This teaching is designed to summarize some of the origin of the Word Faith heresy and where some of its most popular supporters got their teachings from. This is designed to give a convincing overview to help persuade those who have fallen for this lie.
Most think Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland are the originators of the word faith teachings that we have today. But they actually copied William Branham, and Branham was influenced by new thought teacher E.W. Kenyon, Finis Dake and others by those whom he associated with from the Azusa Revival.
There is no question that Kenneth Hagin took portions of E. W. Kenyon’s teachings, yet being a contemporary with Branham we find striking similarities with him as well. Before there was Hagin there was Branham. Many of these same topics he taught by Branham for over 20 years in his teachings.
The occult has always considered there to be supernatural power in words.
Magician David Conway “In Magic: an Occult Primer" writes: Unseparable from magical speculation about words is the theory of vibrations, which supposes that certain sounds have a powerful acoustic impact on both the spiritual and astral worlds. Both can be affected by sound, so that verbal magic may be said to derive its power not only from the idea contained in certain words, but from the peculiar vibrations these words create when spoken."
Word magic is the art of communicating using sacred sounds and symbols to direct and control energy to produce certain desired effects. All words have magic properties….
Through Word Magic: The Powers & Occult Definitions of Words, you can explore a hidden world that shows you how words shape your reality.”
Copeland in The Laws of Prosperity says, "You can have what you say! He states Words are spiritual containers, that "spirit words can control both the spirit world and the physical world. Because the words themselves have power, they will work for either God or man in the same manner."
"Words are the most sacred things....This is a word planet...governed by words...created by words.... Words cause it to function...cause life...cause death....Words go on forever....Words are holy." (Copeland, The Abrahamic Covenant)
"You have the same creative faith and ability on the inside of you that God used when he created the heavens and the earth." (Copeland, Inner Image of the Covenant).
He basically repeats what heresy Branham said.
Copeland mockingly says "Words create pictures, and pictures in your mind create words.....And when that spiritual force comes out it is going to give substance to the image that's on the inside of you. Aw, that's that visualization stuff! Aw, that's that New Age! No, New Age is trying to do this; and they'd get somewhat results out of it because this is spiritual law, brother."
This spiritual law is not in the bible, so whose law is it?
Occultists teach visualization, our words coupled with belief bring what is already existing in the spiritual realm into our reality; so, does word faith. Yet they claim its Biblical… exactly where does it teach this? Nowhere!
