Living By Faith

REPETITION: THE WATERING PROCESS

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
(1 Corinthians 3:6)

Revelation comes by repetition.
Mark Hankins

Repetition is the watering process of the Word. We know that Paul and Apollos preached and taught the same Gospel. Paul said, “I planted and Apollos watered.” The planting would be the first time you heard the Word and received the seed of the Word. Apollos watered — he taught the same thing that Paul did over and over again.

Increase comes from the spirit of wisdom and revelation. However, the spirit of wisdom will not operate without repetition. Increase in faith, increase in fruitful- ness, and increase in blessing come from increase in revelation. Sometimes people reject the watering process because they think, “I already know that, so I am not going to pay attention. I’m not going to listen.” When people reject the watering process, there is no increase.

The Word of God is designed for increase — thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold! Where the Word is planted and watered appropriately, there is supernatural increase!

Confession: Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6 NKJV)

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FAITH DETERMINES YOUR DESTINY

He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. (Hebrews 11:6 AMP)

The spirit of faith is necessary to do the will of God.
Mark Hankins

God is sovereign, but He has tied Himself to human cooperation to work out His divine purposes. Jesus said, “According to your faith be it unto you.” (Matthew
9:29) Lilian B. Yeomans said, “God has tied Himself irrevocably to human cooperation in the execution of divine purposes. He has made man’s faith a determining factor in the work of redemption.”

When the woman with the issue of blood touched Jesus, she got healed. Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole.” (Mark 5) The first ingredient in the spirit of faith is to believe. Brother Kenneth E. Hagin said the Lord told him, “If her faith made her whole, then your faith will make you whole.”

Faith is absolutely necessary to please God and do His will. God rewards those who earnestly and diligently seek Him! (Hebrews 11:6)

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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THE SOUND OF FAITH

That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. (Philemon 6)

We have many “wounded rabbits” in the church who need to
change their sound. Mark Hankins

Several years ago, I went hunting for coyote in Arizona with a friend who was an avid hunter. We got up early in the morning, while it was still dark, and put on camouflage outfits — pants, shirt, hat, and boots. We went out on a mountainside and sat on the ground under a big bush, with camouflage netting wrapped around us. My friend began to call the coyotes with a little wooden call that made a loud, squealing noise that mimicked the sound of a wounded rabbit. When the coyotes heard the squeal of the hurt rabbit, they would come for what they thought was a nice meal.

We have many wounded rabbits in the church calling up the coyotes of failure. Their wounded rabbit call attracts the devil, and he comes to devour them for lunch! By changing your sound to a bold declaration of who you are in Christ Jesus, you will begin to attract the blessings of God in a greater measure.

Confession: I am who God says I am. I have what God says I have. I can do what God says I can do. I boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. (Hebrews 13:6)

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WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. (Galatians 3:13)

Boldly confess your redemption in Christ and who you are in Him.

Mark Hankins

One of the biggest enemies to faith is a lack of understanding our redemption in Christ. Once you know the truth about redemption you will enjoy the freedom Jesus purchased for you. You must boldly confess your complete redemption in Christ.

A simple definition of redemption is freedom through the payment of a price. God paid the price for you in Christ two thousand years ago. As the old Gospel song reminds us, “Jesus paid it all.” He paid the price for your freedom, deliverance, healing, prosperity, and wholeness! Jesus paid too high a price for you to remain bound! He paid too high a price for your healing for you to stay sick. He paid too high a price for your prosperity for you to remain poor. Jesus purchased your freedom with His own blood! (Hebrews 9:12) Receive all that has been purchased on your behalf!

Confession: I boldly confess my redemption in Christ and who I am in Him. Jesus purchased my freedom from sin, sickness, and lack with His own blood! “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12)

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RADICAL REVELATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

ROMANS 10:9, 10 (KJV)

What are you going to believe and speak?  You are going to believe and say you have been made the righteousness of God in Christ!  You quit struggling and trying.  You put your trust in God and you receive this free gift.  You believe with your heart that God loves you, God accepts you, and He has made you as righteous as Jesus.

Believing you have been made righteous and receiving the gift of righteousness is a radical, revolutionary revelation and can be difficult for some people to comprehend.  Sometimes people will not receive it because they think they’ve got to work for it.  Sometimes people get proud and think “I don’t want a handout.  You don’t have to give me that.”  But when it comes to this righteousness, you had better take it!

I once ate at a restaurant where some of the waiters worked who attended the church where I was preaching. I gave each one of them a hundred-dollar bill. Do you know only one worker took it?  The other three said, “No, that’s too much.  You don’t have to do that.”  It seems there is something about human nature that questions when God wants to give a gift, saying, “Are you sure about that?  That’s too much.  I don’t really think that’s necessary.”  What Jesus did for you is entirely too much, but you must receive it!

Confession: I believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and I openly confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord.  Salvation is mine; righteousness is mine.

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