Taking Your Place In Christ

Mark Hankins

Mark Hankins Ministries Alexandria, Louisiana

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are

taken from The King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked (TLB) are taken from The Living

Bible copyright (c) 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale
House Publisher, Inc., Weaton, IL 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW

INTERNATIONAL VERSION(R), NIV(R). Copyright (c) 1973,
1978, 1984, by International Bible Society. Used by permission
of the Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from The New Testament, An American

Translation by Edgar J. Goodspeed. Copyright (c) 1923 by The
University of Chicago. Used by permission of the University of
Chicago Press. All rights reserved.

[Scripture quotations are] from the Revised Standard Version

of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of
Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by

Darton, Longman, & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of
Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. Reprinted by
permission.

Some scripture quotations are the author’s paraphrase.

Taking Your Place In Christ

ISBN 1-889981-16-8 Copyright (c) 1996 by Mark Hankins

Ministries

Mark Hankins Ministries

P. O. Box 12863
Alexandria, LA 71315

Published by MHM Publications

3rd Edition 2007, Revised, First Printing 20,000 copies in

print. More than 20,000 copies of the 2nd Edition in print.
More than 40,000 copies of the 1st Edition in print.

Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved

under International Copyright Law. Contents and/or cover may
not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the
express written consent of the publisher.

CONTENTS
A Man In Christ

Once Upon A Time

Engrafted Into Christ

Finding Your Place In Christ

The Secret Place

Understanding Redemption

In Christ Determinism

Understanding Righteousness

Your Identification With Christ

Jesus In Your Jersey

Revelation Knowledge

How God Changes People’s Identities

Your Inheritance In Christ

The Unseen Connection

Acknowledging Every Good Thing That Is In You In Christ

Faith In The Blood Of Jesus

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold all
things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Jesus did not go through the agony of the crucifixion, death,
burial, and resurrection just to help us a little bit. What
happened from the cross to the throne in those three days
changed everything. Radical changes happened in Christ.
These are not minor events listed in history with such things
as the Wright Brothers with the invention of the airplane or
Lewis and Clark with the great expedition. This is the main
event of all time and eternity.

What Jesus did changed all of heaven and earth — seen and
unseen. He is the “firstborn from the dead.” He is the first man
to enter death’s domain and conquer it. Jesus is Lord! When
He arose from the dead, He took His blood into the heavenly
holy place as a man to purchase our eternal freedom. Jesus
took us with Him. We can follow the blood covenant trail right
into the very presence of God. We have the same access,
privilege, and confidence as Jesus. The same power that is in
these events is in the Gospel. As we feed on the Word, we
partake of the same power that happened two thousand years
ago in these world-changing events. A man in Christ is a world-
changing man.

The world is constantly fantasizing about Superman,

Wonder Woman, Batman, Hercules, the Bionic Woman, the Six
Million Dollar Man, Jedi Knights, and the Incredible Hulk. Each
of these individuals is an amazing specimen among us. Many
stories have been told and movies made about these unusual
creatures. However, God has produced the real thing — the
most amazing specimen of all. He has created a man in Christ.
This is no man-made fantasy. God has made a new creature that
is a sign and a wonder in this world.

A MAN IN CHRIST IS A NEW CREATURE

The Greek word translated “new” means unheard of before.
It means new in quality or kind. A man in Christ is a new kind of
man, a new breed or species that never existed before. You are
not just a new person individually, but a new kind of person.
You are not just a forgiven sinner, you are a new creation with a
new kind of life. A man in Christ is a partaker of the life and
nature of God.

And this is the record, that God hath given to us

eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath
the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of
God hath not life. These things have I written unto
you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that
you may know that you have eternal life, and that
you may believe on the name of the Son of God.
1 John 5:11-13
This life which flows from God into man is something
totally different from anything experienced on the
natural plane. It is different not only in degree but
also in kind. It is supernatural life. It makes man a
new creation. It is not the intensification of powers
already possessed, but the sudden emergence of an
entirely new and original element. When a man
comes to be in Christ he begins to live in the post-
resurrection life of Christ. The life he now lives bears
the quality of eternity.

A Man In Christ, James Stewart

THE GOD-KIND OF LIFE

I like the phrase “a sudden emergence of an entirely new and
original element.” We become partakers of the life of God—
suddenly! Through simple faith in Jesus Christ, the miracle of
the new birth takes place in the spirit of the believer. Eternal life
is a spiritual substance from heaven that is imparted in the
spirit of a man.

Eternal life is not simply life that goes on forever. It

is true that the New Testament never forgets that
God has promised men resurrection from the dead,
but the essential of eternal life is not duration, it is
quality. Eternal life is the injection into the realm of
 time of something of the realm of eternity. It is the
coming into human life of something of the life of
God.

William Barclay

LIFE AS GOD HAS IT

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). He has given us eternal life. 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. We
know we have a present possession; we have eternal life. The
gift of God is eternal life (Romans 6:23). What a great gift God
has given us in Christ!

The Greek word in the New Testament for life or eternal life
is zoe. This life is the primary purpose Jesus came. Jesus said,
“I am come that you might have life, and that you might have it
more abundantly,” John 10:10. This life is a spiritual substance
that flows in heaven from the throne of God; it flows like a river
(John 7:37-39). God is overflowing with this life. You and I can
have more and more of this life flowing in us. We can have this
life in ever-increasing measures as we are filled with the Word
of God and the Holy Spirit. We can walk in the light of this life
and in the consciousness of what we have in Christ as we learn
more and more of the “words of this life” (Acts 5:20).

ETERNAL LIFE: PRESENT ACTUAL

 POSSESSION
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 (John 5:26). It is what the Son manifested in
the world (1 John 1:1,2). From this life man has
become alienated through the fall and of this life
men become partakers through faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ, who becomes its author to all who
trust in Him. The life He gives, He maintains. Eternal
life is the present actual possession of the believer
because of his relationship with Christ, and that it
will one day extend its domain to the sphere of the
body is assured by the resurrection of Christ.

GOD SEES YOU IN CHRIST

A man in Christ is a man with the life of God. You are not
deity, but you are not only human. You have been born of God.
God has given you His very own life. You are a new creature —
something that never existed before. You are such a new
creature in Christ, you will have to let God introduce you to
your new self. You are not the same person you used to be.
God sees you in Christ, but you must also see yourself in Him.
You will never be different until you see yourself differently.
The Holy Spirit takes the things of Christ and shows them to
us (John 16:13-15). He is able to project the image of Christ
from the Word to the screen of our minds, so we can live in the
reality of our redemption.

SEEING WHAT GOD SEES

*****
You are such a new creature in Christ, you will have to let God
introduce you to your new self.
*****
Paul’s prayer for believers in Ephesians 1:16-23 is very
important for us today. “I pray that you new Christians will
understand the mighty position with Christ which your
congregations occupy” (verse 16, The Distilled Bible). We
have a mighty position with Christ. Few Christians have
understood the authority we have as believers. The same
mighty power that raised Christ from the dead was released
“towards us.” We were the target of that power. God was
focusing on us. He was looking at us. God saw us there in
Christ. He was working on us. We are His workmanship created
in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). What God did in Christ, He
did in us. Paul’s prayer is our prayer today that we can see and
enjoy the life God has given us in Christ. I like to say it this
way: If you are not impressed with who you are and what you
have in Christ, you have not seen Him lately.

I like what James Stalker says in his book, The Life of Paul,

Paul’s letters contain the thoughts that Jesus

carried away from this world unuttered. They are the
 advanced teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Epistles are the letters written to the church today. They
contain the thoughts that Jesus is thinking now. We must
study the epistles to grow up in Christ.

In 2 Corinthians 12:2, the Apostle Paul refers to himself as,

“a man in Christ.” He could not tell whether he was in the body
or out of the body. Paul even ascended into the third heaven. A
man in Christ is not just of this world, but he also has access to
heaven.

ACT LIKE THE BIBLE IS TRUE

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that
you put on the new man, which after God is created
in righteousness and true holiness.

Ephesians 4:23,24

You can know that the Bible says these things about you,
but they may not seem real to you. We have a part to play. We
must put on the new man. We did not make the new man. God
did that. We must put on the new man. That is our part. One
translation says, “...put on the new person that you are.” This
new man is created in righteousness and true holiness. God
would not make an unrighteous new creature. You have been
made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

God sees you through the blood of Jesus. He looks at you

as though you never did anything wrong. As the old Gospel
song says, “There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from
Emmanuel’s veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose
all their guilty stains.” The power of the blood of Jesus washes
away all the guilty stains and we can stand in God’s presence
confidently. We can face life confidently. We can pray
confidently. In Christ we have right standing with God. It is not
only right standing with God; it is the identical standing with
the Father that Jesus has. Dare to see yourself this way!

Take time to renew your mind every day with the reality of
redemption. Dare to act like the Bible is true, and it will become
real in your life. Allow God to introduce you to your new self.
Daily declare:

I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. I have God’s

very own life and nature in me. The life of God is in
me now. I know I have eternal life. The law of the
spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the
law of sin and death. In Christ, I am redeemed,
blessed, and victorious. I am the righteousness of
God in Christ. In Christ I am delivered from the
power of darkness and translated into the kingdom
of the Son of God. In Christ I have redemption
through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

Paul’s letters contain the thoughts that Jesus carried away from
this world unuttered. They are the advanced teachings of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
 -James Stalker

If anyone has entered into fellowship with Christ, a new world

has at once opened upon him, an old world has passed away.
2 Corinthians 5:17, STANLEY
 Everyone likes a great story that begins with the phrase,
“Once upon a time....” The story of Jesus is the greatest story
ever told. It is not a fantasy, but a true story that has changed
the world for thousands of years. The story of Jesus is told in
over a thousand languages to millions of people, young and
old, around the world and is still changing lives today! One
day as I was studying Hebrews 9 and 10, the word “ONCE”
stood out so clearly. I began to see God’s plan of redemption in
Christ and how the wisdom and power of God very effectively
“ONCE” paid the price for our freedom.

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his

own blood he entered in ONCE into the holy place,
having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Hebrews 9:12
 He went ONCE for all into the [Holy of] Holies...
but His own blood, having found and secured a
complete redemption (an everlasting release for us).

Amplified

ONCE! That’s all it took! What Jesus did for us in His death,
burial, and resurrection, He only had to do ONCE! He shed His
blood, ONCE! He paid the price for our freedom, ONCE! He put
away and abolished sin, ONCE! He defeated and dethroned
Satan, ONCE FOR ALL TIME...ONCE for all mankind...ONCE
for the cure of every condition...ONCE for every blessing in
Heaven to be ours!

*****
What Jesus did for us in His death, burial, and resurrection, He
only had to do ONCE!
*****
Whenever you face any challenge, remember this story and
tell it again: Once Upon a Time! When Satan comes against
you, just bring up this story and say, “Once upon a time...” and
he will leave. Now, we as believers 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!

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

By the which will we are sanctified through the

offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE for all.

Hebrews 10:10

For by ONE offering he hath perfected for ever

them that are sanctified.

Hebrews 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.

A NEW DAY OF BOLDNESS

The other word that stood out to me in Hebrews was the
word boldness. The blood of Jesus has given us great
boldness and confidence.

Having therefore, brethren, BOLDNESS to enter

into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.

Hebrews 10:19
 Let us therefore come BOLDLY unto the throne of
grace….

Hebrews 4:16

…that we may BOLDLY say, The Lord is my

helper….

Hebrews 13:6

Some other translations of Hebrews 10:19 translate boldness

as freedom of speech or outspoken. The blood of Jesus has
given us great boldness and confidence. As believers, we need
to exercise our freedom of speech and be outspoken about the
blood of Jesus and who we are in Christ. Instead of being a
victim of our experiences, our experiences are a victim of us.

If you are not impressed with who you are In Christ, you have
not seen him lately.

Therefore, if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new being!

His old life has passed away; a new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17, 20th C.R.
 The two words “In Christ” are the most important words
used by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament. A.J. Gordon
said it this way, “These two words ‘In Christ’ give us profound
insight into the Divine method of salvation. These two words
open to us mysteries and secrets that were hidden for ages and
generations.” These words are the key to opening the secrets
of the Gospel. We have been In Christed. There are over 130
scriptures that use the phrase In Christ, In Him, and In Whom.
What do these phrases mean?

Therefore if any person is [ENGRAFTED] in Christ

(the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature
altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual
condition] has passed away. Behold the fresh and
new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17, Amplified

 I live in an area where there are a lot of plant nurseries.
These nurseries have millions and millions of plants that are
shipped all over the United States. One thing I have learned
from the nurseries is the engrafting process.

Graft – to insert (a shoot from one plant) into

another living plant so that the two grow together
as a single plant.

The stock of the plant must be cut with the same identical
wound as the branch in order for the two to grow together.
Then, you must put that branch inside of the open wound of
the plant and wrap them together and they will become one.

We have been engrafted into Christ. He is the vine and we

are the branches. On the cross, Jesus was wounded with our
identical condition and we were placed In Him. There is no
grafting without wounding.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our

sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of
God, and afflicted. But he was WOUNDED for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and
with his stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:4-5

Jesus took our guilt, shame, sin, death, and curse so that we
could be free. We were engrafted into His death that we might
be one with His resurrection and victory. He was made to be
sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God In
Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

We are new creatures In Christ and God would not make an

unrighteous new creature. We have the same righteousness as
Jesus Christ Himself. He took our shame that we may live
without guilt. We can now face life confident that we are
qualified for God’s best blessings.

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him

shall not be ashamed.

Romans 10:11

In the body of his flesh through death, to present

you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in
his sight.

Colossians 1:22

SHAME-FREE LIVING
Shame is the issue that drives almost every
compulsive, self-defeating behavior known to the
human race. Shame is at the root of all addictions. It
may be forgotten, hidden, or disguised, but the
shame is there, is real, and it drives behavior.
Sometimes the shame surfaces first. In other cases,
the addiction surfaces first. Whenever we encounter
 one, we always look for the other. Shame and
addiction can always be found together.

The Complete Life Encyclopedia

*****
We look a lot better In Christ than we do outside of Him.
*****
It is especially interesting that professional psychiatrists
recognize the power and influence of shame in shaping people
today. It drives human behavior. Many have misdiagnosed
their own problems and conditions. This has caused many to
try to fix their behavior with more and more doses of shame and
guilt. Instead of curing the problem, shame perpetuates the
problem.

The cure is at the cross of Jesus Christ. On the cross, God

was working in Christ but He was working on us. Jesus took
our condition and we were engrafted into Him. Now, God sees
us in Christ. We must consistently see ourselves in the light of
the death, burial, and resurrection. We look a lot better in Christ
than we do outside of Him. He sees us through the blood,
through the cross, and through the resurrection. He has raised
us up together with Christ and seated us together with Him.
We reign in life through the abundance of grace and the gift of
righteousness through one man Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17).

RIGHTEOUSNESS: REVELATION AND

MOTIVATION
 It is important to understand that the Gospel of Christ is a
revelation of righteousness (Romans 1:17). Understanding
righteousness is fundamental to Christianity. Understanding
righteousness also enables us to win the fight of faith. The
Apostle Paul’s letters help us to understand that righteousness
is a free gift. His letters also help us to see ourselves In Christ.

Righteousness gives us right standing with God.

Righteousness sets us free from a sense of sin, guilt, and
shame. Since we are free from the motivating power of shame,
we are now under a new motivating power of righteousness.
The power of righteousness is the revelation of all true victory.
We are no longer haunted by a sense of inadequacy or
inferiority. God has given us first-class righteousness in Christ!

God sees you In Christ, but you must see yourself In Him.

You look a whole lot better In Christ than you do outside of

Him.

For if anybody is in union with Christ, he is the work of a new

creation; the old condition has passed away, a new condition
has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17, WMS
 A traveling man entered a town looking for a certain address.
He pulled into the driveway of a home where a little boy was
playing in the front yard to ask for directions. He rolled down
his window and called to the little boy, “Where am I?” The little
boy answered, “Right there you are!”

When you go into a large shopping mall, a map is usually

posted identifying the different stores that are available on
each level. It still may be difficult, however, to find your way
around without a note on the map that says, “You are here.”
Understanding where you are has everything to do with
finding your destiny and direction in life. Many times in life we
search for answers and direction. God shows us in His Word a
simple, “Right there you are!”

Understanding the new birth and who you are in Christ

begins with several “right there you are” and “you are here”
scriptures. There are more than 130 scriptures that locate who
you are and what you have in Christ.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new

creature: old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no
sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God
in him.
2 Corinthians 5:21
For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead
bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the
head of all principality and power.

Colossians 2:9,10

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us

to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the
savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
2 Corinthians 2:14
Accept the integrity of God’s Word and boldly declare, “I am
who God says I am. I have what God says I have. I can do what
God says I can do.” Right there you are — in Christ!

My dad and mom pastored a full gospel church in West

Columbia, Texas for more than 50 years. The Christian Center
has grown to be the largest church in West Columbia and the
largest Full Gospel church in the area.

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 the first two years in West
Columbia. Dad not only pastored the church, but also had the
pressure of all the family responsibilities. Dad began to have
heart trouble. During this same time, while playing outside with
Mike, I stuck my thumb into a bicycle chain and cut off my
thumb. I don’t remember ever having two thumbs! The church
was small and struggling, and we were poor. It was a tough
time for us.

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.

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth

 understanding unto the simple.

Psalm 119:130

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 life.

IT’S NOT NECESSARY, UNLESS IT’S

NECESSARY
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!

When I became a teenager, this was very embarrassing to

me. When we were encouraged to bring visitors to church, I
would say, “I’m not going to bring my friends to this church...I
would never live it down.” One day a friend of mine showed up
in our church. I certainly hadn’t invited him! As soon as I saw
him, I went and sat by him and began to pray, “O God, please
don’t let this be a wild service, and please don’t let my mother
run.” That’s a dangerous prayer!

MY MOTHER RUNS
About that time, people began to sense the power of God
and started rejoicing. The Holy Spirit fell on the entire place.
My friend’s eyes got big. I tried to comfort him and tell him
everything would be all right. Then my mother began to say,
“Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” I thought, “Oh no, she’s
revving up her engine.” Sure enough, I heard a “Woooooo!”
and she started running around the church.

I put my head down, and my friend asked, “Who is that

woman?” I said, “I have no idea! We get all kinds of unusual
people in here!” I made sure he never came to my house. I was
ashamed of the power of God and had little understanding or
appreciation of the pit my mother had come out of.

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

I did not understand the magnitude of my mother’s

deliverance, until I was seventeen and running from God. I had
an automobile accident coming home from a party with a
backslidden friend that totaled several cars. We walked away
without a scratch. My backslidden friend said, “If your mom
wasn’t praying, we would have been killed.” I agreed.

