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 ever underestimate the power of a declaration, especially a declaration of your faith in Christ. That moment of faith often leads to years of after effects in your life, and will be well worth it in the end. The Power of a Declaration
by Eric Elder I’d like to write to those of you today who may be really struggling to believe that Christ is for you, that He is truly working on your behalf. You may want to put your whole life and faith in Him, but you’re just not sure if you can honestly trust Him, or trust Him again. You may have put your faith in Him in the past, and really believed that He would come through for you in the end, but now you’re starting to wonder. The struggles you’re facing may not have gotten any easier, like you thought they would, and they may have gotten even more intense. You may wonder if it’s even worth it to put your faith in Him at all. I want to encourage you today that it IS worth it. It’s always worth it to put your faith in Christ, to declare your faith in Him, and I want to encourage you to do it today and every day. I was walking through a park one day with a friend and we were talking about this very thing. As we were talking, we came upon a sign that said that a battle had been fought on that spot during the Revolutionary War in America. The sign said that the battle took place on a particular date in 1779. I thought I must have read it wrong. 1779? Didn’t we win our independence back in 1776? Then I remembered. We didn’t win our independence in 1776. That’s the year we declared our independence. It took another seven years of hard-fought battles to finally win our independence, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on September 3rd, 1783. But who celebrates Independence Day on September 3rd, 1783, let alone remembers what happened that day? The day we celebrate, the day we remember most, is the day we declared our independence: July 4th, 1776. Everything else that followed was simply the outworking of what was declared on that day. That’s not to say that the struggle for independence was simple. In fact, the struggle became even more intense after the signing of the declaration. But was it worth it? Absolutely! Those who signed the Declaration of Independence were so willing to follow through on their commitment that they wrote, “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” When I share my testimony, there are all kinds of great things I could focus on. But when it comes down to it, the day I celebrate, the day I remember most, is February 9th, 1987, the day I declared my faith in Christ. It was a turning point in my life that didn’t necessarily end all my struggles in life--it was actually the beginning of some new ones! But it was a day that I turned my face in a new direction and began to walk in it. As my testimony continues, I share that on this new path, God has given me a wife, six kids, and a full-time ministry. It didn’t all happen in a day, and it still takes much prayer, hard work, determination, and continued faith. But it’s clear to me that everything that has followed in the twenty-two years since that moment has simply been the outworking of what I declared on that day. There’s power in a declaration. It gives you resolve, courage, and hope. It releases faith in your life and invites God to make possible what would otherwise be impossible. Just because you still have struggles doesn’t mean that God hasn’t done a great work in your life. It may be just the outworking of the freedom that you once declared. Don’t grow weary and don’t lose heart. Keep reaching up to find your strength in Christ. As the Apostle Paul said, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).Declare your faith in Christ today, whether it’s for the first time or for the hundredth time. Write it down, sign it on a piece of paper, or shout it out loud if you want. But whatever you do, declare your faith in Christ today! Will it be worth it? Absolutely! Let’s pray... Father, help me to declare my faith in You. Help me to resolve today to walk forward in Your plans for my life regardless of the cost. Help me to see the fruit of my faith, and the fruit of Your work in my life, whether it takes days, months or even years until I see that fruit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.P.S. I’ve posted a short video on The Ranch website this week made by Jack Hayford in which he gives three great reasons to visit Israel. I’ll be leading a trip there this October and would love to have you come along! This video is only 1-1/2 minutes long, and you can watch it here: If you’d like to join us on a trip to Israel this fall, along my wife and our teenage kids, I’d be glad to send you a brochure in the mail...just send me your address at to my email. You can also read more about our trip online at this link: |
