simply says, “I AM,” and that is enough.
If you’ve made it all the way here, thank you for letting me speak plainly.
I am still very much in process. I don’t write this as someone who has “arrived,” but as someone who is being corrected by the same Word I’m pointing you to. Please don’t take my words as the standard—take Scripture as the standard. If anything I’ve said doesn’t line up with God’s Word, throw my words out and cling to His.
My prayer is that this doesn’t harden your heart, but softens it toward the truth; that it doesn’t push you away from God, but pulls you closer to the real Him—not a version of Him shaped by New Age ideas, witchcraft language, or our own desire to feel powerful.
May we be a people who fear the Lord more than we fear being wrong, who love His throne more than we love our own voices.
With love and trembling honesty,
Amy Lee Murr
Feral Faith — for Jesus, not for me.
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