Living By Faith

THE WORD OF FAITH

The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach. (Romans 10:8)

The language of redemption is the language of faith. Mark Hankins

The language of redemption is what the Apostle Paul called “the word of faith” in Romans 10:8-10. The vocabulary of salvation makes a sound that releases the power of God. We must learn to speak the language of redemption with the vocabulary of salvation! 

The language of redemption speaks of what happened in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and what He is doing for us right now: interceding for us at the right hand of the Father. We must learn what happened when Jesus took His blood into Heaven and purchased our eternal redemption!

The phrase “Christ hath redeemed us” in Galatians 3:13 is past tense, which means it has already been taken care of in Christ. He hath blessed us. He hath healed us. He hath delivered us. These are all past tense. Since He hath, by faith we now have. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is.” In Christ, we must learn a new language – the language of “Now,” the language of God. 

ConfessionI will speak the language of redemption, which is the language of faith.  “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:10)

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CHANGED BY FAITH

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (I John 5:4)

Any man may be changed by faith no matter how he may be fettered. Smith Wigglesworth

Some people disqualify themselves from the blessings of God because they think they have too many flaws. You don’t have to be perfect to have a spirit of faith. While it is true that you are to keep growing spiritually, you do not need to have reached perfection to have a spirit of faith. Consider the great faith heroes of Hebrews chapter eleven! There is not one perfect person listed in that tremendous list of faith giants. There were flaws in Abraham, Sarah, Noah, Moses, Samson, David, and many others in the Bible who had a spirit of faith.

I am glad that God works with imperfect people! The spirit of faith enables you to overcome in every area of your life!  “But we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Confession: I have the spirit of faith. I am changed by faith! I am an overcomer! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! (Philippians 4:13)

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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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RENEWING YOUR MIND

That ye put off concerning the former conversation [Hes talking about your lifestyle] the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. (Ephesians 4:22)

You won’t change the way you are living if you don’t change the way you are talking. Mark Hankins

The process of putting off the old man and putting on the new man takes place as you renew your mind and line your thinking up with the Word of God. We should always ask, “What does God say about me? What does God say about my circumstances?”  We need to say what God says. We need to agree with God.

In Ephesians 4:22-24, Paul says to “put off the old man” and “put on the new man” by being “renewed in the spirit of your mind.”  To put off is like taking off the old clothes, the old nature, and the old lifestyle. In other words, change the way you are living and talking.

The moment you are born again, you are a new creation, and you are created in righteousness and true holiness. You are not trying to make the new man righteous and holy. Since you have been made a partaker of the divine nature, you are to put on the new man, who is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Confession: Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth. (Psalm 141:3)

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CHANGED FROM WITHIN

Arise, and go down to the potters house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potters house, and be hold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. (Jeremiah 18:2-4)

God is the original “people person”; He specializes in making people over again and giving them brand new identities. Mark Hankins

God can give you a new identity. He made you, so He ought to be able to remake you. God is not someone who just does repairs. We are talking about the One who creates people. God creates people out of nothing. No scientist has ever figured out how to make people because God is the manufacturer! 

God told Jeremiah, “You go down to the potter’s house, and I am going to show you that when people have defects in them, I will make them over again.”  God is in the business of changing people’s identities. He remakes you from the inside out. When you are born again, your spirit is recreated. Then He builds from the inside out — changing your mind, renewing it, rebuilding your thinking and attitudes, and then changing your body and your actions.

Confession: God has given me a new identity. He is rebuilding me from the inside out!

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