Living By Faith

CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST

I have been crucified with Christ. Now it is not my old self, but Christ Himself who lives in me. (Galatians 2:20 Noli)

Little “I” moved out and big Christ moved in.
T.L. Osborn

What does Paul mean, “I was crucified with Christ. It is no longer I that live but Christ lives in me”? You could say it this way: “Weak ‘I’ moved out, and strong Christ moved in. Defeated ‘I’ moved out, and victorious Christ moved in. Sick ‘I’ moved out, and healed Christ moved in. Poor ‘I’ moved out, and rich Christ moved in. Cursed ‘I’ moved out, and blessed Christ moved in.” That is our identification with Christ!

How could you ever identify with defeat again when you are identified with Christ? You cannot identify with defeat because of the triumph of Christ. You are a thoroughbred — it is born into you. You are a brand-new breed, a new creation in Christ. Victory is in your genes.

God did not do one thing in Christ and do something of a lower quality in you. He put the same righteousness, life, victory, blessing, and other qualities that are in Christ into your spirit. God “cloned” you with Christ and made you identical to Him.

Confession: I consider myself as having died and now enjoying a second existence, which is simply Jesus using my body. (Galatians 2:20 Distilled Bible)

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PURSUING YOUR POSITION IN CHRIST

For He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

A breakthrough in revelation enables us to see what God sees.
Mark Hankins

Once you have seen the scenery from your seat next to Jesus at the right hand of God, you won’t ever want to go back to life as it used to be. Other people may listen to a sermon on their identity in Christ and say, “Praise the Lord. That was a good point,” but you will be thinking, “That wasn’t just a good point, that’s the way I live! I am who Jesus says I am! I have what He says I have! He lives in me, and I ALWAYS triumph in Him!”

Believers must have a deep revelation of their position in Christ. Even in the worst situations in life, you can laugh at the devil. Your mind may be going crazy with stress and pressure as you try to think about what you are going to do. You need to stop and begin to meditate on what God’s Word says about who you are in Christ. You need to see things from God’s perspective. God sees you seated with Christ in heavenly places.

Confession: I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! By the blood of Jesus, I overcome all the works of the devil! (2 Corinthians 5:21, Revelation 12:11)

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SEATED FAR ABOVE WITH THE MOST HIGH

The eyes of your understanding enlightened still more and more…
(Ephesians 1:18 Doddridge Translation)

When you see things from God’s perspective, life will be different for you! Mark Hankins

I prayed the Ephesians 1 prayer without fail day after day. For a long time, it seemed like I didn’t get anything for my efforts but a dry mouth! I never smoked marijuana and I never took LSD, but the night revelation hit me I got higher than a kite! I saw myself sitting together with Jesus in the presence of God the Father far above all principality, power, might, dominion, and every name that is named. The fact that God had put everything under Jesus’ feet, and then raised me up together with Him became so real to me!

I had been a slow learner, but revelation finally came. When revelation came, my perspective changed. I wasn’t trying to be victorious; I was victorious because of what God did for me in Christ. The spirit of wisdom and revelation changed my perspective. Instead of trying to get the victory, I realized I already had the victory in Christ!

Confession: I am victorious because of what God did for me in Christ! “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(1 Corinthians 15:57 NKJV)

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CLOSE THE DOOR ON THE DEVIL

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

If you have a spirit of fear, you did not get it from God!
Mark Hankins

Fear opens the door to the devil. Fear is connected to a lack of power, lack of love, and mental problems. There are more than 100 different kinds of fear. These fears can be irrational, but since fear is of the devil, it does not have to be rational.

For instance, one phobia that plagues mankind is Agoraphobia. This is a fear of outdoors and open spaces. Another one is Anthropophobia; this phobia is a fear of people. There is also a phobia described as Tropophobia or fear of changes. Psychologists say that Thanatophobia, the fear of death, is the root of all fears. If you have a spirit of fear, you did not get it from God.

The Word of God breaks the spirit of fear. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. When faith comes, fear goes. There is faith, power, love, and mental soundness in the Word of God! Speak the Word of God with a voice of faith and fear must go!

Confession: God has not given me the spirit of fear! I have the spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind!

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SPEAK TO THE ROCK

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place…(Hebrews 9:12)

The language of redemption is the language of victory, blessing, and salvation; it is the language of God. Mark Hankins

We read in Exodus 17:6 that God told Moses to strike the rock in Horeb, and water would come out of it. Moses did what the Lord commanded and water gushed out to supply the whole nation of Israel as they went through the wilderness.

The next time they needed water, God told Moses to speak to the rock. (Numbers 20:7-12) But Moses was angry, and he smote the rock twice instead. Not only did Moses disobey God when he smote the rock, but he also destroyed the parallel between the Rock, which is Christ, and the picture of our redemption. The Rock, Jesus, was smitten once on the cross two thousand years ago!

Now when you speak to the Rock, the water will freely flow. As you speak the Word of God, there is full provision for your every need. So speak to the Rock. The Promised Land is yours today!

Confession: Jesus is the Rock. I can speak to Him, my Rock, and receive provision for every need. What Jesus did once was done so well that it will never have to be done again.

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