Living By Faith

JESUS TOOK OUR SHAME

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)

We look a lot better in Christ than we do outside of Him.
Mark Hankins

Jesus took our guilt, shame, sin, death, and curse so that we could be free. We were engrafted into His death that we might be one with His resurrection and victory. He was made to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God In Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Colossians chapter one, verses fourteen and twenty-two says, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins…In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.”

We are new creatures In Christ. God would not make an unrighteous new creature. We have the same righteousness as Jesus Christ Himself. He took our shame that we may live without guilt. We can now face life confident that we are qualified for God’s best blessings.

Confession: I am a new creature In Christ! I have the same righteousness as Jesus Christ Himself. I am qualified for God’s best blessings!

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A NEW DAY OF BOLDNESS

Having therefore, brethren, BOLDNESS to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. (Hebrews 10:19)

Instead of being a victim of our experiences, our experiences
are a victim of us.
Mark Hankins

The word boldness is an important word in the book of Hebrews. The blood of Jesus has given us great boldness and confidence.

“Let us therefore come BOLDLY unto the throne of grace.” (Hebrews 4:16)
“That we may BOLDLY say, ‘The Lord is my helper.’” (Hebrews 13:6)

Some other translations of Hebrews 10:19 translate boldness as freedom of speech or outspoken. As believers, we need to exercise our freedom of speech and be outspoken about the blood of Jesus and who we are in Christ. Instead of being a victim of our experiences, our experiences are a victim of us!

Confession: I have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. I can come boldly unto the throne of grace and I can boldly say the Lord is my helper! I am not a victim of my experiences. My experiences are a victim of me because the blood of Jesus has given me great boldness and confidence!

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LIFE AS GOD HAS IT

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

A man in Christ is a man with the life of God.
Mark Hankins

The Greek word in the New Testament that is translated life or eternal life is zoe. I like W.E. Vine’s definition of the word zoe (eternal life, everlasting life, or life):

“It is life as a principle…life in the absolute sense, as God has it, that which the Father has in Himself and which He gave to the incarnate Son to have in Himself. (John5: 26) Eternal life is the present actual possession of the believer because of his relationship with Christ.”

God has given us a new quality of life in Christ. He has given us His own life — the very same life that raised Jesus from the dead. (Ephesians 2:4-6) God wants us to know that we have eternal life now. We are not trying to get it or some day in the sweet by-and-by going to get it. The gift of God is eternal life. (Romans 6:23) What a great gift God has given us in Christ!

Confession: Eternal life is my present actual possession because of my relationship with Christ!

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A MAN IN CHRIST IS A NEW CREATURE

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (John 5:11-12)

A man in Christ is a new kind of man—a new breed or species that
never existed before!
Mark Hankins

The Greek word translated “new” means “unheard of before.” It means new in quality or kind. A man in Christ is a new kind of man, a new breed, or species that never existed before. You are not just a forgiven sinner; you are a new creation with a new kind of life. A man in Christ is a partaker of the life and nature of God.

James Stewart put it this way, “This life which flows from God into man is something totally different from anything experienced on the natural plane. It is supernatural life. It makes man a new creation. It is not the intensification of powers already possessed, but the sudden emergence of an entirely new and original element.”

Confession: God has given me eternal life. I am not just a forgiven sinner, but a new creation with a new kind of life!

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MAKING YOUR FAITH EFFECTIVE

…the acknowledging of every good thing… (Philemon 6)

God likes people to brag about who they are in Him.
Mark Hankins

There are good things in you in Christ. The apostle Paul said to “acknowledge every good thing” For your faith to become effective, you need to continually acknowledge who you are in Christ. This is not something you have acknowledged; it is something you are acknowledging. It is a continual process. Acknowledging is essential if you want your faith to work properly.

To acknowledge means to recognize, to think about, and to be conscious of. Acknowledging means to daily declare who you are in Christ and what you have in Christ. It also means to walk and live in the light of who you are in Christ.

God likes people to brag about who they are in Him. Paul boasted in the cross because of what God had done for him in Christ. This is not boasting in yourself, but in what God has done for you and can do through you because of your union with Christ!

Confession: I was crucified with Christ. I died with Him. I was buried with Him. But on the third day, I was made righteous, made alive with him, raised with Him, seated with Him, and made triumphant with Him!

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