Living By Faith

THE EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER

And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. (Ephesians 1:19 NKJV)

The power that raised Christ from the dead made Him supremely triumphant over hell and all its hosts! -Mark Hankins

The resurrection of Christ was evidently the greatest display of omnipotence ever set forth, surpassing even that of creation. Paul prayed that we would get a revelation of the power that was released in the resurrection of Christ.

When God raised the body of Jesus, the material substance of His body changed so dramatically that from that time on that Jesus had no difficulty walking through solid walls. Somehow the very structure of the atoms of his body was altered. This took tremendous power — even more power than God used to create matter in the beginning.

This is what Paul had in mind in his prayer for the Church. Not just the power that was loosed in His body in His triumph over physical death, but also the power that was unleashed spiritually in His triumph over hell and all its forces! That is the power that is at work in us now!

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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X-RAY VISION

I pray that your inward eyes may be illumined… (Ephesians 1:18 NEB)

The entire Bible is written from the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
Mark Hankins

The Apostle Paul saw something by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that was even greater than what Moses must have seen when he wrote the book of Genesis. Paul’s letters are even different from the four Gospels. The Gospels are photographs of redemption; Paul’s letters are X-rays.

Paul was not physically there for the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, but he wrote about what happened by revelation knowledge. He saw what happened In Christ. God saw us there In Christ. We died with Him, were buried with Him, were made alive with Him, and were raised up together with Him.

The Word of God describes spiritual or unseen realities and explains the mystery of your redemption. You can read the Bible with just your intellect and read it like a regular book, or you can allow the Holy Spirit to open up revelation to you.

Confession: And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 1:19-20)

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MIGHTY MIRACLES REQUIRE FAITH

And He could there do no mighty work, save that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief.
(Mark 6:5-6)

The spirit of faith knocks a hole from the natural to the supernatural.
Mark Hankins

We know God is able to do all things. Nothing is impossible with God! People say, “It’s up to God. If God wants to do it, God can do anything. He’s a sovereign God.” Mark 6:5 says, “And He could there do no mighty work.” If God can do anything anytime He wants to, why didn’t Jesus do it right there in His own hometown? Can you imagine Jesus being frustrated because He wanted to do a mighty work, but He couldn’t? The original Greek implies that He tried, but He couldn’t.

What is a mighty work? It is a demonstration of His power and His glory. I believe Jesus wanted to do some mighty Jubilee miracles — some mighty demonstrations of His power — but because of unbelief, He couldn’t do any mighty work. I wonder what He would say about us today?

Confession: I do not lack for faith. God is able to do all things. I believe that nothing is impossible with God. I believe that miracles — mighty works — demonstrations of His power — are manifesting in my life! (Mark 9:23)

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THE MAIN EVENT

I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore. (Revelation 1:18)

Jesus was the first person to enter death’s domain and conquer it! Mark Hankins

There have been many important events in the history of man. The invention of the airplane by the Wright brothers and the expedition of Lewis and Clark are two events that turned the course of our country. As epic as those events were, they pale in comparison to the Main Event of all time and eternity-Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection!

The Main Event changed everything! It was so radical that it affected all of heaven and all of earth. Jesus is the “firstborn from the dead,” (Colossians 1:18) and the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is in the Gospel of Christ. You have access to that same power! It is in the Gospel of Christ! You don’t need more power; you need more Gospel!

Confession: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

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TRIUMPH ALWAYS

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14)

How do you get to be tough? By acknowledging who you are and what you have in Christ.
Mark Hankins

God’s plan for you is to triumph always. Paul did not say you would never have any tough times. I like what someone said years ago, “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” Hallelujah! How do you get to be tough? By acknowledging who you are and what you have in Christ! Ephesians 6:10 tells us, “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.”

God never said the enemy wouldn’t try to come against you. Isaiah 54:17 says, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” He didn’t say you wouldn’t have any weapons formed against you, but He said the weapons couldn’t prosper! In other words, when adversity comes against you, you can declare, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper,” because your righteousness is of the Lord. You didn’t produce the righteousness you have — the Lord produced it! God produced it for you in Christ!

Confession: God always causes me to triumph in Christ. I am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! No weapon formed against me shall prosper!

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