Name It and Claim It

Let me start by saying this post is long, but I’m not sorry. If you mix your faith with the Biblical truth herein, your life will forever improve and you can live in full inheritance of all God’s promises.

Today I would like to discuss the controversial “Name it and Claim it” doctrine, including the controversy, the practice’s appropriate application, and why I’m more committed than ever to its truth. In short, the common description of the “Name it and Claim it” practice is that a person can pick a verse in the Bible, confess and claim it for their lives, and be assured of actually receiving its manifestation. For example, a person with a financial problem might name and claim, based on Genesis 8:18, that God gives them the power to get wealth. As you might imagine numerous arguments exist against this doctrine. I, however, am fully persuaded of its correctness. I assure you, the appropriate application of “Name it and Claim it” will change your life.

Let us first discuss certain reasons why people denounce this doctrine. People can easily look at the Bible, especially the apparent sufferings of Jesus and certain apostles, and believe that God has for all His people to suffer. When they say “suffer,” they don’t further qualify or describe what types of suffering a Christian might be called to endure (at least I have never heard such further description), rather they regard any suffering as appropriate to the Christian life. Those who attempt a “Name it and Claim it” action are usually trying to prevent some evil in their life, such as physical sickness or financial problems. People who believe we are called to endure any type of suffering would therefore have a problem with us trying to relieve a suffering in this manner. (Never mind the necessary logical conclusion based on that belief that if you are sick even going to a doctor would be sin, for you are therefore trying to alleviate a sickness that God desires for you. That sounds ridiculous to me, and I hope it does to you too. And I’m sure those who believe in suffering wouldn’t take it that far, although their logic requires it.) So to these detractors, because we are called to suffer, any use of God’s Word to overcome suffering is ungodly.

The other major reason for people’s disbelieving “Name it and Claim it” is its failure in the life of others. I read a major Christian author denounce it because she saw certain Christians “claim and reclaim” a resurrection verse for a beloved Christian to no avail. Their logical fallacy is therefore that if some spiritual principal doesn’t work for one, then obviously it wouldn’t and shouldn’t work for anyone. This is also illogical, but less apparently so. When something goes awry for a Christian, we never seem to believe it’s their fault. I can appreciate that. We don’t want to think it might be their fault, but I believe it usually, if not always, is. For example, if you claim that wealth promise and your financial situation doesn’t improve, such a person would say “Name it and Claim it” doesn’t work. They never take the time to investigate your own lack of faith, your gambling problem, your poor management or work ethic, or any other factor that might inhibit God’s Word from manifesting in your life.

I now would like to discuss what I believe is the appropriate application of “Name it and Claim it.” First, you must have solid faith in God’s Word if you are to receive anything from it, through “Name it and Claim it” or otherwise. The Word of God will not profit you anywise without your having faith therein (Hebrews 4:2). Without doubtless faith it is impossible to receive anything from God (James 1:6-7). When you request something from God you must, to assure its receipt, have no doubt of its receipt (Mark 11:23-24). Now “faith” is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Before we address that somewhat perplexing definition, let’s define faith as “absolute belief in the reality of God’s Word.” I take this definition from Romans 4’s remarks on Abraham, who was fully persuaded in God’s Word.

So for God’s Word to do anything for you, or to have any impact in your life, you must have faith therein, or absolute belief in its reality. Now how do we obtain such belief? You can say to yourself, when having a physical problem and after reading Isaiah 53, for example, “By Jesus’ stripes I was healed.” You would be right to say this. Isaiah 53 says that Jesus bore our griefs (Greek – pains) and carried our sorrows (Greek – sicknesses), and that by Jesus stripes we are healed. So you have your physical problem but you read this verse. Now you say that you believe God’s Word, and in some areas you undoubtedly do. But do you really believe you are healed? Only you can answer that, and only you and God know. But when you believe God’s Word that you are healed, even while the pain is still screaming in your face, you will know it.

To develop that kind of faith, where you believe in the reality of God’s Word despite contradictory physical circumstances, is not something easily accomplished. You must increase your faith. Jesus told us we can increase our faith by planting it as a seed in Luke 17, but more appropriately for “Name it and Claim it,” Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

So this is the first application of “Name it and Claim it.” You find your verse, as we found our healing verse in Isaiah 53. Now we begin to speak it. “Father God, I thank you that by Jesus’ stripes I was healed. I thank you that your Word is true and you never lie. I thank you that by Jesus’ stripes I was healed.” You confess God’s Word and your faith in it over and over and over. You don’t just do it once, you stay committed. Now here is the wonderful part, “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” As you hear the Word of God, believing what it says and trusting God, your faith will grow. As your faith grows, doubts are removed. It sounds simple, but it’s spiritual and requires dedication. Say it, speak it, shout it, scream it. If you remain resolved and grow your faith in this manner you will become fully persuaded in God’s Word. As you confess God’s Word your faith builds, and soon it won’t matter what you feel like, you will know that you are healed because God says you are, and it doesn’t matter what your body or anyone else says.

