Promise of Life Church Podcast: "Speak More & Lay Hold Pt. 3"

Speaker: Pastor Craig Field
Date: February 2, 2025
Episode Theme: The Power of Words – How Speaking Rightly and Faith-Filled Speech Transforms the Life of a Believer

Episode Overview

In this engaging and often humorous message, Pastor Craig Field follows the Holy Spirit’s prompt to focus on the power of words in the believer’s life. Drawing from both Old and New Testament scriptures and numerous examples from Jesus’ ministry, Pastor Craig emphasizes that the overwhelming majority of Jesus’ miracles and works were accomplished not by physical acts, but by the authority and faith released through His words. The sermon unpacks why speaking in faith is vital, how our words wield creative and destructive power, and provides practical applications for everyday Christian living.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Prompted by the Spirit

• Change of Sermon Plan: Although Pastor Craig was prepared to continue his series on "laying hold," he shares that the Holy Spirit instructed him at the last minute to focus on the believer’s spoken words instead. He humorously recounts his inner dialogue with God about preaching spontaneously.

  “Lord, that's not really totally fair what you're doing, because I need time to prepare... He said, ‘I could have told you this when you stood up. You better be grateful I gave you five minutes.’” (00:40)

2. Jesus’ Ministry: Acts of Speaking

• Focus of Study: In reviewing the 37 supernatural acts of Jesus, Pastor Craig observed that the vast majority—whether healings, miracles, or deliverance—occurred through what Jesus SAID, not by what He physically did.
• Key Takeaway: “It wasn't because He did something with His hands... It’s because He simply spoke.” (05:05)

3. The Moses Parallel: Symbolism and the Law of Words

• Old Testament Shadow: Moses striking vs. speaking to the rock serves as a profound foreshadow of the New Covenant, where faith is released primarily through words.
• Spiritual Law: “The New Covenant is all about words... God was trying to teach a man in the Old Testament about a New Testament what would become common.” (09:35)
• Consequence of Disobedience: Moses' failure to obey God and speak (rather than strike) the rock prevented him from entering the Promised Land—highlighting the seriousness of aligning with God’s pattern for releasing power.

4. Explaining the Reality of Life and Death in the Tongue

• Scripture Deep Dive:
  • Proverbs 18:20-21 – Our lives are literally filled by the fruit of our mouths.

    “A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth...” (23:30)

  • Death Listed First: Most people naturally default to “death” speech; the order in scripture is intentional and corrective.

    “Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Notice it didn't say the devil... God didn’t say the devil has the power of life and death. He says you have the power of life and Death.” (25:00)

  • Self-Accountability: Pastor Craig encourages using technology (“record yourself talking for a day”) to become aware of how much death vs. life we speak. (28:38)

5. The Pitfalls of Self-Focused and Negative Speech

• Social Media Warning: Platforms like Instagram and TikTok can fuel a “me, me, me” mentality, which often leads to heightened self-talk about feelings and problems—often negative, unaligned with God’s word.

  “The more you're focused... you subconsciously focus to everybody about you, you, you... What happens? You start talking about how you feel, what your problems are, how the world has done you wrong.” (34:15)

• Faith in Action: The real spiritual action is attaching faith to one's declarations, not just expressive actions or emotions (dancing, “Holy Ghost services”) without faith as a foundation.

6. New Testament Instruction: Bridling the Tongue

• James 3:2-5 – Control of the tongue is the path to spiritual maturity and dominion over the body and life’s direction.

  “If you don't offend or stumble in what you say, you are fulfilling your assignment. ... and is able to bridle the whole body.” (41:22)

• Practical Example: Pastor Craig shares how speaking positive confessions helped him lose weight, control cravings, and receive healing in his body (e.g., arthritis in fingers, improved eyesight). (43:18)

7. Turning Life’s Ship: The Power of Words over Circumstance

• Metaphors of Horses and Ships: Just as bits turn horses and rudders turn ships even in fierce winds, the tongue—though small—can change any situation, regardless of opposition or spiritual attack.

  “The bigness of your ship is going in the wrong direction. A little tiny thing called a rudder... all you need to do is get the rudder working right. …You are the captain, and your rudder is your tongue.” (50:05)

• No Excuses: Demonic opposition may be fierce, but the believer’s authority by speaking the Word supersedes any curse or negative spoken over their life.

