Living By Faith

THE EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER

And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. (Ephesians 1:19 NKJV)

The power that raised Christ from the dead made Him supremely triumphant over hell and all its hosts! -Mark Hankins

The resurrection of Christ was evidently the greatest display of omnipotence ever set forth, surpassing even that of creation. Paul prayed that we would get a revelation of the power that was released in the resurrection of Christ.

When God raised the body of Jesus, the material substance of His body changed so dramatically that from that time on that Jesus had no difficulty walking through solid walls. Somehow the very structure of the atoms of his body was altered. This took tremendous power — even more power than God used to create matter in the beginning.

This is what Paul had in mind in his prayer for the Church. Not just the power that was loosed in His body in His triumph over physical death, but also the power that was unleashed spiritually in His triumph over hell and all its forces! That is the power that is at work in us now!

Confession: Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. (Ephesians 3:20)

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FOCUSED AND CLEAR

Your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for Christians… (Ephesians 1:18 The Message Bible)

We can rise above the turbulent atmosphere of our past experiences.
Mark Hankins

NASA launched the Hubble telescope in 1990 and it revolutionized the study of our universe! Many mysteries of our universe have been revealed by the Hubble’s discoveries. However, with everything that we are coming to understand about the universe, there is still so much more to be discovered.

In Ephesians 1, the Apostle Paul described the spirit of wisdom and revelation as the “eyes of your understanding being enlightened.” The spirit of wisdom and revelation makes it possible for us to see the mystery or unseen realities of our redemption.

In Christ we have been launched into heavenly places to be able to clearly see God’s plans and purposes. When the spirit of wisdom launches us into orbit for a closer view or clearer picture, we can then see what God sees!

Confession: My eyes are focused and clear. I can see exactly what God is calling me to do. I am grasping the immensity of this glorious way of life He has for Christians! (Ephesians 1:18 The Message Bible)

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A PROFOUND SECRET

Therefore if any man be IN CHRIST, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Every advance in the call and blessing of God comes from
an advance in revelation. Mark Hankins

Revolution is something that effects radical change. It can be any fundamental complete change or the replacement of a government or political system. Revelation of who you are in Christ will cause revolution in your life!

The Apostle Paul’s revelation of Jesus Christ caused radical change in his life as well as the lives of countless millions over the past 2000 years. What God has revealed In Christ has uncovered the eternal purpose for every man. God’s love, God’s power, God’s goodness, God’s righteousness, and God’s wisdom are all revealed in the Gospel of Christ!

A. J. Gordon said it this way, “These two words, ‘In Christ’ give us profound insight into the Divine method of salvation. These two words open to us mysteries and secrets that were hidden for ages and generations.”

Confession: I am a new creature In Christ! Old things have passed away and all things are made new! “For the law of the Spirit of life In Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2)

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HIDDEN TREASURES

In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:3)

Man does not discover God. God reveals Himself.
William BarclayThere are things that are hidden for us In Christ. We sometimes think so much is hidden from us, yet God has chosen revelation as His way. God seems to play “hide and seek” with us. When we seek Him, we will find Him, when we search for Him with all our heart. God actually enjoys revealing Himself. He chooses to reveal Himself. Today we are at the threshold of an increase in the revelation of God that will launch a revolution that will change this generation.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a human discovery; it is a revelation from God. The fact that God is as Jesus showed him to be is not something which a man could have discovered by intellectual processes. Man does not discover God. God reveals Himself. ~William Barclay

Confession: I will call upon the Lord and pray, and He will listen to me. I will seek the Lord and find Him, when I search for Him with all of my heart! (Jeremiah 29:12-13)

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MIGHTY MIRACLES REQUIRE FAITH

And He could there do no mighty work, save that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And He marvelled because of their unbelief.
(Mark 6:5-6)

The spirit of faith knocks a hole from the natural to the supernatural.
Mark Hankins

We know God is able to do all things. Nothing is impossible with God! People say, “It’s up to God. If God wants to do it, God can do anything. He’s a sovereign God.” Mark 6:5 says, “And He could there do no mighty work.” If God can do anything anytime He wants to, why didn’t Jesus do it right there in His own hometown? Can you imagine Jesus being frustrated because He wanted to do a mighty work, but He couldn’t? The original Greek implies that He tried, but He couldn’t.

What is a mighty work? It is a demonstration of His power and His glory. I believe Jesus wanted to do some mighty Jubilee miracles — some mighty demonstrations of His power — but because of unbelief, He couldn’t do any mighty work. I wonder what He would say about us today?

Confession: I do not lack for faith. God is able to do all things. I believe that nothing is impossible with God. I believe that miracles — mighty works — demonstrations of His power — are manifesting in my life! (Mark 9:23)

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