Living By Faith

SHOUTING, DANCING, AND RUNNING

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God…every ones bands (chains) were loosed. (Acts 16:25-26)

When the glory of God manifests, it brings the supernatural power of God!

Mark Hankins

Thespiritoffaithwillcauseyoutoshoutwhilethe wallsarestillstanding,likeGod’speopledidatJericho beforethewallscamedown(Joshua 6:20). The spirit of faith will cause you to dance like David did when the Ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem and the glory returned (II Samuel 6:14-15). The spirit of faith may cause you to run like Elijah did when the hand of the Lord came upon him (I Kings 18:46). The rain he had prayed and contended for was coming, and he outran the king’s chariot. The spirit of faith will cause you to sing and praise God loudly, as Paul and Silas did at midnight when they were imprisoned in chains! (Acts 16:25).

All of these demonstrations of the power of God were connected to the expressions of faith made by God’s people! GodwatchesaswedemonstratefaithandactontheWord!

Confession: I lift my voice with a shout of victory! My faith acts on the Word of God! I will rejoice in the Lord always! (Philippians 4:4)

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REASON TO SHOUT

Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.   He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel:  the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. (Numbers 23:20-21)

Once you know your covenant and who you are in Christ, there will be the shout of a king!

Mark Hankins

If the Israelites were shouting under the Old Covenant, we have even more of a reason to shout under the New Covenant. You are in an even better position in Christ than the Israelites were in the Old Covenant. What does this mean to you? If you have been made the righteousness of God in Christ, God sees no iniquity in you. You have a reason to shout!

It’s time to get the Bible out and say, “Devil, if you cant read, let me read it to you!” The communication of your faith will become effectual as you acknowledge every good thing that is in you in Christ! Hallelujah!

Confession: I have a reason to shout! I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ and God sees no iniquity in me! Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place! (2 Corinthians 2:14)

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SHOUT IT OUT

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:  for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. (Romans 1:16)

“Everything changes when you begin to understand who you are in Christ and begin to act like the Bible is true.” – Mark Hankins

The company that makes Shout detergent uses the slogan: “For those tough stains, you have to ‘Shout’ them out!” I couldn’t agree more. Make sure you know what you are shouting about and let it rip!

Smith Wigglesworth said, “Some people would be giants in faith if they just had a shout.” Faith shouts while the walls are still standing. He also said, “You need to see how wonderful you are in God and how helpless you are without Him.”

Mom ran around the church in West Columbia, Texas, for many years. It is much larger now than it was when I was a child. More educated and prosperous people joined the congregation, but she would still say, “Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!” She continued to shout, “Woooooo!” and ran around the church.  The only thing that changed over the years is that in the later years, I would run with her!

Confession: God has brought me up out of a horrible pit, and out of the miry clay. He set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings! He has put a new song in my mouth!  My mouth is full of His praise! (Psalm 40:2-3)

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MY MOMMA RUNS

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. (Psalm 40:2-3)

“It’s not necessary unless it’s necessary!” – B.B. Hankins

As I grew up in church, there were some unusual services. Sometimes while we sang, Mom would begin to praise God rather exuberantly and shout, “Hallelujah! Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!”  With glory and joy on her countenance, she would shout “Wooooo!” and run around the church! Dad was a little more dignified. After Mom ran, Dad would say, “Now, some of you don’t think that is necessary. It’s not necessary, unless it’s necessary!”  While the congregation tried to figure out what Dad had said, Mom and others who had joined her would finish their rejoicing!

Dad’s preaching and Mom’s praying and running around the church began to make sense to me. I started studying the scriptures that showed me my redemption in Christ. I began to meditate daily on who I am in Christ. The power of God’s Word started to work in me, and I began to understand my identification with Christ.  That’s where victory begins — right where you are!

Confession: The revelation of your words sheds light, giving understanding to the simple.  (Psalm 119:30  NAB)

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A HAPPY MAN IN CHRIST

I think myself happy, King Agrippa… (Acts 26:2)

You can think yourself happy or you can think yourself sad!” – Mark Hankins

The Apostle Paul could be shipwrecked, snake bit, beat in the head, left for dead, or confined in prison and still say, “I feel like singing right now because the Greater One is in me.” How would you like to be chained to Paul for about a year and a half? Paul was not some confused, lonely, bitter preacher. He stood before King Agrippa after thirty years and said, “Oh, king, I think myself happy.” (Acts 26:2)

King Agrippa, his sister Bernice, Governor Festus, all the military leaders, lawyers, and other prominent people were there when Paul came in. They wanted to mock him, but you cannot ridicule a happy man. He probably had the least reason to be happy of anybody in that whole crowd. But when he entered he said, “I am a happy man.”

The king said, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” (Acts 2:28) King Agrippa may be the most upset man in hell because he had a testimony from the greatest preacher other than the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet he refused to become a Christian!

Confession: I think myself happy! I am righteous. I am a new creature. I am redeemed. I am blessed!

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