Living By Faith

DON’T LET THE DEVIL OUTBLUFF YOU

I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you wisdom to see clearly and really understand who Christ is and all that he has done for you. (Ephesians 1:17 TLB)

Christ has already dethroned and defeated the devil!
Mark Hankins

I don’t understand a whole lot about the game of poker, but I happened to see the world championship one day and decided to watch for a few minutes. The cameras showed the television audience the exact hand each player had while they were playing. The funny thing I noticed during the game was that the player who won beat the player with the better hand. The player with the better hand folded because the other player out bluffed him.

Everything God has done for us in Christ belongs to us. Yet, many times we fold and throw in the cards even though we’re holding the winning hand. The spirit of wisdom and revelation can explain the mystery of your redemption so you can see and understand what God has already done for you in Christ.

Confession: I have the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ. The eyes of my understanding are being enlightened, that I may know what is the hope of His calling. (Ephesians 1:17-18)

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X-RAY VISION

I pray that your inward eyes may be illumined… (Ephesians 1:18 NEB)

The entire Bible is written from the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
Mark Hankins

The Apostle Paul saw something by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that was even greater than what Moses must have seen when he wrote the book of Genesis. Paul’s letters are even different from the four Gospels. The Gospels are photographs of redemption; Paul’s letters are X-rays.

Paul was not physically there for the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, but he wrote about what happened by revelation knowledge. He saw what happened In Christ. God saw us there In Christ. We died with Him, were buried with Him, were made alive with Him, and were raised up together with Him.

The Word of God describes spiritual or unseen realities and explains the mystery of your redemption. You can read the Bible with just your intellect and read it like a regular book, or you can allow the Holy Spirit to open up revelation to you.

Confession: And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 1:19-20)

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SEE THE UNSEEN

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

God wants to open a different set of eyes so you can see the unseen.
Mark Hankins

Prophets were called seers in the Old Testament because they saw things in the supernatural. In 2 Kings 6, Elisha was seeing and knew what the enemy was going to do before they ever went to battle.

One morning, Elisha’s servant woke up and realized the mountains were filled with enemy soldiers that wanted to kill Elisha. The servant, full of fear, ran in to wake up Elisha. He said, “We’re gonna die today! They’re gonna kill us! Wake up! Get up! We’re gonna die!” Elisha said to his servant, “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”

The prophet then prayed for his servant, “Lord, I pray for you to open his eyes that he may see.” The servant then saw what Elisha saw. God had sent angels and chariots of fire that surrounded Elisha and surrounded the army. There was no reason to be afraid!

Confession: My eyes are open to the supernatural. I do not look at the things that are seen which are temporary, but at the things which are not seen which are eternal!

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FOCUSED AND CLEAR

Your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for Christians… (Ephesians 1:18 The Message Bible)

We can rise above the turbulent atmosphere of our past experiences.
Mark Hankins

NASA launched the Hubble telescope in 1990 and it revolutionized the study of our universe! Many mysteries of our universe have been revealed by the Hubble’s discoveries. However, with everything that we are coming to understand about the universe, there is still so much more to be discovered.

In Ephesians 1, the Apostle Paul described the spirit of wisdom and revelation as the “eyes of your understanding being enlightened.” The spirit of wisdom and revelation makes it possible for us to see the mystery or unseen realities of our redemption.

In Christ we have been launched into heavenly places to be able to clearly see God’s plans and purposes. When the spirit of wisdom launches us into orbit for a closer view or clearer picture, we can then see what God sees!

Confession: My eyes are focused and clear. I can see exactly what God is calling me to do. I am grasping the immensity of this glorious way of life He has for Christians! (Ephesians 1:18 The Message Bible)

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THE CHURCH ON DISPLAY

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ephesians 3:9-11)

One cannot help but be in awe when one contemplates the mysteries of eternity. Albert Einstein

The word mystery means, “A profound secret kept cautiously concealed, hidden for generations, something that excites curiosity and wonder.”

The mystery of our redemption is now revealed in Christ! Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:17-23 is for the church to advance and influence every generation through the power of revelation. God wants the church to enjoy and display the light and revelation of Jesus Christ to all men as well as to the unseen powers in heavenly places. The church is experiencing a breakthrough in revelation of mysteries that is bringing a revolution to this generation. We contend for exponential increase in revelation!

Confession: I contend for the revelation knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I will display the light and revelation of Jesus Christ to all men as well as to the unseen powers in heavenly places!

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