SATAN HATH DESIRED TO HAVE YOU

When I got home, Mom was sitting in a rocking chair. She
spoke the words that Jesus spoke to Peter, “...Satan hath
desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: but I have
prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art
converted, strengthen thy brethren,” Luke 22:31,32.

Although good changes had begun in my life, not long after

the automobile accident three friends and I ended up in the
county jail. I called Mom from the jail and she said, “Your dad
has church tonight (it was a Wednesday night), so just prop
your feet up and stay a while!” Dad and four deacons came to
jail after church and put up bond for me so I could go home.
After that incident, I sold my ‘55 Chevrolet and that sobered
me up for a while!

ARRESTED BY GOD
One Sunday God had a surprise for me. I was sitting on the
back row cutting up, and God “arrested” me. An unannounced
guest speaker, F.E. Ward, came to church that Sunday. Brother
Ward was a big, stocky preacher. You never knew when he was
going to show up, and that Sunday I was not prepared for what
was about to happen.
 Since our church believed in the baptism of the Holy Spirit
and the gifts of the Spirit, the supernatural was often in
manifestation. Sometimes preachers would call someone out
and give them a Word from the Lord. Usually, I knew when
they were coming, and I would repent of all my sins in the foyer
before I came into the auditorium. I knew the Bible said that if
we asked God to forgive us, He would forgive and even forget
our transgressions. I thought, “If God forgets it, then He can’t
tell that preacher, and that preacher can’t tell the whole
church.”

But that Sunday I was sitting on the back row with my

backslidden friends when Brother Ward went to the platform
and said he felt led to do something. He pointed to the back
and said, “I want the pastor’s son to come to the front.” I was
shocked! My friends made a comment, “You’re a dead duck
now!” As I got up and headed down the aisle, I began to
repent under my breath: “O God, forgive me of my sins! Please
don’t tell that preacher what I’ve been doing. If You tell him
and he tells everybody, my dad will kill me.”

All the blood drained from my face, and I was afraid and
embarrassed as I stood in front of the whole church. I was only
seventeen, but I thought my life had come to an end! I fully
expected God to bring out a giant flyswatter and squash me in
front of the whole church. I expected a voice from heaven to
say, “Let this young man be an example to the rest of you in
this church. Put twelve stones on this greasy spot and tell your
kids about it!”
 Instead, I heard the voice of F.E. Ward say, “Sit down on the
altar.” As I sat down, he began to speak to me under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit. As he spoke to me about God’s
plan and purpose for my life, the presence and love of God
overwhelmed me, and I began to cry. I surrendered my life to
Jesus again, and my heart was changed by the love of God.
Brother Ward then took an offering for me so I could spend the
summer in Africa. Believe me, my life took a dramatic turn from
that moment!

Within a few months I was in Tanzania, East Africa with

missionary Ralph Hagemeier. How that happened was a
mystery to me! I had a desire in my heart to serve God and to
one day do mission work in Africa, but I seemed to stay in
trouble. (Some say preachers’ kids are so bad because they
hang around with deacons’ kids!)

I’ve often thought I should write a country western song

called, “Jesus Loved the Hell out of Me.” I don’t mean to be
crude or irreverent, but that is exactly what happened to me. I
like to say: I went to school, and they tried to educate the ‘hell’
out of me. I went to church, and they tried to preach the ‘hell’
out of me. I went to jail, and they tried to rehabilitate the ‘hell’
out of me. I went home, and Dad tried to beat the ‘hell’ out of
me. I went to Jesus, and He loved the ‘hell’ out of me. I am a
living testimony that the love of God is the greatest force on
earth.

I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM

 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
daily meditated on who I am in Christ. I would say, “I am who
God says I am. I have what God says I have. I can do what God
says I can do.” The power of God’s Word started a work in me,
and I began to understand my identification with Christ. That’s
where victory begins — right where you are!

Today Mom still runs around the church, which is much

larger now. There are a lot more educated and prosperous
people in the congregation, but she still says, “Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” She still shouts “Woooooo!” and runs
around the church. The only difference is now I shout and run
with her!

...I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is

the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth...

Romans 1:16

SHOUT IT OUT
The company that makes Shout detergent uses the slogan:
“For those tough stains, you have to ‘Shout’ them out!” I
couldn’t agree more. Make sure you know what you are
shouting about and let it rip!

Smith Wigglesworth said, “Some people would be giants in

faith if they just had a shout.” Faith shouts while the walls are
still standing. He also said, “You need to see how wonderful
you are in God and how helpless you are without Him.” The
truth is, everything changes when you understand who you
are in Christ and begin to act like the Bible is true!

You must have an identity change to reach your destiny. Your

new identity is In Christ.

For we are God’s (own) handiwork (His workmanship),

recreated in Christ Jesus, (born anew) that we may do those
good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for
us, (taking paths which He prepared ahead of time) that we
should walk in them - living the good life which he prearranged
and made ready for us to live.
Ephesians 2:10, Amplified
 Several years ago, NASA launched a communications
satellite. This satellite could not receive or transmit because it
was in the wrong orbit; it was absolutely useless. Investors
were very concerned because they had already spent $150
million on this project. If the satellite had been operating
properly, it would have a potential of a $2 billion profit.

I don’t understand much about outer space technology, so

that didn’t make sense to me. I thought that if you could just
get the thing out of this atmosphere and into outer space, it
ought to work right. Whether it makes sense to me or not
doesn’t matter; the thing still wouldn’t receive or transmit.

Something had to change for this satellite to receive and

transmit. They were able to fire some rockets attached to the
sides of the satellite and move it into its proper orbit. As soon
as it was moved into place, it began to receive and transmit and
its potential was realized.

Finding your place in Christ is the key to receiving from God

and transmitting His power. Sometimes you think just because
you got born again, everything ought to work right. The new
birth is the launching power that gets you into the realm of
God; however, there are other changes that must be made in
your thinking and speaking that will enable you to receive and
transmit the glory of God. You may not be receiving and
transmitting because you need to make some adjustments.

MAKING ADJUSTMENTS
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 or make
some adjustments so he could receive and transmit. God is
constantly working with people to change their thinking,
speaking, and acting to open up the miraculous for them.

*****
God is showing you your place in Christ and setting you in
your place for world harvest.
*****
You need to get in the right orbit to receive and transmit. Not
only do you need to be in the right place, but God also needs
you to be in your place to do His will. He is working in you
both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).
You must be aware of what time it is. God is showing you your
place in Christ and setting you in your place for world harvest.
 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 potential in Christ.

When you are born again, you move out of the devil’s
territory and you are relocated to a new place in Christ. You
didn’t go from being a lost worm to a saved worm! If you are
saved, you are in Christ and you are identified with Him. You
are raised with Christ and seated together with Him. There is a
place by the Father, and that place is in Christ Jesus.

FINDING YOUR PLACE IN THE ROCK

And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there
shall no man see me, and live. And the Lord said,
Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand
upon a rock. And it shall come to pass, while my
glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the
rock, and I will cover thee with my hand while I
pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou
shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be
seen.

Exodus 33:20-23
 God told Moses, “There is a place by Me for you. You are
going to stand on a rock.” Moses was getting in on the secret
of God’s plan of redemption — that man belongs at the right
hand of God, meaning in His presence.

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us

together with Christ (by grace are ye saved;) And
hath raised us up together, and made us sit together
in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:5,6

Moses was getting in on the secret of the power and

authority of God. God told Moses, “There is a place I want to
take you. It’s right by Me, and you are going to stand upon a
rock.” Jesus is that rock!

Moses wasn’t just going to stand on the rock. God put him
in the cleft of the rock, which means, “I’m going to carve out a
niche in this rock and put you inside of the rock. Now you can
see my glory and my goodness and understand who I AM.”

I was raised in church and went to church every time the

doors were open. If they had a two-week meeting, we were
there every night for two weeks. We never voted on whether or
not we would go. My daddy said, “This is not a democracy.
This is a dictatorship.” We didn’t always like it, but I’m glad
now that he made us go.

I used to hear the congregation sing, “Rock of Ages, cleft

for me, let me hide myself in thee.” I never had a clue as to what
they were singing about until I was nineteen years old.

When I was nineteen I went to my daddy’s church one day

and began to pray. After praying in the Holy Ghost for two and
a half hours, the Spirit of God fell on me. God spoke to me,
“There is a place for you by Me. I want to show you your
place.” The Lord took me up into the heavenly places in a
vision and said, “This is your place.” I saw a big rock. God
said, “This is your place — right by Me!”

In this vision, God also said to me, “I have had your place by
Me reserved for you even before you were born. prepared it
ahead of time. Find that place and get in it. There is
deliverance, healing, prosperity, victory, and blessing in that
place.” In His presence I experienced joy, blessing, and victory
like I had never known. I didn’t know about Exodus 33 until
several years later. God had spoken to me exactly what He
spoke to Moses: “...There is a place by me, and thou shalt
stand upon a rock,” Exodus 33:21.

GLORY! GOD IS ALL GOOD

The prayer of Moses in Exodus 33:18 expresses the desire of
every believer. Moses asked God, “Show me thy glory.” God
responded with, “I will make all my goodness pass before
thee.” The glory of God is the goodness of God; the goodness
of God is a manifestation of the glory of God. God is a good
God!
 Can you imagine what it would be like to have all God’s
goodness pass before you? That is exactly what happened to
Moses — God revealed His goodness to him. The length,
depth, breadth, and height of God’s goodness overwhelmed
Moses — he had an experience with the glory of God. After
that day, he was a changed man. The glory of God always
changes us. Paul said that the goodness of God leads us to
repentance (Romans 2:4). On the road to Damascus, Paul had
an experience with the glory of God. The glory so radically
changed his life that he had to change his name. Paul was a
different man from that day on.

The glory of God so changed Moses’ whole countenance

that his face radiated — his face was shining. The glory of God
got in his skin. The goodness of God changes everything. The
glory of God touches and affects every aspect of your life.

Oh, how great is thy goodness...

Psalm 31:19

For how great is his goodness...

Zechariah 9:17

The psalmist David was trying to express the greatness of

God’s goodness in Psalm 31:19. I like David Baron’s
commentary on Zechariah 9:17, “Goodness is that attribute of
God whereby He loveth to communicate to all who can or will
receive it, ALL GOOD — yea Himself, who is the fullness and
universality of good, creator of all good, not in one way, not in
one kind of goodness only, but absolutely, without beginning,
without limit, without measure. This good, His goodness
bestoweth on all and each, according to the capacity of each to
receive it; nor is there any limit to His giving, save His
creature’s capacity of receiving.”

IN THE ROCK
The only limit to the goodness of God is our capacity to
receive. God told Moses, “I will show you my glory...there is a
place by me.” When believers take their place in Christ they are
properly positioned to see the glory of God. That is the
observation tower from which we receive.

...there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon

a rock.

Exodus 33:21

*****
Through the power of the death, burial, and resurrection God
put us IN CHRIST.
*****
He will put you IN THE ROCK! We now know that rock is
Jesus Christ. That is the ROCK OF AGES cleft for me. That is
the hiding place, the viewing place and the glory place. Take
your place in Christ. That is the unlimited receiving place.
Through the power of the death, burial, and resurrection, God
put us in Christ — in the rock. There is a place by the Father
God for every believer. By faith in the precious blood of Jesus,
take your place by the Father and receive His goodness!

YOUR PLACE BY THE FATHER

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most
High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my
fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Psalm 91:1,2

Psalm 91 is a great insurance policy! The company will never

go broke. We are to live in that secret place. Find your place by
the Father. Live in that place. Don’t let Hollywood tell you who
you are, where your place is, and how to dress, look, or act.
Don’t let people shape you. Get in the presence of God and let
Him shape you.

Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me

from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with
songs of deliverance.

Psalm 32:7

Climb into the secret place by the Father, and you will hear
somebody singing songs of deliverance. Hallelujah!

YOUR PLACE IN CHRIST

 When Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, the first
thing he said to Jesus was, “Who art thou, Lord?” (Acts 9:5).
The second thing he said to Jesus was, “Lord, what wilt thou
have me to do?” (v. 6). Saul, who became Paul, then spent the
rest of his life finding out who Jesus was and doing what Jesus
wanted him to do. Paul coined a phrase that is the signature of
his letters — in Christ.

EVERYBODY ON THE FRONT ROW

*****
Take your place in Christ and get ready for a front-row seat for
the glory of God!
*****
The Apostle Paul used the phrase in Christ, in Him, and in
Whom over 130 times. God sees you in Christ, but you must
see yourself in Him. You are a new creature in Christ. In Him,
you are righteous now, blessed now, healed now, free now,
forgiven now, and victorious now! Take your place in Christ
and get ready for a front-row seat for the glory of God!
Experiencing the glory and goodness of God is not just for a
select few believers. God has a reserved seat for you with your
name on it!

*****
He is the Lord our Provider, Healer, Shepherd, Righteousness,
and Victory!
*****
Very seldom do people use this phrase, in Christ, but Paul
said in Christ you are a new creation. In Him you are the
righteousness of God. In Him you are triumphant. In Him you
are blessed. In Him you are redeemed. In Him you have a
heritage — an identity and an inheritance!

But we all with open face beholding as in a mirror

the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same
image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of
the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:18
You will look a lot better in Christ than you do outside of
Him. So what do you need to do? Get on the rock, climb into
the rock, and in Him the glory of God will pass by. In Him you
will be changed. In Him is revelation. In Him the goodness of
God will come to your house.

I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee.

Exodus 33:19

I will announce to you the meaning of my name.

The Living Bible

...and so manifest to you what the Eternal is.

Moffat’s

The glory is a place of revelation. God reveals Himself to us

in ever increasing ways in the glory. He is the Lord our
Provider, Healer, Shepherd, Righteousness, and Victory. He is
everything we will ever need!

After Moses saw the glory of God, his understanding

expanded of who God is and how great His goodness is. Now
Moses could receive what was necessary for him to do all that
God required of him. We must see the glory of God to do the
will of God.

If you are outside of Jesus Christ, and you want to be in

Him, pray with me right now: Father, I want to find my place in
Christ by You, which You ordained for me before I was formed
in the womb. I acknowledge Jesus Christ as your Son, and I
believe He was crucified, buried, resurrected, and ascended to
your right hand, Father, paying for my redemption, liberty,
health, prosperity, and eternal life with His shed blood.
renounce every work of darkness, and I receive You now,
Jesus, as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for
empowering me with your Spirit, Who will teach, guide, and
lead me into my place in You. Amen.

IN CHRIST you are not just a different person, you are a NEW
KIND of person IN HIM.

You are a NEW KIND of creature that never existed before.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old

things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
II Corinthians 5:17, KJV
 Redemption is an accomplished fact in Christ. Jesus said,
“You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free,”
John 8:32. The truth will not help you if you do not know it.
You must see what God has done for you. In John 16:13, Jesus
called the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Truth. God wants you to be
free. He has given you His Holy Spirit to show you the things
of Christ.

GOD’S MASTERPIECE
God’s masterpiece happened in Christ. What God did for us
in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is the
masterpiece. This is the greatest display of love, wisdom,
power, and righteousness in the history of time and eternity.
God did in Christ what He wanted to do in every man. You must
see what happened from the cross to the throne. God
deposited all that He has in Christ and then He put you in
Christ.

The Louvre in Paris, France is famous for its display of the

world’s greatest art collection. It covers more than 40 acres and
exhibits many of the world’s greatest art treasures. The Louvre
has about eight miles of galleries and contains more than a
million works of art.

While preaching in Paris, I had one day to do some

sightseeing. On the way to the Louvre, my minister friend told
me that there were more than 400,000 masterpieces to see. If I
spent four seconds in front of each one, it would take me three
months to go through the Louvre. Since I did not have that
much time, I headed straight for the information desk to find
Leonardo da Vinci’s world-famous masterpiece, Mona Lisa. We
headed right for the Mona Lisa and spent extra time there.

If you see all the other paintings and sculptures and miss the
Mona Lisa, you have missed the most important work of art.
The same is true of the Bible. It contains the world’s greatest
collection of God’s works of art. However, if you see all the
beautiful pictures in the Word of God and miss God’s greatest
masterpiece, then you have really missed the Bible.

The Bible is the story of man’s redemption. All 66 books

contain pictures of God’s plan and purpose to restore man to
Himself. Jesus can be found in every book of the Bible. The
Bible is about Jesus, our Redeemer, and His work. The Holy
Spirit is your tour guide as you study redemption.
 FIRST IMPORTANCE
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I
also received, how that Christ died for our sins
according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried,
and that he rose again the third day according to
the Scriptures.

1 Corinthians 15:3,4

*****The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are the

center of the Gospel.
*****
The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are the center of
the Gospel. Paul says, “First of all I delivered unto you....” The
Revised Standard Version translates this, “as of first
importance.” The New English Bible says, “First and foremost,
I handed on to you the facts which had been imparted to me.”
Weymouth’s translation says, “Before all else.” The matter of
first importance is what God did for us in Christ Jesus in the
great plan of redemption.

Freedom through the payment of a price is the simple

definition of redemption. Webster’s Dictionary defines the
word “redeem” as: to buy back; to repurchase; to get back; to
recover; to ransom; to pay off (a mortgage or note); to
liberate from captivity; to deliver; to reclaim.
Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified
in due time.
1 Timothy 2:6
Who gave Himself as the price of freedom for all
men...

Plain English

...gave Himself as a ransom payment for all sorts of

persons.

Adams

He gave Himself to set all men free. Jesus gave

Himself as our ransom payment. He purchased our
freedom.

Translator’s

*****
Christianity does not begin with something you do, but with
something that has been done for you in Christ.
*****
Faith begins by knowing redemption facts. God paid the
price for you in Christ 2,000 years ago. As the old Gospel song
says, “Jesus paid it all.” Christianity does not begin with
something you do, but with something that has been done for
you in Christ. Everything Jesus did in His death and
resurrection was done for you, or as some translations say, “in
your behalf.”
 If everything Jesus did was for you, it is set to the credit of
your account. You could say Jesus gets the glory for
everything that has been done, but you get the credit because
He was acting in your behalf.

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his

own blood, he entered once into the Holy Place,
having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Hebrews 9:12

...secured our permanent deliverance.

Goodspeed

I like that! Think about it! Jesus has secured our permanent
deliverance. That is a powerful statement!

Satan’s dominion has been broken over mankind

permanently because of what Christ has done. Redemption is
not a temporary thing that must be added to by man or
replaced later by something more effective. The Amplified
Bible says, “...a complete redemption, an everlasting release.”
A complete redemption covers everything. An everlasting
release means it lasts forever. God has left nothing out.

All that man needs is supplied in Christ. The past, present,

and future have been taken care of. The spirit, soul, and the
body have been taken care of — all because of what Jesus has
done for us. That means you are not trying to get it or
struggling to get it. Jesus got it for you, so it is yours. You
have it now. Redemption is an accomplished fact in Christ.

