Living By Faith

A LIVING SACRIFICE

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

Anyone who has ever won an Olympic gold medal will tell you he did something about his body. Mark Hankins

Paul said for you to present your body a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. People often go to the altar because they want God to take cigarettes or some other habit away from them. God doesn’t smoke, so He is not going to take those things from you. God does not chew tobacco, so He is not going to take it from you. Your body can become addicted to things that will destroy it. The Bible calls these habits “sin” because your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Anyone who has ever won an Olympic gold medal will tell you he did something about his body. When his body did not want to run, he kept on running. When his body said, “I want to go eat this,” he said, “No, you are not eating that.”  I am not referring to people who run every once in a while; I am talking about gold medal winners. They have to do something about their bodies.

Confession: Body, I am doing something about you right now. I am presenting you as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God.

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ELIJAH AND ELISHA

Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. (2 Kings 2:9-10)

It’s time to rip some things the devil has tried to make you wear. Mark Hankins

Elijah said, “You can not have my mantle unless you see me when I go up.”  Elisha determined, “Nothing is going to stop me from seeing that man when he goes up.”

The day came when Elijah crossed the Jordan River, and Elisha went over with him. The chariot came down, the whirlwind took Elijah up, and Elisha said, “Hey, it is a new day!” When that mantle came down, he grabbed it. It represented a double anointing. He grabbed the mantle and ripped his own clothes. He said, “I am wearing some new clothes.”

It’s time to rip some things the devil has tried to make you wear. Get dressed in the reality of your redemption in Christ. You have access to new places. Dress up in honor. Put on a garment of praise right now!

Confession: I rejoice because I do not wear the same clothes that I used to wear! In Christ, I have new clothes!

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EXPERIENCE JESUS

For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.  (2 Corinthians 5:13)

Religion and tradition bring death; Jesus brings life and a living experience with Him. Mark Hankins

In 2 Corinthians 5:13, Paul simply said, “If we have lost our minds, it is God’s fault.” Many people thought Paul was crazy because he had such a radical experience with Jesus Christ.  His life turned in a totally different direction. I am sure his mama, daddy, his kinfolks, and his old friends thought he was crazy and had lost his mind.

I believe your experience with Jesus ought to be so strong and put such a dividing line in your life that your old friends do not even want to be around you anymore! They will say, “We do not want to be around him. He is always talking about Jesus and wanting to go to church.”

Have you ever had the Holy Spirit come upon you with such revelation of the goodness of God and what God has done for you in Christ that you feel like you have lost your mind? You may want to shout, jump, run, and roll in the floor!

Confession:I am beside myself because of what God has done for me in Jesus! Oh, the possibilities that are mine inJesus!

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GOD ABOLISHED YOUR ENEMIES ONCE

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

The death of Christ stops sin and the resurrection of Christ opens up a whole new life. Mark Hankins

Why does it say, “He entered in once into the holy place”? Jesus whipped the devil so badly and took care of man’s condition ONCE through His death, burial, and resurrection that He won’t ever have to do it again!

Through the death of Christ, God brought the dominion, control, and the effect of sin to an end. Hebrews 9:26 says that through one sacrifice, He put an end to sin. Other translations say,“to do away,” “to abolish,” or “to bring to an end.”

Do you believe what God did in Christ is big enough to take care of anything that is messing with you? It doesn’t matter what it is; what God did in Christ is big enough to take care of it. The Gospel is the power of God. The death of Christ stops sin, and the resurrection of Christ opens up a whole new life!

Confession:God abolished, put away and destroyed sin in my life ONCE and for all. Sin has lost its dominion and control in my life!

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DEAD TO SIN, ALIVE TO GOD

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:11)

When you grasp the doctrine of what God has done for you in Christ, it becomes the center of your deliverance, redemption, and sanctification. Mark Hankins

Paul says to “reckon” or count it to be so by faith. Reckon yourself to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God. Sometimes you should say to yourself, “I am dead to sin.” One translation says, “inert and motionless as a corpse in response to sin.”  When sin comes around, say to it, “I am inert. I am motionless as a corpse. I am dead to sin!”

Sometimes people think if they can just get a certain evangelist to lay hands on them, their problems will go away. But your problems will remain unless you have received an understanding of who you are in Christ. The devil will try to challenge you saying, “Who do you think you are?”  Thank God for the anointing, but you must live by faith saying, “I am who God says I am.” The just shall live by faith!

Confession: I am dead indeed to sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ my Lord!

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