The critic of Pentecostals will point out that in Acts 2, authentic human languages were used when speaking in tongues (γλῶσσα: glossa). Although this is true, it does not follow that every time someone speaks in tongues in Scripture, it is automatically a human language, nor do we believe tongues are an ecstatic speech, tongues of angels, or gibberish. Tongues may either be a human language or a spiritual language, depending on the context.
While γλῶσσα (glossa) is not lexically restricted to human language, any extension beyond ordinary human speech must be explicitly supplied by context. Paul’s phrase “tongues of humans and of angels” (1 Cor 13:1) illustrates this principle: the qualifier (“of angels”) specifies a speaker domain without altering the lexical substance of γλῶσσα as language. Whether this phrase is read rhetorically or hypothetically, its intelligibility depends on γλῶσσα already denoting language rather than non-semantic sound.1
This methodological distinction is essential for avoiding two common errors:
(1) redefining γλῶσσα as “ecstatic speech” on the basis of Greco-Roman religious analogy, and
(2) restricting γλῶσσα to known human languages by importing later doctrinal assumptions into the lexicon.
The Angelic Language Problem
1. “Tongues of angels” in 1 Corinthians 13:1 is rhetorical hyperbole.
Paul also says, “if I understood all mysteries and all knowledge” and possessed “all faith” (13:2). These are deliberately maximal expressions. He is not claiming to speak angelic languages, but he emphasizes that even the greatest imaginable speech is worthless without love.
2. Scripture never identifies speaking in tongues as angelic speech.
Whenever biblical angels speak, they communicate intelligibly in ordinary human language. No passage states that the gift of tongues enables believers to speak the native languages of angels – if there is such a thing. Scripture does not identify how angels communicate with one another.
3. Would Angels speak to each other in multiple languages?
The enormous diversity of modern tongue-speech creates an additional difficulty for the angelic-language theory. If these varied utterances are all actual angelic languages, the theory must assume—without biblical evidence—that angels possess numerous languages or dialects. This makes no sense. The reason there are so many human languages was a sign of God’s judgment upon man at the Tower of Babel. Scripture neither teaches such linguistic diversity among angels nor identifies speaking in tongues as participation in angelic speech.
Given that γλῶσσα (glossa) lexically denotes language and the speaker domain is supplied by context, Acts 8, 10, and Acts 19 legitimately allow the inference that the tongues there function as Spirit-directed (“spiritual”) language rather than human-directed language, because Luke omits any human comprehension and foregrounds divine reception. Paul explicates this pattern didactically (“speaks not to humans but to God,” 1 Cor 14:2), yielding a coherent Luke–Paul convergence without redefining γλῶσσα (glossa)
We believe that speaking in tongues can be a human or spiritual language, depending upon context, but it is primarily spiritual one, according to what Scripture emphasizes.
1. LSJ, s.v. γλῶσσα: “γλῶσσα, ης, ἡ: the tongue; … the organ of speech; … language, speech; … a foreign tongue; … an obsolete, provincial, or poetic word requiring explanation.” Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, and Henry Stuart Jones, A Greek–English Lexicon, rev. ed. (Oxford: Clarendon, 1996). 2. LSJ, ibid.; contrast vocabulary for non-semantic or ecstatic sound is listed separately under entries such as μανία and ἀλαλαγμός, not under γλῶσσα. 3. BDAG, s.v. γλῶσσα: “① the tongue as an organ of speech … ② a language, esp. as spoken by a people group … ③ a special utterance requiring interpretation, as in glossolalia.” Walter Bauer, Frederick W. Danker, William F. Arndt, and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000). BDAG immediately connects this usage with ἑρμηνεία, presupposing meaningful speech. 4. BDAG, ibid., on 1 Cor 13:1, treats “tongues of angels” as a rhetorical extension without creating a new lexical sense. ↩︎
This represents the “binding and loosing” fantasy that is practiced by many ministers.
By Randal W. Deese (8-4-2026)
We believe that Scripture contains no command or example of the apostles or early believers attempting verbally to “bind” Satan or demons. This practice misapplies biblical passages concerning binding and loosing, Christ’s victory over Satan, and the restraint of spiritual powers. Although Scripture clearly teaches the reality of Satan, demons, spiritual warfare, and deliverance, it does not teach believers to address Satan with formulas such as “I bind you,” “We bind the spirit of fear,” or “Satan, we bind your power.” Biblical spiritual warfare is practiced through submission to God, resistance to temptation, faith, prayer, truth, righteousness, the proclamation of the gospel, and—when confronting an evil spirit directly—commanding it to depart in the name of Jesus Christ.
The Biblical Meaning of Binding and Loosing
Jesus’ statements concerning “binding” and “loosing” are frequently removed from their contexts and treated as instructions for restraining demonic spirits:
“Whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19; cf. 18:18).
In Matthew 16:19, binding and loosing are connected with the “keys of the kingdom of heaven.” In Matthew 18:15–20, the same language appears within Jesus’ instruction concerning confronting sin, establishing testimony, and making congregational judgments. Neither passage mentions Satan, demons, territorial spirits, curses, sicknesses, or unfavorable circumstances.
