Living By Faith

DARE TO DECLARE THAT YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS IN CHRIST

Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:33-34)

Faith will not work in an atmosphere of unforgiveness. Kenneth E. Hagin

I once heard Dad Hagin say, “If the devil can get you in condemnation, he’ll cheat you out of your inheritance.” When we receive forgiveness and freely forgive others, and ourselves, our faith will work properly. God forgives us so radically and totally, that He commands us to forgive others the same way. God’s kind of forgiveness erases the memory of all sin, failure, guilt, and accusation. We plead our case with the Word of God and the blood of Jesus.

In 2 Corinthians 5:21, God declares us righteous in Christ. Righteousness is a free gift and those that receive it will reign in life through Christ Jesus. This revelation of righteousness makes us glad. These are days of Heaven on Earth, so go ahead and laugh at the devil.

Confession: I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I receive this free gift and reign in life through Christ Jesus! (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:17)

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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)

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A NEW DAY OF BOLDNESS

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. (Hebrews 10:19)

Jesus purchased our “freedom of speech” with His own blood.
Mark Hankins

Some translations of Hebrews 10:19 translate the word “boldness” as “freedom of speech or outspoken.” Jesus purchased our freedom of speech with His own blood. As a believer, we must be bold or outspoken. The devil does not care what you believe if you are quiet about it. Speak out what God’s Word says about the blood of Jesus. Speak out who you are and what you have in Christ.

Once upon a time Jesus purchased our freedom with His own blood, once for all time and eternity! Jesus paid the price once for every situation, once for all men! Boldly speak out, “Once upon a time!”

The blood of Jesus has given us great boldness and confidence. When we understand who we are and what we have in Christ, we usher in a new day of boldness in our lives! Remember these two words: once and bold. Instead of being a victim of our experiences, our experiences are a victim of us!

Confession: I have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL! I can therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace and obtain mercy, and find grace to help me in my time of need. (Hebrews 10:10; 4:16)

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A GREAT BEDTIME STORY

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)

Jesus canceled and abolished sin ONCE for all time for all men.
Mark Hankins

ONCE! That’s all it took! What Jesus did for us in His death and resurrection, He only had to do ONCE! ONCE He shed His blood. ONCE He paid the price for our freedom. ONCE He put away and abolished sin. ONCE He dethroned and defeated Satan. ONCE for all time! ONCE for all mankind! ONCE for the cure of every condition! He only had to die ONCE so that every blessing in heaven could be ours.

Whenever you face any challenge, remember this story and tell it again, “ONCE UPON A TIME!” Jesus defeated Satan so badly He only had to do it ONCE!
When Satan comes against you, just bring up this story and say, “ONCE upon a time…” and the devil will leave. Now, we as believers can take the Word of God and tell the devil a bedtime story. Say, “Devil, ONCE upon a time Jesus defeated you for all eternity.” Speak the Word of God with boldness and rock the devil to sleep!

Confession: But as now is, He has ONCE for all at the consummation and close of the ages appeared to put away and abolish sin by His sacrifice [of Himself]. (Hebrews 9:26 AMP)

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THE PEACE OF GOD

Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them. (Psalm 119:165)

Remember-forgiveness is not a feeling; it is a choice! Mark Hankins

The word offense means a place of stumbling; something that trips you up. When you love the Lord, the peace of God is yours, and you decide that nothing is going to trip you up. Jesus said the amount of forgiveness you dish out is the amount you will get in return. (Matthew 7:2) Therefore you ought to dish out as much forgiveness as you can, because you’ll probably need it!

Be careful not to judge others when you see them fall in a certain area of life. Don’t say, “I would never do that,” because in six months, you’ll do something worse than that! Jesus said in Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Then He said, “Stop criticizing others.”

We don’t live in a perfect world and we never will. People will always make mistakes; you will too. So you may as well go ahead and forgive others! I encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 13. Then draw the love line out and walk on it!

Confession: Love (God’s love in us)…takes no account of the evil done to it (it pays no attention to a suffered wrong. (1 Corinthians 13:5 AMP)

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