The definition of redemption is deliverance through the

payment of a price. Jesus paid the price for your release. Let’s
look at several hath scriptures that the Apostle Paul wrote in
his letters. Christ ‘hath’ redeemed you from the curse of the law
(Galatians 3:13). God ‘hath’ qualified you for your inheritance
(Colossians 1:12). He ‘hath’ delivered you from the power of
darkness and ‘hath’ translated you into the kingdom of His
dear Son (Colossians 1:13). He ‘hath’ blessed you with every
spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). These hath
scriptures show that Jesus hath — past tense — paid the
price, and the prisoner must be released.

Man is literally held captive by sin, Satan, sickness, fear,

poverty, guilt, and many other things. Jesus paid the price for
your freedom. Jesus said that you shall know the truth and the
truth shall make you free. He whom the Son sets free is free
indeed (John 8:32,36).

In the first message Jesus preached, He said He would

“preach deliverance to the captives,” Luke 4:18. Beck’s
translation says, “...he sent me to announce to prisoners, ‘You
are free.’”

Jesus is not talking about His jail ministry. There are a lot of
people who are prisoners who are not in a county jail or a
federal prison. A prison ministry is a great ministry, but there
are many people held captive who are not behind steel bars;
they are behind real bars.

Only Jesus can bring deliverance. Only the power of the

Gospel can bring freedom. Your release from prison has been
accomplished through a price that was paid in your behalf. In
other words, this is not an illegal jail break! Your redemption
was legally purchased through the blood of Jesus. His death
and resurrection have established a new, universal fact for
every man. Jesus purchased your freedom. That means the
prison doors of Satan, sin, and sickness are open and the
prisoner is free — legally! The prisoner does not have to sneak
out some dark night. He can walk out in the daylight because
he has a legal release. God has not given you an illegal
redemption. God is righteous and He has righteously effected
your release.

You were prisoners, but now you are free. You do not have
to hide or sneak around the rest of your lives in fear. You have
been released, made righteous, and given eternal life — all
legally.

You were not redeemed with silver and gold...but

with the precious blood of Christ...

1 Peter 1:18,19

No amount of money could buy your release from Satan, sin,

or the past. Only the blood of Jesus was legal payment for your
freedom. If Jesus paid so high a price for your release, you
should not remain behind bars. The prison door is open. You
can simply walk out when you see what God, in Christ, has
done for you.

A LEGAL RELEASE
*****
Only the blood of Jesus was legal payment for your freedom.
It is not like you were prisoners and someone visited you
and gave you a file, a little saw, or something else that you
could use to try to get out on your own effort. Night after night
you would stay up late and secretly file away on the steel bars,
hoping not to get caught. After months and years of work, you
would finally break a few bars and try to get away. You would
run, and the dogs and the guards would chase you as you ran
through the swamp, only to be captured again and returned to
the same old prison.

That is not a picture of God’s release! That is the struggle of

man’s programs to try to get free. The Gospel of Christ is the
power of God. God has released you by His power working in
Christ in your behalf. The prison door is open! No filing - no
sneaking - no running - no swamps - no dogs. It is not your
effort. It is God’s gift to every man in Christ. Christ “hath”
redeemed you. You can walk out of your bondage into glorious
liberty. You are legally released. Hold your head up high and
boldly walk out in Jesus’ name!

YOU ARE REDEEMED

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,
 being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is
everyone that hangeth on a tree.

Galatians 3:13

The law put a curse on us. But Christ took away

that curse. He changed places with you. Christ put
himself under that curse...

Deaf

Christ it was who redeemed us from that curse of

the law, by receiving our curse on his own person.

Hayman’s

Christ has purchased our freedom.

Weymouth’s

There are three simple, yet powerful statements made in

Galatians 3:13. Let’s take a closer look. The first fact is that you
are redeemed. The second is what you are redeemed from—the
curse of the law. The third is what you were redeemed by—
Christ was made a curse for you. In other words, Christ took
your curse so you could go free.

Jesus paid much too high a price for your freedom for you to
stay bound. It is an insult to God for you to stay in prison
when Jesus paid the price for your release. Satan cannot hold
you. Sin cannot hold you. The past cannot hold you. Back to
our first fact: YOU ARE REDEEMED!

*****
It is an insult to God for you to stay in prison when Jesus paid
the price for your release.
*****
Next Paul tells you what you are redeemed from — the curse
of the law (Galatians 3:13). It is true that you will one day go to
heaven, and that will be a great day. However, someone said, “I
don’t just need help in the sweet-by-and-by; I need help in the
nasty now-and-now.” The curse of the law is broken today for
any man or woman who is in Christ. The center of the Gospel is
what God has done for you in Christ. Christ hath redeemed you
—not just when you get to heaven. The curse of the law has
been broken — not for just a few select individuals — for
“whosoever” will hear and believe in the Gospel.

Jesus demonstrated this Gospel by healing the sick and

setting the captives free in this world. This same Gospel
produced the same results in the book of Acts. Romans 10:17
says, “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of
God.” Paul preached the Gospel, and the crippled man at Lystra
received faith to be healed as he heard the message (Acts 14:7).
Paul said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on thy feet.” The
man leaped and walked. The people thought Paul healed the
man, but it was simply the demonstration of the power of the
Gospel.
 To see what the curse of the law is you need to turn to
Deuteronomy 28:15-68. This list includes everything from
sickness and poverty to disaster in the family and the nation.
The curse includes everywhere you go, everything you do,
and everybody you are with. Under the curse you are a
traveling, contagious disaster spiritually, mentally, and
physically. But Christ hath redeemed you from that curse. He
paid the price for your freedom. Even now the curse is broken.

*****
The Gospel is the good news that man has been given eternal
life through Jesus Christ.
*****
You can see the reverse of the curse by reading
Deuteronomy 28:1-13. All these blessings shall come on you
and overtake you. You are blessed in the city, field, family,
body, business, and you are “the head and not the tail, above
only and not beneath.”

Christ hath redeemed you. The Gospel is the good news that
man has been given eternal life through Jesus Christ. That life
is the very life of God imparted to His children. It is overcoming
life - reigning life - victorious life - blessing life - healing life -
not just for when you get to heaven. It is heaven’s life flowing
in you in this world.

The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to

everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). Someone said that if
you think you need more power, you really just need more
Gospel. The Gospel is the power of God. The word “gospel”
means glad tidings or good news. The Gospel is where God
has released His power for the purpose of producing salvation.

God has targeted His power at man’s deepest needs — spirit,

soul, and body. God knows the root of your problems, and He
has effectually focused His power there. Everything Satan has
done in Adam, God has reversed in Christ. The word
“salvation” has a five-fold meaning: deliverance, healing,
safety, preservation, and soundness. This is not just a
“heaven” message; it is an “earth” message as well. It is not
just something for later; this is a NOW message. Notice we
have redemption in Christ.

In whom we have redemption through his blood

even the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:14

...who bought our freedom with his own blood.

Living Bible

... by whom we have been ransomed from captivity.

Goodspeed

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the

forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his
grace.
 Ephesians 1:7

It is in and through Christ and the sacrifice of His

life that we have been liberated....

Barclay

...through the shedding of His blood we possess

freedom in Him....

Barth

For it was by this one’s supreme sacrifice that we

got our ‘emancipation’....

Jordan

...who bought us with his blood to forgive our sins

and set us free

Beck

THE CENTER OF THE GOSPEL

The center of the Gospel is the death, burial, and
resurrection of Christ. After His resurrection, Jesus told the
disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every
creature,” Mark 16:15.
 There are ten messages recorded in the book of Acts that
show us what they understood the Gospel to be — five
messages by the apostle Peter and five by the apostle Paul. In
each of these messages, the central point is that Jesus died and
was buried, but He arose from the dead. He is alive! This is the
center of the Gospel. The disciples knew what those events
had produced for every man. The power that God released in
the resurrection of Christ is contained in the message.

*****
The Gospel contains the power that God released in Christ
2,000 years ago.
*****
Someone said that the death, burial, and resurrection of
Christ are eternal God events. We give them a date and place
because they are historical events, but they are more than just
history. They are supernatural, eternal God events, and they
can be visited at any point in time as though they were
happening right then. The same power that God released in
these events is in the message. The Gospel contains the power
that God released in Christ 2,000 years ago.

The Gospel produces faith. The Word of God is a living

thing. Christ hath redeemed you! The Gospel is not the good
news that God can help you. It is not the good news that God
wants to help you. It is the good news that God has already
helped you in Christ. The price has been paid, and the prisoner
is free. The curse of sin and Satan has been broken by the
mighty name of Jesus. His blood still speaks of your
redemption today.

PAUL’S SYSTEM OF TRUTH

In the Apostle Paul’s letters to the church, there is a network
of revelation concerning who Christ is and what He has done. I
call it “Paul’s System of Truth” from Weymouth’s translation of
Romans 6:17, “But thanks be to God that though you were
once in thralldom to sin, you have now yielded a hearty
obedience to that system of truth in which you have been
instructed.”

This system of truth can be found throughout Paul’s letters.

These things are interrelated and form a redemption network
centered on the death and resurrection of Christ with the
restoration of man as the object. There are eight points in
Paul’s system of truth.

1. Man on three dimensions: spirit, soul, and body

2. Identification with Adam

3. Man’s condition in Adam

4. What happened to Jesus from the cross to the throne

5. Identification with Christ

6. Who we are and what we have NOW in Christ

7. What Jesus is doing for us at the right hand of God

 8. How to develop to spiritual maturity

I have studied Paul’s system of truth since I was about

seventeen years old. I still do not tire of it and have never
completed it. I will only touch on this briefly here.

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of

sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of
doctrine which was delivered you. And being then
made free from sin, you became the servants of
righteousness.

Romans 6:17

Not only are you free from sin, but here it says that you
became a servant or a slave of righteousness. How did that
happen? Paul says “You obeyed the form of doctrine that was
delivered you.”

Many people say, “Well, doctrine is legalism, or doctrine is

denominationalism, or doctrine is going to lock me in.”
However, the Apostle Paul says, “All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect,” 2 Timothy
3:16,17.

Weymouth’s translation of Romans 6:17 says, “You obeyed

the system of truth in which you were instructed in.” So
doctrine is a system of truth. What is a system? A system is a
group of items that are interrelated and interdependent. They
cannot stand alone; they must work together. That is a system.

Networks work together. For example, television networks

such as ABC, NBC, and CBS have affiliates. You must show
the same programs on your affiliate station as they show or
you cannot be in their network. Computer systems have
networks. The universe has a solar system. The human body
has a nervous system and a digestive system.

The simplest illustration of a system is a chain. A chain is a

group of links that are interdependent upon each other for the
strength of the whole. Not any one link can be a chain; all the
links are dependent upon each other. In Paul’s system of truth
the eight points are the eight links which center on redemption.

Whatever Paul taught in Rome, he also taught in Colossae,

Ephesus, Corinth, Thessalonica, and wrote in his letter to the
Hebrews. This system of truth contains the revelation of what
God did in Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection and its
effect on you. This is something Paul covers more thoroughly
than the other Bible writers.

PROCLAMATION, DEMONSTRATION,
EXPLANATION
The four Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - are a
proclamation of the Gospel. The book of Acts is a
demonstration of the Gospel. Paul’s epistles are an explanation
of the Gospel. We must have the Gospel of Christ in all three
forms: proclamation, demonstration, and explanation.
*****
The four Gospels are a photograph of redemption — Paul’s
epistles are an X-ray.
*****
One of the Apostle Paul’s assignments was to write a Holy
Spirit-inspired explanation of the Gospel of Christ. Paul’s
revelation tells us the necessity of the crucifixion of Christ. He
tells us what happened in the unseen, or in the spirit. The four
Gospels tell what man saw and Paul’s epistles tell us what God
saw. Paul tells us what happened in God’s economy when
Jesus died and was raised from the dead. Paul tells what
happened when Jesus ascended into heaven and secured our
redemption with His blood.

The four Gospels are a photograph of redemption — Paul’s

epistles are an X-ray. You can see things in an X-ray of an
individual that you cannot see in a photograph. Both of these
pictures are necessary. The Gospel is multifaceted and meets
every need.

God would not make an “unrighteous” new creature. He

already has an unrighteous old creature. As a new creature IN
CHRIST you have been made the righteousness of God IN
HIM.

...in our behalf God identified Him with everything in the whole
realm of sin in order that by trusting Him, we might become
(recipients of) God’s kind of righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (Black.)
 If you have studied psychology, you know three factors
have determined what kind of person you are: genetic
determinism, psychic determinism, and environmental
determinism. The reason it is called determinism is because
there is no escape.

There is some truth to all these things, but God brings

another factor, which I call in Christ determinism.

...if any man be IN CHRIST, he is a new creature:

old things are passed away; behold all things are
become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
*****
Once you are in Christ and in the body of Christ, there are
supernatural connections all around you.
*****
Genetic determinism means you are what you are because of
your genes. You are what you are because of your parents or
what runs in your family. Being in Christ has given you a gene
change. That means you have been regenerated or regened.
God has done some genetic engineering in Christ. You have
been born of God. God is your Father, Jesus is your older
brother, and some new things run in your family.

Psychic determinism means that your identity, your behavior,

and your potential are produced by your thinking. Although
there is some truth to that, you have some new thoughts now.
God said, “I will give you My thoughts now, so have another
determinism.”

I like what a friend of mine said, “I carry my brains in my

hand. When someone asks me what I think, I say, ‘Hold it just a
second. Let me look in my brains.’” Then he would open his
Bible.

When someone asks you what you think about something,

say, “Hold it just a minute. I have my brains right here. Let me
see what I think. I think I am healed. I think I am happy. I think I
am prosperous. I think my steps are ordered by the Lord. That
is what I think.”

Environmental determinism means you are what you are, and

your surroundings and the influences around you limit your
future. Once you are in Christ and in the body of Christ, there
are supernatural connections all around you. When you go to
your company, your church, and start praying, you are in a
whole new environment (Acts 4:23).

What makes you the way that you are? Once you get born
again, these three determinism factors all change. Your future
and your potential are radically altered as a result of it.

People with in Christ determinism think God’s thoughts and

see themselves in Him. In Christ determinism is stronger than
any other factor that tries to shape you. There are 130 in Christ,
in Him, in Whom, and in the Lord scriptures that show your
new identity.

...old things are passed away; behold, all things are

become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
...the original conditions have passed away...they
have been replaced by new conditions.

Wade

...a true Christian is not merely a man altered but a

man remade.

Deane

The old conditions are gone, and there are new conditions.
Everything has become new. It is good news that all things are
made new, but it is also good news that old things are passed
away. If all you have as a Christian is something new added to
you, you would still have to deal with and live with the old
conditions. In Christ old things are passed away. Another
translation says, “...dead and gone.” Your past is dead and
gone.

God told Jeremiah, “Go down to the potter’s house, and I’ll
show you how I can take a vessel that has been marred and
make it all over again,” Jeremiah 18:4. People will look at you
and say, “You do not look like the same person.” You can say,
“I’m not. I am in Christ.”

IDENTIFY WITH CHRIST

 People often talk about what happened to them in their past.
Their identity and identification are so hooked up with their
past. Some people even call themselves by an experience that
happened to them, such as, “I am divorced.” No, divorce might
have happened to you, but you are not presently divorced.

Some people identify with what has happened to them. They

say, “I was abused.” Then they join a support group and their
identity gets worse because everybody there is abused.

However, your identification with Christ changes everything.

It does not mean that you were not abused, you did not have a
problem with drinking, or you were not divorced.

People go through all those things, but your identification

with Christ is stronger than that. You could say that what
happened to you in Christ is bigger than anything else that has
happened to you.

*****
What happened to Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection
is greater than anything else that ever happened to you.
*****
This does not mean your past experience did not happen.
The devil is mean, and bad things happen to good people.
Sometimes things happen to people when they are children and
they never get over it. As a matter of fact, when you start
talking to people, what happened when they were 12, 15, or 25
years old will come out of their mouths. Even when they are 70
years old, they still talk about what happened. Someone did
something to them that impacted their lives so greatly, they
never got beyond it.

Oh, but in Christ! What happened to Christ in His death,

burial, and resurrection is greater than anything else that ever
happened to you. Hallelujah!

POWERFUL PREPOSITIONS
These important prepositions help us understand our
identification with Christ: for, with, in, by, and through. Arthur
S. Way commented in his translation of The Letters of Saint
Paul:

Prepositions “on,” “by,” “through,” “with” are

compelled frequently to do duty for which they are
inadequate. What they are intended to express is
practically nullified by the fact that they are
required to express too much.

In Paul’s epistles these prepositions go unnoticed, even

though they are the connecting words that show the
relationship of the subjects mentioned, in this case the
believer’s identification with Christ. I agree with Arthur S. Way,
and I also would add the preposition in, which is used more
than 130 times in Paul’s letters.

The preposition for shows substitution. Christ died for us or

in our behalf. The preposition with shows identification. The
preposition in shows union with Christ. The preposition
through shows application. For example:

I can do all things through Christ who

strengtheneth me.

Philippians 4:13

The phrase “in Christ” is never translated to mean anything

else except “in union with Christ.” That is the only other way it
can be translated. What does it mean to be in Christ?

JOINED TO CHRIST
“But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit,” 1
Corinthians 6:17. What does that mean? When you were born
again, your spirit was joined to the Master, or joined to Christ.
Like a bay of water is one with the ocean, your spirit is one
with Christ. When the water rises in the ocean, it rises in the
bay. The same stuff that is in the ocean gets into the bay. The
same stuff that is in Christ right now is in you. I am talking
about the same stuff — the same life, same victory, same joy,
and same power.

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR UNION WITH

CHRIST
*****
The same stuff that is in Christ right now is in you.
*****
When you get born again, you get “in Christed.” Your spirit
is joined to Christ. One translation of 1 Corinthians 6:17 says,
“your spirit is joined to the Master.” You share a common life,
the same life, the same righteousness, the same triumph, and
the same blessing. When God looks at you, He sees you in
Him, but your faith will not be effectual until you start to
acknowledge, confess, and declare your identity in Christ. You
have to acknowledge it. Confession is one way to acknowledge
your identity in Christ.

I encourage you to make a daily confession of who you are

in Christ. Actually, the Word says to acknowledge it. So
acknowledge could mean more than just confession. In other
words, you declare it, but to acknowledge it would mean to go
ahead and act like it.

*****
Confession is one way to acknowledge your identity in Christ.
*****
That is why people need to run, laugh, dance, shout, and
daily rejoice by faith. This demonstrates our victory in Christ.
That is an acknowledgement of the triumph of Christ. It is an
acknowledgement that the victory of Christ is so big that the
devil does not have a chance. This is not even a close call.
This is a 24-second knockout. Do not hesitate when the Holy
Spirit is moving. What He is trying to get you to do is
acknowledge who you are in Christ.

