Living By Faith

THE GOOD NEWS

It is in and through Christ and the sacrifice of His life that we have been liberated. (Ephesians 1:7 Barclay)

Everything Satan has done in Adam, God has reversed in Christ.
Mark Hankins

The Gospel is the good news that man has been given eternal life through Jesus Christ. That life is the very life of God imparted to His children. It is healing life, overcoming life, reigning life, victorious life and it is the blessed life now- not just for when you get to heaven. It is heaven’s life flowing in you in this world.

God has targeted His power at man’s deepest needs– spirit, soul, and body. God knows the root of your problems, and He has effectually focused His power there. The word “salvation” has a five-fold meaning: deliverance, healing, safety, preservation, and soundness. This is not just a “heaven” message; it is an “earth” message as well.

The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16) Someone said that if you think you need more power, you really just need more Gospel. The Gospel is the power of God. The word “gospel” means glad tidings or good news. The Gospel is where God has released His power for the purpose of producing salvation.

Confession: I have eternal life. It is healing life, reigning life, victorious life, overcoming life, and blessing life!

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THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL

The law put a curse on us. But Christ took away that curse. He changed places with you. Christ put himself under that curse. (Galatians 3:13 | Deaf)

The Gospel is the good news that man has been given eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Mark Hankins

Jesus demonstrated the Gospel by healing the sick and setting the captives free in this world. Paul preached the Gospel, and the crippled man at Lystra received faith to be healed as he heard the message. (Acts 14:7) Paul said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on thy feet.” The man leaped and walked. The people thought Paul healed the man, but it was simply the demonstration of the power of the Gospel.

To see what the curse of the law is, you need to turn to Deuteronomy 28:15-68. This list includes everything from sickness and poverty to disaster in the family and the nation. You can see the reverse of the curse by reading Deuteronomy 28:1-13. All these blessings shall come on you and overtake you. Christ hath redeemed you from the curse! Even now the curse is broken!

Confession: I am blessed in my family; I am blessed in my body, and I am blessed in my business because Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law!

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GOD’S MASTERPIECE

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)

In Christ, you are not just a different person; you are a new kind of person!
Mark Hankins

While preaching in Paris, I had the opportunity to visit the Louvre. With over eight miles of galleries, one million works of art and more than 400,000 masterpieces, I knew I would not be able to see everything. So I headed right for the Mona Lisa (one of the most world-famous masterpieces) and spent extra time there. If you see all the other paintings and sculptures, and miss the Mona Lisa, you have missed the most important work of art.

The same is true of the Bible. It contains the world’s greatest collection of God’s works of art. However, if you see all the beautiful pictures in the Word of God and miss God’s greatest masterpiece, then you will have really missed the Bible.

The Bible is the story of man’s redemption. The Bible is about Jesus, our Redeemer, and His work. All sixty-six books contain pictures of God’s plan and purpose to restore man to Himself.

Confession: I am a new creation in Christ. Old things are passed away, and everything made new. I am God’s Masterpiece – a man in Christ!

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GOD SEES YOU IN CHRIST

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth. (John 16:13)

If you are not impressed with who you are and what you have in Christ, you have not seen Him lately!
Mark Hankins

A man in Christ is a man with the life of God. You are not deity, but you are not only human. You have been born of God. God has given you His very own life. You are not the same person you used to be.

God sees you in Christ, but you must also see yourself in Him. You will never be different until you see yourself differently. The Holy Spirit takes the things of Christ and shows them to us. He is able to project the image of Christ from the Word to the screen of our minds, so we can live in the reality of our redemption.

Take time to renew your mind every day with the reality of redemption. Dare to act like the Bible is true, and it will become real in your life. Allow God to introduce you to your new self!

Confession: I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. I have God’s very own life and nature in me. The life of God is in me now. I know I have eternal life. The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. In Christ, I am redeemed, blessed, and victorious!

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SEEING WHAT GOD SEES

I pray that you new Christians will understand the mighty position with Christ which your congregations occupy. (Ephesians 1:16 The Distilled Bible)

You are such a new creature in Christ you will have to let God introduce you to your new self!
Mark Hankins

Paul’s prayer for believers in Ephesians 1:16-23 is very important for us today. We have a mighty position with Christ. Few Christians have understood the authority we have as believers. The same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead was released “towards us.” We were the targets for that power. God was focusing on us. He was looking at us. God saw us there in Christ. He was working on us. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:10) What God did in Christ, He did in us.

In 2 Corinthians 12:2, the Apostle Paul refers to himself as, “a man in Christ.” He could not tell whether he was in the body or out of the body. Paul even ascended into the third heaven. A man in Christ is not just of this world, but he also has access to heaven. Paul’s prayer is our prayer today: that we can see and enjoy the life God has given us in Christ!

Confession: I have a mighty position with Christ. The same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead was released towards me. I am God’s workmanship in Christ!

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