Jesus’s Use of the Law of Confession, Part 3
David W Palmer
In this series of devotional studies, we are looking at what Jesus taught us about the use of our words. He said that if we don’t doubt in our hearts but believe that what we say will happen, we will have what we say. Because he begins with “assuredly,” we have this on God’s assured authority that this principal will work. It will always work the same way every time it is put into practice; it is therefore a law—the law of confession (confession means to say the same thing—the same thing God says):
(Mark 11:23 NKJV) “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”
In particular, we are looking at how Jesus used and applied this law himself. This way, we can be sure we know what he meant when he said it, and we can copy his use of it with the full assurance of faith.
Today, we look at a funeral dirge that first turned to scornful laughter and then overwhelming joy when the Lord practiced the principle he taught us in Mark 11:23:
(Matthew 9:23–26 NLT) When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. {24} “Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him. {25} After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up! {26} The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside.
Here, the Master stood in front of a young girl’s dead body and said, “The girl isn’t dead.” The force of this confession shattered the usual grief-stricken, sombre decorum of a funeral: “They laughed him to scorn” (Mat. 9:24 KJV).
What a sight this must have been; the orderly, sensitive atmosphere of the funeral was abruptly shattered by an outburst of scornful laughter from the mourners—and right in front of the girl’s parents. We must understand the immature facade-dropping and ridicule that the law of confession can elicit. Their outward show of sympathetic human compassion was instantly abandoned in the face of God’s manifested presence, genuine faith in him, and the law of confession in operation. Persecution leapt from their mouths revealing the overflow of their unregenerate hearts and inherent rebellion against God.
Jesus put them outside the girl’s room. This was so they could not contaminate the faith-filled atmosphere of his confession— “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep”—with their out-of-control unbelief. The parents stayed; their love for their daughter and hope in Jesus held them speechless, until …
(Mark 5:40–43 NKJV) … But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. {41} Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, … “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” {42} Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. {43} But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.
Today, I encourage you to take Jesus seriously; learn from his teaching and imitate his actions. He spoke of things that hadn’t happened as though they already had. He spoke to trees, demons, corpses, his Father, as well as to other people. He released faith through his words and actions.
Jesus lived on the highway of holiness built by his confessions—along with the confessions, faith, and prayers of generations of believers—right up to his trial, crucifixion, and subsequent resurrection. He had to keep his heart pure and its overflow producing words of unadulterated faith and confession—even when it led directly to persecution, ridicule, and finally, his execution.
