Search Menu Toggle navigation
Living By Faith
Search Menu Toggle navigation

GRACE VS. LEGALISM

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand… (Romans 5:2)

The mystery and the glory of the believer’s life is that your life
is one with Him. – Mark Hankins

Salvation is the reuniting of God and man. God’s does not work on you while you are isolated from Him. He doesn’t gradually render you fit to be reunited to Him. Legalism teaches that God operates on you apart from Himself, but grace begins by uniting you to God. Through that union, He supplies the life and power necessary to bring you into His holiness.

Grace is the opposite of legalism. Legalism says that you are not good enough and will have to live in sin-consciousness for the rest of your life. Grace, however, says because of what Christ has done, your spirit is instantly joined to Christ.

God welcomes you because of faith in Christ. He takes you right in and gives you His righteousness. Consider the depth of this principle of the Gospel when it is applied: you are united with Christ!

Confession: I have access by faith into the grace of God. I rejoice in hope of the glory of God because of what Christ has done for me. I am dead to sin and alive unto God!

  • 0

NO EVIDENCE OF THE ENEMY

But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies. What do ye imagine against the Lord? He will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.
(Nahum 1:8-9)

God will destroy the place the enemy got into your life so that he can never get in again; He will also destroy the evidence.
Mark Hankins

Can you believe God can bring some things to an end? God can bring behaviors and influences that have controlled your life to an end.

Sin shall not have dominion over you. God said that He would stop this affliction. He will stop the problem or condition, and it will never rise again. God will destroy the place the enemy got into your life so that he can never get in again. God will even destroy the evidence.

This is true in any area of your life: poverty, defeat, or sickness. In areas of your life where behavior, influences, or circumstances have controlled you, God will bring it to an end. There is no inferiority, shame, or poverty on you in Christ. There is no evidence on you of what you used to be!

Confession: I believe that God can put an end to the affliction in my life! He will destroy the evidence of what I used to be!

  • 0

LIVE BY FAITH

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

You are justified by faith in what Christ has done, not in how you feel.
Mark Hankins

What does it mean to have been cleansed from all unrighteousness? It means you have been made righteous again. It has nothing to do with what you feel. You may say, “I still do not feel righteous.” It has nothing to do with your feelings. You are justified by faith in what Christ has done, not by how you feel. Do you feel saved when you get up in the morning? Most people don’t get up and say, “I feel saved.” Most people don’t get up and say, “I feel righteous today. I really feel redeemed. I feel victorious.” It has nothing to do with feelings.

Romans 1:17 tells us, “The just shall live by faith.” Righteousness is a part of your faith walk when you acknowledge everything that is in you in Christ. Get up in the morning and say, “I have been made righteous today.” When the devil comes against your mind, he brings a picture of failure or weakness. Will the devil bring you a picture? Yes, but you tell him, “That is all right devil. I know you have a picture, but that does not exist anymore.”

Confession: I have been made righteous by the blood of Jesus. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I have been forgiven, and I am redeemed by faith.

  • 0

PATIENCE IN CHRIST

Through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:12)

You can outlast the devil! Mark Hankins

God is patient — He has the time and space for things to happen. The devil is not only stupid but also impatient. The devil will hang around and try to whip you. Eventually, he will get impatient and say, “I guess this is not going to work,” and take off! You can outlast the devil!

Some time ago when I visited someone in the hospital, I needed to ride the elevator. I pushed the button and the light came on, but nothing seemed to happen. I waited and waited for the doors to open. Finally, I punched the button again even though the light was still on. I thought, “I guess I don’t need to punch it again. The light is on. It is on the way.” I could have been impatient and taken the stairs if I wanted, but I held steady.

When you exercise your faith, you have punched the button and the light is on. The devil will say, “It’s not going to come. It will never happen.” Keep the switch of faith turned on. Keep that light on! The elevator is on the way!

Confession: Through faith and patience I am inheriting the promises. My faith is working. Miracles are coming to me. The light is on. The elevator is on the way!

  • 0

CONTEND FOR THE GLORY

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. (1 Peter 1:8)

Unspeakable joy is a container of the glory of God.
Mark Hankins

The glory of God will increase for those who believe. The glory of the Lord is God’s manifested presence. In His presence is fullness of joy so there must be some extraordinary joy in the glory.

The first thing we should do is believe it and declare it. Expect it and it shall come to pass! We are living in the last days. The promises and prophecies are being fulfilled faster and faster. The atmosphere of Heaven and the aroma of praise are filling the church. Be strengthened in your faith and position yourself for “Heaven on Earth!”

Jesus said if you believed, you would see the glory of God. Jesus was not talking about someday far into the future –He was speaking of a manifestation of God’s goodness and power, now! This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! Go ahead and rejoice as if your dream is coming to pass! Let the good times roll!

Confession: The glory of God is manifesting in my life because I believe. (John 11:40) God’s promises are being fulfilled in my life and my dreams are coming to pass!

  • 0

Sign up for Living By Faith Blog Subscribers

* = required field

Recent Posts

Categories