The devil is scared of you when you get in the Spirit. When
you are in the flesh, thinking of yourself in the natural, you let
the devil keep you in the realm of your soul, your reasoning,
and your mind. The devil can whip you all day long.

The moment you step out of the natural and out of

circumstances, you step right over into who you are in Christ.
Your spirit man begins to respond by taking ascendancy over
your flesh, your mind, and the circumstances of your faith.
Your inner man will rise up and say, “All right, devil, I have had
enough of this.” The devil will mess with you all day long until
you rise up in the Spirit. I like to say it like this: A fly will not
land on a hot stove!

I LIKE THAT “AM” BUSINESS

When I was a senior in high school, I found 130 “in Christ”
scriptures, wrote them down, and began to confess them. I put
them on a cassette tape. Every morning when I woke up, I
heard myself saying, “I am a new creation in Christ, old things
are passed away, everything has become new.”

I like that “I am” business. The world is full of people who

are trying to be and used to be. Have you ever heard
somebody say, “He’s a wannabe”? “Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he IS...,” 2 Corinthians 5:17. This is present tense —
right now. I am not trying to be, need to be, hope to be, or
someday going to be. Right now, I am in Christ. I am in I AM
and so I am. I am a new creation. I am the righteousness of
God. I am triumphant.

It is not something I am trying to get or something I am

trying to do. It is something in my genes. I have been born
again, and God’s life and nature is in me. It is in my genes; it
runs in my family. I am in union with the Champion. I am in
Christ.

SUBSTITUTION AND IDENTIFICATION

When we talk about identification with Christ, it is rather
difficult to understand. You say, “Identification with Christ —
what does that mean?” That is the center of the Church. It is
really the center of all theology.

We are instructed to practice two ordinances in the Church

today. One of them is water baptism and the other one is the
Lord’s Supper. Water baptism is a picture of your identification
with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-
6).

The Lord’s Supper is to be practiced regularly. Jesus said,

“...this do in remembrance of me...this do ye, as oft as ye drink
it, in remembrance of me,” 1 Corinthians 11:24,25. Eating His
flesh and partaking of His blood in the Lord’s Supper reveals
that you are in union with Him. These are types of your union
and your identification with Christ. You are in Him. You are
crucified with Him. You are buried with Him, and you are raised
up with Him.

BE SWALLOWED UP
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages
 and from generations, but now is made manifest to
his saints: To whom God would make known what
is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the
Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Colossians 1:26,27

Paul shared his revelation in Colossians 1:26,27, “This

mystery was hidden for ages and generations, but I am

going to to tell you what the secret is. It is Christ in you, the
hope of glory.” I am swallowed up in Christ. In other words,
man’s condition was so bad, he could not be fixed. God had to
make a totally brand new man. Your identification with Christ in
His death, burial, and resurrection shows your new conditions.
In Him you died, you were buried, and you were raised from the
dead.

IN CHRIST SURGERY
I heard the story of a California fireman whose hand was
burned so badly, the doctors thought they would have to
amputate. They decided to try another procedure because of
the human body’s regenerative powers. They operated on the
fireman, inserted his burned hand inside his body, and left it in
there. When they removed the hand after a number of days, the
skin had begun to grow back again.

God said, “Man’s condition is so bad, it looks like he is

going to have to be amputated. Before we do that, I have a
surgical procedure. I can cut Myself open and I will put him
inside of Me.” On the cross an incision was made, and God put
you in Christ.

You were on your way to death, destruction, poverty, and

lack, and God said, “There is nothing we can do. We will have
to cut ourselves open and put man in us.” Paul called this a
mystery, but this is redemption — you are in Him. You are
joined to Him, identified with Him, and in Him we live and move
and have our being (Acts 17:28).

*****
The difference between Christianity and all other religions is
this fact: Jesus died, He was buried, and on the third day He
arose from the dead.
*****
The surgery God performed in the death, burial, and
resurrection of Christ was such a massive project, He planned
it for thousands of years. Our redemption was such a big
project, He had to talk to people for thousands of years just to
get someone to believe Him. Because of man’s condition, this
“in Christ” surgical procedure was the only way man could be
saved. The difference between Christianity and all other
religions is this fact: Jesus died, He was buried, and on the
third day He arose from the dead.

Mankind did not need a book. We did not need a lesson. We

needed a new birth. We needed to be redeemed — we needed
the blood of Jesus. We needed His death and His resurrection.
You cannot just give people a lesson. That is why every other
religion is inferior to Christianity. Jesus died, He was buried,
and He arose from the dead. That is the center of the Gospel.

Your identification with Christ is activated by your identical

confession of faith of who you are In Christ.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but

Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I
live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave
Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20, KJV
 Understanding righteousness and understanding
redemption are essential to your faith working mightily.
Righteousness simply means “right standing with God.” The
main theme of the book of Romans is righteousness. The
Apostle Paul begins by saying that the Gospel of Christ is
fundamentally a revelation of righteousness.

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it

is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For
therein is the righteousness of God revealed from
faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by
faith.

Romans 1:16,17
 Righteousness is living in a state of divine favor or being
pleasing, accepted, or approved by God. Righteousness is a
gift.

For if by one man’s offense, death reigned by one;

much more they which receive the abundance of
grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in
life by one, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:17

*****
Everything Jesus did, He did for you — it is set to the credit of
your account as though you did it.
*****
The Gospel is a revelation of how God makes man righteous.
2 Corinthians 5:21 not only tells you what you have but how
you got it, “For He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew
no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in
Him.” Jesus took your sinful condition so you could receive
His righteous condition. He took your place so you could have
His place.

SUBSTITUTION, IDENTIFICATION, UNION

Everything Jesus did, He did for you — it is set to the credit
of your account as though you did it. This is the progression
from substitution to identification and union with Christ. When
someone is born again, He is a new creature in Christ Jesus;
old things are passed away and everything is new (2
Corinthians 5:17). God would not make an unrighteous new
creature. If you are saved, you must be righteous.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord

Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For
with the heart man believeth unto righteousness
and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.

Romans 10:9,10

Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised

again for our justification.

Romans 4:25

When Jesus was raised from the dead, you were justified or
declared righteous. You could say that Jesus was not raised
from the dead until you were declared righteous. The penalty
for sin was paid in full and God declared you righteous. This is
the reason the Gospel is good news to every person.

But now the righteousness of God without the law is

manifested, being witnessed by the law and the
prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by
faith of Jesus Christ unto and upon all them that
believe; for there is no difference. For all have
 sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being
justified freely by His grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God set forth to be a
propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare
His righteousness for the remission of sins that are
past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I
say, at this time his righteousness: that He might be
just, and the justifier of him which believeth in
Jesus.

Romans 3:21-26

Righteousness is yours through faith in the precious blood

of Jesus. God has not only forgiven the sinner, but He has
made him His very own righteousness. He has not only
forgiven the one who believes in Jesus, but He has forgotten
that he has ever done anything wrong (Isaiah 43:25,26). You are
not only forgiven, but you have been recreated with God’s own
righteousness imparted to you. We have been recreated in
righteousness.

Jesus has given you His standing with the Father God. Jesus
has let you share His place with God. In Christ is your place of
righteousness. In Him you are free from the power, control, and
effects of sin. In Him you have confidence in the presence of
God. In Christ and by faith in His blood, you have boldness
not only before God, but also before your adversary, the devil,
who comes to accuse you. In Christ you are free from guilt and
shame. In Him you are free from inferiority and unworthiness.
 You can grow in faith and love and holiness, but not in
righteousness. You can never get any more righteous than the
moment you are born again and washed in the blood of Jesus.
Righteousness is a gift. You are a righteous new creature!

FIRST CLASS RIGHTEOUSNESS

I do a lot of international flying and know that you can fly
economy class, business class, or first class. I have had the
blessing of flying first class on occasion and have noticed
there is a great deal of difference between the service in first
class and economy class.

When you come on the plane in first class, immediately the

attendant will make sure you have everything to make you
comfortable. You are offered something to drink or eat. They
will take your coat, make sure you have a blanket or pillow, and
help you put up your belongings. However, in economy class
they almost act irritated that you are there! The seating isn’t so
comfortable. Don’t ask for anything special — they’ll tell you
to get it yourself.

If you have an aisle seat, you can look up the aisle and see
into first class. You know things are much better up there, but
you are stuck in economy class. After a while they won’t even
let you look. They pull a curtain as if to say you don’t even
deserve to look into first class! You develop a real economy
mentality as the person next to you goes to sleep and snores
and slobbers. However, God spoke to me through all of this
and said, “There is no Economy Class righteousness. All of the
God-kind of righteousness is First Class righteousness!”

The moment anyone receives Jesus, that man or woman is

made the righteousness of God. You are heirs of God and joint-
heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). You reign as kings in life
because of God’s grace and the gift of righteousness (Romans
5:17). When you come on board in Christ, all heaven stands at
attention. The blessings of heaven are yours in Him. The
authority of heaven is yours in His name. God is your very own
Father and you are His very own child.

The blessings and benefits of righteousness are listed

throughout the Old and New Testaments. In Him you have
been made the righteousness of God. Understanding
righteousness has a mighty effect on every area of your life,
including your prayer life.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man

makes tremendous power available, dynamic in its
working.

James 5:16, Amplified

*****
You have tremendous power in prayer when you abide in
Christ and His Words abide in you.
*****
Smith Wigglesworth said, “You need to see how wonderful
you are in God and how helpless you are in yourself.” You
must see yourself in Christ. Without Him, you could do
nothing. You have tremendous power in prayer when you
abide in Christ and His Words abide in you.

If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you

shall ask whatever you will and it shall be done
unto you.

John 15:7

FREEDOM FROM GUILT AND SIN

CONSCIOUSNESS
God does not want His children to live with a continual
consciousness of sin, failure, defeat, weakness, guilt, and
inferiority. As a father of two children, I know I don’t want my
children to live that way. God is your heavenly Father and He is
glorified when you reflect His life, joy, and victory. This does
not mean that you won’t have challenges. You live in a world
that is full of adversity, but you are overcomers because you
are born of God (1 John 5:4). Instead of a sense of sin or guilt,
you should have a sense of righteousness and triumph.

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us

to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the
savour of His knowledge by us in every place.
2 Corinthians 2:14
In Christ is your place of triumph. Notice Paul said “in every
place.” The savour is the smell of victory. Paul was in some
difficult places but he said, “I keep smelling like the victory of
Jesus.” Paul was shipwrecked, snake-bit, beaten in the head,
and left for dead, yet he came out saying, “I am more than a
conqueror in Christ,” (Romans 8:37). He came out smelling like
a rose with victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. Paul
saw himself in Christ.

Some people have been through some very tough things,

and they came out smelling like their bad experience. God
wants you to keep smelling like the triumph of Christ. This
means you have to live in the consciousness and with the
confession of who you are in Christ.

THE SMELL OF TRIUMPH

Several years ago on one of our family vacations, I decided
to drive through a wild animal park in Oklahoma. We purchased
some small buckets of feed to give to the various animals as we
drove through. My daughter, Alicia, was sitting in the front
passenger seat. My wife, Trina, and my son, Aaron, were
sitting in the back seat.

At first all we saw were deer, so we fed the deer and they
were nice and cute. Then a llama came strolling up on Alicia’s
side of the van. He scared her so much that she quickly pushed
the power switch and rolled up her window.

I laughed and said, “I’m not afraid of a llama.” The llama

must have heard me say that because immediately he came to
my side of the van. I began to feed him out of my bucket. All of
a sudden he forced his whole head in the window and ate out
of my bucket with his whole head in my lap. Alicia and I began
to laugh nervously. The llama pulled his head out of the bucket
and sneezed in my van! Llama spit and snot and slimy stuff
went all across the front dash and on our clothes. It was nasty
and had a terrible smell. I immediately slapped the llama’s head
to get him out and rolled up the window, but the damage had
been done.

We left the park and headed for the nearest store to get
something to clean up the mess. We finally got the slime out,
but the smell was more difficult. During our whole vacation we
could smell the llama sneeze every time we got in the van. That
smell stayed in the van for months before we finally got it out.
The llama was gone, but the smell was still there!

*****
God wants you to apply the blood of Jesus to your life in every
situation and smell like the triumph of Christ.
*****
Sin and Satan are the same way. When the devil gets his
head in your life, he will not leave until he has sneezed on you
and made a mess. Jesus shed His blood, died, and arose from
the dead for you to undo all that the devil has done. God not
only wants to get the devil’s head out and clean up the mess,
but He also wants you to be free from the smell of the past.
God does not want you to smell like sin, failure, guilt, and
shame.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we

have fellowship one with another and the blood of
Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 1:7
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
In whom we have boldness and access with
confidence by the faith of him.

Ephesians 3:12

God wants you to apply the blood of Jesus to your life in

every situation and smell like the triumph of Christ. In Chris
you have a sense of righteousness and victory. You can forget
about the past and press on for the high calling of God today
and in your future (Philippians 3:13-14). The blood of Jesus
cleanses us from all sin. Thank God for the Blood of Jesus.

You don’t need more POWER; You need more GOSPEL.

The GOSPEL of Christ is the power of God.

The same power that is in the actual event of the death, burial,
and resurrection is in the message of the Gospel.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power

of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew
first, also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16, KJV
 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer
live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the
body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me
and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20, NIV

*****
Everything Jesus did, He did for you. It is set to the credit of
your account as though you did it.
*****
The substitutionary work of Christ and His love for you is
revealed in Galatians 2:20. Paul’s understanding of Christianity
is based on substitution (what Christ has done for you) and on
identification (that Jesus took your place and died your death
so that you might live). Everything Jesus did, He did for you. It
is set to the credit of your account as though you did it. Jesus
gave Himself for you; He died in your place. Now you can see
how God changes your identity.

AN IDENTITY CHANGE
Paul is not talking about a spiritual state that he has come to.
Rather, he is talking about what happened on the cross in the
death, burial, and resurrection of Christ — what happened the
moment he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Paul is
talking about an identity change. The moment you say yes to
Jesus — not some thirty years later — you can say, “I was
crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
lives in me,” Galatians 2:20. The Noli translation says, “I have
been crucified with Christ. Now it is not my old self, but Christ
Himself lives in me.”

To be crucified with Christ means the old self, the old person
you used to be, is gone and now Christ Himself lives in you.
You ought to be doing very well if Christ Himself is living in
you! He has conquered the devil, the world, and the flesh. He
is triumphant!

You can get real mental about this and say, “I wonder what
he is trying to say?” If you think too much about it, you will
never figure it out. Accept it at face value and declare, “This is
God’s revelation of Christianity. It is who I am and what I have.
I have been crucified with Christ. Christ Himself now lives in
me.” Hallelujah!
 I died when Christ died on the cross. I do not live
now, but Christ lives in me.

Galatians 2:20, Cressman

I have been crucified with Christ and live now not

with my own life but with the life of Christ who lives
in me. The life I now live in this body, I live in faith
— faith in the Son of God who loved me and
sacrificed Himself for my sake.

Jerusalem

Recently, after I taught a class about identification with

Christ, someone said to me, “Pastor, all the sermons I have ever
heard about what happened on the cross always identified us
with the crowd — the Roman soldiers, Mary the mother of
Jesus, the disciples, or someone in the crowd who was
hollering, ‘Crucify Him.’ No one ever told us that Jesus
identified with us and we are identified with Him.”

Christ took me to the cross with Him and I died

there with Him.

Galatians 2:20, Laubach

That means you were crucified together with Him when He

was crucified. This is the most powerful aspect of your
redemption. If you died with Him, Paul says, we were made
alive, raised, and seated with Him (Ephesians 2:4-6).

WERE YOU THERE?

*****
More happened on the cross and in the resurrection than can
be seen with the natural eye.
*****
The old Gospel hymn says, “Were you there when they
crucified my Lord? Were you there when they laid Him in the
tomb? Were you there when he rose up from the grave?
Sometimes it causes me to tremble....” I remember hearing that
song as a child and thinking, “Of course I wasn’t there. That
happened 2,000 years ago.” I did not understand Paul’s
revelation. I did not understand what happened “in the Spirit”
or what God saw happen in the death, burial, and resurrection
of Christ.

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul says that we were
there in the death, burial, resurrection, triumph, and seating of
Jesus Christ. More happened on the cross and in the
resurrection than can be seen with the natural eye. Jesus took
you with Him in his death, burial, and resurrection — that is the
X-ray picture. That is what God saw. When you see what God
saw, it will make you tremble sometimes. The power and the
glory of God are yours in Christ.

THE GOSPEL IS A GROUP PICTURE

The first thing you look for in a group picture is yourself.
Since the Gospel is a group picture, you need to look for
yourself and by faith find yourself in the death, burial, and
resurrection of Christ. You don’t look too good on the cross,
but in the resurrection you look great in Christ.

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CROSS

*****
Since the Gospel is a group picture, you need to look for
yourself and by faith find yourself in the death, burial, and
resurrection of Christ.
*****
Sometimes even theologians and historians struggle with
scripture that talks about our identity with Christ. They say,
“The Apostle Paul is kind of a ‘loony toon’ because he says he
was crucified with Christ. We know Paul was not crucified with
Christ because he was not even in Jerusalem when Jesus was
crucified.” They might even say, “So how could he have been
crucified with Christ? Jesus was on the center cross. There was
a thief on one side and a criminal on the other. How could Paul
say he was crucified with Christ?” I believe Paul was talking
about revelation knowledge of what happened in the Spirit
when Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected.

You can approach what happened on the cross with a

sentimental view; however, it will not cause a change in your
identity. For example, people may cry or get goose bumps while
watching a drama of the cross and the resurrection of Christ,
but give them three days and they will be back in the bar.
When there is no change in identity, they will go right back
into sin.

If you really want to strike at the root of your old sinful

nature and have an identity change, there must be revelation
knowledge of what happened in the death, burial, and
resurrection of Christ — not just a sentimental or ceremonial
view. People can believe an innocent man died, but that is not
the real view of the cross. Jesus was innocent. He knew no sin
and He was made to be sin for us. It was not the Roman
soldiers who crucified Him because Jesus said, “...I lay down
my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but
I lay it down of myself...,” John 10:17,18.

JESUS TOOK US WITH HIM

You may be asking, “What took Jesus to the cross, then?” It
wasn’t the Roman soldiers. It wasn’t even the Jews. What
really took Christ to the cross was the need for Him to take you
and me with Him. In other words, it was planned ahead of time.
Jesus was made to be sin for us. He took our sin. We died there
with Him! Don’t get mad at any group of people for Jesus’
crucifixion. Instead, get mad at sin and the devil and recognize
what God did for you in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

The reason a man in Christ is something that never existed

before is because Jesus, in His death, burial, and resurrection,
did something that had never been done before.
...and a true Christian is not merely a man altered, but a man
remade...
2 Corinthians 5:17, Deane
 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him
up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely
give us all things?

