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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SUPERNATURAL PROMOTION

Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with humility — as the garb of a servant, so that its covering cannot possibly be stripped from you, with freedom from pride and arrogance — toward one another. For God sets Himself against the proud — the insolent, the over-bearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful, and opposes, frustrates and defeats them — but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves (demote, lower your- selves in your own estimation) under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you. (1 Peter 5:5-6 Amplified)

If God takes you up, no one can take you down! Mark Hankins

We are to honor people who have had an impact upon us spiritually. Even though they may not be perfect, as we honor them we will have the blessing of God in our lives.

We honor these men and women of God by serving them and by giving to them financially. There is a due time when God will exalt you. When He takes you up, no one can bring you down. If someone else promotes you, you can lose it all. If God takes you up, no one can take you down!

Confession: I humble myself (demote and lower myself in my own estimation) under the mighty hand of God, and in due time, He will exalt me!

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WILLING TO RECEIVE

And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed — keep that ablaze! God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible. (2 Timothy 1:6-7 The Message Bible)

You cannot dishonor people that God has put into your life and expect to receive from them. Mark Hankins

You must honor the people that God brings into your life, because they carry something that is vital to you; they carry revelation. You will have to humble yourself to learn and receive these important things. The Apostle Paul knew first hand the value of supernatural relationships. Paul never would have fulfilled the call of God on his life without the assembly in Antioch. All of Paul’s letters were written after he was launched from a corporate assembly. Paul was launched into his apostolic ministry because of a corporate seeking of the Lord.

Jesus is faithful to send the Word to you in a way that you can understand and receive it to help you fulfill the will of God for your life. God will talk to you through supernatural relationships. How you manage those relationships will determine how much revelation will come to you.

Confession: I understand the value of supernatural relationships. I am willing to humble myself and receive from the people God has brought into my life.

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SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25)

If you value Jesus, the head of the church, you have to value his body and the supernatural relationships He brings into your life.
Mark Hankins

One of the key words in the book of Acts is assembled. You constantly see believers assembling themselves not only in the temple but also from house to house. The book of Acts shows us time and again that believers came together corporately to receive from God to overcome adversity and to receive the plan and purpose of God so that the will of God could be done.

The body of Christ requires some assembly. Acts 2:1 says, “And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place.” The life of Jesus flows through the body when we are in our place. Being properly assembled or coming together in a local body of believers is essential to walking in revelation and fulfilling the call of God on your life.

Confession: I am a valuable part of the body of Christ. I will not forsake the assembly of the believers. I walk in revelation and I am fulfilling the call of God on my life.

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BLESSED TO SERVE

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. (Psalm 34:2)

A servant has access to every place the master does because he is serving the master.
Mark Hankins

When you are serving the Master, He gives you the keys to everything because He trusts your heart. That is how you got that close to Him to start with. He has watched you time and time again as you humbled yourself and said, “I am just here to serve. I am not here to promote myself.”

In 1 Peter 5:5-6, Peter said to put on the clothes of a servant. When you dress like a servant, you know you are a child of God. The more you wear the clothes of humility, the more Jesus says to you, “Let Me give you more keys for other rooms. I want to show you some other things that are in My house.” As a servant, you enter the Master’s room. He grants you access.

True humility boasts in the Lord and not in anything I have done or can do. I like to boast about who Jesus is and who I am in Him!

Confession: I make my boast in the Lord! It is not anything I have done or can do. It is who Jesus is and who I am in Him! I am dressing as a servant and humbling myself to be a blessing by serving!

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