Isaiah 46:8-11 outlines one of God’s greatest characteristics, “Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.” God declares the end of a matter from the beginning and invites us to follow His example in this endeavor by faith.

Job 22:27-30 encourages us to declare and decree covenant promises, “You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, And you will pay your vows. You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways. When they cast you down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come!’ Then He will save the humble person. He will even deliver one who is not innocent; Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.”

Romans 4:16,17 encourages us to follow God as Abraham did, “Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, ‘I have made you a father of many nations’ in the presence of Him whom he believed-God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.”

America’s Founding Fathers while still subject to Great Britain declared independence and God honored their declaration and birthed a nation. Abraham Lincoln declared at Gettysburg, “that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

There are specific seasons when the Holy Spirit leads us to declare and decree God’s covenantal provision, protection and salvation. Starting this New Year, 2010, is just such a season. Declare and decree as you are led by the Spirit!