Living By Faith

GOD’S ABILITY AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12)

Grace is God’s grip on you; faith is your grip on God! God’s grip is always greater! Mark Hankins

A believer’s responsibility is to trust in God. You study faith, you walk by faith, and you live by faith, but there are times when it may seem like your faith doesn’t have the grip you need. When you sense that, look to the grace of God.
God performs what He has spoken concerning you. You don’t have to bring it to pass; God brings it to pass. Our responsibility is to trust in Him. Brother Kenneth E. Hagin said, “You don’t have to make it happen; you let it happen.” That is why the person who believes has entered into rest. (Hebrews 4:3)
God has good things planned for you. Trust in Him and watch Him do what He says He will do! For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)

Confession: My responsibility is to trust in God’s ability. He will perform what He has spoken concerning me! I don’t have to make it happen! God will bring it to pass!

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CONFESSION PRECEDES POSSESSION

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised.) (Hebrews 10:23)

Confession builds the road over which faith carries its mighty cargo.
E.W. Kenyon

What comes out of your mouth will make the difference between winning and losing the fight of faith! The good faith fight requires a good profession or confession. The winning strategy is to say what you believe instead of what you feel. Speak the Word of God regardless of how intense the fight becomes! You will possess your inheritance by declaring it with your mouth! It is easier to say what you feel or to talk about how bad things appear to be, but your faith will never rise above your confession.

When you say what God says in His Word, you are building a strong road over which heaven’s cargo can be carried and delivered to you! The devil will put roadblocks, mountains, difficulties, and hindrances in your way. He will try to tell you that God is not faithful and that the Word won’t work.

If you’ve been wondering why only a few blessings have made their way to your house, perhaps your words have created too narrow of a path. Change your confession to words of faith and construct a wide, clear road for the blessings of God! Confession always precedes possession!

Confession: This is a good fight! I will hold fast my profession of faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised. (Hebrews 10:23)

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THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12)

The faith fight is the only fight believers are called to fight. Mark Hankins

There is a fight to faith, but it is a good fight! It is a fight that has already been won! Jesus defeated the devil over two thousand years ago. Your part in the fight is to enforce the victory that Jesus has already won. In order to do that, you will need to keep your faith focused at all times. You’ve got to be ready for the fight and stand strong in the arena of faith from the outset of any challenge.

Abraham Lincoln used to tell a story about two dogs in a fight. He said that one of his neighbors had a little dog that would whip all of the big dogs in the area. When someone asked this man how his little dog could whip the big dogs, he said, “Your big dog is not really ready to fight until the fight is half over. My little dog stays mad!” Are you ready to fight? You stay ready by staying in faith. Don’t let Satan pull you out of the ring by luring you into the arena of feelings, sight, or circumstances. Stay in the field of faith! As long as you are in faith, you defeat the devil every time. Get serious like that little dog! Stay focused on your faith, fight the good fight, and enforce Jesus’ complete victory over the devil

Confession: I refuse to give one inch to the devil, defeat, or discouragement. I will stay in the arena of faith where I win every time! I walk by faith and not by sight! (2 Corinthians 5:7)

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RADICAL REVELATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.
ROMANS 10:9, 10 (KJV)

What are you going to believe and speak?  You are going to believe and say you have been made the righteousness of God in Christ!  You quit struggling and trying.  You put your trust in God and you receive this free gift.  You believe with your heart that God loves you, God accepts you, and He has made you as righteous as Jesus.

Believing you have been made righteous and receiving the gift of righteousness is a radical, revolutionary revelation and can be difficult for some people to comprehend.  Sometimes people will not receive it because they think they’ve got to work for it.  Sometimes people get proud and think “I don’t want a handout.  You don’t have to give me that.”  But when it comes to this righteousness, you had better take it!

I once ate at a restaurant where some of the waiters worked who attended the church where I was preaching. I gave each one of them a hundred-dollar bill. Do you know only one worker took it?  The other three said, “No, that’s too much.  You don’t have to do that.”  It seems there is something about human nature that questions when God wants to give a gift, saying, “Are you sure about that?  That’s too much.  I don’t really think that’s necessary.”  What Jesus did for you is entirely too much, but you must receive it!

Confession: I believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and I openly confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Salvation is mine; righteousness is mine.

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UNDERSTANDING RIGHTEOUSNESS

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. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:16-17

Understanding you have God’s divine approval on your life sets you free from the sense of rejection, inadequacy or inferiority.  You are confident you have God’s approval.  You are free to receive God’s best blessings and to follow His plan for your life.  This confidence in God sets you free from constantly seeking approval from others.
One of the most misunderstood subjects in the Bible is righteousness. The Gospel of Christ is a revelation of the righteousness of God. The center of the Gospel reveals the righteousness of God.  I call righteousness a radical revelation, a revolutionary revelation. It is a reality that is produced for us by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Confession: The Gospel is the good news.  It is a weapon of might that begins with faith and produces faith.  God has made me righteous as He is. I am right with God!  I am whole and set free!

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