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DEAD TO SIN, ALIVE TO GOD

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:11)

When you grasp the doctrine of what God has done for you in Christ, it becomes the center of your deliverance, redemption, and sanctification.
Mark Hankins

Paul says to “reckon” or count it to be so by faith. Reckon yourself to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God. Sometimes you should say to yourself, “I am dead to sin.” One translation says, “inert and motionless as a corpse in response to sin.” When sin comes around, say to it, “I am inert. I am motionless as a corpse. I am dead to sin!”

Sometimes people think if they can just get a certain evangelist to lay hands on them, their problems will go away. But your problems will remain unless you have received an understanding of who you are in Christ. The devil will try to challenge you saying, “Who do you think you are?” Thank God for the anointing, but you must live by faith saying, “I am who God says I am.” The just shall live by faith!

Confession: I am dead indeed to sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ my Lord!

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THE GOOD NEWS

Not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses, but [canceling them] (2 Corinthians 5:19 AMP)

Jesus wants you to stand up on your feet and look Him in the eye.
Mark Hankins

People struggle with a sense of sin and condemnation throughout the religions of the world. There is a bronze statue of Peter in Rome that has the toe worn off by millions of religious people who think they will get blessed if they kiss Peter’s toe. In various nations, people crawl for miles on holy days to certain shrines because they think their sins will be forgiven if they can crawl far enough.

The good news of the Gospel is that 2,000 years ago on the cross, God was in Christ reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself. You have been cleansed through the blood of Jesus. Your right standing with God is so secure that He has given you a seat at His right hand. God Himself can look at you with the most penetrating gaze and cannot find one thing wrong with you. How can that be? Because you are in Christ! God sees you in Christ.

Confession: I have been born again. I am a new creation. I have been made righteous now. I am forgiven. I am redeemed.

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BEFORE YOU DIE

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19)

For your faith to be effective, you must acknowledge those things with the words in your mouth. – Mark Hankins

I heard Jesse Duplantis tell this story about his grandma’s birthday. She had been poor all of her life, so they bought her the most beautiful dress they could find. They said, “Granny, won’t you wear it to church?” She replied, “I can’t wear that dress. It’s too pretty. It’s just too beautiful. I can’t wear it. I’m going to keep it in the closet. I want to be buried in it.”

That is exactly the way most Christians are. As soon as you receive Christ, God gives you beautiful new clothes–robes of righteousness. Most Christians look at them and say, “Oh, I couldn’t wear that. I am unworthy, so I’ll hang it in the closet and wait until I am dead. When I die, I’ll be righteous.”

You are righteous now. You are righteous before you die! You are made righteous through faith in Christ!

Confession: I am made righteous through faith in Christ! God has reconciled me to Himself. I am winning the war against my flesh and my mind because I am acknowledging who I am in Christ!

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YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS NOW

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins…declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.
(Isaiah 43:25-26)

You will never get God’s best blessings as long as you live with a sense of condemnation, guilt, and unworthiness. – Mark Hankins

In Smith Wigglesworth’s book, Ever Increasing Faith, he tells the story of praying for an Episcopalian priest who wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit. When he started to pray for him, the priest fell down on his knees and began to say, “O God, make me holy and clean.” Wigglesworth said, “Stop, old man! I thought you were saved! If you’re saved, then you are holy.” The man said, “Well, I am aren’t I? I am righteous!” He lifted up his hands and got filled with the Holy Spirit right there!

In order to put on the new man in Christ you have to say something. You need to declare that you are righteous. If you fail to declare your righteousness, the devil will keep you in a sense of guilt and condemnation. He will try to cheat you out of God’s best blessings for your life. You will never get God’s best blessings as long as you live with a sense of condemnation, guilt, and unworthiness. In Christ, righteousness has been imparted to your spirit. You are a new creature in Christ.

Confession: I am a new creation, and this new man has been created in righteousness and true holiness!

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LIVE BY FAITH

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

You are justified by faith in what Christ has done, not in how you feel.
Mark Hankins

What does it mean to have been cleansed from all unrighteousness? It means you have been made righteous again. It has nothing to do with what you feel. You may say, “I still do not feel righteous.” It has nothing to do with your feelings. You are justified by faith in what Christ has done, not by how you feel. Do you feel saved when you get up in the morning? Most people don’t get up and say, “I feel saved.” Most people don’t get up and say, “I feel righteous today. I really feel redeemed. I feel victorious.” It has nothing to do with feelings.

Romans 1:17 tells us, “The just shall live by faith.” Righteousness is a part of your faith walk when you acknowledge everything that is in you in Christ. Get up in the morning and say, “I have been made righteous today.” When the devil comes against your mind, he brings a picture of failure or weakness. Will the devil bring you a picture? Yes, but you tell him, “That is all right devil. I know you have a picture, but that does not exist anymore.”

Confession: I have been made righteous by the blood of Jesus. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I have been forgiven, and I am redeemed by faith.

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