Jesus’s Use of the Law of Confession, Part 2

David W Palmer

Looking at how Jesus lived, acted, and ministered helps us to see whether the way we understand his teaching is correct; his explanations and actions must line up with each other consistently, otherwise we haven’t correctly comprehended his teaching. In particular, to get the complete picture of what he wants us to know and do regarding the law of confession, let’s look at him living what he said in Mark 11:23: “… he will have whatever he says”:

(John 17:11 NKJV) “Now I am no longer in the world, …”

Here, Jesus said, “now,” prior to him actually being free of the constraints of the world; he spoke of what hadn’t happened yet as though it was a present reality. He sounded like Father who said, “let there be light,” when the “facts” said all was a dark, formless void. When our Lord spoke like this, he sounded like what the following passage says about God:

(Romans 4:17 NKJV) … God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.

Jesus said, “Now I am no longer in the world,” when his feet were still on the earth, when he was still in his pre-resurrection body, and when he was about to be arrested, tried, and executed—giving the appearance that he was still well and truly under the power of the world and its system. Yet, he stated as fact in the present tense something that—to the casual observer—was merely an uncertain future hope.

Contrary to the freedom from the world that he seemed to be claiming, Jesus was arrested and brought to trial by the “world.” The following passage records some of the trial transcript:

(Mark 14:61–62 NKJV) … Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” {62} Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Here, the Lord was cornered—or so they thought; the High Priest asked him a direct question: “Are you the Christ?” If he answered, “Yes,” this would give them the “proof” they needed to justify crucifying him. In other words, it would cost him his life. But if he answered, “No,” in their eyes, it would completely discredit him and thwart his ability to attract followers. But for Jesus, this was his opportunity to apply the law of confession. If he believed what he said and didn’t doubt in his heart, what he said would happen:

(Mark 14:62 NKJV) … “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Jesus confessed his identity—that he is the Christ—with his statement: “I am!” And he used the law of confession when he said what followed it. We must ask: what would have happened if Jesus had not held fast to both of these confessions? He would have sinned by disagreeing with what Father said about him. If he had sinned, the whole plan of redemption would have been voided, neutralised, and the enemy would have won. So Jesus made the “good confession,” even though it cost him his natural life. His confession was critically important, and so is ours:

(1 Timothy 6:12–13 NKJV) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. {13} I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate.

Jesus was a true and faithful witness; he confessed the “good confession,” lived by faith, and operated the law of confession. Here are some other examples of him using it:

(Luke 5:4 NKJV) …He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

Jesus didn’t say, “Let down your nets and see if you can catch anything.” He spoke of what hadn’t happened with assurance of faith.

(Luke 13:11–13 NKJV) And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. {12} But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” {13} And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

Jesus spoke of this woman’s wholeness as a present reality before it had happened physically: “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” Note, he didn’t say, “Woman, you will be loosed as soon as I lay my hands on you.” No, he said, “Are loosed.” He said this while she was still “bent over”; and then in the next verse, he laid his hands on her and she was made straight.

What the Lord said over this woman was not just a figure of speech; this is how Jesus healed her; he used the law of confession. His tongue steered the way he wanted to go; at that time, she was a passenger on his “ship.” his words were the rudder; they controlled his and her direction into receiving divine healing. (See: Jam. 3:2–4)

Today, I encourage you to confess what God says about you, your identity in Christ. He says you are: born again, a new creation, free of the past, filled with the Spirit of Holiness, loved, regenerated, housing the greater one inside you, free to access his throne with boldness. He also says that you have the mind of Christ, are one spirit with the Lord, have freedom to use his authority in the name of Jesus, and that you can bind on earth what he directs you to bind, etc.

Plus today, I also encourage you to speak of things that haven’t happened yet as though they had. Speak what God says, even when it completely contradicts natural circumstances. Say it even if it elicits persecution, ridicule, or puts you in peril from God’s enemies. You can change what is by saying what he says. You cannot change the prevailing circumstances by agreeing with them—or by agreeing with the world, the flesh, or the devil. To defeat them and change their control, use God’s law of confession; he does.