Self-fulfilling Prophecy

Proverbs 18:21 – Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

When I was in elementary school, I had a teacher that introduced to our class the concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy. This is the story that she shared with us:

“In the story, Oedipus’ father Laius is warned that one day his son will kill him. To avoid meeting this fate, he abandons the child and leaves him to die. However, Oedipus was found and raised by foster parents, under the assumption that they were his real parents. One day, he is also confronted with a dire warning—that he will kill his father and marry his widowed mother. Of course, Oedipus has no wish to kill the man he believes is his father or marry the woman he believes is his mother, so he abandons his home and foster parents and heads off to the city.

In the city, he meets a stranger and ends up in a fight with him. Once Oedipus kills the strange man, he marries his widow. He later learns that the man he killed was his actual father and that his new bride is actually his mother. By trying to avoid fate, both Laius and Oedipus ensured that the prophecy would manifest.” (Taken from positivepsychologyprogram.com)

Her point to us was, if you believe that you will be successful, you will be. If you believe that you will fail, guess what, you will!

The amazing thing about this little Greek tale, is that it is biblically sound. The principal in the word is “you can have what you say!” In Proverbs the above verse states, “death and life are in the power of the tongue.” If you speak death over yourself or your situation, you will die, it will die; just as surely if you speak life over yourself or your situation, you will live or it will live.

In spite of the fact that I know this on the psychological level to be true, and on the spiritual level to be equally true, I am still guilty of speaking negative things over myself. For example: I have actually gone to work and on my way decreed that I was going to have a challenging day with the students. You’ve guessed it! I did! And I have also gone to work declaring “this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!” And guess what, I had a wonderful day!!

My pastor has been preaching a series of messages on our words and I have definitely needed the reminder to watch my words. But being human, I don’t always do it. It is an area that I need God’s help with regularly!

I don’t want to go through life on a seesaw. Good days, bad days, mediocre days, don’t know how to define this day. I know that ultimately my day isn’t based on the people around me, it’s based on my words and my expectations of the people around me. So if I say negative things or even expect negative things, I will receive what I believe. Jesus said it like this:

“For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” Mark 11:23

In other words, whatever we believe about the things in our lives, and say about those things, that is what we will get. The good, the bad, and the ugly! I am so grateful for the word of God reminding me that my words are powerful. They can keep me in bondage, lack and fear, or they can keep me in freedom, hope, love, and prosperity.

My words got me saved. I had to confess that Jesus was Lord and believe that in my heart. My words got me married, I had to believe what God told me about about marrying an officer in the navy and I just kept saying it. My words have gotten me healed, as I have believed that by His stripes I was healed and I spoke it over my body. I’ll give you an example:

One morning I was rushing to the car because I was running a little late. As I was going out the door I fell on my concrete steps, knees first. Immediately I cried out, “Devil you are a liar! I am not receiving any pain in Jesus’ name and I am going to work pain free and will remain pain free!” (Well, these may not have been my actual words but they are close!) Sure enough, I got in that car, drove to work, and I experienced zero pain that day and non afterwards!

I am having a wonderful 2019! Everything in my world isn’t wonderful, but I am still having a wonderful 2019, because it is what I believe and what I am saying. Doors of opportunities are opening to me like never before! I am experiencing break through in finances, ministry, and my professional life. My home is blessed, my family is blessed, and no weapon formed against us can prosper.

I am truly fulfilling the prophecies over my life. I lay hands on the sick and they recover. I am the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath. The Holy Spirit manifests when I teach and preach the word! I am leading more people to the Lord this year than ever before and will continue to do so!!

No sickness, no depression, no lack, no hindrances, no discouragement will be effective in my life because I will fulfill not only all the prophecies I say, but every single one that the Lord has spoken to me, over me and about me in Jesus’ name!! Amen and amen!!

So what are you saying over yourself this year? If you don’t like what you have experienced thus far, check out what you are saying, and reverse it, because God has some amazing things in store for you, and He doesn’t want you to miss out on a single one!

Get busy fulfilling those prophecies that He has spoken over you by agreeing with Him and declaring them over yourself! Wonderful Jesus!!