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THE KEY TO YOUR FUTURE

And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (Galatians 5:24)

“Most Christians allow their body to have their spirit gagged and tied up in the basement.” – Mark Hankins

The part of you that is born again is your spirit. It receives eternal life, but you still must do something with your mind and your body. It is possible to be saved or born again and still have your body out of whack. Your mind can still be controlled with wrong thinking. You will stay frustrated if your body or your mind is dominating your spirit.

Paul said that they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with its affections.  Crucifixion is painful. This means that you deny your body certain things it wants to do, wants to say, and wants to consume. If you do just the opposite of what your body wants, you will be pleasing God.

The Holy Spirit wants to strengthen your spirit. Then your inner man will rise up and tell your body to shut up and line up with the Word. Your spirit man — your inward man — will do this!

Confession: I am strengthened with might by the Holy Spirit in my inner man. Christ dwells in my heart by faith and I am rooted and grounded in love. I am filled with all the fullness of God!  (Ephesians 3:16-19)

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MASTER YOUR BODY

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast away. (1 Corinthians 9:27)

“You are a spirit; you have a soul, and you are living in a body.” – Mark Hankins

The Bible says your spirit pulls against your flesh, and your flesh pulls against your spirit.  There are things your body wants to do that your spirit knows are not right. The Bible calls that “the lust of the flesh” in Galatians 5:6. Throughout the fifth chapter of Galatians, Paul lists the works of the flesh. Your spirit desires to seek after God, to walk with God, and to know God.

Your body will dominate you if it gets a chance.Sometimes your body does not want to go to church. Your body might be saying, “Let’s stay home. I am tired. I don’t feel good.” You have to say, “No, body, you are going to church. Get up right now!” You need to get your body moving! Paul said, “I keep under my body and I bring it under subjection.”  In other words, he said, “I master my body. I control it.”

Confession: I keep my body under and bring it into subjection. I am going to church, I am going to read my Bible, and I am going to pray!

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YOUR NUMBER ONE BATTLE

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

“Satan knows that if he can capture your thought life, he has won a great victory.” – Mark Hankins

I heard a story once about a man who asked a well- known evangelist to pray for him that he would never have another bad thought. The evangelist said, “If I could do that for you, I would do it for myself!”

You must realize that as long as you are in this world, Satan has access to you, and he can bring thoughts and suggestions to your mind. This does not mean you are not saved. As a matter of fact, Satan knows if he can capture your thought life, he has won a great victory. 

The devil will tell you that if you thought something, you ought to say it or do it. However, you decide what you will do with those thoughts. I like the way Dad Hagin said it: “Just because Satan brings thoughts to your mind doesn’t mean they are sin. Thoughts may come and thoughts may persist, but thoughts that are not acted upon die unborn.”

Confession: I cast down every imagination and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God. I am bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ!

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ELIJAH AND ELISHA

Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. (2 Kings 2:9-10)

“It’s time to rip some things the devil has tried to make you wear.” – Mark Hankins

Elijah said, “You cannot have my mantle unless you see me when I go up.”  Elisha determined, “Nothing is going to stop me from seeing that man when he goes up.”

The day came when Elijah crossed the Jordan River, and Elisha went over with him. The chariot came down, the whirlwind took Elijah up, and Elisha said, “Hey, it is a new day!” When that mantle came down, he grabbed it. It represented a double anointing. He grabbed the mantle and ripped his own clothes. He said, “I am wearing some new clothes.”

It’s time to rip some things the devil has tried to make you wear. Get dressed in the reality of your redemption in Christ. You have access to new places. Dress up in honor. Put on a garment of praise right now!

Confession: I rejoice because I do not wear the same clothes that I used to wear! In Christ, I have new clothes!

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BLESSED TO SERVE

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. (Psalm 34:2)

“A servant has access to every place the master does because he is serving the master.” – Mark Hankins

When you are serving the Master, He gives you the keys to everything because He trusts your heart. That is how you got that close to Him to start with. He has watched you time and time again as you humbled yourself and said, “I am just here to serve. I am not here to promote myself.”

In 1 Peter 5:5-6, Peter said to put on the clothes of a servant. When you dress like a servant, you know you are a child of God. The more you wear the clothes of humility, the more Jesus says to you, “Let Me give you more keys for other rooms. I want to show you some other things that are in My house.” As a servant, you enter the Master’s room. He grants you access.

True humility boasts in the Lord and not in anything I have done or can do. I like to boast about who Jesus is and who I am in Him!

Confession: I make my boast in the Lord! It is not anything I have done or can do. It is who Jesus is and who I am in Him! I am dressing as a servant and humbling myself to be a blessing by serving!

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