Romans 8:32

How, then, shall we respond to all this? If God is

rootin’ for us, who can win over us? If he didn’t
hold back his own Son, but put him in the game for
us all, won’t he even more gladly, in addition to his
Son, equip us with all we need to win the game?

Jordan

I played football in high school so I know what it means to

come in as a substitute for somebody. If you have ever
watched a football game on TV, you hear announcers giving
their commentary on what is taking place in the game. You may
hear the announcer talk about a particular player, let’s say
number 65 (that was my number in high school). The guys on
the other team are pounding him all over the field and stomping
him really bad. He is bleeding and has grass stains and dirt all
over him. Every time the ball is hiked, number 65 gets
slaughtered. He gets pushed so far back that you think he’s on
the other team. Number 65 is just being dominated by the other
team. Then the coach says, “I’ve got a plan.” He pulls number
65 out and replaces him with the strongest man on the team.

GOD’S GOT A PLAN

*****
God moved on the inside of you and got in your jersey. He
identified with you so you could identify with Him.
*****
That’s what God did for us when He sent Jesus to die in our
place. God put Jesus in number 65’s (mankind’s) jersey. Number
65 runs back on the field, and now the whole picture changes.
The announcer says, “You know, something has happened to
number 65. He’s moving that ball all over the field now.”

Before man was identified with Christ in His death, burial,

and resurrection, he had been whipped all over by depression,
discouragement, fear, failure, shame, and guilt. But now,
number 65 is winning and he’s dominating.

God saw our condition and knew that He could not train us
enough to change the game. He knew there was no other way
than to get in our jersey. He said, “We can’t train them, let’s
just jump on the inside of them. I’ll live on the inside of them.
I’ll walk in them.” God moved on the inside of you and got in
your jersey. He identified with you so you could identify with
Him.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet

not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I
now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

Identification is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as: to

consider or treat as the same, the condition or fact of being,
the same in all qualities under consideration. These words
are all related to each other: identification, identity, identical,
and identified. Many people live and die and never really find
their true identity.

PROOF OF IDENTIFICATION
Have you ever checked in for a flight and been asked for
proof of identification? You can say, “Here I am. Can’t you see
-this is me? I can prove that I exist. Just look.” Even when I
played baseball in elementary school, they wanted to see my
birth certificate! I could have said, “Look, I can prove I was
born. Here I am.” That was not enough. I needed some
authentic, legal, official proof that I was who I said I was. This
is all a part of life in this natural world.

In the realm of the Spirit you say, “Well, here I am.

Obviously, I am who I am.” God will ask, “Do you have any
identification on you?” You say, “I sure do, I have some
identification right here in Galatians 2:20: I am crucified with
Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me.”

There is a radical change in Christ. Everything is changed.

There is nothing left of what you used to be.

...he becomes a new person altogether - the past is finished and

gone, everything has become fresh and new.
2 Corinthians 5:17, Phil.
 There are two kinds of knowledge: sense knowledge and
revelation knowledge. Sense knowledge refers to what you
learn through your five senses. Revelation knowledge comes
from the Word of God by the Holy Spirit.

An example of revelation knowledge is found in Matthew

16:13-17. Jesus asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I
the Son of man am?” The disciples responded, “Some say that
thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or
one of the prophets.” Then Jesus asked, “But whom say ye
that I am?” Simon Peter, through revelation knowledge, spoke
up, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said
to Simon Peter, “Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee,
but my Father which is in heaven.” In other words, Jesus told
Peter, “You did not learn this through your five senses; you
learned it through revelation knowledge.”
 That is why Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17 that God would
“give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of him.” Paul isn’t referring to just learning more
about God. He was referring to knowledge revealed by the
Holy Spirit.

REVEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

*****
If you go by head knowledge...the Word of God will lose its
effectiveness and its power.
*****
Revelation knowledge comes when the eyes of your spirit
are opened up. It is when the Holy Spirit transmits the things of
Christ. God is a Spirit, and His truths are revealed through your
spirit. The Holy Spirit transmits the things of Christ to you. You
see something that no one else in the natural realm sees. You
see that God has done something that is not natural. When
Jesus died on the cross, He took every man unto Himself. He
died our death. If you go by head knowledge - your senses or
mental assent - the Word of God will lose its effectiveness and
its power.

When Jesus was crucified Paul was nowhere near, yet he

said, “Christ took me to the cross with Him, and I died there
with Him,” Galatians 2:20, Laubach. Where did he get that
information? Paul must have gotten it from God Himself. When
did he get that information? He must have gotten it when he
was out in the wilderness of Arabia during those years when
Jesus came and revealed to him what happened in His death
and resurrection. That was revelation knowledge or knowledge
revealed by the Holy Spirit.

NEW UNDERSTANDING
Revelation knowledge opens the Word up to you. Through
revelation knowledge of Galatians 2:20 you understand, “I have
a new identity. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”

Yes, I have shared Messiah’s crucifixion. I am living

indeed, but it is not I that live, it is Messiah whose
life is in me....

Galatians 2:20, Arthur S. Way

I consider myself as having died and now enjoying

a second existence, which is simply Jesus using my
body.

The Distilled Bible

Do you think Paul was crucified with Christ? He said he was.

He is not saying it exclusively as the Apostle Paul, but he is
talking about what happened in the death and resurrection of
Christ as your substitute. Jesus became your substitute.
Everything He did, He did to the credit of your account.

YOUR IDENTITY WITH CHRIST

 It is important to understand your identification with Christ
in His crucifixion and resurrection because it is at the center of
the Gospel. You won’t hear a sermon on this in many churches
even if you stay there for ten years. They are trying so hard to
deal with everybody’s personal problems. They are keeping
people from having nervous breakdowns, teaching them how
to love their wife or husband, how to discipline their kids, how
to get their healing, and how to get their needs met.

*****
The greater your Word intake, the more Christ will be
manifested through you.
*****
If you preach on your identity with Christ in many churches,
people will look at you like a cow at a new gate. They will say,
“You don’t understand. I’m trying to make my refrigerator
payment, I’ve got pain in my lower back, and I’m having
trouble with my kids. I need new carpet in my house, I’m
dealing with emotional problems and stress, and you are
talking about identification with Christ. That’s not what I
need.” Yet an understanding of their identity in Christ is exactly
what they need!

The level of manifestation of Christ in you is based on your

revelation knowledge of the Word and your mixing faith with it.
It is also based upon your willingness to yield to the Holy
Spirit because the Holy Spirit is the One Who reveals Christ —
that is His job. The greater your Word intake, the more Christ
will be manifested through you.
 Every day you can declare, “I was crucified with Christ. It is
not my old self who lives, but Christ Himself lives in me. The
life I live in this body, I live by faith in the Son of God who
loved me and gave Himself for me.”

God was working In Christ, but He was working ON US.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good

works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them.
Ephesians 2:10, KJV
 Paul had such an extreme identity change, he said, “It’s not
even me living anymore.” That’s a pretty radical change!
People are trying to get God to help them deal with their
problems. Yet He is saying, “As my child, since I am living on
the inside of you, just let Me deal with your challenges
through you.”

Someone said, “The power of God hit Saul of Tarsus so hard

on the road to Damascus that it knocked the ‘S’ off the front of
his name and replaced it with a ‘P’ and he became Paul.” His
name changed, his identity changed, and his nature changed.

Paul was a Pharisee, a very religious man, and he received a

strong revelation of Jesus Christ. When he was hit with the
light of God, he went blind for three days. During that time, he
fasted and prayed.
 A WHOLE NEW IDENTITY
I believe the moment you receive Christ you become a new
creation in Him. It takes a while to feed on the Word before you
say, “I’m not even the same person anymore. I have a whole
new identity.”

If you committed a crime and the FBI got hold of you and
wanted to give you a new identity to protect you, they would
change your address, your Social Security number, and all
records concerning every bill that you owe. They would totally
wipe out your past to protect you.

God wiped out your old identity when you were born again.
He wiped out your past. Every account, sin, or claim the devil
had on you has been wiped out. Once you are lost in Christ,
the devil can’t even find you! Hallelujah!

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in

God.

Colossians 3:3

The devil can’t even find you unless you stick your fleshly
head up and say, “Hey, it’s me!” Slap your head and get it back
down in there, man! You want to talk about my past, my
feelings, and my failures? God says, “I don’t want to talk about
that. You are dead and your life is hid with Christ in Me. Don’t
stick your head up. You’ve got a new identity now.”
 A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
God made provision for you to be in Christ even before you
were saved, but this new identity did not become yours until
you exercised faith in Him when you were born again. You
became a new creation in Christ the day you were saved, but it
won’t become a reality to you unless you walk in the light of
the Word. You’ll have to feed on the Word, get it engrafted on
the inside of you, receive revelation knowledge of the Word,
and let the Holy Spirit help you to see your new identity —
who you are in Christ and what you have in Him.

Therefore, if any one is in union with Christ, he is a

new being! His old life has passed away; a new life
has begun!

2 Corinthians 5:17, 20th C.R.

FROM CHILDLESS TO FATHER OF MANY

One of the greatest stories ever written on changing one’s
identity is found in the greatest book ever written — the Bible.
It is the story of God appearing to Abram and Sarai. God
basically said, “I’m changing your identity and I’m changing
your name. You will never be called Abram again. You are
Abraham, which means father of many. And Sarai, I’m
changing your name to Sarah, which means you are a
princess.”

I believe every time Sarah and Abraham called each other by

their new names, they declared who God said they were. Yet,
Abraham, “father of many,” didn’t have any children at this
point in his life.

That’s how God does business. If He can get you to agree

with Him, to agree with revelation knowledge, His Word will
not return unto Him void. It will accomplish what He sent it out
to do, and it will prosper in the thing whereto He sent it (Isaiah
55:11). In other words, the Word has the power to produce
what it says if God can get you to agree with it.

Abraham became the father of many nations as well as the

father of your faith. God totally changed his identity. You
wouldn’t recognize him years later as the man who left Ur of
the Chaldees at God’s direction.

FROM COUNTRY BOY TO PROPHET

God is in the business of changing identities. One of my
favorite stories of how God totally changed someone’s identity
is with Saul in 1 Samuel 9 and 10. Saul was looking for his
father’s donkeys when he met Samuel the prophet. Samuel told
him, “Go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with
me today, and tomorrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all
that is in thine heart,” 1 Samuel 9:19. Then the prophet told
Saul, “...You will meet a company of prophets...And the Spirit
of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with
them, and shalt be turned into another man,” 1 Samuel 10:5,6.
The prophet Samuel was saying, “Saul, you are a country boy,
but the Holy Ghost will come on you and you are going to be
changed into another man.” Saul received a totally new
identity.

YOUR VALUE IN CHRIST

How did this happen? He didn’t go to every self-help and
support group in an attempt to get a new identity. He didn’t
consult a psychologist or call the psychic hotline! If that had
been the case, I would have said, “Saul, you are messed up.
You are messing with devils and trying everything after the
flesh.” You can get a whole new identity when you see who
God says you are and what God says you have. Your self-
esteem will go right through the roof! You will say, “Glory to
God! Look what God says I am. Look at the value God has
given me in Christ.”

The devil wants to destroy your dignity and self-esteem. But

when you see your value in what God has done for you in the
death and resurrection of Christ, you will hold your head up
high and forget those things which are behind. You will say,
“The person who did those things, acted that way, and
thought that way is dead.” Glory to God!

CHANGED FROM WITHIN

God can give you a new identity. He made you, so He ought
to be able to remake you. He is the manufacturer! We are not
dealing with someone who just repairs. We are talking about
the One who creates people. God creates people out of
nothing! No scientist has ever figured out how to make people.
Natural man can make houses, toasters, and color TV’s, but
they are not making people! God is the Creator. He is the
original people person. He specializes in making people over
again and giving them brand new identities.

Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there

I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went
down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought
a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made
of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he
made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the
potter to make it.

Jeremiah 18:2-4

God was telling Jeremiah, “You go down to the potter’s

house, and I am going to show you that when people have
defects in them, I will make them over again.” God is in the
business of changing people’s identities. He does it from the
inside out. When you are born again, your spirit is recreated.
Then He builds from the inside out — changing your mind,
renewing it, rebuilding your thinking and attitudes, and then
changing your body and your actions.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and

to do of his good pleasure.

Philippians 2:13
 FROM COWARD TO MIGHTY MAN OF
VALOR
*****
When Jesus came to preach the Gospel to the poor, He didn’t
just pass out a bunch of fish sandwiches!
*****
Another classic, yet radical identity change that took place
in the Bible was with Gideon. He was living in a hole in the
ground and hiding out from the enemy. If you live in a hole in
the ground long enough, you will develop a certain philosophy
about life. If you don’t think so, go find someone who lives
under a bridge. If you talk to them for very long, you will find
out they don’t just have a bridge externally; they have a bridge
internally in their thinking and attitude.

When Jesus came to preach the Gospel to the poor, He

didn’t just pass out a bunch of fish sandwiches! He taught
them the ways and thoughts of God. He taught them that they
didn’t have to be poor or sick or defeated anymore. Jesus is
still changing people’s identities!

Every time Gideon tried to do anything, the Midianites

destroyed it. In the midst of his hole-in-the-ground existence,
God sent an angel to Gideon with a message, “The Lord is with
thee, thou mighty man of valour,” Judges 6:12. God has a sense
of humor because at this time in Gideon’s life, there was no
evidence of valor! Yet, God’s Word is all that is needed.
 ...he quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things
which be not as though they were.

Romans 4:17

God’s Word will cause nothing to become something.

Gideon chewed on God’s Word to him — you mighty man of
valour — until he finally swallowed it. Then with trumpets,
pitchers, lamps, and a cry of the sword of the Lord, Gideon and
his three hundred man army whipped the enemy (Judges 7:20-
22). Any time you get involved with God and His Word, He will
totally change the way you see yourself and the way you see
life. The Word of God changes everything.

MY NAME IS ROCK
When Simon Peter received revelation knowledge of who
Jesus was — the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew
16:16) — Jesus turned to him and said, “I’m telling you who
you are, Simon. No longer will you be tossed to and fro. I am
changing your name to Rock.”

Can’t you just see Simon responding to the people who

wouldn’t accept his new name? You know, “Your mama named
you Simon.” Peter totally identified with who Jesus said he
was: “Jesus is the One who named me, and my name is rock!”
Jesus changed Peter’s identity.

LET ME TELL YOU WHO I AM

 It is important to understand who you are in Christ because
the devil knows if you know your identity. In Acts 19, the
seven sons of Sceva, without having a relationship with Jesus
(which would give them authority to use His name), tried to use
the name of Jesus to cast out evil spirits. An evil spirit said to
them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
Because they didn’t know their identity in Christ, the scripture
says, “The evil spirit...leaped on them, and overcame them, and
prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house
naked and wounded,” Acts 19:16.

YOUR IDENTITY IN THE WORD

As a born-again, Spirit-filled teenager, I struggled with my
own identity. While in my bedroom studying where Jesus went
into the synagogue to preach His first sermon in Luke 4, I read,
“And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet
Esaias. And when He had opened the book, He found the place
where it was written,” Luke 4:17.

The Holy Ghost spoke to me, “Though Jesus was deity, He

laid aside His deity power when He became a man, and in His
humanity, He had to study the Word to find out who He was.” I
believe when Jesus was ten, eleven, or twelve years old, He
found out who He was by reading it in the scriptures. Jesus
identified with the Word as He read Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of
the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me
to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind
up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in

favour with God and man.

Luke 2:52

You will find your identity in the same book — the Bible. You
won’t find it in some psychology book or by trying to mimic a
movie star. Many people, not just teenagers, have an identity
crisis. They comb their hair like someone they see on TV. They
watch some cowboy movie and think they are John Wayne, or
they see a motorcycle rider and think they need a motorcycle
and a bandanna around their head too.

The devil will do everything he can to steal the Word from

you to keep you from understanding your new identity in
Christ. He wants you to see yourself in the natural. He will
even get you to study your family tree which never produced
anything but a bunch of nuts!

In identifying with your family instead of with Christ, you

may say, “The reason I am divorced is because my mother,
grandmother, and great grandmother were divorced. My daddy
was an alcoholic, my grandpa was an alcoholic, so I’m an
alcoholic. It just runs in my family.” You need to find your
identity from God. He knows who you are. You are an
individual created to reflect His glory. If the devil can get you
to flip-flop mentally with your reasoning and your flesh, he will
totally defeat you.
 CHRIST LIVES IN YOU
The Apostle Paul said, “I only have one identity and that is
who I am in Christ Jesus. I don’t identify with anything or
anyone else. I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet
not I, but Christ lives in me.”

You can go to almost any insane asylum and find someone

who thinks he is Napoleon. Often people are controlled by
familiar spirits and natural connections instead of taking the
Word of God and letting God establish their identity. Jesus
initiated your identification with God when He became a man.

*****
Never again will you identify with defeat, failure, depression,
fear, sickness, poverty, or lack once your identification with
Christ is sealed.
*****
In His humanity, Jesus identified with you so He could know
how you feel, what you go through, and the struggles you
face. He didn’t totally identify with you though, until He went
to the cross where He took your sinful condition and your
curse. Jesus sealed man’s identification with God on the cross
because when Jesus died on the cross, He was not a man for
one human generation. He became a man forever. He is still a
man right now, seated at the right hand of God representing a
new, victorious humanity.

Once you understand your identification with Christ in His

death, burial, and resurrection, it will take you from His death,
burial, and resurrection right through to triumph where Christ is
seated at the right hand of God. Never again will you identify
with defeat, failure, depression, fear, sickness, poverty, or lack
once your identification with Christ is sealed. Why? Because it
is no longer you who live, but Christ lives in you!

Some people may never know their earthly father. However,

they don’t have to spend their entire life with a big gap in their
souls. They can just say, “I am identified with Christ and God is
my Father.” That means no longer are you going under, but
you are going over. I was under when I had no identification
with Christ, but God stamped in my spirit the death, burial, and
resurrection of Christ.

You are a totally different person than when you were born.
Even if your daddy or mama was a failure, when you are born
again, you are refathered! If you come from a dysfunctional
family, when you are born again you receive a functional family
— the family of God. That’s your identification with Christ.

CONFESS YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

Don’t you ever let the devil bring up your past, show you
pictures of it, and say, “That’s who you are.” You tell him, “You
are a lying dog. Get out of my life. That old person is dead and
gone. I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live — Christ
Himself lives in me.” Begin to confess what God’s Word says
about your identification with Christ.

In Christ, the world is crucified unto me and I unto

 the world (Galatians 6:14). Since I am risen with
Christ, I seek those things which are above. My
affection is set on things above, not on things on the
earth. My life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians
3:1-3). I am buried with Christ by baptism into
death. Just as Christ was raised up from the dead by
the glory of the Father, even so I walk in newness of
life (Romans 6:4). My old sin nature is crucified with
Christ. I no longer serve sin (Romans 6:6). God, who
is rich in mercy and love for me, has quickened me
together with Christ, raised me up, and made me sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus
(Ephesians 2:4-6).

