Living By Faith

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 realbattle 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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SPEAK TO THE ROCK

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place…(Hebrews 9:12)

The language of redemption is the language of victory, blessing, and salvation; it is the language of God. Mark Hankins

We read in Exodus 17:6 that God told Moses to strike the rock in Horeb, and water would come out of it. Moses did what the Lord commanded and water gushed out to supply the whole nation of Israel as they went through the wilderness. 

The next time they needed water, God told Moses to speak to the rock. (Numbers 20:7-12) But Moses was angry, and he smote the rock twice instead. Not only did Moses disobey God when he smote the rock, but he also destroyed the parallel between the Rock, which is Christ, and the picture of our redemption. The Rock, Jesus, was smitten once on the cross two thousand years ago!

Now when you speak to the Rock, the water will freely flow. As you speak the Word of God, there is full provision for your every need.  So speak to the Rock.  The Promised Land is yours today!

Confession: Jesus is the Rock. I can speak to Him, my Rock, and receive provision for every need. What Jesus did once was done so well that it will never have to be done again. 

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GLORY! GOD IS ALL GOOD

For how great is his goodness. (Zechariah 9:17)

The length, depth, breadth, and height of God’s goodness overwhelmed Moses. He had an experience with the Glory of God! Mark Hankins

Can you imagine what it would be like to have God’s entire goodness pass before you? That is exactly what happened to Moses — God revealed His goodness to him. The length, depth, breadth, and height of God’s goodness overwhelmed Moses; he had an experience with the glory of God. The glory of God so changed Moses’ whole countenance that his face radiated. His face was shining! The glory of God touches and affects every aspect of your life.

I like David Baron’s commentary on Zechariah 9:17: “Goodness is that attribute of God whereby He loveth to communicate to all who can or will receive it, ALL GOOD–yea Himself, who is the fullness and universality of good, creator of all good, not in one way, not in one kind of goodness only, but absolutely, without beginning, with- out limit, without measure. This good, His goodness bestoweth on all and each, according to the capacity of each to receive it; nor is there any limit to His giving, save His creature’s capacity of receiving.”

Confession:The glory of God is the goodness of God. The goodness of God is changing my life! God is a good God!

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SHOUT IT OUT

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. (Romans 1:16)

Everything changes when you begin to understand who you are in Christ and begin to act like the Bible is true. Mark Hankins

The company that makes Shout detergent uses the slogan: “For those tough stains, you have to ‘Shout’ them out!” I couldn’t agree more. Make sure you know what you are shouting about and let it rip!

Smith Wigglesworth said, “Some people would be giants in faith if they just had a shout.” Faith shouts while the walls are still standing. He also said, “You need to see how wonderful you are in God and how helpless you are without Him.”

Mom ran around the church in West Columbia, Texas, for many years. It is much larger now than it was when I was a child. More educated and prosperous people joined the congregation, but she would still say, “Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!” She continued to shout, Woooooo!” and ran around the church.  The only thing that changed over the years is that in the later years, I would run with her!

Confession: God has brought me up out of a horrible pit, and out of the miry clay. He set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings! He has put a new song in my mouth! My mouth Is full of His praise! (Psalm 40:2-3)

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A NEW DAY OF BOLDNESS

Having therefore, brethren, BOLDNESS to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. (Hebrews 10:19)

Instead of being a victim of our experiences, our experiences are a victim of us. Mark Hankins

The word boldness is an important word in the book of Hebrews. The blood of Jesus has given us great boldness and confidence.

Let us therefore come BOLDLY unto the throne of grace.” (Hebrews 4:16)  

“That we may BOLDLY say, ‘The Lord is my helper.’” (Hebrews 13:6)

Some other translations of Hebrews 10:19 translate boldness as freedom of speech or outspoken.  As believers, we need to exercise our freedom of speech and be outspoken about the blood of Jesus and who we are in Christ. Instead of being a victim of our experiences, our experiences are a victim of us!

Confession: I have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. I can come boldly unto the throne of grace and I can boldly say the Lord is my helper! I am not a victim of my experiences. My experiences are a victim of me because the blood of Jesus has given me great boldness and confidence!

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