Living By Faith

BECOMING LIKE CHRIST

Clothe yourselves with that new and better self, which has been created to resemble God in the righteousness and holiness which come from the truth. (Ephesians 4:24 Weymouth)

The greatest reward for obeying God is not what you get, it’s what you become!
Mark Hankins

Even though you are born again and a new creature in Christ, you must decide to allow the Holy Spirit to tell you the truth. Why? Because the truth will set you free; then you can be all that God wants you to be. Wrong attitudes, compromise, sin, and disobedience will stop the flow of the life of God so the image of Christ is not working in you and cannot be fully formed in you.

Other people may have never known what your true personality was like because of all the things that have happened and all the trash piled on top of you. Let the Holy Spirit begin to work in your spirit, lead you into all truth, and show you who you are in Christ.

It’s time for change — I’m not talking about moving to another house. I’m talking about a move on the inside of you! Once you find out who you are in Christ and let Him be formed in you, every gift, talent, calling, and purpose of God will begin to take shape in your life.

Confession: I am who God says I am. I have what God says I have. I can do what God says I can do. Christ has redeemed me!

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FEED ON THE WORD

Put off concerning the former conversation [lifestyle] the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts; 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)

Your spirit is literally held hostage until your mind is renewed with the daily washing of God’s Word.
Mark Hankins

You will only be what God intends for you to be when your mind, will, and emotions are dominated by God’s Word. When you feed your spirit on the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to work in you, your mind will be renewed. The same power that is working in your spirit will move up into your head. Then God will start dealing with some of your habits and attitudes.

You might say, “I like a little sin on the weekend and I’m not changing. Sometimes I lose my temper, that’s just who I am. I’ll tithe when I want to, that’s just who I am.”

The Holy Spirit has a rocket missile launcher going from your spirit to your head. It is launched as you feed upon God’s Word. If you will be still long enough in the presence of God, Jesus will start cleaning house!

Confession: I refuse to be bound by habits, attitudes, sins, or ideas that have controlled my soul, my family, and my life for years. I am a new creation in Christ!

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YOUR HELPER

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. (John 16:13)

The Holy Spirit never brings condemnation. He always reveals the blood of Jesus. He always lifts and helps.
Smith Wigglesworth

The Holy Spirit will keep you from reading the Word with your head alone. He wants to show you the Bible in the light of redemption. He will show you the weightier matters and things that are of first importance. The Holy Spirit will help you read your Bible. He will show you the things that are the most important. He won’t take something out of context and mess your head up with it. The devil can quote the Bible and get you all messed up. But the Holy Spirit will show you the whole picture. He will show you who you are and what you have in Christ.

Every person can have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. The moment you are born again, you pass from death to life, and the Spirit of God comes to live on the inside of you.

Confession: Thank God for the Holy Ghost! I have passed from death to life and the Spirit of God is living on the inside of me!

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THE UNSEEN CONNECTION

Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 16:14)

Every person can have a relationship with the Holy Spirit.
Mark Hankins

You have a partner to walk out your new life with in Christ. His name is the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. If you would listen to Him, He would keep you out of a lot of trouble — trouble in business, in relationships, and in church.

In John 16:14, Jesus describes the work of the Holy Ghost as the Spirit of Truth. You may be thinking, “Truth doesn’t excite me.” What does? The casino? Remember, they didn’t build that place with winners! They are even glad when you win because you will stick around and lose another $5,000. Then you will go to church and not even pay your tithes. You need a slap on the head!

As you read your Bible, you need to invite your Holy Spirit partner by saying, “Holy Spirit, let’s read the Bible. Help me and guide me into all truth. Show me something, Holy Spirit.” Since the Holy Spirit wrote it, He ought to know what it means!

Confession: The Holy Spirit is my partner. He will help me to walk out my new life with Christ. He will guide me into all truth!

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FREEDOM FROM GUILT AND SIN CONSCIOUSNESS

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place.
(2 Corinthians 2:14)

God is your heavenly Father, and He is glorified when you reflect His life, joy, and victory!
Mark Hankins

God does not want His children to live with a continual consciousness of sin, failure, defeat, weakness, guilt, and inferiority. As a father of two children, I know I don’t want my children to live that way. This does not mean that you won’t have challenges. You live in a world that is full of adversity, but you are overcomers because you are born of God. (1 John 5:4) Instead of a sense of sin or guilt, you should have a sense of righteousness and triumph.

The Apostle Paul was shipwrecked, snake-bit, beaten in the head, and left for dead, yet he came out saying, “I am more than a conqueror in Christ.” (Romans 8:37) He came out smelling like a rose with victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. Paul saw himself in Christ.

God wants you to smell like the triumph of Christ. This means you have to live in the consciousness and with the confession of who you are in Christ.

Confession: I am more than a conqueror in Christ. I have victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil!

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