Decree or Cry

by Sue Nesbit

Have you ever experienced a deep agony, a desperate situation, an oppressive bondage, a painful injustice, or a deep intercession? Sometimes pain is just too deep, and the resulting heart cries too intense, to express with words. Even Jesus experienced deep agony, vehement cries and tears (Hebrews 5:7-10). Despite this reality the Bible also exhorts us to decree God’s purposes. I have experienced both deep agony and authoritative decrees many times in my life. There is no contradiction between cries and decrees. In fact sometimes the two almost become one.

The Authority of the Decree

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry He was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11). Three times the devil challenged Jesus, “If you are the Son of God then…” Each time the devil cleverly used Scripture to make the request seem righteous and justified. Jesus was being forced to prove His identity in a way that would disregard and disobey God. Jesus, secure in His identity and kingdom purpose, was unmoved. Each time He countered with, “It is written…!” Each time His decree nullified the devil’s power.

Throughout His ministry Jesus decreed that He was and is the I AM (John 6:35, 8:12, 58, 10:9, 11, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1). Even the wind and the waves responded to His command (John 4:39). Scripture teaches us a lot about the significance of decrees:

• Decrees are divine and very powerful. They come from the I AM.
• Decrees are creative. God spoke and created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1).
• Decrees establish God’s eternal will regarding future events. Isaiah decreed Jesus’ birth, royal lineage and kingdom purpose on earth (Isaiah 9:6-7).
• Decrees advanced God’s kingdom purposes during Jesus’ ministry. Prior to every great kingdom advance Jesus spent time alone with God and prayed.
• Decrees advance God’s purposes in every generation. We are seated with Christ and have been given authority to speak His decrees in our generation (Ephesians 2:6).

His decrees are holy, eternal, creative, limitless and perfect.

When we decree that which God has quickened to our spirits, it dismantles the enemies strategies, and establishes God’s kingdom purposes over individuals, families, churches, and nations. Powerful!

The Authority of the Cry

At the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry He cried out in agonizing pain. It got so intense that He even sweated drops of blood (Luke 22:44). Finally He was crucified for crimes that He hadn’t committed. Utterly exhausted and extremely weak, Jesus cried out with a loud voice and yielded His spirit to God. God responded. The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth also responded. There was a great earthquake. Rocks split. Tombs opened. The bodies of many saints who had died were raised (Matthew 27:50-53).

Our cry of desperation matters to God. It moves Him. He hears and delivers us (Psalm 34:17). Decrees have authority, but so do cries:

• The Israelites cried out in their oppression and God delivered them (Exodus 3:7-10).
• Elijah cried out to God three times and God revived a dead child (1 King 17:20-22).
• Jesus constantly supports our lives by interceding for us (Hebrews 7:25).

Our cries release our hearts and birth God’s will. When we cry out our Father responds, releasing His kingdom provision with great wisdom, strategy and justice. When we decree it is like turning the door handle, opening the door, shooting the enemy, and releasing kingdom order.

Many are distracted by the increasing chaos of our times. We must remember that we belong to I AM. His grace is totally available to us, enabling us to live in a place of focused readiness and sensitivity to His Spirit. It’s time to allow the deep cries to come forth. It’s time to release His decrees with divine might. As we do so, nations will be dynamically impacted for generations to come.

© 2020 Sue Nesbit.

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The Tears of the Māori Women – Nathan Shaw  
Prophecy Isn't Protest, It's Governmental Decree – Nathan Shaw

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