Living By Faith

YOUR INWARD MAN

But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:17)

Feeling is the voice of your body; reason is the voice of your mind; conscience is the voice of your spirit.
Mark Hankins

You are a triune being — spirit, soul, and body — even as God is a triune being — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Your spirit is the part of you that is joined to Christ. It is the part of you that is most like God. Paul called your spirit your “inward” man. Your spirit is the hidden man, the unseen person — the real you!

Paul said to walk in the Spirit, live in the Spirit, and pray in the Spirit. What does “in the Spirit” mean? Paul was talking about an entirely different dimension or realm. Feeling is the voice of your body; reason is the voice of your mind, and conscience is the voice of your spirit.

The first step to walking in the Spirit is to pray in the Spirit. When you spend time praying in the Spirit, it helps you to walk and live in the Spirit. You also have to put on the new man. You are a new creature in Christ — but you must put on the new man by renewing your mind to the Word of God!

Confession: I am born again and my spirit is joined to Christ. I am walking in the Spirit, living in the Spirit, and praying in the Spirit!

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WINNING THE WAR

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)

When you get in Christ you are introduced to a whole new realm—
the realm of God! – Mark Hankins

Paul said to put off the former lifestyle, your old conversation, and your old way of living and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Evidently this change doesn’t happen instantly when you are saved, because he was talking to Spirit-filled Christians. There is a battle between your born-again spirit and your unrenewed mind.

How are you going to win this war? You are going to have to have your weapons ready. What are your weapons? They are the blood, the Word, and the name of Jesus. You also have another help, the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which destroys every yoke of bondage. You might think that all you need is a vacation when what you really need is the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit breaking that yoke off of your soul and your mind!

Confession: I put off my former lifestyle and renew my mind to the Word of God. The blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit destroy every yoke of bondage in my life!

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MIND RENEWAL

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think.
(Romans 12:2 Living Bible)

Identification with Christ allows God to attack your intellect from your inner man.
Mark Hankins

Simply attacking them with a few scriptures cannot solve problems in life that require mind renewal. You have to get right to the power source of Christianity and start to declare your identification and union with Christ.

P.C. Nelson, in Bible Doctrines, wrote, “Sanctification is realized in the believer by recognizing his identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, and by faith reckoning daily upon the fact of that union.”

Identification with Christ allows God to attack your intellect from your inner man. Christ rises up on the inside of you and doubt, fear, confusion, shame, poverty, and sickness are thrown out!

Confession: I am who God says I am. I have what God says I have. I can do what God says I can do. He is the Champion. I am blessed because I am in Him!

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IT HAPPENS ON THE INSIDE

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)

Your identification with Christ is the center of the power of the Gospel.
Mark Hankins

Mind renewal begins with understanding your identification with Christ. Some problems in your mind or soul can be so severe that they can only be dealt with at their roots by this part of the Gospel. You will never be normal and you will never fulfill the potential God has for your life unless those problems are dealt with.

Your identification with Christ is the center of the power of the Gospel. It will rise up inside you and will hit the root of mental, emotional, or behavioral issues. No matter what has happened to you — abuse, shame, what ever it is — you can say, “I am a new creature in Christ. Christ lives in me. I forget what I used to be.”

There is miracle-working power in Christ. The world may say you will never recover. But in Christ, you can be restored. It cannot happen from the outside, but it can happen on the inside!

Confession: I am being transformed from the inside out by the renewing of my mind! I was crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me!

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ELIJAH AND ELISHA

Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. (2 Kings 2:9-10)

It’s time to rip some things the devil has tried to make you wear.
Mark Hankins

Elijah said, “You cannot have my mantle unless you see me when I go up.” Elisha determined, “Nothing is going to stop me from seeing that man when he goes up.”

The day came when Elijah crossed the Jordan River, and Elisha went over with him. The chariot came down, the whirlwind took Elijah up, and Elisha said, “Hey, it is a new day!” When that mantle came down, he grabbed it. It represented a double anointing. He grabbed the mantle and ripped his own clothes. He said, “I am wearing some new clothes.”

It’s time to rip some things the devil has tried to make you wear. Get dressed in the reality of your redemption in Christ. You have access to new places. Dress up in honor. Put on a garment of praise right now!

Confession: I rejoice because I do not wear the same clothes that I used to wear! In Christ, I have new clothes!

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