Word Faith or Faith in the Word

There is a good book out there about the history of the Word Faith Movement. It is called "A Different Gospel" by DR Mc Connell. It is rather dry, but thorough and very disturbing.

The short version is that a guy named EW Kenyon took the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy and tried to christianize them further. He didnt mainstream these ideas, but another did by plagerizing EW Kenyon's work...Kenneth Hagin, the Father of the Word Faith movement.

Word Faith is basically christianized positive thinking. That our words, thoughts, and will have power to alter reality. Therefore, through understanding this knowledge, man can ascend to a place like God, by directly believing in our own ability to believe that what we say will happen. Doesn't this not sound eerily familiar?

"If you eat this fruit, you will be like God".

The fruit, of course, is from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Look, I am sorry, as much as you want to believe you can control your own destiny, you can't. Your words, will, and positive thoughts have absolutely no power...not even in prayer.

"What are you saying! Prayer is powerful!"

Please consider this... Prayer is simply talking to God. Yes you can ask, like a child to a father, for a change to reality. But the power has never been in the asking, but rather who you are asking.

God can, and very well might change your circumstances if you ask...and He might not. The power in prayer is Him.

Faith does please God, and it may go a long way toward pleasing God enough to act, but never, NEVER, assume that you are manipulating Him. That wouldn't be Faith in God, but rather Faith in you. That kind of faith will only lead to deception.

So, children of God, trust in your father, not in man, including yourself. That is Faith in Jesus Christ, who IS the Word of God.