Now we can return to Hebrews 11’s definition of faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” As you build your faith, you are having faith in God’s Word that has a promise of something hoped for but not seen. You hope for (confidently expect) your healing, but you don’t see it yet. But you have faith, and your absolute belief in the reality of God’s Word literally becomes the substance and evidence of your healing. You might still have pain, but you already have your healing, because your rock solid faith is the substance and evidence of your healing. You have your healing because God’s Word says you do. Your faith becomes the substance and evidence of what you’re believing for.

So now you say, “Great. I have my faith in the right place, but I still don’t have the manifestation, and I want the manifestation.” Well of course you do. So let us look at two other verses that provide the keys to our manifestation. Hebrews 3:1 says we are to “consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” This word “profession” in the Greek is “homologia” – a combination of the prefix “homo” (meaning same) and the word “logos” (meaning word). The word “profession” therefore literally means “our act of saying the same thing [that God says]. When we have a Biblical profession, or say the same thing that God says, like when we say out loud that “By Jesus’ stripes I was healed,” Jesus is the Apostle and High Priest of that action. That means when you say what God says, or speak out loud the Biblical promises, Jesus is both the mediator concerning that declaration and the party responsible for assuring it comes to pass.

So when you “Name it and Claim it,” and you are doing so in solid faith based on God’s Biblical promises, Jesus assures the manifestation of that promise. Moreover Hebrews 6:12 says that we should “be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” So the keys to inheriting the promises of God are faith, which we have discussed, and patience, which essentially means remaining the same (staying in faith) while you wait on the manifestation.

Glory to God. If you can develop your faith to a level of full persuasion you can literally have whatever God’s Word promises you. You first have it in the faith realm, where you are fully persuaded and have its substance before you see it in the physical realm. Then, because Jesus assures its manifestation, and because of your faith and patience, you will literally inherit the promise physically in your life.

Let us now briefly deal with the two major arguments against “Name it and Claim it.” Remember some people believe that we are called to suffer and God’s Word doesn’t promise us that we won’t. Well, first we need to address the particular situation to see if God’s Word promises something other than what you are experiencing. Do you have a physical problem? God’s Word assures you that by Jesus’ stripes you are healed. A financial problem, God’s Word says that you will always have all sufficiency (self-satisfaction) in all things so that you can abound (1 Corinthians 9:8). A problem with your children, God’s Word promises that God will teach them and great will be the peace of your children (Isaiah 54:13). The key question is, “What does God’s Word promise you?” Are you claiming something unbiblical, like winning the lottery? For this to work, you must be naming and claiming a specific Word of God.

Now some people say it doesn’t work like that, and just because God promises something doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to get it. Well those thoughts are garbage. God doesn’t lie, in fact God magnifies His Word above His own Name (Numbers 23:19, Psalm 138:2). What God says He does, what God speaks comes to pass (Numbers 23:19). God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). The manifestation of all God’s promises is available to everyone. People who don’t believe God’s Word do just that, they don’t believe God’s Word. Don’t listen to them. Don’t pay any attention to them. Pray for them. There is no reason not to believe that you, as a Christian, can literally and fully receive all of God’s promises, for all of God’s promises are yes and amen in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20).

“Well what about my friends who tried this and it didn’t work?” I say, “Let God be true but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). Who are you going to believe, God who never lies and personally promises you His Word is true, or some person you only think you know who says God’s Word isn’t true? You, as a Christian, can never compare yourself or your life to anyone else’s, for good or for ill. Did they really build their faith up? Do they have some sin you don’t know about? Do they consistently strive to walk in love and forgiveness? Those people could have countless issues that you don’t know about. As for me, God’s Word works, and if it didn’t work for you that was your fault, not God’s.

Here is the truth – God’s Word is full of promises that will improve your life now and in the world to come. God doesn’t lie; you can take His Word to the bank. God’s Word is the rock you can build your life on. When you find one of God’s promises in His Word you can name it and claim it for your own. But you must do so in faith and patience. Build your faith up so that you believe God’s Word more than any contradictory evidence. Be fully persuaded in the receipt of that promise. Based on God’s Word and your faith, boldly declare that you have the promise’s manifestation even before you see it physically (calling that thing that be not as though it is, Romans 4:17). Do not doubt in your heart, but remain faithful and patient. God promises, and Jesus assures, that God’s Word will manifest in your life. Praise the Lord.