The language of binding and loosing concerns the exercise of kingdom authority in accordance with heaven’s judgment. It describes declaring or applying what heaven has already determined, not believers independently creating spiritual realities through verbal declarations. These passages, therefore, provide no biblical foundation for saying, “I bind Satan,” or for attempting to bind particular demons through spoken formulas.
Jesus’ Binding of the Strong Man
Another passage commonly used to support this practice is Jesus’ illustration of binding the strong man:
“How can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man?” (Matthew 12:29; cf. Mark 3:27).
Jesus was not instructing His disciples to repeat the words, “I bind the strong man.” He was explaining the significance of His own ministry. His authority over demons demonstrated that He had invaded Satan’s domain and was plundering his house by liberating those held under demonic oppression. The binding of the strong man is an illustration of Christ’s superior power, not a verbal formula prescribed to believers.
Jesus cast out demons by commanding them to leave. He did not repeatedly announce that He was “binding” them:
“Be silent, and come out of him!” (Mark 1:25).
“You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again” (Mark 9:25).
Christ’s authority was demonstrated through direct command and actual deliverance, not through the use of specialized binding language.
The Apostolic Pattern
The book of Acts contains numerous confrontations with Satanic activity, persecution, sorcery, deception, and demonic spirits. Yet the apostles are never described as verbally binding Satan.
When Paul confronted a spirit of divination, he did not say, “I bind you.” Rather, he commanded:
“I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her” (Acts 16:18).
When the apostles encountered persecution, they did not conduct ceremonies to bind territorial spirits over Jerusalem. They prayed for boldness to continue proclaiming God’s Word:
“Grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness” (Acts 4:29).
When Satan hindered Paul, he acknowledged the opposition but did not claim to bind Satan:
“We wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us” (1 Thessalonians 2:18).
When Paul instructed churches concerning spiritual warfare, he never commanded them to bind Satan or demons. Instead, he taught believers to stand in God’s strength by putting on the armor of God:
“Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Ephesians 6:10).
The armor consists of truth, righteousness, readiness produced by the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and persevering prayer (Ephesians 6:14–18). These are the biblical weapons through which believers stand against the devil’s schemes.
Scripture Commands Resistance, Not Verbal Binding
The New Testament repeatedly tells believers how to respond to the devil:
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion. . . . Resist him, firm in your faith” (1 Peter 5:8–9).
Resistance begins with submission to God. It involves steadfast faith, obedience, vigilance, prayer, and refusal to yield to temptation or deception. Neither James nor Peter defines resisting the devil as verbally declaring Satan to be bound.
Jesus likewise taught His disciples to pray:
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13).
The biblical response to spiritual opposition is dependence upon God—not confidence in a spoken formula.
Satan Is Not Presently Bound in Every Sense
The claim that believers can bind Satan at will also conflicts with passages describing his continuing activity. Satan is portrayed as:
Scheming against the Church (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11).
Disguising himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).
Hindering ministry (1 Thessalonians 2:18).
Prowling as a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8).
Accusing believers (Revelation 12:10).
If an individual believer could completely bind Satan by making a verbal declaration, the repeated New Testament commands to remain watchful, resist him, and stand against his schemes would become difficult to explain.
Scripture does teach that Satan will be bound for a divinely appointed period. However, revelation does not portray believers accomplishing this through prayer declarations:
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven . . . and he seized the dragon . . . and bound him for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:1–2).
This binding is performed by an angel acting under God’s authority at God’s appointed time. It is not accomplished by Christians repeating the phrase, “Satan, I bind you.”
The Authority of the Name of Jesus
Believers possess genuine spiritual authority, but that authority is derived from Christ and must be exercised according to Scripture. Jesus gave His disciples authority over unclean spirits and instructed them to cast demons out (Matthew 10:1, 8; Luke 9:1; 10:17–20). The apostles ministered in the name of Jesus Christ because His authority—not the wording of their formulas—brought deliverance.
The name of Jesus must never be treated as a magical expression. The sons of Sceva attempted to use Jesus’ name without truly belonging to Him or possessing His commissioned authority, and they were violently overpowered (Acts 19:13–16). Their failure demonstrates that spiritual authority is not located in merely repeating religious words.
Deliverance ministry should therefore remain Christ-centered, prayerful, sober, orderly, and governed by Scripture. Where an evil spirit is genuinely present, the biblical pattern is a direct command to depart in the name of Jesus Christ—not a speculative attempt to identify, bind, transfer, or negotiate with demons.
Christ’s Victory and the Believer’s Confidence
Rejecting the practice of verbally binding Satan does not diminish Christ’s victory. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). Through His death and resurrection, He disarmed the rulers and authorities. He triumphed over them (Colossians 2:15). By His death, He broke the power of the one who held the power of death, that is, the devil (Hebrews 2:14–15).
Believers overcome Satan through Christ’s accomplished victory:
“They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11).
Our confidence rests in Christ’s authority, His atoning death, His resurrection, His present reign, and His promised final victory—not in our ability to restrain spiritual beings through declarations.
