Living By Faith

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 amin Him amin 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!

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REDEMPTION REALITY

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)

It is up to you to say, “Amen!” Mark Hankins

When we talk about your redemption and who you are in Christ, we are not talking about some figment of your imagination or some religious thing. We are talking about an absolute reality of redemption and righteousness. We are talking about living in the reality that you are redeemed, righteous, victorious, and blessed. You need to live in the reality that old things are passed away, everything has become new, and now you are a new creation.

Jesus is the “Amen.”  He brought the reality of redemption into the realm of human experience and into your life.  The Twentieth Century version of 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, “…so let the Amen rise through us to the glory of God.” You need to respond to Him by saying, “Amen, so be it.”

Confession: I am in Christ, and I boldly declare and acknowledge right now the good things that are in me in Christ. I am who God says I am today! Yes, affirmative, so be it; it is so, Amen!

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POWER IN THE GOSPEL

That I may know him and the power of his resurrection… being conformable to his death. (Philippians 3:10)

The power of the Gospel is destructive and constructive; destructive to the works of the devil, and constructive to the believer. Mark Hankins

The power of the Gospel is seen in both the death and resurrection of Christ. The Gospel gives you the ability to not only speak life but also to speak death to theworks of the devil. The death of Christ put an end to what you were; the resurrection of Christ opened up who you are in your new identity.

Someone might say, “The doctors have told me that I have incurable cancer. They have given me only a few months to live.”  Hold it just a second–not only was there a resurrection in the Gospel, but there was also a death. So you can say, “I curse that cancer and command it to die. I speak death to that cancer.”

What does that mean? “Death” means, “cease to exist.” You can speak to works of the devil that are ruling in your life today and command them to cease to exist in the name of Jesus!

Confession: I speak to the works of the devil that are ruling my life today and command them to cease to exist in the name of Jesus! Now life comes in!

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DEAD TO SIN, ALIVE TO GOD

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:11)

When you grasp the doctrine of what God has done for you in Christ, it becomes the center of your deliverance, redemption, and sanctification. Mark Hankins

Paul says to “reckon” or count it to be so by faith. Reckon yourself to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God. Sometimes you should say to yourself, “I am dead to sin.” One translation says, “inert and motionless as a corpse in response to sin.”  When sin comes around, say to it, “I am inert. I am motionless as a corpse. I am dead to sin!”

Sometimes people think if they can just get a certain evangelist to lay hands on them, their problems will go away. But your problems will remain unless you have received an understanding of who you are in Christ. The devil will try to challenge you saying, “Who do you think you are?”  Thank God for the anointing, but you must live by faith saying, “I am who God says I am.” The just shall live by faith!

Confession: I am dead indeed to sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ my Lord!

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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.

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