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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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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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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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HUMBLE YOURSELF

Likewise you that are younger and of lesser rank be subject to the elders — the ministers and spiritual guides of the church, giving them due respect and yielding to their counsel. Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with humility.
(1 Peter 5:5 Amplified)

You need to humble yourself in three ways: to those over you, to those around you, and to those under you.
Mark Hankins

First, humble yourself to those who are over you in the Lord. Your pastor is over you as a spiritual father. The Bible talks about double honor for the man or woman of God who has given you spiritual things.

Second, humble yourself to those around you. If you do not humble yourself to those around you, you will never have a proper, lasting relationship with them.

Third, humble yourself to those under you. Be nice to those on your way up, or you may meet them on your way down.

The Lord once told me, “This is one of the keys to your prosperity. It is a greater key than giving to the poor or needy. You have to honor those who are over you in the Lord. When you do that, I will bring their honor on you.”

Confession: I humble myself today by giving honor to whom honor is due. I am blessed as I honor those over me, those around me and those under me!

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