The Words We Speak

Another word for confession is testimony. We read in the book of Revelation:

“They overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11)

We have acknowledged that we overcome Satan when we testify personally to what the Word of God says the blood of Jesus does for us. Testimony is a very simple thing—just saying words that agree with Scripture. Testimony saves us; it is our protection. I cannot overemphasize its importance.

The writer of Hebrews called Jesus the “High Priest of our confession” (Hebrews 3:1). Confession literally means “saying the same as.” For us, as believers in the Bible and in Jesus Christ, confession means saying with our mouths the same thing that God says in His Word. We make the words of our mouths agree with the Word of God. Jesus can advocate on our behalf only when we make the right confession. Whether we call it “testimony” or “confession,” it is indispensable in order for us to receive the salvation of God.

Jesus said:

“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:37)

We settle our destinies by the words that we speak. James said the tongue is like the rudder on a ship; even though it is a small part of the ship, it determines exactly where the ship will go (see James 3:4). We determine the course of our lives by the way in which we use our tongues. We can say the right thing and make the words of our mouths agree with the Word of God, or we can say the wrong thing and cause our lives to go off course. We will either come safely to harbor or end in shipwreck according to how we use our tongues.