Now that we have established a foundation of who you are

in Christ, in the next chapter we will look at the inheritance He
left for you that is yours now!

God has made us 100% righteous In Christ. You cannot be 25,

50, 75, or 90% righteous - In Christ you have been made 100%
righteous.

For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And
ye are complete in Him which is the head of all principality and
power.
Colossians 2:9-10, KJV
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature [or creation]; old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new. And all things
are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
When Paul says “and all things are of God” in verse 18, he is
not just saying that everything is of God. He is literally talking
about all of these things of the new creation. Other translations
say, “This is the work of God.” The Apostle Paul is talking
about who you are in Christ Jesus. He is talking about the
miracle of the new birth — what happens when you are born
again.

IN CHRIST-ED
Several scriptures use this phrase in Christ. When I was
seventeen years old it really helped me to look up all the in
Christ scriptures — all 130 of them. When you are born again, I
like to say, “You are in Christed!” As a believer in Jesus Christ,
you are in Christ, and whatever is true of someone in Christ is
true of you.

As I went through the in Christ scriptures as a teenager, I

would get my guitar and sing and pray them over and over
again. I would declare, “I am who God says I am, and I have
what God says I have. I can do what God says I can do.” I did
that for hours. I’m not talking about just during a youth revival
or camp meeting; I’m talking about day after day. I sang and
prayed the Ephesians prayers everyday.

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of

glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and
 revelation in the knowledge of Him; that the eyes of
your understanding would be enlightened; that you
would know the hope of His calling; the riches of
His inheritance in the saints; the exceeding
greatness of His power to us who believe, according
to the working of His mighty power, which He
wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the
dead.

Ephesians 1:17-20

If you will pray these prayers every day, I guarantee your life
will be different in six months. If you are happy with your life
the way it is, just keep doing what you are doing, and it will
stay that way or even get worse. If you want things to change
for the better, I challenge you to pray the Ephesians prayers
every day. Pray them over your children, even if they are grown
and married. Pray them over your husband or wife.

Something happened in God’s economy when He raised

Christ from the dead:

Righteousness was restored to man

The devil was defeated

The curse was broken

Man was restored to fellowship with God

 Redemption was accomplished

These provisions became yours when you said, “Yes, Jesus,

I surrender to You. I want You to be Lord of my life.” Once you
said “yes” to Jesus, you were in Christed! All that God did in
Christ became personally yours.

To be in Christ means that you have been blessed with all

spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).
As a teenager, I would sing, “I am God’s workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus for good works, which God ordained that I
should walk in,” Ephesians 2:10. God doesn’t make trash, you
know. If you are the workmanship of God, you must be
something wonderful!

GOD HAS PREPARED THE WAY

*****
The moment you confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior,
your spirit receives eternal life.
*****
God has prepared a path ahead of time for His children.
When you walk in that path, everything you need is found on
it. When you are born again, you pass from death to life. This
is referring to spiritual death. The moment you confess Jesus
Christ as your Lord and Savior, your spirit receives eternal life.

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in

trespasses and sins.
 Ephesians 2:1

Did you know that you can get saved in your car, working in
your backyard, or walking down the aisle in the grocery store?
Even a person who cries out to Jesus with his or her last breath
of life is born again.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord

shall be saved.

Romans 10:13

Before you received Jesus, you weren’t physically or

mentally dead, but you were spiritually dead, which means
you were alienated or separated from God. Because you were
spiritually dead, Satan was able to exercise dominion over you.

FREED FROM SATAN’S DOMINION

The moment you were born again, your spirit received
eternal life. You left Satan’s dominion and entered the dominion
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Legally, Satan no longer has any
control over you. In fact, he cannot touch you. You are in
Christ. You are in this world, but you are not of it. Satan will
still try to come against you, but you have left his jurisdiction.

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear
Son.
 Colossians 1:13

...the authority of the darkness.

Rotherham’s

To explain leaving Satan’s authority or jurisdiction, think of a

policeman assigned to Alexandria, Louisiana. He has no
jurisdiction in Texas, so he can’t give you a ticket in Texas. He
has no authority there. The moment you pass from death to
life, you leave Satan’s jurisdiction and enter into the
jurisdiction of the Lord Jesus Christ. So you can say, “Mr.
Devil, you have no dominion over me. Sickness, poverty, and
sin, you have no dominion over me because I left death and
have entered life.”

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My

word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 5:24

...has spiritual life...has transferred from the death

region to the life region.

Jordan’s

There are 130 things that are true about you right now. You
are the righteousness of God in Christ. You are always
triumphant in Christ. Victory is yours. Christ has redeemed you.
Redemption is yours in Christ. If the devil cannot stop you
from getting saved, then after you are saved he wants to cheat
you out of your inheritance and keep you ignorant of what
belongs to you in Christ.

For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead

bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the
head of all principality and power.

Colossians 2:9,10

That simply means the moment you are born again, you get
in Christed and whatever is in Christ is now in you. When you
are born again your spirit is joined to Jesus.

JOINED TO CHRIST
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:17
But he that is in union with the Master is one with
Him in spirit.

Weymouth’s

But if you give yourself to the Lord, you and Christ

are joined together as one person.

The Living Bible

If the only purpose for salvation was for you to go to

heaven, God would have built in a special death mechanism
that as soon as you confess Jesus as Lord, you would die right
then. Actually, God saved you so heaven could get on the
inside of you, and then you could change the world around
you.

*****
God saved you so heaven could get on the inside of you, and
then you could change the world around you.
*****
God saved you so you could bring heaven into this earth
and change the world. God saved you to change your children,
your neighborhood, and your city. God saved you so He could
move on the inside of you. He saved you so your mind would
work right. He saved you so you wouldn’t be a victim of sin,
bad habits, lust, and deception. He freed you from Satan’s
dominion so when you die, you won’t wonder why you lived.
God saved you for Christ to be formed in you! Instead of
sitting around with a sanctimonious look on your face like
you’ve been sucking oats through a gas pipe, what would
happen if you found out what really took place when you were
saved?

DELIVERED FROM SIN

The word “saved” means daily delivered from sin’s dominion
(Romans 5:10, Amplified). It means delivered not only from sin
that grips and controls people’s lives, but from the effects of
sin that shut down the glory of God and your production as a
child of God. When sin takes hold of you, you are absolutely
worthless to the Kingdom of God. Your confidence goes, the
gift of God in you gets messed up, and you sit around in
deception, shame, and guilt trying to smile and act like
everything is all right.

*****
God saved you to conform you to the image of His Son
*****
In Acts 9, we see the story of the Apostle Paul’s conversion.
He was a Pharisee who had studied and knew the scriptures
well. Yet, he realized that his dead religion could not compare to
what happened to him on the road to Damascus when he met
Jesus.

Paul immediately said to the Lord, “Who are you Lord?

What will you have me to do?” Acts 9:5,6. The moment you
become a new creation, you need to say, “Jesus, I want to
know you and I want to know what you want me to do.”

When you were saved, Jesus moved on the inside of you so

He could invade your mind, your soul, your emotions, your
intellect, and your body. He filled you up with His life so it can
flow out of you into your husband or wife and your children.

God saved you to conform you to the image of His Son so

you could be all God has created and designed you to be.
There’s more to life than thirty years of mortgage payments,
polyester suits, Toyotas, Cadillacs, and Mercedes! When you
are saved, you are put in union with Christ so the same life,
glory, joy, authority, power, inheritance, future, blessings — the
same stuff that is in Christ comes in you!

A SPIRITUAL CONNECTION
Some translators refer to the in Christ phrase as “in union
with Christ.” When your spirit is joined to Christ, that means
the unseen part of you on the inside is connected to Christ.
You say, “How could that be?” It’s not like you have a
telephone line that goes from your spirit through the roof up
into the heavens. Obviously, airplanes would get tangled up in
it! If a network is broadcasting out of New York City, you can
tune in with a TV set and a receiver and receive the exact
program at the same time. Even if you are living in the woods
some 2,000 miles away, wearing your boots, driving your four-
wheeler, and piping in the sunshine, still there is an unseen
connection between your TV set and what is going on in New
York City.

*****
The moment you are born again, God gives your spirit a
receiver and He tunes it in to heaven.
*****
The moment you are born again, God gives your spirit a
receiver and He tunes it in to heaven. The same thing that is
playing in heaven booms on the inside of you! Though you
used to be cursed and bound, confused and messed up, you
can tune in to a new picture! You are in union with Christ. Now
you can see a picture of all that God wants you to be — a
picture of the redeeming power of Jesus Christ, a picture of
what God has planned for you to be. Hallelujah!

TO BE LIKE JESUS
When God made you a new creation in Christ, He didn’t
make you to be defeated, confused, sick, poor, beat up, and to
live on barely-get-along street. He made you to be a conqueror!
Some people say, “Brother, you preach all that healing and
prosperity stuff and it just makes me sick because I don’t need
it. I just want to be like Jesus.” Well, that’s honorable of you.
Did you know that Jesus isn’t sick? He isn’t poor either.

Do you think He is sitting on the throne saying, “Oh, my

stomach is hurting. I don’t know how I’m going to make it. I’ve
got some payments coming up at the end of this month. I’ve
been talking to the Father about them, but I don’t know if I’m
going to make it. I am so tired!” That’s not the way Jesus is. He
is seated at the right hand of God, and the Bible says His
enemies are way beneath His feet. All power in heaven and in
earth has been given to Him. Everything the Father has is His.

I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I

am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of
hell and of death.

Revelation 1:18

Jesus is not sitting up there barely getting along. He is

saying to every born-again believer, “I’ve got all power in
heaven and earth. If you need it, you can get it from Me. If I
don’t have it in stock, I will make it just for you!”

MORE LIKE JESUS

You can be more like Jesus. He healed the sick and cast out
devils. When Jesus came into a town, things changed. The
devil is faithful to come back and visit. He will come back and
say, “If you are really saved....” Some people have never
decided if they are saved or not. From the preaching they are
hearing, it is probably a wonder they have even hung around!

The preacher says, “I know you did everything the Book

says, but you can’t ever tell.” What do you mean, “You can’t
ever tell”? If God said it and you did it, you are saved. You can
say, “You can’t ever tell” all the way to your funeral. You can
keep all the rules, quit wearing earrings, get all the make-up off
your face, get baptized three different ways, speak in tongues,
shake all over, and still not know if you are saved.

Being in Christ has nothing to do with your feelings. It has

everything to do with the Word of God and the integrity of
God’s Word. It has everything to do with what Jesus did for
you 2,000 years ago. You can get up every morning and say, “I
am a new creation in Christ Jesus. Old things are passed away,
and everything has become new.”

Some people are still talking about what happened to them

when they were ten years old. There is not a thing in the world
a psychologist or anyone else can do for you if something
messed your life up when you were ten. Jesus can do
something!

In Him you can become brand new. Old things are passed
away. There is a department of your being — your spirit —
where at the moment you are born again, old things are passed
away and everything becomes new.

There is not one little molecule left of what you used to be

— not a trace! You can get all the specialists you want to try to
find a trace of what you used to be, but they won’t find it.
They can never dig it up. It is gone forever. God will never
speak of it because it doesn’t exist anymore. That’s good news,
and it will set you free.

God made you a new creature In Christ, but you must put on
the new man.
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness.
Ephesians 4:24, KJV

...put on the new person that you are.

Adams

Clothe yourselves with that new and better self, which has
been created to resemble God in the righteousness and
holiness which come from the truth.
Weym.
 The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. If you would listen to
Him, He would keep you out of a lot of trouble — trouble in
business, in relationships, and in church. You have a partner to
walk out your new life with in Christ. His name is the Holy
Spirit or the Holy Ghost. “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth
is come...,” John 16:13.

In this scripture, Jesus describes the work of the Holy Ghost.

If the preacher isn’t telling you the truth, the Holy Spirit will
say, “That isn’t true.” But if you have the Holy Ghost on the
inside of you and the preacher is telling the truth, He will say,
“That is the truth.”

You may be thinking, “Truth doesn’t excite me.” What does?

The casinos? Do you like all the lights and the truth that is
spoken there? They will call you everything you want to be
called. “Mr. Wonderful, you might be a millionaire tonight.” But
remember, they didn’t build that place with winners! They are
even glad when you win because you will stick around and
lose another $5,000. Then you will go to church and not even
pay your tithes. You need a slap on the head!

What does the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, do? “He will
guide you into all truth,” John 16:13. As you read your Bible,
you need to invite your Holy Spirit partner by saying, “Holy
Spirit, let’s read the Bible. Help me and guide me into all truth.
Show me something, Holy Spirit.” Since the Holy Spirit wrote it,
He ought to know what it means!

YOUR HELPER
The Holy Spirit will keep you from just reading the Word
with your head. He wants to show you the Bible in the light of
redemption. He will show you the weightier matters and things
that are of first importance. The Holy Spirit will help you read
your Bible. He will show you the things that are the most
important. He won’t take something out of context and mess
your head up with it. That is the devil’s role. The devil can
quote the Bible and get you all messed up. But the Holy Spirit
will show you the whole picture. He will show you who you are
and what you have in Christ.

*****
Every person can have a relationship with the Holy Spirit.
*****
Smith Wigglesworth said, “The Holy Spirit never brings
condemnation. He always reveals the blood of Jesus. He
always lifts and helps.” He tells you the truth to help you
because if you keep going the way you are going, you will get
messed up! Thank God for the Holy Ghost! Have you ever
heard someone say, “I don’t need to listen to the Holy Ghost?”
Your wife is not your Holy Ghost and neither is your husband.
Every person can have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. The
moment you are born again, you pass from death to life and the
Spirit of God comes to live on the inside of you. Your body
becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit.

REVEAL THINGS TO COME

...For he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever
he shall hear, that shall he speak...

John 16:13

What does it mean, “Whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he

speak”? Who does the Holy Spirit hang out with? He hangs
out with the Father and the Son, so whatever He hears them
say is what He says. Verse 13 concludes, “...and he will shew
you things to come.”

If you want to know what is happening, you do not have to

call the psychic network and ask, “What do you see in my
future?” I see you going broke if you stay on that line very
long! Four dollars a minute, yet you come to church and put in
a dollar. You need another slap! Four dollars a minute talking to
a lying devil. If it’s not a devil, it’s a fool who looks under
cards. The cards are arranged according to states. In Louisiana,
for example, they put hunting and fishing on the card. When
someone from Louisiana calls they say, “I see squirrel hunting
in your future. I see a swamp in your future. I see an alligator in
your future. I see crawdads in your future.” That’s ridiculous!

If you hang out with the Holy Ghost and become sensitive
to Him, He will show you things to come about your life, your
future, your children, your marriage, and your business. He will
show you things to come about where you are going to live in
the future, but He can’t talk to you if you don’t listen.

Be still and get with the Holy Ghost — talk to Him. Worship
God and worship Jesus, then say, “Holy Spirit, help me read the
Word. Show me things to come. I don’t want to miss the will of
God for my life. Help me.”

The Holy Spirit showed me the house we are living in right

now a year before we moved into it. As soon as Trina and I saw
it I said, “That’s our house. I don’t know how much it costs,
but I know it’s ours.” Before my son, Aaron, was born, I got up
in the church where I was youth pastor and said, “My first
child will be a boy. The Holy Ghost told me that it is a son.”
Then I said, “Don’t bring any girl’s clothes because it’s a boy.”

Some people said, “We don’t want you to be disappointed.”

I didn’t go by a sonogram because Trina didn’t have one — I
went by the Holy Ghost. One lady brought me a little dress for
Aaron. I said, “My boy ain’t wearing no dress! You just take it
back and exchange it.” She got mad and said, “You’re just
hardheaded, aren’t you?” I said, “No, I have been praying
every night for an hour and a half, and the Holy Ghost told me
the baby is a boy.” In the fullness of time my son, Aaron, was
born.

Two years later when Trina was pregnant again, I prayed and
the Holy Ghost said, “This one is a girl.” I got up in the pulpit
where I was pastoring and said, “This baby is a girl. Don’t
bring any boy’s clothes.” Again, I went by what the Holy
Ghost told me because Trina didn’t have a sonogram. I had a
Holy Ghost picture. He told me it was a girl. In the fullness of
time my daughter, Alicia, was born.

INSIDE INFORMATION
If you will spend time with the Holy Ghost, you will learn to
hear His voice and He will tell you what is going to happen a
year from now, three years from now, or five years from now. He
will tell you what is going to happen so you can get ready for
it. The Holy Ghost can show you tragedy that is about to come
in your life, in your children’s lives, or in someone else’s life if
there isn’t a change. He will show you this not to produce fear,
but so you can change it in prayer. This is one of the new
creation benefits. With the Holy Spirit inside of you, you will
have inside information!

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he

will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak
of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall
 he speak: and he will shew you things to come...He
shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and
shall shew it unto you.

John 16:13,14

GLORIFIES JESUS
This means when you are full of the Holy Spirit, He will
glorify Jesus. If things are happening in your life that are not
bringing glory to Jesus, you can change them by praying in the
Holy Ghost. He wants everyone to see what Jesus has done for
them.

...he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto

you.

All things that the Father hath are mine; therefore

said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it
unto you.

John 16:14-15

JESUS ON THE INSIDE

The Holy Spirit is your “unseen connection” between
heaven and earth. You are in union with Christ by virtue of the
Spirit of God, so that whatever is playing in heaven is playing
in your spirit. You don’t have the same capacity as heaven, but
you have the same quality. You don’t have the same capacity
as God, but you do have the same quality of life that God has.
You can enjoy a quality of life that doesn’t come from the
Republicans, Democrats, welfare, or social programs. You can
enjoy a quality of life that no company can guarantee you, with
no special help when you retire. You can say, “It is good
because I have the same life in me that is in God right now.”

On a recent “700 Club” program, Ben Kinchlow interviewed

an african american man who said, “I was raised in the ghetto,
but the ghetto never got inside of me. There were drugs all
around me, but no drugs ever got in me. Violence and crime
were all around me, but they never got in me. Disaster was all
around me, but it never got in me. I am here because of Jesus
who got inside of me!” Too many people let their environment
shape and control them but this man said, “Greater is he [Jesus
Christ] that is in me, than he [the devil] that is in the world,” 1
John 4:4.

You don’t have to adjust your TV set according to the filth,

sin, lust, and violence that are all around you. You can adjust
your set to what is playing in heaven: holiness, fire, purity,
love, righteousness, glory. I’ve got my set hooked up to
heaven. How? I’ve got an unseen connection — the Holy
Ghost. I am adjusting my set right now. It is tuned in. Where
does all this happen? It happens in your spirit once you are
born again.

SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY

You say, “If that is so, why am I having so many problems?
It just doesn’t seem real to me.” You are made up of three parts;
spirit, soul, and body. Even after you are saved, something still
has to happen in your soul — your mind, will, and emotions.
Otherwise, even though you are a new creature in Christ, you
are still acting like the world and your spirit is held hostage to
an unrenewed mind, feelings, and emotions. All kinds of trash
from your past, everybody’s opinions, and this world are
shaping you. Your spirit is literally held hostage until your
mind is renewed with the daily washing of God’s Word.

FEED ON THE WORD

You will never be what God intends for you to be until your
mind, will, and emotions are dominated by God’s Word. When
you feed your spirit on the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to
work in you, your mind will be renewed. The same power that is
working in your spirit will move up into your head. Then God
will start dealing with some of your habits and attitudes.

Initially some people respond, “I’m not changing, I don’t

care what the Bible says. God understands that this is the way
I am. I like a little sin on weekends and R-rated movies and
pornography every now and then. I like to tell lies and dirty
jokes. Sometimes I lose my temper, but that’s just the way I am.
I’ll tithe when I want to. I’m not changing.” The Holy Spirit has
a rocket missile launcher going from your spirit to your head. It
is launched as you feed upon God’s Word.

John the Baptist said, “When Jesus comes, He is going to

take an axe and cut the roots of that tree.” If you will be still
long enough in the presence of God and say, “Okay, Jesus, go
ahead. I am a new creation in Christ. I refuse to be bound by
habits, attitudes, sins, or ideas that have controlled my soul,
my family, and my life for ten or twenty years. I refuse to be
bound. Go ahead Jesus, let’s have some changes around here.”
Then Jesus will start cleaning house!

...Put off concerning the former conversation

[lifestyle] the old man, which is corrupt according
to deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of
your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which
after God is created in righteousness and true
holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24

BECOMING LIKE CHRIST

Even though you are born again and a new creature in
Christ, it is a decision you must make to say, “Okay, Holy
Ghost, lead me into all truth.” The Holy Spirit will tell you the
truth and the truth will set you free. Why? So you can be all
that God wants you to be. Wrong attitudes, compromise, sin,
and disobedience will stop the flow of the life of God so the
image of Christ is not working in you and cannot be fully
formed in you. You will end up dying and wonder why you
ever lived.

Once you find out who you are in Christ and let Him be
formed in you, every gift, talent, calling, and purpose of God
will begin to take shape in your life. God not only meets your
needs and gives you bonuses and benefits, but as someone
said, “The greatest reward for obeying God is not what you
get; it’s what you become!”

*****
The greatest reward for obeying God is not what you get; it’s
what you become!
*****
Sometimes you don’t know what the true personality of a
person is like because of all the things that have happened and
all the trash piled on top of him or her. Let the Holy Spirit begin
to work in your spirit, lead you into all truth, and show you
who you are in Christ. Let that same picture coming from
heaven play in you. You will begin 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. Christ has redeemed me.”

It’s time for change — I’m not talking about moving to

another house. I’m talking about a move on the inside of you.
Make the decision and pray, “Lord, change me!”

You are such a different person in Christ you will have to let
God introduce you to your new self.

When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new

person inside. He is not the same any more. A new life has
begun.
2 Corinthians 5:17, TLB
That the communication of thy faith may become
effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing
which is in you in Christ Jesus.

Philemon 6

[And I pray] that the participation in and sharing of

your faith may produce and promote full
recognition and appreciation and understanding
and precise knowledge of every good [thing] that is
ours in [our identification with] Christ Jesus [and
unto His glory].

Amplified
*****
You look a whole lot better in Christ than you do outside of
Him!
*****
When you are born again, you are in Christ. Another way to
say it is, “You look a whole lot better in Christ than you do
outside of Him!” There are a lot of good things that you can
acknowledge when you are in Christ. You can acknowledge
who you are and what you have in Him. Paul is not talking
about everything that is going to be yours, he is talking about
every good thing that is yours now in your identification with
Christ.

EVERY GOOD THING IN CHRIST

Often we spend too much time focusing on our bad qualities
and what is wrong with us. If you look at what is wrong with
you long enough, it will get worse. Paul is saying that for our
faith to become effective or effectual, we need to acknowledge
every good thing that is ours in Christ. Your faith won’t work
unless you acknowledge some things. How do you
acknowledge them? By confessing, speaking, or acting on the
Word of God.

When Paul says, “every good thing,” he must mean that

there is more than one good thing in you because you are in
Christ. You can’t acknowledge every good thing that is yours
in Christ if you don’t know every good thing that is yours in
Him. Once you know some good things that are yours in
Christ, your faith still won’t work unless you acknowledge
these things. Every believer needs to have a daily
acknowledgement or confession of who he or she is and what
he or she has in Christ.

You may question, “How long do I need to do this?” For the

rest of your life! If you want your faith to work for you, you
must continue to acknowledge every good thing that is yours
in Christ. When you first get up in the morning and look at
yourself in the mirror, or before you eat breakfast, you can take
time to pray and acknowledge some of the good things of who
you are in Christ.

*****
If you want your faith to work for you, you must continue to
acknowledge every good thing that is yours in Christ.
*****
When you are driving your truck or car, while you are sitting
at a traffic light, instead of doing something unprofitable or
listening to some foolishness on the radio, begin to confess
who you are and what you have in Christ. It will change your
prayer life because often you will quit asking God for things
that the Word says already belong to you! The terms in Christ,
in Him, or in Whom refer to who you are in union with Christ.
There are certain things that are yours simply because you are
in union with Him. Wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and
redemption are yours because you are in Christ.

But of him [of God] are ye in Christ Jesus, who of

God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness,
and sanctification, and redemption.
1 Corinthians 1:30
GOD’S WAY OF THINKING
Wisdom is God’s way of thinking. God doesn’t necessarily
think the way you do, and He doesn’t always see things the
way you see them. If you want to see yourself the way God
sees you, get the Word out and see what He says about you.
Wisdom has to do with the revelation of all that God has done
for you in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

To make wisdom effective in your life, you must

acknowledge it. Before you go to bed at night, you need to say,
“I thank God that I am in Christ Jesus and He is made unto me
wisdom. I don’t have to go through life with my own thinking,
my own plans, my own ways, or my own ideas. I have God’s
thoughts, His ways, His plans, and His ideas. Jesus is made
unto me wisdom.”

RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD

Jesus is made unto you righteousness, which is right
standing with God. Once you are born again, you have the
same standing with God that Jesus has. Hallelujah!
DEDICATION TO GOD
Jesus is made unto you sanctification, which is separation
from the world and dedication to God. What Jesus has begun
in your life, He will bring to full completion. He is the author
and the finisher of your faith.

DELIVERANCE AND FREEDOM

Jesus is made unto you redemption, which means
deliverance or freedom through the payment of a price. Jesus
paid the price for your freedom and deliverance in every area of
your life —healing for your body, joy, freedom from oppression
and depression, and freedom from poverty and the curse.

Jesus is made unto you wisdom, righteousness,

sanctification, and redemption. Every day you can say, “Jesus
is made unto me wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and
redemption. I am in Him.” You may be thinking, “I know all that
is in the Bible, but it doesn’t seem real to me.” It will become
real to you when you begin to acknowledge every good thing
that is yours in Christ.

THE WORKMANSHIP OF GOD

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new,” 2
Corinthians 5:17. Verse 18 begins, “And all things are of
God...,” which means this is the work of God. Paul is saying
that the moment you were born again, you are in Christ, and
you are a new creature. Old things are passed away and
everything has become new.

...the old condition has passed away, a new

condition has come.

2 Corinthians 5:17, Williams

*****
God would not make an unrighteous new creature because He
already had an unrighteous old creature!
*****
The old condition from which you have been redeemed is
the curse of the law, which includes poverty, sickness,
confusion, fear, sin, and the devil’s domination of your life.
When does the “old condition” pass away and the “new
condition” come? It doesn’t happen over a process of ten or
twenty years. It happens the moment you are born again
because of the grace of God. The moment you are saved, you
become a new creation in Christ.

One way to say it is, “God would not make an unrighteous

new creature because He already had an unrighteous old
creature!” Why would He make an unrighteous new creature?
This means that if you are a new creature in Christ, you are the
righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

THE REALM OF GOD

 Do you think God is going to make trash? He is not going to
make a confused new creature, a bound new creature, or a
defeated new creature. This means the moment you are born
again, He puts all of the ingredients in you that are necessary
for you to be victorious in life.

When my wife Trina and I went on a cruise, we went scuba

diving with the masks, special breathing equipment, and
flippers on our feet. Underwater we saw some of the most
beautiful fish we have ever seen in our lives. It is a whole new
world that you can’t see from ground level. Likewise, the
moment you are born again, a whole new world opens up to
you.

Jesus said, “...except a man be born again, he cannot see the

kingdom of God,” John 3:3. This means the minute you are
born again, you can see the things you couldn’t see before.
You can see into the realm of God. You can see the power of
God. You can see all that God has done for you in Christ. You
move into a whole new dimension the moment you are born
again!

You can scuba dive in these scripture realities and look for a
while, or you can go ahead and get one of those tanks, put it
on your back, and submerge for thirty minutes or an hour. You
might ask, “How in the world do you submerge?” When God’s
Spirit is moving and you get in God’s presence, He will take
you underwater and submerge you in Christ! He will identify
you with Christ and show you who you are in Him.
 This is not something you try to be; it is who you are. It is
not something you try to produce. It is something God has
produced for you. You are not trying to make it so. God made it
so, and you can declare, “It is so.”

LAUGH AT THE DEVIL

Years ago I heard about a young man who was in a Teen
Challenge program after blowing his mind on drugs. After
taking a hundred hits of LSD at one time, he lost his mind. He
sat on the front row in chapel day after day after day, totally
out of it. One day he snapped to, stomped his foot, and started
laughing.

He was asked, “What happened?” This young man said, “2

Corinthians 5:17 hit me. As soon as it hit me, I started
laughing.” From that day, he walked around the Teen Challenge
Center every day saying, “I am a new creature in Christ. Ha-ha-
ha on the devil.” He had been like a vegetable, but the Word of
God is powerful. It doesn’t matter what damage the devil has
done in your life. If you will sit under the Word and feed on the
Word, it is full of life and power.

God restored his mind and he went into the ministry. Without
the input of God’s Word, he wouldn’t have amounted to
anything. But the Word revealed to him his identification with
Christ. He started acknowledging it! He acknowledged it by
daily confessing, “I am a new creature in Christ. Ha-ha-ha on
the devil.” He did that day after day. People in mental
institutions could have their minds restored by hearing the
Word of God over and over again because the Word works.

YOURS RIGHT NOW

Begin to acknowledge the Word. Begin to speak the Word.
Begin to acknowledge every good thing that is yours in Christ.
That means walk around your house saying, “I am a new
creature in Christ. Old things are passed away. Satan’s
dominion over my life has passed away. Sin’s dominion over
my life has passed away. The curse of poverty has passed
away. The curse of Satan has passed away. The curse of
sickness has passed away. I’m not under the curse. I have been
redeemed. In Christ I have redemption. It is mine, and I have it
now.”

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

Ephesians 1:3

...who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual

blessing that heaven itself enjoys.

Norlie

This is not something God is going to do or something that

is going to happen when we get to heaven. It is something that
is ours right now. All spiritual blessings belong to us right now.
 In other words, you enjoy whatever heaven enjoys the
moment you are in Christ. You are hooked up to heaven: the
joy of heaven, the peace of heaven, the victory of heaven, and
the glory of heaven. You are not of this world. You have been
born of God! Hallelujah!

Where does all this happen? It doesn’t happen in your body

because you still have the same body. It doesn’t happen in
your head (in your mind) because you still have the same mind.
It happens in your spirit, right down on the inside of you.
That’s the real you. The moment you are born again, your spirit
is joined to Christ. Everything the Word says about anyone in
Christ is true about you.

COMPLETE IN CHRIST
For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead
bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the
head of all principality and power.

Colossians 2:9,10

So you have everything when you have Christ, and

you are filled with God through your union with
Christ....

Living Bible

The fullness of God is in Christ. The riches of God’s glory

and His treasury are in Him. The moment you are in Him, you
have access to the fullness of God and you are complete in
Him.

When you receive Jesus you have everything you need for
the rest of your life. You are set for the rest of your life the
moment you surrender to Jesus. He gives you wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, redemption — everything you
need! You may be thinking, “But I don’t look like that.” Begin
to acknowledge every good thing that is yours in Christ Jesus.

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no
sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God
in him.
2 Corinthians 5:21
In most churches you wouldn’t have any trouble telling
people, “Jesus died on the cross for you.” But they doubt the
second half of that verse: “...that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.” If you believe the first half of the
verse, why don’t you believe the second half?

There is a reason Jesus was made to be sin for you. Paul is

talking about your righteousness in Christ. Being righteous
means that you are accepted by God, have right standing with
God, and are pleasing to Him. This gives you confidence in
prayer and in facing the adversary, the accuser of the brethren.
Paul is talking about acknowledging every good thing that is
yours in Christ. These in Christ promises mean you have a
choice whether you are going to follow the flesh or the Spirit.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those

who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:1

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath

made me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:2

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness,

 and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
Son: In whom we have redemption through his
blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:13,14

Paul is talking about something that has already been done.

Our faith becomes effective as we acknowledge every good
thing that is in us in Christ Jesus.

A SPIRITUAL DEPOSIT — NOW

If you are still believing and confessing, “I know Jesus is
wonderful, but I am just a lowly little worm and I can’t do
anything,” you have missed the whole point. Paul is trying to
tell you to acknowledge every good thing that is in you in
Christ. He is not talking about every good thing that is in
Christ in heaven — He is talking about in you right now.

Jesus is no worm. If you are in Him, you cannot be a saved

worm! The Bible says you are an heir of God and a joint-heir
with Jesus Christ. When you are born again, a spiritual deposit
is made in you. We have talked about some of this deposit:
wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption. The
Apostle Paul begins all his letters by stating what God has
done for you in Christ. After he declares what God has done
for you in Christ, he declares who you are in Christ and what to
do about it.
 TRIUMPH ALWAYS
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us
to triumph in Christ....
2 Corinthians 2:14
God’s plan for you is to triumph always. Paul didn’t say you
would never have any tough times. I like what someone said
years ago, “Tough times never last, but tough people do.”
Hallelujah! So how do you get to be tough?

...Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his

might.

Ephesians 6:10

You become strong by acknowledging who you are and

what you have in Christ.

What do you need to do to always triumph in Christ?

Acknowledge every good thing that is in you in Christ. When
you get up in the morning, walk around your bedroom and say,
“I give thanks unto the Father God right now that He always
causes me to triumph in Christ. When the enemy comes against
me one way, he must flee in seven ways.”

God never said the enemy wouldn’t try to come against you.
Isaiah 54:17 says, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall
prosper....” He didn’t say you wouldn’t have any weapons
formed against you, but He said the weapons can’t prosper! In
other words, when adversity comes against you, you can
declare, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”
Because your righteousness is of the Lord. The righteousness
you have wasn’t produced by you. It was produced by the
Lord. God produced it for you in Christ.

RENEWING YOUR MIND

That ye put off concerning the former conversation
[He’s talking about your lifestyle.] the old man,
which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.

Ephesians 4:22

Paul is saying, “Change the way you are living.” You won’t
change the way you are living if you don’t change the way you
are talking. In other words, “Quit talking the way you used to
talk.”

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth...

Psalm 141:3

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy

words thou shalt be condemned.

Matthew 12:37

Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth...

Proverbs 6:2

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that

 ye put on the new man, which after God is created
in righteousness and true holiness.

Ephesians 4:23,24

Paul is discussing who we are in Christ. He is saying, “Here

is something you need to do. Put off the old nature, the old
lifestyle.” To put off is like taking off the old clothes. Then he
says, “Put on the new man.” He gives directions how to put on
the new man, “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.”

The process of putting off the old and putting on the new
takes place as you renew your mind and line your thinking up
with the Word of God. We should always ask, “What does
God’s Word have to say about such-and-such? What does the
Word say about me? What does the Word say that I have?
Who does the Word say that I am? What do I need to do
now?” We need to say what God says. We need to agree with
God.

*****
You won’t change the way you are living if you don’t change
the way you are talking.
*****
Second Corinthians 5:17 says you become a new creature in
Christ, but Ephesians 4:24 says, “put on the new man.” There
is something we need to do to put on the new man. Why?
Because the new man is who you are on the inside and who
you are in Christ. Paul is saying, “Take what you are and what
you have in Christ and put it on.” How do you put on the new
man? By renewing your mind with God’s Word.

Paul also says that the new man, “...is created in

righteousness and true holiness,” Ephesians 4:24. In other
words, you are not trying to make the new man righteous and
holy. He is saying, “The moment you are born again, you are a
new creation, and you are created in righteousness and true
holiness.” Then he says, “put on the new man.” Since you
have been made a partaker of the divine nature, you are to put
on the new man, who is created in righteousness and true
holiness.

DETHRONE YOUR REASONING AND

BODY
So what do you need to do? You don’t need to make the new
man righteous, but you need to put him on. How do you do
that?

That the communication of thy faith may become

effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing
which is in you in Christ Jesus.

Philemon 6

What would happen if you made a list and started

acknowledging every good thing that is yours in Christ? God
already deposited every good thing in you when you were
born again, but it is up to you to acknowledge what you have
in Christ.

You must acknowledge who you are and what you have in
Christ. Just because you are a believer doesn’t mean you won’t
have any trouble with your flesh or your mind. Even as a born
again, Spirit-filled believer, you still have to do something with
your body. What did Paul say he did with his body?

...I keep under my body, and bring it into

subjection...
1 Corinthians 9:27
God is not going to do anything about your body or your
mind. He already did the biggest work in your spirit (your
inward man) when you were born again. God gave you His
Word, which is full of life and power, and the Holy Ghost lives
on the inside of you. You can do something with your body.
Begin by acknowledging who you are in Christ and let the Holy
Ghost rise up on the inside of you. When you agree with God,
your inner man (your spirit) will rise up and dethrone the
dominance of your body and your reasoning.

THE ENGRAFTED WORD

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with meekness the
engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

James 1:21

In James 1:21, Paul was speaking to believers. This must

mean that after you are born again, your soul still isn’t saved.
People say, “We had so many souls saved.” Not necessarily.
People came forward. They might have received Christ and
been born again, but their soul wasn’t saved. Even after you
are born again, you still have to get your soul saved. Your soul
is made up of your mind, will, and emotions.

James says to receive the Word with meekness. Meekness

means to receive it with humility. In other words, humble
yourself and be teachable. The engrafted Word has the ability
to save, deliver, restore, and make your soul (your mind, will,
and emotions) whole.

