Search Menu Toggle navigation
Living By Faith
Search Menu Toggle navigation

GOD PLUCKED YOU OUT

And the Lord said to Satan, The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! Even the Lord Who now and habitually chooses Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this[returned captive Joshua] a brand plucked out of the fire? (Zechariah 3:2 | Amplified)

“Your consciousness often shows on your countenance.” – Mark Hankins

Zechariah 3:3 says, “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.” Joshua had on some dirty, filthy clothes. Those clothes are a type of disobedience, sin, or the effect of sin.

You see people that still have oppression, fear, guilt, or shame on them. Once you get “in Christ,” you put on the new man. Then you can wear joy, blessing, confidence, righteousness, and glory. God wants you to change clothes!

Do you know God plucked you out of the fire? The devil said, “I have you, and I am going to destroy you.” God said, “Hold it, devil!I have a plan. I have chosen him. He belongs to Me.” You were going down for the last time, but God plucked you out!

Confession: I am getting dressed up in Christ! I am wearing joy, blessing, confidence, righteousness, and glory!

  • 2

PRESENT TENSE

Therefore if any man be in Christ…. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“Whatever is true of anyone else who is in Christ is true about you.” – Mark Hankins

I like the fact that 2 Corinthians 5:17 is written in the present tense. When you are born again, you be in Christ. Whatever is true of anyone else who is in Christ is true about you. If you be in Christ, then what be in Christ be in you!

Hebrews 11:1 is also in the present tense. It says, “Now faith is.”  In other words, if it is going to be, it is not faith. If it used to be, it is not faith. God introduced Himself to Moses by saying, “I AM that I AM.”

What is God’s last name? AM is God’s last name! That is present tense. When you get in Christ, you am in Him. Whatever am in Him am in you right now.  Whatever be in Him, be in you. You are not trying to be, hoping to be, or going to be–right now you be in Him. Now faith is.

The moment you declare who you are in Him, your faith will work. Otherwise, you will always try to be, hope to be, and want to be. You need to forget who you are naturally and get up every morning seeing who you are in Him. You are complete in Him.

Confession: In Christ I have been made righteous. In Him I have peace with God. I am in Him and I AM is in me!

  • 0

THE FINISHED WORK OF REDEMPTION

Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit. (Zechariah 4:6)

“If you are fighting everything in the natural, you are going to lose!” – Mark Hankins

You give the devil the most trouble when you sit down! Take your place first of all in Christ, in the finished work of redemption, and sit down. If you are fighting everything in the natural, you are going to lose. So take your place in the Spirit in Christ and sit down.

Christ is the head, and you are in His body. You have the same righteousness, the same life, the same victory, and the same authority Christ has. Satan is far below you, and you are far above him. You had better get your binoculars out to see him because he is so far below you!

You can deal with life from a different perspective now. You can deal with your problems from a position of triumph and victory, not from a place of trying to get the victory. You are not helpless, hopeless, or trying to make something work. You should picture yourself as a believer seated at the right hand of God. 

Confession: I am taking my place. I am going to sit down right now, and I am going to rest in what Jesus has already done. I do not need to fight in this battle. God fights in the battle and gives me the victory!

  • 1

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.

  • 0

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!

  • 0

Sign up for Living By Faith Blog Subscribers

* = required field

Recent Posts

Categories