Living By Faith

FIRST ADAM, LAST ADAM

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (Romans 5:19)

The mystery of how you got here as damaged goods is solved in the Bible.
Mark Hankins

Your identification with Christ is based on several spiritual laws. One of those laws is simply this: your first birth identified you with Adam. The whole Bible is really about two men – the first Adam and the last Adam. The old man is from Adam. The new man is Christ, who is called the last Adam.

The same law that allowed one man, Adam, to affect every man is also the same law that allowed Jesus Christ, the last Adam, to take the condition of sin, the curse, shame, and death. In His resurrection, God deposited everything in Christ that He wanted in man. God put in Christ what He wanted in you.

The power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ identifies you with a whole new humanity — a whole new creation. You are not the same person anymore! You can no longer identify only with your natural family. You are now identified with Christ!

Confession: I am a new creature in Christ! Old things are passed away. I am not the same person anymore! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

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REVELATION KNOWLEDGE

Christ took me to the cross with Him, and I died there with Him.
(Galatians 2:20 Laubach)

Christianity does not begin with something you do; it begins with something
God has done for you in Christ.
Mark Hankins

Theologians ask, “How could Paul say he was crucified with Christ when Paul was not even in Jerusalem when Jesus was crucified?” Some believe Paul is talking about a spiritual state he has somehow attained after thirty years of serving God. When you think this way, somehow you are trying to be identified with Christ. This way of thinking places you right back in Jerusalem at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where there is neither life nor glory.

When Paul said, “I died there with Him,” he was saying “Through revelation knowledge I know when Jesus died, I died. When He was made alive, I was made alive. When He was raised, I was raised with Him. When He sat down, I sat down with Him. God saw me there. Everything Jesus did, He did it for me.”

When you get in the Spirit, instead of seeing your death, shame, guilt, sorrow, sickness, and poverty, you can see your condition in Christ and the fact that you were crucified with Him.

Confession: The mystery of the Gospel and the glory of the Gospel is Christ in me! (Colossians 1:26-27)

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UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection…(Philippians 3:10)

The spirit of wisdom and revelation opens our eyes to the unlimited possibilities of God.
Mark Hankins

Dr. Lester Sumrall once said that most Christians never progress beyond their initial revelation of God. Every breakthrough in faith comes from a breakthrough in revelation knowledge, not necessarily new information. You cannot go forward in faith without going forward in revelation.

Revelation changes our perspective. It is not something you see with your natural eyes or learn by head knowledge. Revelation enables us to see what God sees. The view is very different when we see things from God’s perspective.

We live in this world, but we are not of this world. We are tempted to walk by sight, but we must walk by faith– by revelation knowledge. Holy Spirit is the revealer of revelation. Our natural eyes can’t see it, but our hearts can see it. We are in a revolutionary revelation given by Jesus from the Father by the Holy Spirit.

Confession: The eyes of my heart, my spiritual eyes, are open to receive revelation. The eyes of my understanding are being enlightened still more and more! (Ephesians 1:18 Doddridge Translation)

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FAITH AND REVELATION

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart. (Psalm 24:3-4)

Double red blood cells…higher altitude
Mark Hankins

The process of climbing the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest, takes about three months. Climbers go from lower altitude camps to higher camps, gradually making the ascent. Sometimes they must stay at high altitude camps for as long as three weeks until their bodies adjust to the higher altitude. Red blood cells begin to increase because of the lack of oxygen. By the time they reach the final altitude camp, the red blood cells in their bodies have actually doubled in number to be able to carry enough oxygen to keep them alive. This kind of mountain climbing has to be in your blood for you to survive.

There are some blessings you cannot receive from God at “sea level.” You will have to move up in revelation and in faith to move up higher into God’s presence. Every breakthrough in faith comes from a breakthrough in revelation. The red blood cells of your faith can double so you can move up higher in blessing and fruitfulness in the kingdom of God!

Confession: I am climbing higher in my fellowship with God. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)

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SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25)

If you value Jesus, the head of the church, you have to value his body and the supernatural relationships He brings into your life.
Mark Hankins

One of the key words in the book of Acts is assembled. You constantly see believers assembling themselves not only in the temple but also from house to house. The book of Acts shows us time and again that believers came together corporately to receive from God to overcome adversity and to receive the plan and purpose of God so that the will of God could be done.

The body of Christ requires some assembly. Acts 2:1 says, “And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place.” The life of Jesus flows through the body when we are in our place. Being properly assembled or coming together in a local body of believers is essential to walking in revelation and fulfilling the call of God on your life.

Confession: I am a valuable part of the body of Christ. I will not forsake the assembly of the believers. I walk in revelation and I am fulfilling the call of God on my life.

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