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THE POWER TO CHOOSE

Death and life are in the power of the tongue… (Proverbs 18:21)

Your words can limit you or loose you. Mark Hankins

Language is unique to man. God created us as eternal spirit beings in His image with the power of speech. James chapter 3 clearly tells us that the tongue determines our direction and destiny. We have the power to choose blessing or cursing, life or death. (Deuteronomy 30:19) The Lord Jesus said in Mark 11:23 that “Whosoever…shall have whatsoever he saith.” Words determine the boundaries and set limits on our lives. Believing and speaking are the two most fundamental ingredients in faith, and the Gospel is the language of faith.

I have heard the testimonies of two people who died and came back from the dead. I found it quite interesting that both said when their spirits returned to their bodies, they entered through their mouths. That makes sense because God breathed the breath of life into Adam’s mouth. If your spirit enters or exits your body through your mouth, why would the impact of words or speech on our lives seem strange?

Confession: I choose to speak words of life and blessing. “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life.” (Deuteronomy 30:19)

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SPEAK TO THE ROCK

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place…(Hebrews 9:12)

The language of redemption is the language of victory, blessing, and salvation; it is the language of God. Mark Hankins

We read in Exodus 17:6 that God told Moses to strike the rock in Horeb, and water would come out of it. Moses did what the Lord commanded and water gushed out to supply the whole nation of Israel as they went through the wilderness.

The next time they needed water, God told Moses to speak to the rock. (Numbers 20:7-12) But Moses was angry, and he smote the rock twice instead. Not only did Moses disobey God when he smote the rock, but he also destroyed the parallel between the Rock, which is Christ, and the picture of our redemption. The Rock, Jesus, was smitten once on the cross two thousand years ago!

Now when you speak to the Rock, the water will freely flow. As you speak the Word of God, there is full provision for your every need. So speak to the Rock. The Promised Land is yours today!

Confession: Jesus is the Rock. I can speak to Him, my Rock, and receive provision for every need. What Jesus did once was done so well that it will never have to be done again.

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THE WORD OF FAITH

The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach. (Romans 10:8)

The language of redemption is the language of faith. Mark Hankins

The language of redemption is what the Apostle Paul called “the word of faith” in Romans 10:8-10. The vocabulary of salvation makes a sound that releases the power of God. We must learn to speak the language of redemption with the vocabulary of salvation!
The language of redemption speaks of what happened in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and what He is doing for us right now: interceding for us at the right hand of the Father. We must learn what happened when Jesus took His blood into Heaven and purchased our eternal redemption!
The phrase “Christ hath redeemed us” in Galatians 3:13 is past tense, which means it has already been taken care of in Christ. He hath blessed us. He hath healed us. He hath delivered us. These are all past tense. Since He hath, by faith we now have. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is.” In Christ, we must learn a new language – the language of “Now,” the language of God.

Confession: I will speak the language of redemption, which is the language of faith. “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:10)

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THE PEACE OF GOD

Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them. (Psalm 119:165)

Remember-forgiveness is not a feeling; it is a choice! Mark Hankins

The word offense means a place of stumbling; something that trips you up. When you love the Lord, the peace of God is yours, and you decide that nothing is going to trip you up. Jesus said the amount of forgiveness you dish out is the amount you will get in return. (Matthew 7:2) Therefore you ought to dish out as much forgiveness as you can, because you’ll probably need it!

Be careful not to judge others when you see them fall in a certain area of life. Don’t say, “I would never do that,” because in six months, you’ll do something worse than that! Jesus said in Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Then He said, “Stop criticizing others.”

We don’t live in a perfect world and we never will. People will always make mistakes; you will too. So you may as well go ahead and forgive others! I encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 13. Then draw the love line out and walk on it!

Confession: Love (God’s love in us)…takes no account of the evil done to it (it pays no attention to a suffered wrong. (1 Corinthians 13:5 AMP)

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GUARD YOUR HEART

Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23 NKJV)

Watch out for unforgiveness as if it were a rattlesnake! Mark Hankins

Jesus said, “When you stand praying, forgive.” (Mark 11:25-26) This means while you are standing in prayer, you can quickly make an adjustment in your heart. People often let things eat at them for years and years, but you can make a decision to forgive right now. Forgiveness is not a feeling; it’s a choice. You may still have feelings of hurt, but the decision has been made! You can forgive by faith.

Faith is of the heart; therefore unforgiveness is a disease of the heart. That spirit will get inside of you and make your heart callused so your faith won’t respond or work properly. Then you will get cynical, and you won’t be able to receive from God.

Unforgiveness – offense and bitterness – is the primary thing you have to guard against. You must watch out for unforgiveness just as if it were a rattlesnake. When you see it come around, avoid it!

Confession: I stand watchful and ready to quickly forgive. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. (Psalm 86:5)

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