Pastoral and Congregational Practice
The Association of Biblical Pentecostals, therefore,e teaches that believers should:
Submit themselves fully to God and resist the devil through steadfast faith and obedience.
Pray for deliverance from temptation, deception, oppression, and evil.
Put on the whole armor of God through truth, righteousness, faith, the gospel, salvation, Scripture, and prayer.
Test spiritual claims rather than accepting every alleged revelation or manifestation uncritically (1 John 4:1).
Proclaim the gospel, through which people are turned “from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18).
Command genuine demonic spirits to depart in the name and authority of Jesus Christ when such confrontation is necessary.
Avoid speculative teachings concerning territorial spirits, demon hierarchies, inherited spirits, or binding rituals not taught in Scripture.
Refuse to replace pastoral care, repentance, discipleship, medical evaluation, or personal responsibility with unsupported claims that every struggle is caused by a demon that must be verbally bound.
Conclusion
We therefore reject the teaching that Christians are commanded to bind Satan or demons by verbally declaring them bound. The passages commonly used to support this practice do not contain such an instruction, and no apostle or early believer is shown doing it. Binding and loosing concern the administration of kingdom judgments under heaven’s authority; binding the strong man describes Christ’s victorious invasion of Satan’s domain; and Satan’s ultimate binding occurs by divine action at God’s appointed time.
We affirm the reality of spiritual warfare, the present activity of Satan, the authority of Jesus Christ, the power of prayer, and the biblical ministry of deliverance. Believers overcome spiritual opposition not through invented formulas, but by submitting to God, resisting the devil, standing in faith, walking in truth and righteousness, proclaiming the gospel, praying in the Spirit, and exercising Christ’s authority according to the pattern established in Scripture.
Pouring fresh red wine outdoors overlooking terraced vineyard hills
By Randal W. Deese (8-4-2026)
We believe that alcoholic beverages are not inherently sinful merely because they contain alcohol. Scripture recognizes wine as an ordinary part of ancient life, sometimes describing it as a gift to be received with thanksgiving, while consistently warning against its misuse.
The biblical distinction is not primarily between drinking and abstaining, but between sobriety and drunkenness, liberty and enslavement, wisdom and recklessness, self-control and excess.
Therefore:
We do not teach that every use of an alcoholic beverage is sinful.
We unequivocally condemn drunkenness.
We affirm voluntary abstinence as honorable, prudent, and, for some people, necessary.
We reject the condemnation of responsible believers merely because they do not practice total abstinence.
We reject any use of Christian liberty that harms others, produces addiction, weakens one’s witness, violates the law, or places another person in spiritual or physical danger.
This position does not encourage drinking. It is a commitment to speak where Scripture speaks and to refrain from creating universal commandments that Scripture itself does not establish.
Alcoholic Wine in Scripture
The biblical words translated “wine” ordinarily refer to the recognized product of the vine, which could produce intoxication. The Bible does not need to condemn drunkenness from wine while simultaneously pretending that every positive reference to wine concerns an entirely different, nonintoxicating substance.
Scripture sometimes presents wine positively:
Melchizedek brought bread and wine when he blessed Abraham (Genesis 14:18).
Wine was included among the provisions of God’s covenantal blessing (Deuteronomy 7:13; 11:14).
Israelites celebrating before the Lord could purchase “wine or strong drink” for the covenant meal (Deuteronomy 14:22–26).
The psalmist praises God for giving plants for human cultivation, food from the earth, and “wine that gladdens the heart of man” (Psalm 104:14–15).
Wisdom prepares her table and invites others to drink the wine she has mixed (Proverbs 9:1–6).
Ecclesiastes associates eating bread and drinking wine with gratefully receiving the ordinary gifts of God (Ecclesiastes 9:7).
Jesus transformed water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1–11).
Jesus was accused of coming “eating and drinking,” in contrast to John the Baptist’s ascetic manner of life (Matthew 11:18–19; Luke 7:33–34).
Paul advised Timothy to “use a little wine” because of his stomach and frequent illnesses (1 Timothy 5:23).
These passages do not command Christians to consume alcohol. They do, however, prevent the Church from declaring that every consumption of alcohol is intrinsically immoral.
The Lord’s Supper
Jesus took the cup and identified its contents as “the fruit of the vine” when instituting the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:27–29; Mark 14:23–25; Luke 22:17–20). This terminology was the ordinary biblical and Jewish manner of referring to wine.
Paul’s correction of the Corinthians further demonstrates that the wine associated with their communal meal was capable of intoxication: “One goes hungry, another gets drunk” (1 Corinthians 11:21). Paul condemned their selfishness, division, humiliation of the poor, and drunken abuse of the gathering. He did not teach that the presence of wine itself made the Supper sinful.
The sin in Corinth was not that the believers possessed wine, but that they consumed the meal selfishly and excessively, despised the Church of God, shamed those who had nothing, and failed to discern the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:20–34).
Scripture’s Condemnation of Drunkenness
Although Scripture does not universally prohibit drinking, its condemnation of drunkenness is unmistakable.
