Living By Faith

MOUNTAIN CLIMBING

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? OrWho shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord… (Psalm 24:3-5)

The spirit of faith always chooses the Glory Road. Mark Hankins

The Knox translation of Psalm 24:3 says, “Who dares climb the mountain of the Lord?”  The ones who will climb God’s mountain are the ones with the spirit of faith! The spirit of faith always chooses the Glory Road! Climbing this mountain represents obedience to the will of God. 

The road on the mountain of God is the Glory Road. Those who choose to travel the Glory Road see the glory of God! The Glory Road is like a spiritual Mount Everest.  On this road there is much sacrifice and it is extremely challenging, but when you get to the top and see what is on the other side, you will be glad you chose that road. It requires training and discipline to make it to the top. However, the rewards at the top make the journey worthwhile. Choose the Glory Road and experience the glory of God!

Confession: I will dare to climb the mountain of God and obey His will for my life! I choose the Glory Road! I will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of my salvation. (Psalm 24:5)

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YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT

According to your faith be it unto you. (Matthew 9:29)

We need to acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ! Mark Hankins

The devil is good at pointing out your flaws. When you are confronted with your imperfections, don’t allow yourself to doubt your authenticity in Christ!

I recently talked with a jeweler who said that all diamonds have a flaw somewhere that can be seen by the trained eye using a magnifying glass.  However, the fake diamonds, cubic zirconium, are flawless. They are man-made. They look like diamonds but they are much cheaper; they have only a fraction of the value of a real diamond.

You are valuable to God. You are a real diamond, not a cubic zirconium! God sees you in Christ. He will keep working with you if you keep a spirit of faith and seek Him with all of your heart. You don’t have to be perfect to have a spirit of faith.

Confession: I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! It is God who works in me both to will and to do of His good pleasure! I am valuable to God! (II Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:13)

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RADICAL REVELATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  ROMANS 10:9, 10 (KJV)

What are you going to believe and speak?  You are going to believe and say you have been made the righteousness of God in Christ!  You quit struggling and trying.  You put your trust in God and you receive this free gift.  You believe with your heart that God loves you, God accepts you, and He has made you as righteous as Jesus.

Believing you have been made righteous and receiving the gift of righteousness is a radical, revolutionary revelation and can be difficult for some people to comprehend.  Sometimes people will not receive it because they think they’ve got to work for it.  Sometimes people get proud and think “I don’t want a handout.  You don’t have to give me that.”  But when it comes to this righteousness, you had better take it!

I once ate at a restaurant where some of the waiters worked who attended the church where I was preaching. I gave each one of them a hundred-dollar bill. Do you know only one worker took it?  The other three said, “No, that’s too much.  You don’t have to do that.”  It seems there is something about human nature that questions when God wants to give a gift, saying, “Are you sure about that?  That’s too much.  I don’t really think that’s necessary.”  What Jesus did for you is entirely too much, but you must receive it!

Confession: I believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and I openly confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord.  Salvation is mine; righteousness is mine.

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UNDERSTANDING RIGHTEOUSNESS

I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:16-17

Understanding you have God’s divine approval on your life sets you free from the sense of rejection, inadequacy or inferiority.  You are confident you have God’s approval.  You are free to receive God’s best blessings and to follow His plan for your life.  This confidence in God sets you free from constantly seeking approval from others.

One of the most misunderstood subjects in the Bible is righteousness. The Gospel of Christ is a revelation of the righteousness of God. The center of the Gospel reveals the righteousness of God.  I call righteousness a radical revelation, a revolutionary revelation. It is a reality that is produced for us by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Confession: The Gospel is the good news.  It is a weapon of might that begins with faith and produces faith.  God has made me righteous as He is . I am right with God!  I am whole and set free!

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REASON TO SHOUT

Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.  He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. (Numbers 23:20-21)

Once you know your covenant and who you are in Christ, there will be the shout of a king! Mark Hankins

If the Israelites were shouting under the Old Covenant, we have even more of a reason to shout under the New Covenant. You are in an even better position in Christ than the Israelites were in the Old Covenant. What does this mean to you? If you have been made the righteousness of God in Christ, God sees no iniquity in you. You have a reason to shout!

It’s time to get the Bible out and say, “Devil, if you can’t read, let me read it to you!” The communication of your faith will become effectual as you acknowledge every good thing that is in you in Christ! Hallelujah!

Confession: I have a reason to shout! I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ and God sees no iniquity in me! Now thanks be unto God, which always cause thus to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place! (2 Corinthians 2:14)

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