House of Hope Online

February 15, 2026

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Last week we talked about Jesus’ Parable of the Wedding Feast from Matthew 22, where the king invited everyone to the marriage feast and expected them to wear the wedding clothes provided by the king.  When the king saw a man wearing his own clothes, he cast him out of the wedding as unworthy.  The parable is prophetic symbolism because we are all invited to Jesus’ Marriage Feast in Heaven and we will be provided fine linen to wear that day, which represents the righteousness of Jesus.  We are covered by His righteousness and are therefore worthy.  If we try to wear our own righteousness, it will stand out as filthy rags and we will not be welcome.  We said last time: “what we wear matters.”

Today’s word is: “What We Say Matters.”  Our speech matters because it speaks into our lives, and it can speak either life or death.

Proverbs 18:

 21 ¶ Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Our Words Can Speak Death

Shortly after Jesus was arrested from the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter’s words of denial spoke death over himself.

Matthew 26:

 69 ¶ Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a certain servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”

 70 But he denied [it] before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.”

 71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another [servant-girl] saw him and *said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

 72 And again he denied [it] with an oath, “I do not know the man.”

 73 And a little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you too are [one] of them; for the way you talk gives you away.”

 74 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a cock crowed.

 75 And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a cock crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. (NASB)

Peter was in danger of persecution along with Jesus, so he reacted to his natural circumstance, and his fleshly nature denied Jesus.  In doing so, Peter spoke death over his circumstances instead of life.  When Peter remembered that Jesus prophesied his denial, he went out and wept bitterly.  He may have avoided persecution by the world’s authorities, but he denied life, the life-giving Spirit of Jesus.  Peter spoke death over himself.

1^st Corinthians 15:

 45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam [became] a life-giving spirit.

 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.

Jesus is a life-giving Spirit.  Man is a living soul, that is, a living mind, will, and set of emotions.  Man is natural; his soul is ruled by his spirit, but his spirit chooses between good and evil, life and death.  Jesus is spiritual and therefore can speak life into us.  Our natural man comes first, but we must then receive Christ to overcome death and receive His life-giving Spirit.

Prophecy Breathes Life

If Jesus is a life-giving Spirit, then prophecy, which is a word from God, will breathe life into our mortal bodies.

Romans 8:

 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.

The Bible tells us that Jesus is not only a life-giving Spirit, but He is also the Spirit of Prophecy.

Revelation 19:

 10 “…For the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy.”

So, Jesus is a life-giving Spirit of Prophecy.  Therefore, prophecy speaks life into us, just as the Father breathed life into the first Adam.

Genesis 2:

 7 Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

So, Adam was formed, created from dust, as a natural man, but he did not become a living being until God breathed life into Him.  Prophecy has the same effect over us.  It breathes life into our spirits.  It overcomes our natural existence, our natural circumstances, and the death that the devil would bring.

2^nd Timothy 3:

 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

 17 that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

The Greek word for “inspired” means “divinely breathed in.”  So, the word of God, which is Jesus, the Spirit of Prophecy, breathes into us.  Prophecy, which is a word from God, therefore breathes life into us.  So, get this, Jesus is the divinely breathed in Word made flesh and Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.  Therefore, prophecy breathes life into us.

God made this point clear when He showed the Prophet Ezekiel a valley of dry bones.

Ezekiel 37:

 1 ¶ The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones.

 2 And He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, [there were] very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, [they were] very dry.

 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones li0ve?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, Thou knowest.”

 4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.’

 5 “Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life.

 6 ‘And I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin, and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.’”

Notice God showed Ezekiel death and asked him if the bones could live.  When Ezekiel answered essentially “You know they can, Lord” then God told him to prophesy over those dead, dry bones, and tell those bones that He will put breath in them so they may come alive.  It is no small thing that Ezekiel had to have a level of faith to receive this powerful prophecy.  He had to believe in the Resurrection.

Now understand, God could have just resurrected those bones, but He wanted Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones so that Ezekiel and the rest of us would know that prophecy breathes life into dead circumstances.  That is a word of the Lord for us today.

Look at what happens when the prophet obeys.

Ezekiel 37:

 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

 8 And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew, and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.

 9 Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.”‘”

 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life, and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Notice the parallel here to Genesis 2:7.  He prophesied, and the bones came together, just as Adam was formed in the natural, but there was no life until life was breathed into them.  Man was not alive until God breathed into him, and these bones did not come to life until Ezekiel prophesied, and the breath breathed on the slain bones.

Notice also in verse 9 that Ezekiel had to prophesy not only to the bones but also to the breath and he had to tell the breath to come from the four winds and breathe on the slain.  This means we can speak prophecy into the natural realm and expect the supernatural to manifest.  The miracle of life is that breath goes into us, and we begin breathing.  That is supernatural.  The power of prophecy, and the power of the word of God, is that it can speak into the natural realm and make it as God desires it.

So, therefore, begin speaking to your circumstances according to God’s word because what you say matters.  When you see something in the natural that doesn’t line up with the word of God, prophesy to that thing according to the Word, just as Ezekiel did.

Speaking Life Over Your Circumstances

Ezekiel 37:

 11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.’

 12 “Therefore prophesy, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

 13 “Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people.

 14 “And I will put My Spirit within you, and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it,” declares the LORD.’”

The whole house of Israel was speaking death over itself, saying “…our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.”  How often do you and I say that about our situation?

The remedy for the people of Israel was prophecy.  God said in verse 12: “Therefore prophesy and say to them…”  God knew that prophecy would breathe life into them.  And He is telling us today to prophesy to our circumstances.  In verse 14, He promises to put His life-giving Spirit into us, and we will come to life and rule our circumstances.

After Jesus was raised from the dead, Peter must have been dreading his reunion with His Savior since the last thing he did was deny Him.  But Jesus spoke prophecy into Peter and restored him to life and ministry (John 21:15-17).  Jesus said to Peter: “Tend My lambs, …Shepherd My sheep, …Tend My sheep.”   Jesus spoke life back into Peter’s dry bones.

Closing

When you face difficult circumstances, what will you say?  Will you deny Jesus, and the prophecies about you in the Bible?  Or will you speak life with the power of the tongue.  Will you prophesy to the breath, “…and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.”‘”?  Or will you say, “We are doomed, cut off, without hope.”?

Whatever is slain in your life, whether it is your health, your financial situation, your family, or friend relationships, speak to the breath and command it to come from the four winds and breathe on these slain, in Jesus’ name.  Then watch as they come to life, stand to their feet, and become an exceeding army!

Deuteronomy 30:

 19 “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,

 20 by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

Speak these scriptures (prophecies) over all your circumstances:

Psalms 103:

 1 ¶ ([A Psalm] of David.) Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, [bless] His holy name.

 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;

 3 Who pardons all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases;

 4 Who redeems your life from the pit; Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

 5 Who satisfies your years with good things, [So that] your youth is renewed like the eagle.

 6 ¶ The LORD performs righteous deeds, And judgments for all who are oppressed.

Matthew 14:

 14 And when He went ashore, He saw a great multitude, and felt compassion for them, and healed their sick.

Philippians 4:

 19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

3^rd John 1:

 2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

Prophesy that you will prosper in all respects!

Let us pray.

Father God, thank You for prophecy which speaks blessings into our existence.  Lord, we choose life today over our circumstances.  We prophesy to the breath and tell it to come from the four winds and breathe over these slain, dry areas in our lives.  We pray these areas will rattle, begin breathing, stand to their feet, and become an exceeding army.  Lord, quicken us by the Holy Spirit to harness the power of the tongue to speak Your will and Your promises into our lives and the lives of others in this world.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.