Wine becomes destructive when it deceives, dominates, impairs judgment, produces violence, encourages sexual immorality, wastes resources, or enslaves the drinker:
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler” (Proverbs 20:1).
Proverbs describes the sorrow, conflict, wounds, distorted perception, and compulsive desire produced by lingering over wine (Proverbs 23:29–35).
Isaiah pronounces judgment upon those who pursue intoxicating drink from morning until night (Isaiah 5:11–12, 22).
Jesus warns against hearts being weighed down by dissipation and drunkenness (Luke 21:34).
Christians must walk properly, “not in orgies and drunkenness” (Romans 13:13).
Drunkards who remain unrepentant will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9–10).
Drunkenness is listed among the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19–21).
Believers are commanded, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
Peter contrasts Christian living with the former life of sensuality, passions, drunkenness, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry (1 Peter 4:3–4).
The contrast in Ephesians 5:18 is especially important for Biblical Pentecostals. The Spirit-filled life is not characterized by impaired judgment, uncontrolled appetite, or fleshly excess. It is characterized by worship, thanksgiving, mutual submission, holiness, and Spirit-produced self-control (Ephesians 5:18–21; Galatians 5:22–23).
Addiction and Enslavement
Paul writes, “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Even something that is not inherently sinful becomes spiritually destructive when it masters the believer.
Alcohol addiction is, therefore, incompatible with Christian freedom. A person who cannot consume alcohol without losing control should abstain entirely. A believer who has experienced alcoholism should not be pressured to demonstrate “liberty” by drinking again. In such circumstances, abstinence is not weakness but wisdom.
Churches should respond to addiction with truth, accountability, compassion, practical assistance, prayer, and appropriate professional care. Addiction should neither be excused nor treated merely as an opportunity for shame. The purpose of correction is restoration, freedom, healing, and faithful discipleship.
Christian Liberty and the Conscience of Others
Christian liberty is never permission to act selfishly. Paul teaches that believers must consider how their conduct affects others:
“It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble” (Romans 14:21).
Romans 14 does not establish a universal prohibition against wine. Rather, it teaches that love may voluntarily limit a legitimate liberty for the spiritual well-being of another person.
The Christian must therefore ask not only, “May I do this?” but also:
Will this master me?
Will it impair my judgment or self-control?
Will it endanger another person?
Will it tempt someone struggling with addiction?
Will it damage my family or ministry?
Will it violate the law?
Will it bring reproach upon Christ?
Can I do it with thanksgiving and a clear conscience before God?
Am I acting from love rather than self-indulgence?
Paul declares that not everything lawful is helpful or edifying (1 Corinthians 10:23). Whether eating, drinking, or doing anything else, believers must do everything for the glory of God and seek the good of others rather than merely asserting their personal rights (1 Corinthians 10:24, 31–33).
Voluntary Abstinence
Total abstinence can be a wise and honorable Christian practice. Some believers abstain because of personal history, family experience, health concerns, ministry responsibilities, cultural circumstances, concern for weaker believers, or a desire to avoid all possibility of enslavement.
Such abstinence should be respected. No Christian should be mocked, pressured, or treated as spiritually immature for refusing an alcoholic drink. A church should always provide nonalcoholic alternatives and should never create social environments in which drinking becomes an expectation.
Nevertheless, voluntary abstinence must not be transformed into a universal law by which the salvation, holiness, spirituality, or ministerial faithfulness of every other believer is judged. Paul warns against submitting to man-made religious regulations that appear wise but are not genuine victory over the flesh (Colossians 2:16, 20–23).
Holiness is not established by adding commandments to Scripture. Holiness is life set apart to God through obedience to His Word and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.
Qualifications for Christian Leadership
Scripture requires especially appropriate conduct from church leaders. An overseer must not be a drunkard or one controlled by wine, and deacons must not be addicted to much wine (1 Timothy 3:2–3, 8; Titus 1:7). Older women likewise must not be enslaved to much wine (Titus 2:3).
These qualifications do not require interpreting every use of wine as sinful. They require sobriety, dignity, wisdom, self-control, freedom from addiction, and conduct that is above reproach.
Because leaders influence others, they may choose stricter personal limitations than Scripture universally commands. Such limitations may be prudent, but they should be identified as personal or ministerial commitments rather than presented as divine laws binding every Christian.
Historical Christian Practice
The historic Christian Church generally distinguished between the use of wine and its abuse. Early Christians used wine in the Lord’s Supper while condemning intoxication and teaching moderation. Justin Martyr described Christians bringing bread and a cup of wine mixed with water for the Eucharist. Cyprian argued that wine, rather than water alone, belonged in the Lord’s cup. Clement of Alexandria explicitly acknowledged the Christian use of wine while repeatedly warning against intemperance and drunkenness.
It would be historically imprecise to claim that every Church or Christian before 1869 approved of drinking without qualification. Ascetic Christians sometimes abstained, Methodists opposed distilled spirits before 1869, and nineteenth-century temperance movements were already advocating total abstinence.
Nevertheless, the dominant historical Christian practice did not regard wine itself as inherently sinful. The widespread use of fermented wine in the Lord’s Supper across centuries demonstrates that the traditional concern was ordinarily drunkenness, intemperance, and abuse rather than the mere presence of alcohol.
