Living By Faith

THE SOUND OF FAITH

That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. (Philemon 6)

We have many “wounded rabbits” in the church who need to change their sound. Mark Hankins

Several years ago, I went hunting for coyote in Arizona with a friend who was an avid hunter. We got up early in the morning, while it was still dark, and put on camouflage outfits — pants, shirt, hat, and boots. We went out on a mountainside and sat on the ground under a big bush, with camouflage netting wrapped around us. My friend began to call the coyotes with a little wooden call that made a loud, squealing noise that mimicked the sound of a wounded rabbit. When the coyotes heard the squeal of the hurt rabbit, they would come for what they thought was a nice meal.

We have many woundedrabbitsin the church calling up the coyotesof failure.  Their wounded rabbit call attracts the devil, and he comes to devour them for lunch! By changing your sound to a bold declaration of who you are in Christ Jesus, you will begin to attract the blessings of God in a greater measure.

Confession: I am who God says I am. I have what God says I have. I can do what God says I can do. I boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. (Hebrews 13:6) 

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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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THE WORD OF FAITH

The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word. of faith, which we preach. (Romans 10:8)

The language of redemption is the language of faith. Mark Hankins

The language of redemption is what the Apostle Paul called “the word of faith” in Romans 10:8-10. The vocabulary of salvation makes a sound that releases the power of God. We must learn to speak the language of redemption with the vocabulary of salvation! 

The language of redemption speaks of what happened in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and what He is doing for us right now: interceding for us at the right hand of the Father. We must learn what happened when Jesus took His blood into Heaven and purchased our eternal redemption!

The phrase “Christ hath redeemed us” in Galatians 3:13 is past tense, which means it has already been taken care of in Christ. He hathblessed us. He hath healed us. He hathdelivered us. These are all past tense. Since He hath, by faith we now have. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is.” In Christ, we must learn a new language – the language of “Now,” the language of God. 

ConfessionI will speak the language of redemption, which is the language of faith.  “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:10)

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PARALYZED FAITH

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. (Mark 11:22)

The devil knows that he can neutralize your faith with unforgiveness faster than any other way. Mark Hankins

Unforgiveness is the door through which the devil enters. Dad Hagin said it this way, “Anytime you’re feeling mistreated, you know that the devil is working on you.” If someone does you wrong or says something you don’t like, you’d better watch it. Those feelings and that voice will come to you saying, “You’ve been mistreated,” and “They really did you wrong!”  The devil will continue to work on you until he has set up an offense.

You must not speak against or attack those who have mistreated you. When you release and forgive them, something positive will happen inside of you!

Smith Wigglesworth said,“I believe there area great many people who would behealed, but they are harboring things in their hearts that areas a blight… There is just some little thing that came in their hearts years ago and their faith has been paralyzed since.”  Don’t allow unforgiveness to paralyze your faith!

Confession:My faith is in God! I will not listen to the voice of the enemy. I will not allow unforgiveness to paralyze my faith!

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THE CENTER OF THE GOSPEL

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered once into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12)

The Gospel contains the power that God released in Christ two thousand years ago. Mark Hankins

The center of the Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. After His resurrection, Jesus told the disciples, “Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ are eternal God events. We give them a date and place because they are historical events, but they are more than just history. They are supernatural, eternal God events, and they can be visited at any point in time as though they were happening right then. The same power that God released in these events is in the message.

The Gospel produces faith. The Word of God is a living thing. Christ hath redeemed you! The Gospel is not the good news that God can help you. It is not the good news that God wantsto help you. It is the good news that God has already helped you in Christ.

Confession: The price has been paid. I am no longer a prisoner to sin; I am free. The curse of sin and Satan has been broken in my life by the blood of Jesus!

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