Search Menu Toggle navigation
Living By Faith
Search Menu Toggle navigation

A NEW CREATURE

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

You look a whole lot better in Christ than you do outside of Christ. Mark Hankins

When you get born again, you become a brand-new creation in Christ Jesus. You are re-created. In the new birth you are not just a forgiven sinner, but a brand-new creation in several ways.

First, your spirit has been re-created with the very life and nature of God on the inside of you. Second, you are not a Jew, and you are not a Gentile. You are a new nationality, a new species of being. You are in Christ Jesus, so you are blessed with Abraham’s blessing. You are a new creation.

Look at 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man BE in Christ, he is…”  We often talk about what we are trying to be, needing to be, struggling to be, or going to someday be, but nobody ever told us what we “be.”  We should be talking about who and what you are — every good thing that is in you now. This is something that is already yours the moment you are in Christ Jesus because of the grace of God.

Confession: I am a new creature in Christ! I am not trying to be–I AM NOW! Every good thing that is in Christ is now in me! 

  • 0

RESURRECTION POWER

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)

The power that God used to raise Christ from the dead dissolved, melted, and liquidated the works of the devil.  Mark Hankins

Jesus came to redeem us primarily through His death and resurrection. The power of Christ’s resurrection is destructive — not to us, but to the works of the enemy. The word destroy is luo, which means to loose, break, or undo. Jesus rose from the dead to undo all that Satan had done in man through the fall. Jesus put an end to the works of the devil by first bearing those works in Himself as our substitute in His death, and then rising again free from them all.

In 2 Peter 3:10-12, the word luo was translated “melt” and “dissolved.”  When we take this definition back to 1 John 3:8, we get an interesting insight into Christ’s destruction of the works of the devil. “Now the Son of God came to the earth with the express purpose of liquidating the devil’s activities.” (Phillips Translation)

God made Jesus to bear and become all that was wrong with us in spirit, soul, and body and then vaporized it with the power of His resurrection!

Confession: Jesus was my substitute! Because of His death and resurrection, I am free from the works of Satan! (John 8:36)

  • 0

MORE THAN ENOUGH POWER

And how very great is his power at work in us who believe. This power is the same as the mighty strength which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world. (Ephesians 1:19-20 Good News Bible)

Christ’s resurrection was more than a triumph over rigor mortis; it was a triumph over all the forces that held us in bondage!  Mark Hankins

Paul used four different words for power in an attempt to describe what great power was released in the resurrection of Christ:

dunamis= dynamite; ability

  energia= energy; operative power in exercise

kratos= manifested strength

ischuos= an endowment of strength

Paul said this power, power, power, power that God used to raise Jesus from the dead is not just great but exceeding great. Paul said that this power is great beyond measure — surpassing power — more than enough power.

Confession: The same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in me! This power is overwhelmingly great, incomparably great, immeasurable and unlimited! “And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working working of His mighty power.” (Ephesians 1:19)

  • 0

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!

  • 0

WHEN FAITH COMETH, FEAR GOETH

But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

In the midst of adversity, David was overcoming fear! Mark Hankins

There can be no doubt that David had a spirit of faith. He killed Goliath the giant, a lion, a bear, and more than 10,000 Philistines. Case closed — the man had a spirit of faith! However, in the Psalms we see David dealing with fear. We also see that David dealt with fear by believing and speaking. The spirit of faith requires both! David penned these words in Psalm 116: “For You have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears… I believed, therefore I spoke…” 

There are over one hundred times in the Bible where we are told, “Fear not.” Jesus said, “Fear not: believe only.” (Luke 8:50) God works by faith; He is a faith God. It pleases God when we have a spirit of faith. (Hebrews 11:6) “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak.” (2 Corinthians 4:13) We overcome fear as we believe and speak the Word of God.

Confession: The Lord is my light and salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

  • 0

Sign up for Living By Faith Blog Subscribers

* = required field

Recent Posts

Categories