Speak Life
- Henley Samuel
- Apr 17
- 5 min read
April 17, 2025
Today, let's explore the power of our words and thoughts. What we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths shapes our reality. When we align our thinking with God's Word, we position ourselves for victory rather than defeat. Let's discover how to speak life over our circumstances and walk in the promises God has for us.
The Tale of Two Reports
In Joshua 14, we find a powerful testimony from Caleb about his experience as one of the twelve spies sent to explore the Promised Land:
"I was 40 years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land. I brought him word again as it was in my heart." - Joshua 14:7
Notice that crucial phrase—"as it was in my heart." What Caleb carried in his heart determined the report he brought back. While ten spies returned with words that melted people's hearts in fear, Caleb's report was radically different:
"But my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly." - Joshua 14:8
The contrast between these two reports reveals something profound about the power of our thinking. The same land, the same giants, the same challenges—yet completely different perspectives.
The Grasshopper Mentality
What was this fear-inducing report that caused an entire nation to tremble? In Numbers 13:33, the ten spies declared:
"We saw the Nephilim there. We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."
This is what I call the "grasshopper mentality"—seeing yourself as small, insignificant, and powerless in the face of challenges. These spies had already been defeated in their minds before any battle began. They compared themselves to giants and found themselves wanting.
Meanwhile, Caleb stood before the same people and boldly proclaimed:
"We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it!" - Numbers 13:30
Caleb had already seen victory in his heart. He had aligned his thinking with God's promises rather than with the apparent obstacles. In his imagination, he was already occupying the land flowing with milk and honey.
The Consequences of Negative Confession
Words have power—they can either build up or tear down. The negative report of the ten spies had devastating consequences:
"That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron and said, 'If only we had died in Egypt or in this wilderness!'" - Numbers 14:1-2
One negative report triggered a chain reaction of fear, complaint, and rebellion. Instead of rejoicing in God's promises and preparing to enter their inheritance, the Israelites spent the night weeping and wishing for death.
Many believers today fall into the same pattern. When challenges arise, they rehearse their problems rather than God's promises. They use their nighttime hours to replay every difficulty, every hurt, every disappointment—instead of using that time to praise God and renew their minds with His Word.
The Foundation of Salvation
The principle of believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth isn't just about positive thinking—it's the very foundation of our salvation:
"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." - Romans 10:9-10
Salvation itself operates on this principle: what you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth determines your spiritual destiny. This same principle applies to every area of our lives—our health, our relationships, our future.
A Prison of Praise
Consider Paul and Silas, beaten and imprisoned for preaching the gospel. Their feet were fastened in stocks, their bodies bruised, their future uncertain. Yet their response reveals the power of choosing what to believe and confess:
"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them." - Acts 16:25
In the darkest hour, in the most painful circumstances, they chose to rejoice. They didn't see themselves as victims; they saw themselves as victors. They didn't focus on their chains; they focused on their God. And their praise not only changed their perspective—it literally shook the foundations of their prison.
Conclusion
The choice is yours today. Will you think like the ten spies who saw only giants and impossibilities? Or will you think like Caleb, who saw God's promises as more real than any obstacle? Will you spend your nights weeping like the Israelites, or praising like Paul and Silas?
What you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth matters more than you know. It's not just positive thinking—it's aligning your thoughts with God's Word and allowing His truth to transform your perspective.
Choose today to speak life, to declare God's promises, to see yourself not as a grasshopper but as more than a conqueror through Christ. For the same God who delivered Paul and Silas, who gave Caleb his inheritance, is your God too.
Reflect on This
In what areas of your life have you been thinking with a "grasshopper mentality," seeing yourself as small and powerless rather than as God sees you?
How might your words and confessions change if you truly believed God's promises about your situation?
Prayer
Father, I thank You for Your Word that renews my mind and transforms my thinking. I declare that I am not defined by my circumstances but by Your promises. I reject every thought that contradicts Your truth. I am not a grasshopper; I am Your child, seated with Christ in heavenly places. I choose to align my thinking with Your Word and to speak life over every situation. Thank You that what I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth has power. I am walking in victory, claiming my inheritance, and rejoicing even in the midnight hour. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Key Takeaways
What you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth shapes your reality.
The "grasshopper mentality" sees only obstacles, while faith sees God's promises as more real than any challenge.
Negative words and thoughts can trigger a chain reaction of fear and complaint in your life and the lives of others.
Even in the darkest circumstances, you can choose to praise God rather than rehearse your problems.
The principle of believing and confessing isn't just positive thinking—it's the foundation of salvation and victorious living.
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To dive deeper into this powerful message, watch the full sermon on our YouTube video below.
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