8. The Importance of Not Letting Go or Wavering

• Hebrews 10:23:

  “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith... without wavering. For He is faithful that promised.” (56:12)

• Two Tests:
  1. The temptation to stop speaking faith-filled words under pressure.
  2. The inner battle against doubt (wavering) even while saying the right things aloud; faith must be in the heart as well as the mouth.

9. Faith Does Not Operate by Hearing Alone

• Quotable Moment:

  “Faith comes by hearing. It does not operate by hearing. It operates by speaking. … Very few churches teach this. I wish every church … would teach this.” (01:03:30)

10. Jesus’ Miracles: An Emphasis on Words

• Scripture Survey: Pastor Craig walks through a series of Jesus’ miracles, highlighting that Jesus most often accomplished the miraculous through simple, authoritative speech:

  • Turning Water to Wine: Just spoke the instruction. (01:11:40)
  • Nobleman’s Son (John 4): Jesus says, “Go thy way, thy son liveth”—the son is healed at a distance. (01:13:05)
  • Casting Out Unclean Spirits (Mark 1, Luke 4): Commands with words, not just touch.
  • Peter’s Mother-in-Law (Luke 4): Rebukes the fever verbally.
  • Catch of Fish (Luke 5): "Let down your nets"—spoken, not some ritual.
  • Centurion’s Servant (Matthew 8): “Speak the word only, and my servant will be healed.” Jesus marvels at his understanding of authority by words.
  • Storm Stilled (Matthew 8): “Peace, be still.”
  • Raising Lazarus: “Lazarus, come forth!”

  Pastor Craig emphasizes how all these miracles were products of spoken faith, not merely actions or rituals.

11. Guarding Against Spiritual Superficiality

• What God Is Looking For: More than emotion, God seeks active faith, manifested in speech.

  “You can get drunk in the Holy Ghost and not have faith. You can have all your little dancing... but if you don’t release faith, God is not pleased.” (14:35)

• Prayer and Authority: Pastor Craig contrasts shallow, surface-level prayer with “dominion prayers” that understand the authority and creative power of the believer’s words in the spirit realm. (Mentions upcoming guest speaker, Ms. Leanne Sosby, on effective prayer.)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Why on earth would any Christian think... that messages about words are not important? ...Yet so many people today not only think it’s unimportant, but attack people that preach it.” – Pastor Craig Field (20:54)
• “You can bridle your body with your tongue.” – Pastor Craig Field (47:17)
• “Faith comes by hearing. It does not operate by hearing. It operates by speaking.” – Pastor Craig Field (01:03:45)
• “Jesus said to me this morning, ‘They don’t know how powerful their words are.’” – Pastor Craig Field (01:32:55)
• “Speak more, but speak right.” – Pastor Craig Field (01:43:23)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

| MM:SS | Topic/Scripture/Quote | |-------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:40 | Pastor Craig’s humorous dialogue with God about sermon preparation | | 05:05 | Revelation: Jesus’ miracles accomplished through speech | | 09:35 | The Moses parallel—striking vs. speaking to the rock; importance for New Covenant | | 23:30 | Proverbs 18:20–21: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue...” | | 34:15 | On social media and the dangers of self-focused speech | | 41:22 | James 3:2–5 – Bridling the tongue equals controlling one’s life/body | | 43:18 | Pastor’s personal testimony: weight loss, healing, by right confession | | 50:05 | Metaphor: Your tongue as rudder/bit—turning any situation | | 56:12 | Hebrews 10:23: Hold fast confession, don't waver | | 01:03:30 | “Faith comes by hearing. It does not operate by hearing. It operates by speaking.”| | 01:11:40 | Miracle survey begins: Jesus’ acts by words | | 01:43:23 | Closing admonition: “Speak more, but speak right.” |

Final Takeaways

Pastor Craig’s main call to action is clear: The New Covenant believer holds incredible power and authority in the tongue. Not only is it a spiritual principle demonstrated time and again in Jesus’ own ministry, but it is a call for intentionality:

• Speak more—increase your confessions and faith-filled declarations.
• Speak right—align every word with God’s Word and the promises of Christ.
• Hold firm—when you’re tempted to be silent, keep speaking; when tempted to doubt, strengthen your grip of faith.
• Engage your heart—faith is not just parroting words, but speaking from a heart of belief.
• Turn your life—no matter how fierce the external pressures, your words can change your situation.

“Words can turn anything, anything, anything with your rudder. Anything. You can turn it with your words.” (01:15:21)

A practical and Spirit-charged message: both a challenge and an invitation to harness the “promise of life” by faithfully speaking the Word in every arena—body, soul, relationships, and nation.