Living By Faith

CLOSE THE DOOR ON THE DEVIL

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

If you have a spirit of fear, you did not get it from God! Mark Hankins

Fear opens the door to the devil. Fear is connected to a lack of power, lack of love, and mental problems. There are more than 100 different kinds of fear. These fears can be irrational, but since fear is of the devil, it does not have to be rational.

For instance, one phobia that plagues mankind is Agoraphobia. This is a fear of outdoors and open spaces. Another one is Anthropophobia; this phobia is a fear of people. There is also a phobia described as Tropophobia or fear of changes. Psychologists say that Thanatophobia, the fear of death, is the root of all fears. If you have a spirit of fear, you did not get it from God.

The Word of God breaks the spirit of fear. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.  When faith comes, fear goes.  There is faith, power, love, and mental soundness in the Word of God! Speak the Word of God with a voice of faith and fear must go!

Confession: God has not given me the spirit of fear! I have the spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind!

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THE SPEECH CENTER EXERCISES DOMINION

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (Matthew 12:37)

The speech center is the dominion center for our lives. Mark Hankins

A leading neurosurgeon said that researchers have recently discovered that the speech center in the brain exercises dominion over the whole central nervous system. He said that certain parts of the human brain are able to cause different parts of the body to respond to stimuli. The speech center has even greater influence; when the speech center is stimulated, the whole central nervous system responds.

This means that when anyone says, “I am weak,” the speech center sends out the message to the whole body to prepare to be weak. This must be the reason God said, “Let the weak say, I am strong.” (Joel 3:10)

The Message Bible tells us in Matthew 12:37, “Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.” 

This may be a new discovery to medical science, but the Bible has revealed this fact for thousands of years. Medical science is finally finding out what the Bible has been saying all along!

Confession: I am strong. I am blessed. God’s Word in my mouth gives me life and salvation!

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NEVER RUN AT YOUR GIANT WITH YOUR MOUTH SHUT

This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand… that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. (1 Samuel 17:46)

Faith is released by speaking. If you are silent, you lose by default. Mark Hankins

1 Samuel 17 records the classic story of David and Goliath. The real battle was won before David actually killed Goliath. A war of words had to be won before victory could be consummated. The story went something like this: Goliath said…David said…Goliath said…David said…David ran toward the Philistine…David prevailed over the Philistine. David won the war of words before He won the victory!

The Lord spoke these words to me as a key to killing my giants: “Never run at your giant with your mouth shut!” Before we can receive and do all that God has for us in life, there will be giants that must be conquered. As you may know, some of these giants can be quite persistent. Just keep on running at those giants with your mouth speaking the Word of God. The Word releases God’s power to win in every conflict!

Confession: And He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me. (Isaiah 49:2)

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SEE YOU AT THE TOP

This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face. (Psalm 24:6NKJV)

There are some blessings you cannot receive from God at sea level! Mark Hankins

I recently viewed a documentary about Mount Everest and those who have climbed it. Climbing a mountain is a gradual process that takes climbers from lower camps to higher camps as they make the ascent. During this process, their red blood cells actually double in number in order to carry enough oxygen to keep them alive. This kind of mountain climbing must be in your blood in order for you to survive!

In Psalm 24, God gives a challenge to those who want to move up higher in their fellowship with Him. After He gives the condition of clean hands and a pure heart, God promises that they will “receiving the blessing from the Lord.”

Climbing the Mountain of the Lord is a much higher calling than climbing Mount Everest. It is a place where satisfaction, fulfillment, and blessings flow. It is time for us to move up higher in the glory of God!

Confession: I am a part of the generation that seeks the face of God. I am climbing the Mountain of the Lord where there is satisfaction, fulfillment, and blessing!

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THE MAIN EVENT

I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore. (Revelation 1:18)

Jesus was the first person to enter death’s domain and conquer it! Mark Hankins

There have been many important events in the history of man. The invention of the airplane by the Wright brothers and the expedition of Lewis and Clark are two events that turned the course of our country. As epic as those events were, they pale in comparison to the Main Event of all time and eternity-Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection!

The Main Event changed everything! It was so radical that it affected all of heaven and all of earth. Jesus is the “first born from the dead,” (Colossians 1:18) and the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is in the Gospel of Christ. You have access to that same power! It is in the Gospel of Christ! You don’t need more power; you need more Gospel!

Confession:  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

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