Search Menu Toggle navigation
Living By Faith
Search Menu Toggle navigation

JESUS WENT TO THE SYNAGOGUE

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. (Luke 4:16)

Jesus had studied the Word and found Himself in the Word! Mark Hankins

Jesus went to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and as His custom was, He went to the synagogue. Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day as He usually did and stood up to read. Jesus went there all the time. His mama and daddy taught Him to go there.

You might say, “I don’t need to go to church because the Lord and I have our own thing.” If Jesus went to the synagogue as God, you ought to go to church.

They gave Jesus the book of the prophet Isaiah. When He opened the book, “he found the place where it was written.” (Luke 4:17) Jesus had studied the Word until He found Himself in the Word!

Do you know how He found it? He was looking. While everybody else was playing games, Jesus was studying the prophets. Luke 2:52 says, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” You can grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man by finding yourself in the Word of God.

Confession: I am growing in God. I am increasing in wisdom and in favor with God and man.

  • 0

YOUR INWARD MAN

But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:17)

Feeling is the voice of your body; reason is the voice of your mind; conscience is the voice of your spirit. Mark Hankins

You are a triune being — spirit, soul, and body — even as God is a triune being — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Your spirit is the part of you that is joined to Christ. It is the part of you that is most like God. Paul called your spirit your “inward” man. Your spirit is the hidden man, the unseen person — the real you!

Paul said to walk in the Spirit, live in the Spirit, and pray in the Spirit. What does “in the Spirit” mean? Paul was talking about an entirely different dimension or realm. Feeling is the voice of your body; reason is the voice of your mind, and conscience is the voice of your spirit.

The first step to walking in the Spirit is to pray in the Spirit. When you spend time praying in the Spirit, it helps you to walk and live in the Spirit. You also have to put on the new man. You are a new creature in Christ — but you must put on the new man by renewing your mind to the Word of God!

Confession: I am born again and my spirit is joined to Christ. I am walking in the Spirit, living in the Spirit, and praying in the Spirit!

  • 0

BE A “YES” MAN

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Anything God has ever promised in Christ is affirmative- no question about it!
Mark Hankins

All the promises of God in Him are “yes.” I have a pastor friend in Chicago who has a toy “yes man” sitting on his desk. He is dressed nicely in a little suit, his hair is perfect, and his smile is just right. This little “yes man” has a switch on his back and is voice-activated. Anytime my friend is having a conflict and cannot find anybody to agree with him, his “yes man” agrees with him.

Too often you put undue pressure on yourself to come up with the victory or the answer. All you need to do is agree with what God says in His Word. God is the
Genius, and you are the “yes man.”

Now look again at 2 Corinthians 1:20, “All the promises of God in him are yea.” You do not have to wonder if God might or might not want to bless you, help you, or give you what you have asked for. He said, “It is an absolute yes in Him!”

Confession: For as many as were the promises of God in Christ is the yes that fulfills them; therefore through Christ again let the Amen rise through us to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 1:20 Twentieth Century)

  • 0

FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
(Romans 10:17)

When faith cometh, you knoweth!
Mark Hankins

Faith is the by-product of the Word of God. Notice it says that faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God. The devil would like to starve your faith. Smith Wigglesworth said, “Some people feed their bodies three hot meals a day, and their spirits one cold snack a week, and wonder why they’re weak in faith.” You must feed on the Word of God to be strong in faith. Hear it, meditate on it, speak it, and go over and over it until you feel the substance of faith rise up in your spirit.

Fear is a spirit — a supernatural problem. You cannot deal with fear naturally. You cannot reason with fear. You have to have a Word from God – the Word of faith. When faith comes, healing comes, blessing comes, joy comes, and fear goes. There is power in the Word of faith. When faith comes, substance comes, and you know you have it. Faith cometh!

Confession: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) By the blood of Jesus, I overcome all the works of the devil. Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world! (Revelation 12:11, 1 John 4:4)

  • 0

“LEGO” BIBLE BUILDING BLOCKS

Whosoever shall say…believe those things which he saith…he shall have whatsoever he saith. (Mark 11:23)

Words are the building blocks of faith.
Mark Hankins

In Mark 11:23, Jesus said “believe” once. He said “say” or “saith” three times. The speaking part is vital to faith. Faith is released or put to work by speaking.

Jesus used three different Greek words for the speaking part of faith in Mark 11:23. The first “say” is the Greek word epo, which means command. It shows the authority of the believer. The second reference to speaking that Jesus used was the word “saith.” This word in the Greek is laleo, which means to speak out; use your own voice; be bold! The third reference to speaking is also the word saith. However, this Greek word is lego; it means systematic discourse.

Jesus was giving us a lego set of building blocks to teach us how to frame our world according to the picture or diagram He has given us in the Word of God. The Bible gives us a lego set of building blocks for salvation, healing, blessing, prosperity, and victory in life. Take the Word of God and build.

Confession: I have victory in Jesus. My life is blessed! My future is built on the Word of God!

  • 0

Sign up for Living By Faith Blog Subscribers

* = required field

Recent Posts

Categories