Word of Faith

Also called Word Faith, Faith movement, hyper-faith, and the prosperity doctrine.

This is faith out of balance; believing words can be used to manipulate and create health and wealth, using the ‘name it, claim it’ approach. Promoters of this system state that just as God, by His faith spoke and matter came into being, so the Christian can speak and actually bring things into existence by faith (Gen 1:3,6,9,11...; Ps 33:6; Heb 11:3; 2 Pet 3:5). An oft quoted Scripture says, “Have faith in God…Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mk 11:22-24).

A better (balanced) approach

The Bible teaches and most Christians would agree, while we should speak positive, uplifting words which influence our surroundings and those present by creating an environment of hope and victory, any such form of positive thinking and positive mental

Our faith must be true to the Bible

attitude must be centered in Jesus and submissive to His sovereignty, not operating independently to benefit us according to our particular whims. The Bible does record many promises and principles that we should speak, believe and live by, with our confession (the words we speak) being in agreement as we act in faith. “The tongue has the power of life and death” (Prov 18:21). While the tongue is the instrument of either a great deal of good or a great deal of evil, there is a limit on what words can do: While they can speak emotional healing and comfort or hurt they are not able to alter or manipulate reality. Through using the name of Jesus, we are able to do what He requests us to do. We are to pray about everything and God desires to give us good gifts, yet Jesus prayed with God’s interests uppermost when He said, “Everything is possible…Yet I want your will, not mine” (Mt 7:11; Mk 14:36; Phil 4:6).

God does want believers who are healthy and prosperous to give financially to God’s Kingdom and the advancement of the gospel, but not to extravagantly prosper the preacher. Hyper-faith is a ‘rights centered’ gospel rather than ‘stewardship centered’ gospel for while God does give us the power to get wealth, the goal should not be for personal comfort but rather ‘seeking first His Kingdom’ to which the increase is channeled (Deut 8:18; Mt 6:33). The focus of hyper-faith seems to be more about claiming for personal comfort, rather than being outward focused on the needs of others and His Kingdom.

Divine healing is part of the gospel, being a major part of Jesus’ and the apostles’ ministries, with gifts of healing evident and believers encouraged to pray for the sick (Mt 28:19,20; Mk 16:18; 1 Cor 12:9,28; Jas 5:14,15). The outcome is God’s decision as He is not obligated to heal or prosper anyone, yet many times He graciously does although neither is deserved.

While He is indebted to no one, an undue emphasis on giving so we will get back in abundance is out of balance (1 Sam 2:30; Lk 6:38). This motive is levering God for our own ends, rather than to bless the Kingdom. We need a balanced diet of “the whole counsel of God” (Act 20:27). There must be teaching on holiness as well as healing; human responsibility in addition to God’s sovereignty; tests and trials as well as faith; stewardship and hard work besides giving financially; marriage besides moving mountains. The result of selective one-sided preaching, emphasizing one truth at the expense of another leads to error.