Have you ever said “amen” without stopping to think about what you were actually agreeing to? I have. More times than I’d like to admit. It’s so easy for that one word to slip out of our mouths without a second thought; until one day you realize… wait, what did I just come into agreement with?
When I first gave my life to Christ, everything changed. I felt like I had stepped into a whole new world. A real one. One where guilt and shame didn’t hang on to me or follow me around like a dark cloud, reminding me of where I used to be. For the first time, I could breathe. I could look ahead without dragging my past with me. And honestly, that alone felt like freedom.
As I started going to church, something stood out to me right away. People said “amen” all the time. After a prayer… after a statement… during the sermon… even when the pastor was just making an announcement. So of course, I started doing it too. I said amen because everyone around me did, because I wanted to blend in, and honestly, because it felt like the normal thing to do. What I didn’t realize was that I was using one of the most powerful words in Scripture without really understanding what I was agreeing to.
That changed the day I remembered Jesus’s words in Matthew 18:19, where He says. "Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven." That word, “agree” didn’t leave me. It followed me around, tapped me on the shoulder, and made me look at what I was doing. Because if agreement has power, then amen, the very word that seals that agreement… has power too. Real power.
That’s when it finally hit me: Amen isn’t a church response. It’s a covenant.
It means, “Yes, I agree with that. Let that be so in my life.”
And once I understood that, I couldn’t say amen without thinking anymore. I couldn’t shout amen to things I didn’t truly believe or understand. I had to ask myself, What exactly am I agreeing with? And why am I agreeing with it so quickly?
The Bible says in Proverbs 18:21that life and death are in the power of the tongue. And if that’s true…which I believe it is, then I don’t want to use my words carelessly. I don’t want to say “amen” to something that doesn’t line up with what God is doing in my life. That word isn’t just a response, it’s an agreement. It reaches into the spiritual, setting your words and your life in motion, either in line with God’s will… or in line with something He never meant for you.
So I slowed down. I stopped just agreeing out of habit and actually paid attention to what people were saying. And the more I listened, the more I realized this: not everything that sounds spiritual is from God. Some things might sound nice, but they’re not meant for my life. I learned something important: sometimes the wisest thing you can do is stay quiet. It's okay to hold back your agreement when something doesn't sit right with what God is doing in your life.
And yes, people noticed. Sometimes they asked why I didn’t say amen like everyone else. I just told them the truth: “Because I don’t agree.” Not in a rebellious way. Not in a rude way. Just in a way that respected the meaning of my words.
Because here’s what I’ve come to understand: your amen matters. It can open doors, or close them. Amen is a spiritual agreement, and it holds authority.
Now, when I say amen, I mean it. I say it because I truly agree. My spirit is aligned. My faith stands behind it. Being intentional with my amen has brought strength, understanding, and real growth into my life. I’m not perfect at it, but I’m aware. And that awareness has changed everything.
So here’s my encouragement to you: keep saying amen… but only when you really mean it. Let it be a yes that comes from what you truly believe, a yes built on faith, a yes that lines up with God’s truth.
Your amen has power... not because of you, but because of the God who listens.
Pray with me:
Father God,
Thank You for showing me the power in agreement. Teach me to be careful with my words and intentional with every yes I speak. Remove every careless amen I’ve spoken, and close every door I opened without realizing it. Align my heart with Your truth so that when I say amen, it unleashes faith, authority, and life. Let every yes I give reflect Your will, Your voice, and Your purpose for my life. Strengthen my discernment, and let my words release Your power, not my own. I surrender my words, my choices, and my yes to You.
