Praying vs. Decreeing

(Understanding Your Kingdom Authority and When to Use It/ Post 6)

Most believers know how to pray, but very few know how to decree. Because the two are often blended together in practice, we unknowingly weaken the authority of our words by misplacing their functions. Yes, prayer and the decree are both sacred, but they are not interchangeable. They are two different technologies of the Kingdom, two different forms of spiritual communication, and two distinct expressions of authority, each designed to yield a different result in the earth. When we understand this difference, we stop speaking from confusion and begin speaking from clarity, because we would finally understand when to ask and when to legislate.

In Scripture, prayer is communion, alignment, and exchange. It is the place where the human heart meets the will of God, desires are surrendered, burdens are released, and wisdom is granted. To put this another way, prayer draws Heaven near, seeks guidance,  postures the heart, while decrees draw Heaven down,  execute instruction, and govern the realm. So to mistake one for the other is to lose the precision necessary to move with the accuracy of a Kingdom heir.

And this is the moment where many believers struggle, not because we lack faith, but because we have never learned that we cannot decree from a place of uncertainty, and that we cannot pray from a place meant for authority. Another distinction is that in prayer, we approach God as Father, but in decrees, we stand as His representative. Yes, both are holy, but they carry different weight, a different posture, and a different expectation.

Let's break this down in 7 ways...

1. Heart Alignment v. Realm Alignment

When we pray, by turning inward and upward at the same time, we allow the Spirit to sift motives, settle emotions, and bring our interior world into agreement with Heaven’s desires. To put this another way, prayer is the place where we are reshaped, recalibrated, re-centered, and harmonized with God. This, of course, transforms us.

But when we decree, the direction reverses. We are no longer being adjusted; instead, we are changing things. We can enforce alignment, harmonize our environment with what God has already shown us, and stabilize the atmosphere. This, of course, transforms our world.

2. Discernment v. Execution

Prayer is the place where we seek clarity, allowing God to illuminate what is true, timely, and ours to carry. In prayer, we listen until the fog lifts and revelation settles with weight because prayer is where we discern God’s will before we ever attempt to act on it. Prayer receives revelation.

But when we decree, we are no longer discerning; we are executing. Decrees are about implementation rather than searching for direction. Essentially, they release into the earth what Heaven has already endorsed, enforcing divine instruction rather than exploring possibilities. Decree releases the revelation.

3. Dependence v. Inheritance

Prayer bows us low, reminding us that we belong to God, depend on Him, and draw strength from Him. It is the posture of children, where humility and honesty create space for the Spirit to refine and steady us.

However, the decree requires us to stand in our inheritance, speaking not as servants who hope to be heard but as sons and daughters who know they are authorized. Essentially, decrees emerge from identity, not insecurity, since they reflect a believer who stands tall in delegated authority, having already done their work in the secret place.

4. Dialogue v. Decision

Prayer is where the conversation unfolds because it is where requests are made, insight is sought, and communion shapes our understanding. Ultimately, it is the place where we ask, wait, and yield.

A decree is not a conversation at all because it is a decision. It is the moment where we stop asking and begin legislating, issuing rulings that align earth with Heaven’s intention. Notably, decrees carry the tone of government, and not negotiation.

If prayer opens the dialogue, then the decree renders the verdict.

5. Interior Change v. Environmental Change

Prayer transforms our inner landscape by shaping convictions, refining motives, and quieting the noise that keeps us from hearing God clearly. It is where the Lord tends to what is unsettled within us so that we can move with clarity rather than confusion.

The decree, however, transforms the external landscape. When we decree, we address what surrounds us, not what sits within us. For instance, we are speaking to patterns, systems, environments, and barriers, commanding alignment where there has been resistance and establishing order where there has been chaos.

Think of it this way: prayer changes the person and the decree changes the territory.

6. Submission v. Stewardship

Prayer positions us in surrender, allowing us to yield our assumptions, fears, and desires to the wisdom of God. In prayer, we acknowledge His sovereignty and welcome His direction, because submission is the soil in which spiritual sensitivity grows.

The decree calls us into stewardship, requiring us to take responsibility for the authority we’ve been given. We see that decrees are not passive because they demand intentionality, courage, and clarity. Moreover, they are the actions of someone who understands they have been entrusted with a mandate to enforce what Heaven has already desired.

If prayer lays the foundation, then the decree builds on it.

7. Asking v. Administering

Prayer is where we ask from a place of relational dependence and healthy expectation. It is the moment where we bring questions, petitions, concerns, and even hopes before God, trusting Him to respond with wisdom.

The decree is where we administer because once God has revealed His will, we do not keep returning with questions; instead, we partner with Him to bring that will into expression. Decrees are administrative acts, governing statements, andauthoritative instructions that align situations with divine intention.

If prayer opens the door, then the decree walks through it.

Let's wrap this up...

At the heart of the Let There Be Challenge is the understanding that prayer shapes the believer, but decrees shape the world the believer is called to govern, which means these forty days are not about reciting phrases but about practicing Kingdom authority with intention. When we pray, we align with Heaven, but when we decree, we extend that alignment into the earth.

And as we step into this season, I want you to hold onto the truth that sons and daughters do not simply hope for change; instead, they legislate it because authority is not something we strive for, it is something we inherit.