dec·la·ra·tion
– The formal annoucement of the beginning of a state or condition
This word holds an entirely new meaning as I look down over my trembling hands at the dozens of faces looking upon me. I'm sure the legs of this chair will give out and I'll fall on my face in front of them all, and nothing ruins an empowered night of worship like a bloody nose.
"Say it," my teammate says, looking at me with a both conviction and hope spilling forth in her voice. "And don't just speak it, yell it. Declare it; declare it for everyone to hear,"
A lump forms in my throat. How do you declare something you don't even believe? It feels like a lie, but I know there is no escaping this chair until I say it.
Growing up, I was the most silent child anyone had ever met. Now this holds a sense of irony, because anyone who spends more than five minutes around me now knows that 'silent' is probably the last word used to describe me. I learned to thrive in silence, felt no need to speak up, and doubted every word that came from my mouth.
What could I say that would possibly be important?
Even when I had leaders on my first mission trip pray words over me like "boldness", I took it with a grain of salt and shrugged it off.
They are just saying that. They don't know me. If they really heard me speak, they wouldn't say that kind of stuff.
Let me tell you now, that was not the voice my Father has placed inside me speaking to me. I've lived far too long under the lie that I'm not worthy, that my voice doesn't matter. For far too long, I've allowed the Enemy to trick me into thinking that silence is okay, and that using my voice has no purpose. How do I know this is a lie?
Because there is a certain kind of power and authority that comes when we choose to speak and utilize the voice we have been given.
The world began with a voice. God is almighty and all powerful and He could have created the world in any matter He pleased.
"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light,"
– Genesis 1:3
The third verse in the entire Bible brings this to our attention. God said; He didn't just think it or physically mold it, He simply spoke and the light came into being. By the power of His voice, there was light.
There is a distinct permanence in words. Once something is said, you can never take it back. You can apologize and explain, claim it wasn't how you meant it or you were speaking from anger, but even once forgiveness has been granted, the mark is still there.
But words were not created to be weapons, and when the Lord gave us a voice He didn't intend for us to use it for destruction. Our voice is one of the most powerful things we have. It gives us communication, worship, expression, and individuality. With our voice, He also gave us responsibility. We all have an individual story to tell, our own experiences to share, and through these stories and experiences, individual lives can be touched.
Boldness was a word spoken over me that I shrugged off, but once it was spoken there was no forgetting it. I was forced to face the reality that not only had I been given a voice, but I had been given Truth. I knew of this love, this freedom, this mercy, this grace which Christ was pouring out on us, of the place He was preparing for us in Heaven, and by staying silent I was keeping this to myself. I have been given this precious gift, and instead of sharing it I've kept it all for myself, which is useless.
I've seen the horrors hidden in the darkness, seen the look in an orphans eyes, and seen the evil which runs so rampant throughout the world. With these experiences, I've been given something other people have not; a voice. Not all who are suffering can speak for themselves.
And by declaring boldness over my life, a new condition was awaken, a new start has begun. I was changed and there was no turning back. I knew I had been given a voice, and from there on it was crucial how I chose to use that knowledge.
Our experiences shape us and teach us, they mold who we are. Through these experiences, Christ awakens a conviction within each of us and begins to access the passions He wrote upon our hearts when He formed us in the womb. Through these passions, we discover our voice and the freedom we have been given. He has given us the authority to speak life and usher in His Kingdom, to be an advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves and to see freedom come where there is so much held captive. He has given every one of us a story, every one of us a VOICE. It is all about how we choose to use that power He has placed upon us, how we access that boldness and step forward in just 20 seconds of insane courage and choose to speak Truth in authority.
With simply one word, a life could be changed. Your voice carries POWER, FREEDOM, & AUTHORITY. The Lord of the universe has placed His love inside your heart, His passion in your veins, and enabled you to bring Kingdom and Light to the broken and captive. By simply the power of words spoken in Truth, DARKNESS MUST FLEE.
So standing on a chair above the 20 something women who accompanied me to Thailand, I take a deep breath and let out these words I've been told to repeat;
"My voice has power and what I say matters!"
"Again!" Of course she wasn't satisfied with my first attempt.
Deep breath again, a little louder this time.
"My voice has power and what I say matters!"
A head shake, but I notice the way her smirk is beginning to show.
"Louder!"
Blood pumping loudly through my ears, hands tingling out of control, entire body shaking with anxiety and something I can't quite identify.
"MY VOICE HAS POWER AND WHAT I SAY MATTERS!"
Two years later, the truth of that statement is finally settling in.
And I'm declaring it from every corner of the Earth.
