Living By Faith

FAITH AIN’T PRETTY

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart. (Jeremiah 15:16)

Hello, neighbor! Faith ain’t pretty, but everyone needs faith! Mark Hankins

A local tire store advertises in the newspaper and on television with this ad:  “Hello, neighbor! Tires ain’t pretty, but everyone needs tires, so you might as well get them from us at the best price.” That TV ad caught my attention. Sometime later I was in a radical church service where people were laughing, rejoicing, shouting, and praising God. Some were even leaping for joy, running, and dancing!  During all of this, the Lord spoke to me in this way: “Hello, neighbor! Faith ain’t pretty, but everyone needs faith! So get your faith from God and learn how to release your faith and respond to the Word and to the power of God.”

Sometimes you have to get “ugly” for Jesus. You must act like the Bible is true if you want the anointing and the power of God! Rejoice in the face of adversity! The spirit of faith will cause you to see the victorious end of the challenge you are facing!

Confession:  I rejoice in the face of adversity! I am not ashamedtoget “ugly” for Jesus! I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil! (Psalm 119:162)

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GOD PERFORMS THINGS FOR YOU

For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him. (Job 23:14)

The champion enters the ring with a different attitude than the challenger. Mark Hankins

Theologians tell us that the trials we read about in Job lasted less than a year. Job had a bad year, but when you read the last chapter, you find that the Lord gave him twice as much as he had before! Job had some challenges, but he came out the champion!

The Lord said it to me this way: “You will have challenges in life, but you are not the challenger; you are the champion.” The challenger is trying to get something. The champion, on the other hand, says, “I’ve got something.” Every champion faces challengers who try to steal their victory. Satan is the god of this world who does nothing but lie, destroy, and steal. He’s a challenger, but a defeated one!

Jesus said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation [difficulty]: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) You aren’t exempt from challenges. However once you know who you are in Christ, and understand that Christ is in you, you will always overcome. Satan may cause some issues, but like Job, you can smile and say, “God performs things for me!”

Confession:I have the attitude of a champion! In every challenge, I am an overcomer because Christ overcame the world and He dwells In me!  (John 16:33)

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CONFESSION PRECEDES POSSESSION

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised.) (Hebrews 10:23)

Confession builds the road over which faith carries its mighty cargo. E.W. Kenyon

What comes out of your mouth will make the difference between winning and losing the fight of faith! The good faith fight requires a good profession or confession. The winning strategy is to say what you believe instead of what you feel. Speak the Word of God regardless of how intense the fight becomes! You will possess your inheritance by declaring it with your mouth! It is easier to say what you feel or to talk about how bad things appear to be, but your faith will never rise above your confession.

When you say what God says in His Word, you are building a strong road over which heaven’s cargo can be carried and delivered to you! The devil will put roadblocks, mountains, difficulties, and hindrances in your way. He will try to tell you that God is not faithful and that the Word won’t work. 

If you’ve been wondering why only a few blessings have made their way to your house, perhaps your words have created too narrow of a path. Change your confession to words of faith and construct a wide, clear road for the blessings of God! Confession always precedes possession!

Confession: This is a good fight! I will hold fast my profession of faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised. (Hebrews 10:23)

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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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TRIUMPH ALWAYS

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.  (2 Corinthians 2:14)

How do you get to be tough? By acknowledging who you are and what you have in Christ. Mark Hankins

God’s plan for you is to triumph always. Paul did not say you would never have any tough times. I like what someone said years ago, “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” Hallelujah! How do you get to be tough? By acknowledging who you are and what you have in Christ! Ephesians 6:10 tells us, “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.” 

God never said the enemy wouldn’t try to come against you. Isaiah 54:17 says, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.”  He didn’t say you wouldn’t have any weapons formed against you, but He said the weapons couldn’t prosper!  In other words, when adversity comes against you, you can declare, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper,” because your righteousness is of the Lord. You didn’t produce the righteousness you have — the Lord produced it! God produced it for you in Christ!

Confession: God always causes me to triumph in Christ. I am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! No weapon formed against me shall prosper!

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