August 2020 - FAITH 2020
August 2020
Dear Partner,
Trina and I want to encourage you to press forward by faith to follow God’s plan for your life. Our prayers have been focused on your faith, health, well-being and strength during these trying times. God is faithful to His promises to provide and protect you.
We appreciate your partnership with us as together we are distributing the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Word is growing and multiplying!
Thank you for your faithfulness and generous partnership in helping to distribute the gospel in every way possible around the world NOW.
REVELATION KNOWLEDGE FUELS FAITH
Your cause must be greater than your comfort and your purpose must be greater than your pleasure.
During our online Bible School, we recently studied the spirit of faith. As we looked to the heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11, the Holy Spirit began to highlight Moses’ spirit of faith. Because he saw the invisible, he did the impossible. Revelation knowledge ignites the spirit of faith.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
Hebrews 11:23-28 (KJV)
The plan God had for Moses began with his parents. They saw beyond the temporary to the eternity. When the king commanded all baby boys to be killed, they chose to hide their son for three months and then prepare an ark to save his life. Here we see there are times when it is the right thing to choose to disobey the commands of government.
Jochabed, Moses’ mother, must have instilled in her child both a knowledge of his identity as a Hebrew and a desire to honor the almighty God. Although he was raised in Pharaoh’s household, her teaching had already made a powerful impression on him. By faith, he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king. It takes faith to walk away from the pleasures and temptations of the world to follow God.
God revealed his plan to Abraham and Abraham's faith was ignited. He chose to obey, and he left his home and family to go to Canaan when he was 75 years old (Genesis 11:31-12:9).
Faith motivated Abraham to obey God’s call and leave the familiar to discover the territory he was destined to inherit from God. So he left with only a promise and without even knowing ahead of time where he was going, Abraham stepped out in faith.... His eyes of faith were set on the city with unshakable foundations, whose architect and builder is God himself. Hebrews 11:8-10 (TPT)
REWARDS MOTIVATE ACTS OF FAITH
...For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who passionately seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (TPT)
Moses pressed for the recompense of the reward God revealed to him. His faith was rewarded with further revelation, a burning bush encounter with God. When he saw the Invisible, he could do the impossible. Moses, through revelation, prepared a Passover and then led all his people through the Red Sea and into the promised land.
Abraham did not quit believing and saying what God revealed to him because he saw the city with unshakeable foundations, whose builder and maker is God. His vision moved him to step out of the familiar. God was so pleased by his act of faith, He rewarded Abraham with a covenant and made his family a great nation. Now both Christians and Jews call him our father of faith.
David had a spirit of faith when he killed Goliath. He was motivated by the revelation of two things: 1) the reward offered to the one who killed the giant and 2) the covenant of blessing on the nation of Israel. He challenged everyone, “Is there not a cause?” The promise of the reward and defending God’s people moved him to bold action. David was destined to be a giant killer, but a spirit of faith was necessary to fulfill his destiny. He believed God and he spoke. There was a war of words. David said, Goliath said, then David ran at the giant, hit him with the rock from his slingshot, and then the giant didn’t say anything else! Not only did David receive his reward, but he was positioned to become the next king. I like to say, “Never run at your giant with your mouth shut.”
2 Corinthians 4:13 identifies the two elements in the spirit of faith: 1) The attitude (which is to believe) and 2) The action (which is to speak). Paul is quoting David who, in a time of great difficulty, wrote Psalm 116. Paul got inspiration from David’s spirit of faith.
Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option. We are persecuted by others, but God has not forsaken us. We may be knocked down, but not out...We have the same Spirit of faith that is described in the Scriptures when it says, “First I believed, then I spoke in faith.” So we also first believe then speak in faith. 2 Corinthians 4:8-13 (TPT)
The Word spoken to you must be spoken through you.
Paul faced trouble but pressed on. He was perplexed - he didn’t have all the answers but was not hopeless or in despair. He was knocked down - but he got back up. We too get back up because we have the same spirit of faith!
The greatest revelation is Christ. The highest reward is from Him. Revelation 22:12 TPT says, “Behold, I am coming quickly! I bring my reward with me to repay everyone according to their works.” He is the beginning and the end, so we keep our eyes on Him. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus didn’t give up, so YOU don’t have to give up either!
We have the same, identical spirit of faith. The spirit of faith is not fragile, but it is tough. Jesus faced hatred, rejection, the devil and the cross with a spirit of faith. He fulfilled the call, His destiny and He never quit. You have the same spirit of faith! You can see the invisible and do the impossible.
THE SPIRIT OF FAITH IS TOUGH
This month we want to send you our brand-new CD series, The Spirit of Faith is Tough. Trina and I taught these messages at our Campmeeting in Alexandria, LA this summer and we believe they will stir up the spirit of faith in you and cause you to overcome in every area! We also want to offer you our book, The Spirit of Faith.
Now more than ever before it is necessary to have the spirit of faith. Our desire is to help feed your faith. This year the Lord directed us to make all of our sermons available for free. You can access all of our messages two different ways:
- Go to markhankins.org and click on the downloads and then MP3’s and
- Download our Mark Hankins Ministries App and click on the sermons tab on the bottom.
FEED YOUR FAITH AND STARVE YOUR DOUBTS!!
We want to thank you for your partnership with us. We are continuing to teach the Word every day through our In Christ Online Live Bible School. We are amazed at the reach the Word is having. We have people watching the school from over 40 nations and are sending out hundreds of free books every week. Your partnership with us is making this possible! Thank you so much! We declare to you, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
IN Christ,
Mark and Trina Hankins