“Speak it until you get it”—we often hear this from many preachers today. Some teach that speaking loudly is equivalent to faith. To a certain extent, speaking with conviction has its place. But the problem begins when believers turn this into a formula to obtain material things. That is deception, and the enemy uses it to distract believers. The devil is quite pleased when our faith becomes centered on material gain.
If this was truly the Gospel, then Apostle Paul, Peter, and John must have missed it. They never taught such a principle. Are we greater than Paul, Peter, or John? Elisha and Elijah were not wealthy men chasing prosperity—are we greater than them? Certainly not. So why are so many preachers today preoccupied with material blessings? Because the enemy is deceiving them. There is nothing wrong with praying for genuine needs—Philippians 4:19 promises that God will supply all our needs. But many believers, especially preachers, are pursuing wants rather than trusting God for needs. If God blesses someone abundantly without them seeking material gain—praise the Lord. But that is God’s doing, not a technique we master.
Physical health, however, is a genuine need. It enables us to fulfill the responsibilities God has placed on our shoulders. In Matthew 20:29–34, we read about two blind men sitting by the road. Despite the crowd’s noise attempting to drown their voices, they cried out to Jesus, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” In the same way, our surroundings—our unbelief, worldly reasoning, and distractions—often try to suppress our prayers. And behind these obstacles is the enemy, amplifying the voice of the flesh against the Holy Spirit.
In verse 31, the crowd even warned them to be quiet, but they cried out even louder. Many of us face similar “voices”—discouragement, doubt, or pressure from people. But they refused to stop, and in verse 34, Jesus healed them. Do you cry out to God for healing? Do you lay hold of His promises with persistence?
We see a similar persistence in Luke 18—the widow who continually appealed to an unjust judge. Though he did not care for justice, her persistence moved him. How much more will our righteous Father hear His chosen ones? Persistent speaking is faith in action.
In Numbers 13, Moses sent twelve spies into Canaan. Ten returned with an evil report. “Evil” here does not mean merely negative—it was evil because it contradicted God’s promise. But Caleb quieted the people and declared, “Let us go up at once… for we are well able to overcome it.” Speaking in faith is essential—but its first purpose is not material gain; it is victory over unbelief, sexual lust, bitterness, anger, sadness, unforgiveness, divorce, pride, selfishness, trying to gain favor of men, love of money, pursuing after position, title, power, and all other sins.
Hebrews 5:7 tells us that Jesus, in the days of His flesh, prayed with “vehement cries and tears” to the One able to save Him from death, and “He was heard because of His godly fear.” This “death” was not physical death—Jesus fully submitted to that—but spiritual death, the separation caused by sin. As Adam experienced in Genesis 2–3, the day he sinned, he died spiritually. Jesus was kept from sin because He obeyed perfectly. The verse highlights that His prayers were heard because of His reverent submission.
Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). He is our perfect example. If He prayed earnestly to resist sin, should we not do the same? Speaking in faith, praying, meditating—these practices are first about conquering sin, aligning our hearts with God, and walking in righteousness.
Matthew 6:33 reminds us: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Where is your focus? If your focus is reversed, your faith confession will naturally be centered on material gain. But if you believe Matthew 6:33 and Hebrews 5:7, your faith declarations will center on overcoming sin and seeking God’s righteousness—and this is where God finds delight in us.
May the Lord help us understand these truths correctly and guide our hearts in the right direction, so that all glory goes to Him alone.