Over the last few years, I have become concerned about some well-known charismatic preachers and their practice of "decreeing things." They teach that we can decree things like who should be president and energy independence for the United States.
The main verse they use for this teaching is Job 22:28 KJV which says, "Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways." The proclamation of Truth with our mouths is a biblical practice. But, to decree something, because we desire it does not guarantee we will have it.
In Hebrew, the word for "decree" is (gazar, "to cut"), in the sense of deciding a matter." (Net Bible Second Edition with notes.) The ESV version uses the word "Decide."
When you read Job chapter 22 in context, this verse is about Job's intimacy with God and answers to his prayers.
I contacted three highly respected biblical (Charismatic) scholars on this issue. I chose not to include their names because these were private messages. The first quote is lengthy:
(1) "It concerns me. A lot depends on what one means by “decree.” If it only means that we are declaring as truth something the Bible clearly promises or asserts, then it is ok. For example, if one “decrees” that God will overturn the curse on creation and redeem the natural realm (Romans 8:18ff.), then good. That is simply making known what God has promised he will do. Countless other examples could be cited, such as the final judgment on Satan (Rev. 20:10ff.).
But if by “decree” someone means that by saying certain words with great passion and “faith” the thing stated will come to pass, there are problems. We have no basis or grounds for decreeing things that God himself has not previously revealed as certain. When people “decree” in this sense it comes perilously close to the Word of Faith heresy, the idea that simply by believing something and speaking it out we create or bring to pass some reality that isn’t explicitly endorsed in Scripture.
Again, it all depends on what these people think they are accomplishing by their “decrees.” I can “decree” that whoever believes in the name of Jesus will be saved, but I can’t “decree” that a particular unbelieving pagan will be saved. Maybe he will. Maybe he won’t. But that is something not in my power to know or decree. It is only God’s to determine.
My fear of people issuing “decrees” is that it feels presumptuous and arrogant. And what happens to that person’s faith and confidence in God when what they “decree” doesn’t come to pass?
Be sure that these people aren’t developing their concept of “decree” on the basis of Robert Henderson’s books, primarily his Operating in the Courts of Heaven. It is a horrible book."
(2) "I think such commands are to be done at God's leading, for something we know to be God's will and have enough confidence to do so. But merely "decreeing" things we want seems just a newer version of "positive confession," which has the wrong object to its faith."
(3) "...the practice is not of God at all. It is how they claimed Trump would win!"
