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IT HAPPENS ON THE INSIDE

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)

Your identification with Christ is the center of the power of the Gospel.
Mark Hankins

Mind renewal begins with understanding your identification with Christ. Some problems in your mind or soul can be so severe that they can only be dealt with at their roots by this part of the Gospel. You will never be normal and you will never fulfill the potential God has for your life unless those problems are dealt with.

Your identification with Christ is the center of the power of the Gospel. It will rise up inside you and will hit the root of mental, emotional, or behavioral issues. No matter what has happened to you — abuse, shame, what ever it is — you can say, “I am a new creature in Christ. Christ lives in me. I forget what I used to be.”

There is miracle-working power in Christ. The world may say you will never recover. But in Christ, you can be restored. It cannot happen from the outside, but it can happen on the inside!

Confession: I am being transformed from the inside out by the renewing of my mind! I was crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me!

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A LIVING SACRIFICE

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

Anyone who has ever won an Olympic gold medal will tell you he did something about his body.
Mark Hankins

Paul said for you to present your body a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. People often go to the altar because they want God to take cigarettes or some other habit away from them. God doesn’t smoke, so He is not going to take those things from you. God does not chew tobacco, so He is not going to take it from you. Your body can become addicted to things that will destroy it. The Bible calls these habits “sin” because your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Anyone who has ever won an Olympic gold medal will tell you he did something about his body. When his body did not want to run, he kept on running. When his body said, “I want to go eat this,” he said, “No, you are not eating that.” I am not referring to people who run every once in a while; I am talking about gold medal winners. They have to do something about their bodies.

Confession: Body, I am doing something about you right now. I am presenting you as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God.

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ELIJAH AND ELISHA

Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. (2 Kings 2:9-10)

It’s time to rip some things the devil has tried to make you wear.
Mark Hankins

Elijah said, “You cannot have my mantle unless you see me when I go up.” Elisha determined, “Nothing is going to stop me from seeing that man when he goes up.”

The day came when Elijah crossed the Jordan River, and Elisha went over with him. The chariot came down, the whirlwind took Elijah up, and Elisha said, “Hey, it is a new day!” When that mantle came down, he grabbed it. It represented a double anointing. He grabbed the mantle and ripped his own clothes. He said, “I am wearing some new clothes.”

It’s time to rip some things the devil has tried to make you wear. Get dressed in the reality of your redemption in Christ. You have access to new places. Dress up in honor. Put on a garment of praise right now!

Confession: I rejoice because I do not wear the same clothes that I used to wear! In Christ, I have new clothes!

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BLESSED TO SERVE

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. (Psalm 34:2)

A servant has access to every place the master does because he is serving the master.
Mark Hankins

When you are serving the Master, He gives you the keys to everything because He trusts your heart. That is how you got that close to Him to start with. He has watched you time and time again as you humbled yourself and said, “I am just here to serve. I am not here to promote myself.”

In 1 Peter 5:5-6, Peter said to put on the clothes of a servant. When you dress like a servant, you know you are a child of God. The more you wear the clothes of humility, the more Jesus says to you, “Let Me give you more keys for other rooms. I want to show you some other things that are in My house.” As a servant, you enter the Master’s room. He grants you access.

True humility boasts in the Lord and not in anything I have done or can do. I like to boast about who Jesus is and who I am in Him!

Confession: I make my boast in the Lord! It is not anything I have done or can do. It is who Jesus is and who I am in Him! I am dressing as a servant and humbling myself to be a blessing by serving!

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SUPERNATURAL PROMOTION

Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with humility — as the garb of a servant, so that its covering cannot possibly be stripped from you, with freedom from pride and arrogance — toward one another. For God sets Himself against the proud — the insolent, the over-bearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful, and opposes, frustrates and defeats them — but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves (demote, lower your- selves in your own estimation) under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you. (1 Peter 5:5-6 Amplified)

If God takes you up, no one can take you down! Mark Hankins

We are to honor people who have had an impact upon us spiritually. Even though they may not be perfect, as we honor them we will have the blessing of God in our lives.

We honor these men and women of God by serving them and by giving to them financially. There is a due time when God will exalt you. When He takes you up, no one can bring you down. If someone else promotes you, you can lose it all. If God takes you up, no one can take you down!

Confession: I humble myself (demote and lower myself in my own estimation) under the mighty hand of God, and in due time, He will exalt me!

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