What is a Decree?
A decree is different from a confession or proclamation, even though all may contain some similar content.
When you confess, you are admitting, acknowledging, testifying, or stating a personal belief. We find this word used in Romans 10:9 (NASB): “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
We see the word “confess” also used in the area of making confession of our sins: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NASB).
Confessions can be private as in a counseling situation, or in public such as a courtroom, public baptism, or speaking platform. Confessions are powerful, but they are not decrees.
To “proclaim” means to call out, recite, read, cry out, publish, herald, and to announce something officially and most often publicly. In Isaiah 61:1-2 we discover that when the Spirit of the Lord is upon us, we can bring anointed proclamations of the truth—official, public communication.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn (Isaiah 61:1-2 NASB).
In Mark 1:43 when the leper was cleansed by Jesus, he was warned by Jesus not to tell anyone but rather to show himself to the priest according to the law, in order to be officially declared clean. Instead the man went forth and made a big public announcement: “But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around…” (Mark 1:45).
A decree is different from both a confession and a proclamation in that it is brought forth through governmental initiation and it carries much more authority than a confession or proclamation. A decree is an official command or judicial order issued by a legal, governmental authority.
…write as you see fit, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for a decree which is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring may not be revoked (Esther 8:8 AMP).
This is remarkable when you understand that Jesus holds the keys to the highest governmental authority in the universe and for all eternity. If God said it, you can believe it—and that will settle it! The words of Jesus are “spirit and life” (John 6:63); and as you decree them in faith, they do not return void but will accomplish what they are sent to do (Isaiah 55:11).
I have loved decrees of God’s Word since I was a fairly new believer. I believe that decrees are one of the most powerful tools we’ve been given for our growth in the Lord for effective prayer and warfare, and for calling Heaven’s will into manifestation on earth.
In her new book, The King’s Decree, Jodie Hughes so beautifully inspires the reader to step into the exercise of decrees. Her testimonies and examples will build your faith, while her teaching segments woven in and through the content are easy to understand and follow. This book will truly empower you to adequately and efficiently decree the Word in order to bring life-transforming shifts, miracles, and glorious manifestations of God’s goodness into your life. You will also discover a wonderful mystery—you are the King’s decree!
I love the King. I love decrees. I love Jodie Hughes…and I love her new book!
Patricia King
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