The importance of 1869 is that Thomas Bramwell Welch developed a practical pasteurization process that kept grape juice from fermenting, making an unfermented communion substitute widely possible. This occurred within the nineteenth-century Methodist temperance movement. Even during that controversy, most churches initially continued using wine, while some temperance advocates sought alternatives. Thus, 1869 did not mark the first Christian concern about alcohol; it marked a major technological and cultural development that helped normalize unfermented grape juice in portions of American Protestantism.
Errors We Reject
The Association of Biblical Pentecostals rejects the following teachings and practices:
We reject drunkenness, drinking parties, intoxication, impaired driving, alcohol-fueled violence, neglect of family responsibilities, and every form of alcohol abuse.
We reject addiction and enslavement, recognizing that any substance must not master the believer.
We reject reckless appeals to Christian liberty that disregard weaker believers, recovering alcoholics, children, families, public safety, or the reputation of Christ.
We reject the claim that Scripture universally commands every Christian to consume alcohol. Drinking is permitted in Scripture, not required.
We reject the claim that every Christian who drinks responsibly is living in sin. Such a judgment goes beyond the written Word.
We reject the claim that total abstinence makes a person inherently more righteous or Spirit-filled. Abstinence may be wise and honorable, but righteousness comes through Christ, and holiness is produced through obedience to God and the work of the Holy Spirit.
We reject efforts to reinterpret every biblical reference to wine as unfermented grape juice merely to protect a later doctrinal tradition. Scripture must be allowed to speak according to its own language and historical setting.
We reject pressuring any believer to drink. Love must protect those whose conscience, history, health, or recovery requires abstinence.
Pastoral Commitment
We call every believer to sobriety, wisdom, self-control, love, and submission to the Holy Spirit. Where alcohol has become destructive, the Church must speak clearly and intervene compassionately. Where believers voluntarily abstain, the Church must honor their decision. Where believers partake responsibly, they must do so without drunkenness, addiction, pride, pressure, or disregard for others.
The question is not merely whether a beverage may be consumed, but whether Christ is being honored, the believer remains self-controlled, others are being loved, and God is being glorified.
Conclusion
We believe that Scripture does not condemn the drinking of alcohol as inherently sinful. Scripture does condemn drunkenness, addiction, reckless behavior, loss of self-control, and conduct that harms others or dishonors Christ.
Accordingly, the Association of Biblical Pentecostals affirms Christian liberty under the authority of Scripture, voluntary abstinence according to wisdom and conscience, compassionate ministry to those harmed by addiction, and the Spirit-filled self-control required of every follower of Jesus Christ.
We will neither call evil what God has not called evil nor use Christian liberty as an opportunity for the flesh. We will pursue holiness without legalism, liberty without selfishness, and sobriety under the gracious rule of Jesus Christ.
We believe the Prosperity Gospel does not represent the Scriptural teaching regarding prosperity. The Bible teaches that God is good, that He faithfully provides for His people, and that every good gift ultimately comes from Him (Matt. 6:25–34; Phil. 4:19; Jas. 1:17). Scripture does not, however, promise that every faithful believer will possess material wealth, enjoy uninterrupted health, or experience continual earthly success. Nor does it teach that financial giving obligates God to provide a predetermined monetary return.
Biblical Prosperity Is Broader Than Material Wealth
In Scripture, prosperity cannot be reduced to financial abundance. Biblical prosperity is fundamentally the condition of living faithfully under the blessing, wisdom, presence, and purposes of God. Joshua was promised success as he meditated upon and obeyed God’s law (Josh. 1:7–8). The blessed person of Psalm 1 prospers because he delights in God’s instruction and produces fruit in its proper season (Ps. 1:1–3). Such prosperity primarily concerns covenant faithfulness, spiritual fruitfulness, and the fulfillment of God’s calling rather than the accumulation of possessions.
The New Testament places its greatest emphasis upon spiritual riches: redemption, forgiveness, wisdom, grace, hope, righteousness, fellowship with God, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:1–5; Eph. 1:3–14; 3:16–19).
Believers may possess little in this world while remaining rich toward God and abundant in faith (Luke 12:21; Jas 2:5; Rev. 2:9).
God Provides for His People
We affirm that believers may confidently pray for daily provision. Jesus taught His disciples to ask the Father for their daily bread (Matt. 6:11). He assured them that the Father knows their needs and instructed them to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness (Matt. 6:31–33). Paul likewise testified that God was able to supply the needs of the Philippian believers according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).
God may provide through employment, generosity, community, unusual circumstances, or miraculous intervention. Pentecostal faith rightly expects God to act. Nevertheless, divine provision must not be confused with a universal promise of luxury. Scripture distinguishes between necessities and excess, teaching believers to be content when their basic needs are supplied (1 Tim. 6:6–8).
Wealth Is Neither Proof of Faith Nor Evidence of Divine Approval
Material wealth is not a reliable measure of spiritual maturity, faithfulness, or God’s favor. Some righteous people in Scripture possessed considerable resources, including Abraham, Job, David, and Lydia. Others faithfully served God while experiencing poverty, hardship, persecution, or deprivation.
