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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THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY

And what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.
(Ephesians 1:18)

God intends for you to live in two worlds—to function in this natural world, but also to operate according to His unseen world.
Mark Hankins

Growing up as a pastor’s kid, my family did not enjoy a luxurious lifestyle by any means. However, I always sensed that God wanted to make me rich. (Rich means abundantly provided for.) Once I started studying God’s Word, I began to get a glimpse of my redemption in Christ. I found out that I had been redeemed from the curse of the law, (Galatians 3:13) that the blessing of the Lord makes me rich and adds no sorrow with it, (Proverbs10:22) and that God has made me the head and not the tail. (Deuteronomy 28)

Paul said in Romans 8:17 that you are an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. By the spirit of wisdom and revelation, you access the inheritance that is yours through Christ. As a member of the body of Christ, you have an inheritance to claim that is beyond anything you could ever ask, dream, or imagine!

Confession: It is my Father’s good pleasure to give me the kingdom! I am an heir of God and joint heir with Christ! (Luke 12:32, Romans 8:17)

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REDEMPTION: A COMPLETE WORK

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin…For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
(Romans 6:6,14)

The blood of Jesus made us a new creation in Christ.
Mark Hankins

Our lives change when we receive the spirit of wisdom and revelation! Where we once experienced defeat, we now experience victory!

Romans 6:6 in the Richert Translation says, “…our former evil identities have been executed, so to speak. Our old rebel selves were exterminated and that leaves us no further role to perform as offenders. We were linked with the Divine Representative in death.”

We will overcome any barriers in our lives by the redemptive revelation of who we are in Christ. Romans 6:14 in the Knox Translation says, “Sin will not be able to play the master over you any longer.” The Wood Translation says, “Sin shall not be tyrant over you.” We can have a revolutionary revelation and walk in the light of what God has done for us in Christ. The tyrannical masters that once ruled our lives will rule no more!

Confession: Sin does not have dominion over me. I am walking in the light of what God has done for me in Christ Jesus!

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REDEMPTIVE REVELATION

Where there is no vision [redemptive revelation of God], the people perish.
(Proverbs 29:18 AMP)

Revelation is a very personal thing.
Mark Hankins

You could say, where there is no redemptive revelation of God, the people are poor, sick, depressed, and defeated. Where there is no redemptive revelation of God, the people do not know the call of God, or the inheritance and authority that belongs to them.

Thank God we don’t have to live that way! We can have a redemptive revelation of God by the spirit of wisdom and revelation. By having the eyes of our hearts flooded with light, we can know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glory, and the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe.

The authority of the believer in the Earth is based on what Jesus has already done for us in His death, burial, and resurrection. This is the center of Paul’s revelation. That is why Paul prayed in Ephesians 1 that God would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.

Confession: And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23)

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DON’T LET THE DEVIL OUTBLUFF YOU

I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you wisdom to see clearly and really understand who Christ is and all that he has done for you. (Ephesians 1:17 TLB)

Christ has already dethroned and defeated the devil!
Mark Hankins

I don’t understand a whole lot about the game of poker, but I happened to see the world championship one day and decided to watch for a few minutes. The cameras showed the television audience the exact hand each player had while they were playing. The funny thing I noticed during the game was that the player who won beat the player with the better hand. The player with the better hand folded because the other player out bluffed him.

Everything God has done for us in Christ belongs to us. Yet, many times we fold and throw in the cards even though we’re holding the winning hand. The spirit of wisdom and revelation can explain the mystery of your redemption so you can see and understand what God has already done for you in Christ.

Confession: I have the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ. The eyes of my understanding are being enlightened, that I may know what is the hope of His calling. (Ephesians 1:17-18)

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