Proclamation definition – a clear declaration, a decree, an order, an announcement.

Why is it important for us to proclaim God’s word? Let us look at the following scripture:

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Therefore, if we need faith and we are overwhelmed by our circumstances we need to take God’s word and start proclaiming it so that we can hear what it is saying. This doesn’t mean just reading it out loud, it means we have to really hear and focus on what we are reading.

When my husband and I were just married we went through a painful situation where someone that was very close to us betrayed our trust. Months after this, we met a wonderful older couple who walked a road of restoration with us for a whole year. Ministering to us, praying with us, helping us through our pain. We looked up to them because they had a great relationship with God and they taught us solid principles from the word of God. We became good friends and walked with them for 8 years.

In that time I was still struggling to get through my self-worth issues. I was very unsure of myself. My husband and I felt that something was wrong with this couple, but we couldn’t put our finger on it. We received news that the husband had left his wife and 2 kids and just dissappeared.

I was devestated; we had looked up to them and he had taught us so much from God’s word and I found myself in a place of turmoil and confusion. We had looked up to them as role models. So I ran to the Lord asking, “What now? What should we do now?” And I heard His soft voice saying, “You just carry on.” Fear had taken a hold of my heart; I heard the whispers of the enemy – “If he didn’t make it, you will never make it!”

There was a wrestling match going on in me – the voices whispering, “you are a hopeless case, you will never be able to stand against the enemy, you won’t be able to stay a child of God, you are a looser, you are weak.”

8 Years before this happened, someone had given me a small booklet by Derek Prince: The Power of Proclamation. The second part of this book had different topics with a few relevant scriptures. I found the topic for emotional pain and started to proclaim each scripture out loud everyday. Whenever I felt overwhelmed, I would take the book and start proclaiming those scriptures out loud. I had to build my faith by hearing the word of God. It took a week of doing this before one of the scriptures hit a sweet spot. I can’t tell you how or what happened exactly, all I know is that I had a mindshift and I knew that I was going to be fine. As my life is surrendered to the Lord, I would be covered.

We all have our moments when we deviate from God’s will. I realized that it is always our own decision to deviate from his ways and his principals; this is what causes us to loose the plot. If we stay close to God and keep giving Him permission to heal us, we will be safe.

There were many times in my life where I had to take the word of God and hammer myself with the truth until a shift came.

When our son was about 4 years he burnt his hand on a hot stove plate. It was terrible and he developed a blister so big it covered his whole hand! At that time, our finances were very limited and we had no medical insurance. He was in so much pain but I really couldn’t take him to the doctor because my husband had the car and was at work. All I had was Jesus and the word. The best I could do was to hold him on my lap with his little hand in a bowl of cold water. I had the worship music playing and proclaimed God’s word about healing and His sacrifice on the cross. I was sticking in there, not backing down, I kept worshipping and I kept declaring God’s healing. After about 2 hours, the pain had completely subsided. I then commanded that blister, in the name of Jesus, to be completely dried up and to be gone within 2 days.

The next day the pain was completely gone. That night while he was bathing, he took the soap and rubbed it onto his hands. I cringed for fear of the pain I was certain would follow (oh ye of little faith), but there was none. The following day, the blister was completely gone and all that remained was a slightly reddish layer of new skin on his hand. Two days, that is what I prayed for. God touched our son, removed that huge blister and brought complete healing.

There is power in God’s word. Everything we need for life is in His Word. We need to proclaim it loud and clear so that we can hear, because hearing the word of God puts us in a different mindset.

By proclaiming God’s word, my mind focusses on what I am reading and saying, shifting my focus from what is in front of me and that which is very intimidating to me. My focus turns to Jesus – who He is; healer, saviour, comforter, peace etc. It is when I look to Him and not at what is in front of me, that boldness and faith start rising up within me. I have realized that I don’t have anything else but Him and I know He is the only One that can help me in times of trouble.

There was a season in my life in which I had several experiences like this. Times where I couldn’t focus on what was in front of me, but had to dig in my heels and only take what God’s word says about a situation. My faith was being tested and I had to learn to trust the Lord in everything, especially with my children (this is a mothers biggest test, to not want to save our kids by ourselves, but to trust God). I have learned that to really trust and believe in God, I had to lose control – completely – to try not to control situations by making my own plans.

Isaiah 55:11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

God’s word will be excecuted, it doesn’t matter how long it takes. It will come to pass.

Beloved, what is it that you need to proclaim? In which area of your life do you need your faith to be built? Get those scriptures out, write them down if you must and start proclaiming the truth. Faith comes by hearing so listen and focus intently on what you are reading and speaking. Let your spirit drink deep. Faith will rise up! Don’t stop until something happens.

Let us pray: Father, I know my faith is weak in this area of my life. I cannot see a way out. I cannot see how I will ever get over what I am experiencing now, but You are God Most High. You are the ruler of heaven and earth. Heaven is Your throne and the earth is Your footstool. Nothing can withstand You: when You act no-one can reverse it. You are the strongest force in the Universe. I look to You now. I choose to take my eyes off of what I see and I set my mind and my eyes on who You are. Holy Spirit please help me to find the right scriptures for this issue and please give me the strength to push through and not stop until something happens. In Jesus name I pray. Amen and amen.

I want to encourage you to not give up. Sometimes it takes a while before you see change, but stick in there. It will surely come!