Jesus lived without earthly wealth and warned that He had nowhere to lay His head (Matt. 8:20). The apostles endured hunger, thirst, poor clothing, beatings, homelessness, and material need (1 Cor. 4:9–13; 2 Cor. 11:23–27). Paul sometimes experienced abundance and sometimes suffered need, yet he learned to be content in every circumstance (Phil. 4:11–13).
The heroes of faith included not only those who experienced remarkable deliverance but also those who suffered, were imprisoned, mistreated, and deprived of earthly security (Heb. 11:32–38).
Therefore, poverty must not automatically be attributed to unbelief, inadequate confession, insufficient giving, or hidden sin.
Likewise, wealth must not automatically be interpreted as evidence of righteousness.
Faith Is Trust in God, Not a Mechanism for Acquiring Wealth
Biblical faith rests in the character, promises, wisdom, and sovereignty of God. It is not a spiritual force that enables people to create wealth through positive words, mental visualization, or verbal decrees. Believers are instructed to ask God in faith, but they are also taught to submit their desires to His will (Matt. 6:10; 26:39; 1 John 5:14).
Words possess moral and relational power, and Christians should speak truth, blessing, faith, and hope (Prov. 18:21; Eph. 4:29). Scripture does not teach, however, that human words possess an inherent creative power comparable to God’s sovereign speech. God alone calls into existence that which does not exist (Rom. 4:17). Christian confession is an expression of trust in God, not a means of controlling Him.
Giving Is Worship, Not a Financial Transaction
The New Testament teaches generous, willing, and cheerful giving (2 Cor. 8:1–15; 9:6–11). God frequently blesses generosity by enabling believers to continue meeting needs and supporting good works. The principle of sowing and reaping is therefore biblical, but it must be interpreted in light of Paul’s teaching on generosity, righteousness, thanksgiving, and care for others.
Giving must never be presented as a commercial exchange through which a person purchases healing, protection, promotion, or financial increase. Spiritual leaders must not exploit vulnerable people by promising guaranteed monetary returns in exchange for donations. Peter condemned the attempt to purchase the gift of God with money (Acts 8:18– 23), and Paul warned against those who imagine that godliness is a means of financial gain (1 Tim. 6:3–5).
Christian giving should arise from love, gratitude, compassion, and devotion to God—not greed or manipulation.
Scripture Warns Against the Love of Money
The Bible does not teach that money itself is evil, but it repeatedly warns against greed, covetousness, and misplaced trust. Jesus declared that no one can serve both God and wealth (Matt. 6:24). He warned against every form of greed because life does not consist in the abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15). Paul identified the love of money as a root of many kinds of evil and warned that some, through their desire to be rich, had wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows (1 Tim. 6:9–10).
Those who possess wealth are commanded not to become proud or to place their hope in uncertain riches. They are to trust in God, do good, become rich in good works, and be generous and ready to share (1 Tim. 6:17–19).
Suffering Is Not Necessarily Evidence of Spiritual Failure
Jesus openly taught that His followers would experience tribulation, rejection, and persecution (John 15:18– 20; 16:33). The apostles taught that suffering may accompany faithful Christian discipleship and may produce endurance, maturity, hope, and deeper participation in Christ’s life (Rom. 5:3–5; 8:17–18; Phil. 3:10; Jas. 1:2–4; 1 Pet. 4:12–16).
We reject any teaching that routinely blames suffering believers for their lack of faith. Christians should pray boldly for healing, deliverance, provision, and restoration while continuing to trust God when answers are delayed, take a form different from what was requested, or are not answered at all – “Thank God for unanswered prayers.” Genuine faith remains anchored in God’s goodness even amid unresolved suffering.
Divine Healing Must Not Be Commercialized
We affirm that God heals and that the Church should pray expectantly for the sick (Matt. 10:7–8; Acts 4:29– 30; Jas. 5:14–16). Healing is an expression of God’s mercy and a manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power. It is never a product to be purchased, a reward earned by giving money, or a benefit controlled by a minister.
Jesus commanded His disciples, “Freely you received; freely give” (Matt. 10:8). Any ministry that conditions prayer, prophecy, healing, or spiritual access upon financial contributions contradicts the character of the gospel.
Christian Ministry Must Be Free from Financial Exploitation
Spiritual leaders may receive appropriate material support from those they serve (Luke 10:7; 1 Cor. 9:7–14; 1 Tim. 5:17–18). Nevertheless, ministers must remain free from the love of money, dishonest gain, manipulation, and extravagant self-interest (1 Tim. 3:3, 8; Titus 1:7, 11; 1 Pet. 5:2).
Paul refused to manipulate people financially and reminded the Ephesian elders that he had not coveted anyone’s silver, gold, or clothing (Acts 20:33–35). He renounced disgraceful and deceptive methods in ministry (2 Cor. 4:2). Christian leaders must therefore handle money transparently, avoid coercive fundraising, and never use supposed revelations, prophecies, or promises of miracles to pressure people into giving.
