Living By Faith

CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST

Yes, I have shared Messiah’s crucifixion. I am living indeed, but it is not I that live, it is Messiah whose life is in me. (Galatians 2:20; Arthur S.Way)

There is only one escape from sin, and that is an empty tomb! Mark Hankins

You inherited sin through your genetics. The psalmist David said, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalm 51:5) Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” This is why everyone has to be born again.

The only way you can get out of Adam and into Christ is to receive Him. Salvation comes through the death and resurrection of Christ. Your old man (or your old genetic self) was crucified with Christ.  

Crucifixion was common punishment for criminals in the Roman Empire in New Testament times. How could you be crucified as a criminal in the Roman Empire? The answer is this: you have to get rid of “I” and let Christ live in you. It can be quite difficult to get little “I” to move out because he really likes to run things. But when “I” moves out and Christ moves in, sin will no longer dominate you! There is only one escape from sin, and that is an empty tomb!

Confession: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. (Galatians 2:20)

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COMPLETE IN HIM

For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. 

(Colossians 2:9-10)

In Christ, we have access to the understanding and insight of God.

Mark Hankins

The Holy Spirit gives you access to everything that is in Christ, and He will warn you about wrong relationships. Dad Hagin said, “Any person who shuts his spirit away and refuses to develop it will end up being a cripple in life and a victim of scheming and designing people.” God will put you in right relationships where people are not out to manipulate or hurt you. You are then in a double-win situation. They are in Christ and they say, “I am rooting for you to win because when you win, I win. I want you to win and have God’s plan and purpose for your life.”

God is in charge of everything, everywhere, and you are complete in Him. The Amplified Bible says in Philemon 6, “…EVERY GOOD [THING] that is our sin [our identification with] Christ Jesus….”Acknowledge and declare every good thing that is in Him because when you are in Him, every good thing is in you!

Confession: My identification is with Christ Jesus! I am righteous in Him! I am blessed in Him! I am forgiven in Him! I am redeemed in Him! I am complete in Him!

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GOD IS A REWARDER

The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. (Ruth 2:12)

With God, payday isn’t always on Friday, but paydays always come.

B.B. Hankins

God told Abraham, “Fear not…I am your shield and exceeding great reward.” (Genesis 15:1) Think of the great rewards that God gave to Abraham and his descendants because he believed and obeyed God. Abraham, the father of faith, knew God as a rewarder. The word recompense simply means payday. God has a definite payday for your work of faith.

Years ago, Trina and I were believing God for a financial breakthrough. We had been faithfully giving over thirty percent of our income and were believing that God would multiply our seed sown. One night, I dreamed I ate a Payday candy bar. So the next morning, I went to the local store, bought me a Payday candy bar, and ate it. I told Trina, “It’s payday.” Within 24 hours, we had a pressed down, shaken together, and running over harvest come in! There is a payday! God is a rewarder!

Confession: God has a great payday of blessing for me. There is a full and exceeding great reward for me from the Lord! I rejoice because my payday is on the way!

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THE SECRET POWER OF JOY

Even now you are happy with the in expressible joy that comes from heaven itself. (1 Peter 1:8 TLB)

Rejoicing is an act of faith.

Mark Hankins

One day, the Lord spoke to me very clearly and said, “If you only knew what happens in the spirit when you rejoice, you would rejoice every day.” When we rejoice, we are acting like sons and daughters of God!

Rejoicing is an act of faith. Remember the words of Paul in Acts 27:25, “Cheer up…I believe God that it shall be as He told me.”  When we believe God, we can cheer up!  Believing and rejoicing ushers in the glory and goodness of God in our lives.

Rejoicing enables us to make progress in difficult times. Joy is the secret of faith and endurance. James 1:2 says to count it all joy when trouble comes. This must be why Job laughed at destruction and trouble. (Job 5:22) Of course some people may think you are a fool, but if you have found joy, you have found the secret of survival and success.

Confession: Even now I am happy with the in expressible joy that comes from heaven itself! The joy of the Lord is my strength. Just like Job, I laugh at destruction and trouble because I know that joy is the secret of faith and endurance. Ha! Ha! Ha!

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SACRIFICES OF JOY

And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore, will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. (Psalm 27:6)

Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up!

Mark Hankins

David said, “I get in the presence of God, and I offer Him sacrifices of joy.”  What would that look like? In other translations it says, “sacrifices of shouting.” Can you imagine David getting in the presence of God?

I remember one time as I was leaving my place of prayer, the Holy Ghost said, “You’re not going to dance? The Father likes it when you dance.”  So there I was trying to be spiritual and dignified, and God wanted me to dance. I began to dance and said, “Hallelujah, hallelujah, can’t nobody do me like Jesus, ha, ha, ha!”  Suddenly, the Holy Ghost came on me. I thought, “He does like that! I believe I will do that again!” One of the greatest things it did was to crucify my flesh because my flesh did not want to act like that.

Confession: I will offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy–sacrifices of shouting! I will dance and sing praises to the Lord!

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