Living By Faith

MAKING ADJUSTMENTS

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
(Philippians 2:13)

When you are born again, you move out of the devil’s territory and you are relocated to a new place in Christ. Mark Hankins

Throughout the Bible, we see God moving men and women into the proper orbit to be used by Him. You can see this in the life of Abraham. Abraham had to do some moving. He had to make some adjustments so he could receive and transmit. God is constantly working with people to change their thinking, speaking, and acting, in order to open up the miraculous for them.

God wants to bless you. He wants to make you a blessing. He has some “rockets” to help you move into position to see His glory. He has given His Word, the Holy Spirit, and the five-fold ministry gifts to help you make adjustments. It takes some changes to get the glory, and it takes the glory to get some changes. You are being changed so you can fit and function in the proper orbit and realize your full potential in Christ.

Confession: It is God that is working in me both to will and to do of his good pleasure. He is changing my thinking, speaking, and acting. I am being changed so that I can realize my full potential in Christ!

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MY MOMMA RUNS

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. (Psalm 40:2-3)

It’s not necessary unless it’s necessary!
B.B. Hankins

As I grew up in church, there were some unusual services. Sometimes while we sang, Mom would begin to praise God rather exuberantly and shout, “Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” With glory and joy on her countenance, she would shout “Wooooo!” and run around the church! Dad was a little more dignified. After Mom ran, Dad would say, “Now, some of you don’t think that is necessary. It’s not necessary, unless it’s necessary!” While the congregation tried to figure out what Dad had said, Mom and others who had joined her would finish their rejoicing!

Dad’s preaching and Mom’s praying and running around the church began to make sense to me. I started studying the scriptures that showed me my redemption in Christ. I began to meditate daily on who I am in Christ. The power of God’s Word started to work in me, and I began to understand my identification with Christ. That’s where victory begins — right where you are!

Confession: The revelation of your words sheds light, giving understanding to the simple. (Psalm 119:30 NAB)

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VICTORY IN CHRIST

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto
the simple. (Psalm 119:130)

You are who God says you are; you can do what God says you can do; you can have what God says you can have!
Mark Hankins

My dad and mom pastored a full gospel church in West Columbia, Texas for more than 50 years. When my parents first moved to West Columbia, I was only a year old and my older brother, Mike, was four. Mom was sick and mentally tormented for two years. Dad not only pastored the church, but also had the pressure of all the family responsibilities. Dad began to have heart trouble. The church was small and struggling, and we were poor.
However, in the middle of this struggle a man gave my dad some books on the authority of the believer, the integrity of God’s Word, and who you are in Christ. Dad began to read and study the material and gained a new understanding of God’s Word. Dad began to speak the Word to Mom and had her repeat it after him. She began to say, “I am who God says I am. I have what God says I have. I can do what God says I can do!” As my parents saw who they were in Christ and spoke the Word, faith arose in their hearts. They knew that victory belonged to them in every area of their lives.

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

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THE STORY OF THE BLOOD

So Christ was ONCE offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
(Hebrews 9:28)

As believers, we can take the Word of God and tell the devil a bedtime story!
Mark Hankins

Whenever you face any challenge, remember this story and tell it again: “Once Upon a Time!” As believers, we can take the Word of God and tell the devil a bedtime story. Say, “Devil, ONCE upon a time Jesus defeated you for all eternity.” Speak the Word of God with boldness and rock the devil to sleep!

“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE for all…For by ONE offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:10,14) By looking at these scriptures we see that Jesus cancelled and abolished sin ONCE for all time and for all men. The Holy Spirit continues to emphasize the word “ONCE.” We must know this story well. It is the story of Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, Heaven, and Earth. This story is well known by angels and demons. The story of the blood of Jesus is an established fact throughout eternity!

Confession: I am sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ! By one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:10,14)

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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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