The Gospel Centers on Christ, Not Personal Enrichment
The gospel proclaims the death, resurrection, lordship, and saving reign of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1–4; Rom. 10:9–13). It calls sinners to repentance, to reconciliation with God, to the reception of the Holy Spirit, to participation in the body of Christ, to holy living, and to faithful witness.
Jesus did not call His disciples primarily to pursue comfort or wealth. He called them to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him (Mark 8:34–36). The apostles did not preach financial enrichment as evidence of salvation. They proclaimed forgiveness, eternal life, the gift of the Holy Spirit, resurrection hope, and entrance into the kingdom of God (Acts 2:38–39; 3:19–21; 14:21–22; 20:20–27).
The supreme treasure offered in the gospel is God Himself.
We Affirm a Biblical Theology of Blessing
In rejecting the Prosperity Gospel, we do not reject God’s blessing, provision, healing, generosity, or supernatural intervention. We affirm that:
God is a loving Father who cares for His children’s needs.
Believers may pray confidently for provision, healing, employment, opportunity, and deliverance.
God may entrust wealth to believers for stewardship, generosity, ministry, and the relief of suffering.
Faithful obedience often produces wisdom, stability, fruitful relationships, and practical benefits.
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to endure hardship and to serve faithfully in every circumstance.
God’s ultimate promise is resurrection life and the restoration of all creation in Christ.
Biblical blessing must always remain centered upon God’s kingdom, governed by His will, and directed toward love of God and neighbor.
Conclusion
The Association of Biblical Pentecostals rejects the Prosperity Gospel because it distorts biblical faith, narrows divine blessing to material gain, commercializes spiritual ministry, and may burden suffering believers with false guilt. It replaces the cruciform pattern of Christian discipleship with an expectation of continual success and often treats giving as a means of personal enrichment.
We proclaim instead that Jesus Christ is our greatest treasure, the Holy Spirit is God’s incomparable gift, and eternal life in the kingdom of God is our enduring hope. Whether believers experience abundance or need, health or sickness, deliverance or suffering, they are called to trust God, practice generosity, pursue holiness, care for the poor, and remain faithful to Christ.
Our confidence is not that every believer will become wealthy, but that nothing can separate those who belong to Christ from the love of God and that their labor in the Lord will never be in vain (Rom. 8:35–39; 1 Cor. 15:58).
We believe that Scripture does not teach that believers have the power to decree and declare. The Bible does not teach that human beings possess sovereign power to create new realities, determine future events, compel circumstances, or force desired outcomes simply by speaking a “decree and declaration” formula. Sovereign and creative speech belongs uniquely to God, whose Word accomplishes His will because He alone is the Creator, Lord, and King over all things.
God Alone Speaks with Sovereign Creative Power
Scripture begins by presenting God as the One whose Word brings creation into existence:
Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light (Gen. 1:3).
The heavens were made by the Word of the Lord, and all creation exists because He commanded it (Ps. 33:6–9). God declares “the end from the beginning” and accomplishes all His purpose because none can prevent His sovereign will (Isa. 46:9–11).
Paul likewise identifies God—not believers—as the One “who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Rom. 4:17). This passage does not teach that Abraham created his promised future by speaking it into existence. Abraham trusted the God who had sovereignly promised what only God could perform. Biblical faith does not imitate God’s sovereignty; it relies upon it.
God’s Word accomplishes what He sends it to accomplish because it proceeds from His own omnipotent will:
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please (Isa. 55:11).
No comparable promise is given concerning every desire, prediction, declaration, or command spoken by a believer.
Believers Proclaim God’s Word; They Do Not Create Reality
Christians are commanded to proclaim, confess, teach, testify, bless, encourage, warn, and speak the truth. These are powerful and necessary forms of biblical speech. Believers declare “the praises of Him who called” them out of darkness (1 Pet. 2:9), confess Jesus as Lord (Rom. 10:9), proclaim the gospel (Mark 16:15), and speak God’s truth with boldness (Acts 4:29–31).
Such a declaration announces what God has revealed or accomplished. It does not create truth, guarantee a preferred outcome, or exercise independent control over future events. The authority of Christian proclamation rests entirely in the truth and authority of the message God has given—not in the believer’s vocal intensity, confidence, wording, or use of a particular formula.
The prophets did not speak whatever they personally desired and then expect God to make it happen. They were required to speak only the Word God placed in their mouths:
Whatever I command you, you shall speak (Jer. 1:7).
Ezekiel was similarly instructed, “You shall speak My words to them” (Ezek. 2:7). Even Jesus declared that He did not speak independently but spoke according to the Father’s commandment (John 12:49–50). Therefore, no believer should claim greater independence in speech than the prophets, apostles, or the Lord Jesus Himself demonstrated.
Prayer Is Petition, Not Sovereign Command
Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). Biblical prayer confidently approaches God, but it does not replace God’s will with human sovereignty.
The apostles did not ordinarily address circumstances as though their own speech controlled reality. When threatened, they prayed to the “Sovereign Lord” and asked Him to grant them boldness and to perform signs by His power (Acts 4:24–30). When Peter was imprisoned, the Church offered “constant prayer” to God for him (Acts 12:5). They did not treat prayer as a verbal mechanism that automatically produced their preferred result.
Scripture teaches believers to ask in faith while remaining submitted to God’s wisdom and will:
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us (1 John 5:14).
James warns against speaking presumptuously about the future. Rather than declaring that a particular plan must occur, believers should say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that” (James 4:13–16). Submission to the Lord’s will is not unbelief. It is the proper confession that God is sovereign, and we are not.
Faith Does Not Mean Faith in Our Own Words
Jesus’ teaching about speaking to a mountain must be interpreted within its own context:
Have faith in God (Mark 11:22).
The emphasis is not on faith in the believer’s ability to speak realities into existence, but on faith in God. Jesus immediately connects the saying with prayer:
Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them (Mark 11:24).
He also connects believing prayer with forgiveness and a heart rightly ordered before God (Mark 11:25).
Faith is not confidence that our words possess creative energy. Faith is confidence in the character, promise, wisdom, and power of God. The believer does not control God through speech; the believer trusts God through prayer. Likewise, Jesus’ promises about asking in His name do not authorize using His name as a verbal formula to force a desired outcome. To ask in Jesus’ name is to ask as one who abides in Him, represents His interests, seeks His glory, and submits to His will (John 14:13–14; 15:7; 16:23–24).
The Tongue Has Great Power, but Not Divine Omnipotence
Proverbs states that
Death and life are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21).
This teaches that words have profound moral, relational, emotional, and practical consequences. Words can deceive, destroy reputations, provoke violence, crush spirits, communicate wisdom, reconcile enemies, encourage the discouraged, and proclaim the message of salvation. The verse does not teach that human speech possesses God’s creative power or that every spoken statement becomes reality. The broader teaching of Proverbs concerns the consequences of wise and foolish speech, not the metaphysical creation of circumstances by verbal declaration (Prov. 12:18; 15:1–4; 16:24; 18:6–8).
James similarly describes the tongue as powerful because of the immense good or destruction it can produce through human relationships and conduct (James 3:2–12). Neither Proverbs nor James teaches that words function as spiritual laws compelling the universe to conform to human desires.
Job 22:28 Does Not Establish a Christian Decreeing Practice
The statement,
You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you (Job 22:28)
It is frequently used to defend the practice of decreeing desired outcomes. However, these words were spoken by Eliphaz, one of Job’s counselors. At the conclusion of the book, God rebuked Eliphaz and his companions for not speaking rightly concerning Him (Job 42:7–8). A statement from a rebuked counselor cannot be removed from its literary context and treated as a universal promise that believers may decree circumstances into existence. Sound doctrine must be established from the clear and consistent teaching of Scripture, not from isolated statements spoken by people whose theology the biblical narrative corrects.
Delegated Authority Remains Subject to Christ
Jesus gave His disciples genuine authority to preach the gospel, make disciples, forgive in a ministerial sense, exercise church discipline, resist the devil, cast out demons, and minister in His name (Matt. 10:1; 16:19; 18:18; 28:18–20; Luke 10:17–20; John 20:21–23; James 4:7). Yet delegated authority is never autonomous sovereignty.
The apostles exercised authority as servants commissioned by Christ. Their power was derived, limited, and governed by the Lord who sent them. They did not teach that every Christian could determine the future, command wealth, eliminate all suffering, or guarantee healing through verbal decrees.
Paul could not merely decree that his “thorn in the flesh” disappear. He pleaded with the Lord three times, and the Lord answered according to His greater purpose: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:7–9). Paul left Trophimus sick at Miletus (2 Tim. 4:20), advised Timothy concerning recurring illness (1 Tim. 5:23), and thanked God for showing mercy to the seriously ill Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25–27). These examples demonstrate faith, prayer, compassion, and dependence upon God—not sovereign control of circumstances through declarations.
Our Position
Therefore, the Association of Biblical Pentecostals rejects the teaching that believers possess inherent or delegated sovereignty to create reality, determine future events, guarantee healing or prosperity, cancel every hardship, or force spiritual and material outcomes through spoken decrees and declarations.
We reject the idea that words operate as impersonal spiritual laws by which believers can compel God, control the universe, or activate blessings through a prescribed formula. Such teaching confuses God’s sovereign speech with human confession, transforms prayer into command, and risks placing faith in faith, words, or techniques rather than in God.
At the same time, we affirm that believers should:
Proclaim the promises and truth of Scripture with boldness.
Confess Jesus Christ as Lord.
Pray with faith, perseverance, and expectancy.
Resist the devil in submission to God.
Exercise spiritual gifts according to the Spirit’s will.
Speak words that bless, heal, encourage, correct, and edify.
Ask God for healing, provision, deliverance, and intervention.
Trust God to answer according to His wisdom, goodness, timing, and sovereign purpose.
Biblical Pentecostal faith is neither passive nor unbelieving. We pray fervently, expect God to act, welcome the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit, and boldly proclaim what God has revealed.
Nevertheless, we recognize that power belongs to God, not to our formulas.