*****
The Word doesn’t work unless it is implanted.
*****
Why does James call the Word the engrafted Word? The
Word doesn’t work unless it is implanted. It won’t work for you
unless it is implanted on the inside of you. How do you get it
implanted? By acknowledging every good thing that is in you
in Christ. In other words, you stick with it and keep feeding and
meditating on the Word.

FAITH IS AN ACT
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves.

James 1:22

What does it mean to be a doer of the Word? When you see

something in the Word, you just act on it. You start acting like
the Word is true. You become a doer of that Word. Faith
without works [or corresponding action] is dead (James 2:26). If
the Word says something belongs to you, you can say, “I am
going to act on it. I am going to act like it is so. It may not feel
like it or look like it, but I am acting on it right now.” As you
acknowledge the Word, start acting like it is true. Smith
Wigglesworth said, “Faith is an act.”

For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer,

he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in
a glass [or in a mirror]: For he beholdeth himself,
and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what
manner of man he was.

James 1:23,24

What do you look at when you look in the mirror? You look
at yourself. James is saying, “If you hear the Word, but you
don’t do it, it is like looking in the mirror, going your way and
forgetting what you look like.”

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty,

and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful
hearer, but a doer of the word, this man shall be
blessed in his deed.

James 1:25

SEE YOURSELF IN CHRIST

How do you become a doer of the Word? You look into the
mirror of the Word, which James calls “the perfect law of
liberty.” When you get up in the morning, look up about ten in
Christ scriptures, look in the mirror, and acknowledge them.
Look in the mirror — the perfect law of liberty. When you look
into the mirror of the Word, it will make you free. One
translation says, “Look and keep on looking.”

When you keep on looking, there is a reflection and you see

yourself in Christ. You see what God has done for you in Christ
and suddenly, you see yourself free. You won’t possess any
more than you can see. If you continue to see yourself as a
failure, unrighteous, unworthy, defeated, and confused, you
will continue to live it out.

*****
If you keep looking into the Word, it will save, deliver, heal, and
restore your soul.
*****
God can tell you over and over what He has done for you in
Christ and who you are in Christ. As long as you continue to
see yourself as a failure, unrighteous, unworthy, defeated, sick,
or poor, you will stay in that condition. While you go by your
thinking and feelings, God is saying, “Acknowledge every
good thing that is in you in Christ. Renew your mind and put
on the new man created in righteousness, victory, blessing,
and holiness.” When you get up in the morning, look in the
Word. When you have a lunch break, open your Bible. If you
have a fifteen minute break, open your Bible. This is what it
takes to be blessed.

EVERYTHING WE NEED
...his divine power hath given unto us all things that
pertain unto life and godliness...
2 Peter 1:3
God has deposited everything in you, through His Word,
that you will ever need for life and godliness. He didn’t say
you have been given all things that pertain to heaven. No, you
have been given all things that pertain to life and godliness
right now!

...through the knowledge of him that called us to

glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises: that by
these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption that is in this world
through lust.
2 Peter 1:4
Peter is saying, “God has given you everything you need for
life and godliness in the Word.” James said, “You need to take
these exceeding great and precious promises and get them
engrafted on the inside of you. These promises will save your
soul.”

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not

sin against thee.

Psalm 119:11

In other words, the more of the Word you have in you, the
less trouble you will have with sin. To give mental assent to the
Word won’t work. James said for the Word to work for you,
you need to, “Lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness,” James 1:21. If you have 50 percent Word and 50
percent filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, the Word
won’t work for you. It will have some effect, but you need to
get 100 percent of the Word into you.

THE WORD WORKS

If you keep looking into the Word, it will save, deliver, heal,
and restore your soul. It will bring the blessing of God.
Acknowledge who you are and what you have in Christ.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and

 sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to
the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

Nothing can separate your soul and your spirit but the
Word. You might ask, “Why do they need to be separated?”
God says you are a new creature in Christ. He says you have
been made righteous and triumphant, but your mind is in
disagreement. Your circumstances are in disagreement. Your
feelings are in disagreement, but the Word is like a sharp
sword. It will cause your circumstances and feelings to agree
with God.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I

came not to send peace, but a sword.

Matthew 10:34

*****
The sword of the Spirit cuts controlling influences from your
life.
*****
The sword will reach into your soul and separate and cut
things out that are hindering you from fulfilling the will of God
and being blessed. Ephesians 6:17 talks about, “...the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The Word will cut
controlling influences off of your life and will cut things out of
your soul that are not in agreement with God’s Word.

What happens when you begin to acknowledge, “I am who

God says I am. God says that I am an overcomer, so I say I am
an overcomer. God says I have been made righteous, so I say
right now, I am the righteousness of God in Christ”? The sword
of the Spirit cuts controlling influences from your life.

REASON TO SHOUT
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son
of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and
shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he
not make it good.

Numbers 23:19

There is no way God can lie. If you find out what the Word
says and you receive the engrafted Word, God will perform it in
your life.

Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and

he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. He hath not
beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen
perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him,
and the shout of a king is among them.

Numbers 23:20,21
 Once you know your covenant and who you are in Christ,
there will be the shout of a king! If the Israelites were shouting
under the Old Covenant, you have even more to shout about in
the New Covenant. Just as God looked at the Israelites in the
Old Covenant, He looks at you in Christ. He sees you as the
righteousness of Christ. Balaam got a glimpse of the people the
way God saw them. He didn’t see iniquity in them.

*****
The communication of faith will become effectual as you
acknowledge every good thing that is in you in Christ!
*****
What does this mean to you? If you have been made the
righteousness of God in Christ, God sees no iniquity in you.
You have reason to shout! It’s time to get the Bible out and
say, “Devil, if you can’t read, let me read to you!” The
communication of faith will become effectual as you
acknowledge every good thing that is in you in Christ!
Hallelujah!

WHAT YOU HAVE NOW IN CHRIST

God is planting a whole new crop of righteousness, wisdom,
redemption, sanctification, blessing, joy, and victory on the
inside of you. Put on the new man by declaring who you are in
Christ. Make this confession of faith and acknowledge some of
the things you have now in Christ.

I am who God says I am. I have what God says I

have. I acknowledge right now by faith every good
 thing that is mine in Christ. I am a new creation in
Christ. Old things have passed away. A whole new
world has opened up to me in Christ, in the Spirit. I
have been born again. I have been born of God. Old
habits, attitudes, and controlling influences are
broken and cut away from my life by the sword of the
Spirit, which is the Word of God.

I acknowledge every good thing that is mine in

Christ right now. I have been made the
righteousness of God in Christ. Victory is mine now
in Christ. In Him I am more than a conqueror. I have
been refathered. God is my Father. I am righteous. I
am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

I have been redeemed from the curse of the law.

Christ has redeemed me from all iniquity. The law of
the Spirit of life in Christ has made me free from the
law of sin and death. I am free. I am righteous. Right
now I am victorious. I am in Christ, and Christ is in
me. I am blessed with every spiritual blessing in
Christ right now. I am the workmanship of God,
created in Christ Jesus. I receive with meekness the
engrafted Word which is saving my soul. I am a doer
of the Word. I am who God says I am. I am complete
in Christ. In Him I am strong. In Him I am free. In Him
I am blessed!

There is not one thing in me that the Blood doesn’t cleanse.

 -Smith Wigglesworth

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own

blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption for us.
Hebrews 9:12, KJV
 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation
through faith in his blood, to declare his
righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,
through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say,
at this time his righteousness: that he might be just,
and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus…
by the law of faith.

Romans 3:25-27

*****
Faith in His blood is the power and the vehicle that launches
the believer into the very presence of God.
*****
What a wonderful sight it is to see a space shuttle launch.
You can see it rise slowly, then rocket into another world. The
power, the sound, and the sight are fascinating. The giant fuel
cells that propel it are necessary to get it out of this
atmosphere into outer space. The shuttle leaves the law of
gravity behind and enters a world of weightlessness. I like to
compare that to “faith in the blood of Jesus.” Faith in His blood
is the power and the vehicle that launches the believer into the
very presence of God. We are launched into another realm
where the new law of faith rules. The law of sin and death is
broken by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The
weight of sin that once held you down is broken and you are
free. Think of the possibilities and the power in the blood of
Jesus.

Faith is largely dependent on knowledge. If

knowledge of what the blood can accomplish is not
accurate, then faith expects little, and the more
powerful effects of the blood are limited.

Andrew Murray

As we study the Word of God our faith grows. When we see

clearly what Jesus has done for us through His blood, we
begin our ascent into the realm of God. The blood of Jesus
carries everything He has done for us. The blood of Jesus has
many different ingredients and applications, which are applied
by faith. God is a faith God and faith is what pleases Him. Faith
opens the door to the supernatural. Faith is built on accurate
knowledge (Romans 10:17). There is no such thing as ignorant
faith. There is no such thing as silent faith. Faith has a voice
(Mark 11:23). We honor the blood of Jesus as we lift our voice
in faith declaring what it has and what it is accomplishing. The
spoken Word of God is the voice of the blood covenant. Every
Word has blood in it. The blood must be applied by faith.
According to your faith so be it to you. There is no such thing
as passive faith. Faith is an act. Faith acts like the Bible is true.
Live by faith and continually apply the blood. There is power
in the blood. We act in faith like the blood of Jesus has
purchased our redemption.

“…The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all

sin,” 1 John 1:7. The blood in your body circulates from head
to toe every 23 seconds. The blood carries life itself. It carries
in the nutrients you need to live and it also carries out the
garbage. The blood of Jesus circulates throughout the Body of
Christ. We need one another. We need to be assembled
together and we need to fellowship with other believers
(Hebrews 10:25). There is some assembly required. I feel sorry
for people who think they can make it on their own. We need
other strong believers to fellowship with around the Word of
God. Then the blood of Jesus circulates and takes care of life
and health for us.

INGREDIENTS IN THE BLOOD

*****
You will be launched into a new level of victory and blessing as
you apply the blood.
*****
 When we look at the New Testament, we see a full print out
of the ingredients that are in the blood of Jesus. We can see
what God sees in the blood. In order to purchase a million
dollar life insurance policy, they would require a sample of your
blood before you would be approved for the policy. They
would send the blood to the lab to study it. Under powerful
microscopes they would see what ingredients are in your
blood. A few days later you would receive a full-page print out
with a detailed description of what is in your blood.

A thorough investigation of the blood of Jesus reveals every

necessary ingredient for full salvation. There is righteousness,
forgiveness, redemption, sanctification, healing, victory,
blessing, boldness, prosperity, and power in the blood of
Jesus!

…by the blood (that sealed, ratified) the everlasting

agreement (covenant, testament). Strengthen
(complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to
be and equip you with everything good that you
may carry out His will…

Hebrews 13:20-21, Amplified

Through the blood of the everlasting covenant you will be

made perfect in every good work to do His will. You will be
launched into a new level of victory and blessing as you apply
the blood constantly with boldness and full assurance of faith
(Hebrews 10:19-25)!
 And the veil in the temple was rent in twain from
the top to the bottom.

Mark 15:38

Having therefore brethren, boldness to enter into

the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and
living way, which he hath consecrated for us,
through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Hebrews 10:19-20

IN CHRIST – ACCESS TO THE FATHER

When Jesus was crucified the veil in the temple that
separated man from the Holy of Holies was torn from the top to
the bottom. This signified that the Holy place was open for
every man to enter into the closest fellowship with God. In
Hebrews, the Apostle Paul says that veil was the body of
Jesus. When His body was broken for us, we were granted
access into Christ. When His blood was shed, we were
accepted in Christ. In Him we have the closest fellowship with
the Father God. God sees us through the blood of Jesus and
welcomes us in His presence. The veil in the temple was the
body of Jesus and we are in Christ. When He was wounded we
were engrafted into Him. Now we are new creatures in Christ.
We are the righteousness of God in Christ.

THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS

 It was through what his Son did that God cleared a
path for everything to come to him-all things in
heaven and on earth-for Christ’s death on the cross
has made peace with God for all by His blood. This
includes you who were once so far away from God.
You were his enemies and hated him and were
separated from him by your own evil thoughts and
actions, yet now he has brought you back as his
friends. He has done this through the death on the
cross of his own human body, and now as a result
Christ has brought you into the very presence of
God, and you are standing there before Him with
nothing left against you-nothing left that he could
even chide you for.

Colossians 1:20-22 Living Bible

HONOR THE BLOOD OF JESUS

The King James Version says it this way in Colossians 1:20-
22, “Through the blood of his cross…you are reconciled to
God by Him…In the body of his flesh through death, to
present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His
sight.” We as believers are accepted in the presence of God
having perfect fellowship with the Father God because of what
Christ has done for us. God sees us in Christ. In Him we have
redemption through His blood (Colossians 1:14). Now we have
full assurance of faith to go right into the very presence of God
because we have been washed in the blood of Jesus.
Ephesians 3:12, says, “In whom we have boldness and access
with confidence by the faith of him. By faith in the blood of
Jesus we are in Christ. Let us honor the blood of Jesus and
confess daily who we are and what we have in Christ Jesus.
 IN CHRIST SCRIPTURES
Who You Are and What You Have In Christ

IN CHRIST

Romans 3:24; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:2; Romans 12:5; 1 Cor.

1:2; 1 Cor. 1:30; 1 Cor 15:22; 2 Cor. 1:21; 2 Cor. 2:14; 2 Cor. 3:14; 2
Cor. 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:19; Gal. 2:4; Gal. 3:26; Gal. 3:28; Gal. 6:15; Eph.
1:3; Eph. 1:10; Eph. 2:6; Eph. 2:10; Eph. 2:13; Eph. 3:6; Phil.
3:13,14; Col. 1:28; 1 Thess. 4:16; 1 Thess. 5:18; 1 Tim. 1:14; 2
Tim. 1:9; 2 Tim. 1:13; 2 Tim. 2:1; 2 Tim. 2:10; 2 Tim. 3:15; Phile.
1:6; 1 Peter 1:8

IN HIM

Acts 17:28; John 1:4; John 3:15,16; 2 Cor. 1:20; 2 Cor. 5:21;
Eph. 1:4; Eph. 1:10; Phil. 3:9; Col. 2:6; Col. 2:7; Col. 2:9,10; 1
John 2:5; 1 John 2:6; 1 John 2:8; 1 John 2:27; 1 John 2:28; 1
John 3:3; 1 John 3:5; 1 John 3:6; 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:13; 1
John 5:14,15; 1 John 5:20

REFERENCES
Adams, Jay E. The New Testament in Everyday English.
Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1979.

Amplified Bible. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand

Rapids, Michigan, 1972.

American Standard Bible. Thomas Nelson and Sons, New

York, New York, 1901.

Barclay, William. New Testament Words. Westminster Press.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1974.

Barclay, William. The New Testament A New Translation.

Collins, London, England, 1968.

Barth, Markus. Anchor Bible. Double Day and Company,

Inc., Garden City, New York, 1974.

Beck, William. The Holy Bible In The Language of Today.

A.J. Holman Company, New York, New York, 1976.

Blackwelder, Boyce. Letters From Paul An Exegetical

Translation. Warner Press, London, England, 1944.

Cressman, A. Good News for the World. SOON!

Publications, Bombay, India, 1969.

Deane, Anthony C. St. Paul and His Letters. Hodder and

Stoughton, London, England, n.d.

Goodspeed, Edgar J. The New Testament, An American

Translation. University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 1923.

Gordon, A.J. In Christ. Wade Pickren Publications, Revised

1983.

Hayman, Henry. Four Volume Series, Letters of Apostle

Paul. Spirit to Spirit Publications, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1982.
 Jordan, Clarence. The Cotton Patch Version of Paul’s
Epistles. Association Press, New York, New York, 1968.

Laubach, Frank C. The Inspired Letters in Clearest English.

Thomas Nelson and Sons, New York, New York, 1956.

Minirth, Frank, Paul Meier, and Stephen Arterburn. The

Complete Life Encylopedia. Thomas Nelson Publisher,
Nashville , Tennessee , 1995.

Moffatt, James. The Holy Bible Containing the Old and

New Testaments. Double Day and Company, Inc., Garden City,
New York, 1926.

New American Standard Bible. A.J. Holman, New York, New

York, 1971.

New English Bible. Oxford University Press, Oxford,

England, 1961.

Noli, Fan. S. The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior

Jesus Christ. Albanian Orthodox Church In America, Boston,
Massachusetts, 1961.

Norlie, Olaf M. Norlie’s Simplified New Testament in Plain

English - For Today’s Readers. Zondervan Publishing House,
Grand Rapids Michigan, 1961

Phillips, J.B. The New Testament in Modern English. The

Macmillan Company, New York, New York, 1958.
 Revised Standard Bible. Thomas Nelson and Sons, New
York, New York, 1953

Rotheram, J.B. The Emphasized Bible. Kregel Publications,

Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1976.

Stalker, James. The Life of St. Paul. Zondervan Corporation.

Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1983.

Stewart, James. A Man in Christ. Baker Book House. Grand

Rapids Michigan, 1975.

Taylor, Ken. The Living Bible. Tyndale House Publishers,

Inc., Wheaton, Illinois, 1971.

The Distilled Bible/New Testament. Paul Benjamin

Publishing Company, Stone Mountain, Georgia, 1980.

The Holy Bible, New International Version. Zondervan

Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1978.

The Jerusalem Bible. Double Day and Company, Inc.,

Garden City, New York, 1968.

The New Testament English Version for the Deaf. Baker

Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1978.

The Translator’s New Testament. The British and Foreign

Bible Society, London, England, 1977.

The Twentieth Century New Testament. Revised Edition. The

Fleming H. Revell Company, New York, New York, 1909.

Verkuyl, Gerrit. The Holy Bible, The New Berkely Version,

Revised Edition in Modern English. Zondervan Publishing
House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1969.

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New

Testament Words. Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee,
1984, 1996.

Way, Arthur S. The Letters of St. Paul to the Seven Churches

and Three Friends with the Letter to the Hebrews. Sixth
Edition. Macmillan and Company, New York, New York, 1926.

Weymouth, Richard Francis. The New Testament. James

Clark and Company, London, England, 1909.

Williams, Charles G. The New Testament. Moody Press,

Chicago, Illinois, 1978.

Williams, Charles Kingsley. The New Testament, A New

Translation in Plain English. Longmans, Green, and Co.,
London, England, 1952.
 Purchasing and Contact Information
MARK HANKINS MINISTRIES
P.O. BOX 12863
ALEXANDRIA, LA 71315

Phone: 318.448.4500
Fax: 318.443.2948

Email: [email protected]

Visit us on the web:

www.markhankins.org

Mark Hankins Ministries Publications

SPIRIT-FILLED SCRIPTURE STUDY GUIDE

A comprehensive study of scriptures in over 120 different

translations on topics such as: Redemption, Faith, Finances,
Prayer and many more!

THE POWER OF IDENTIFICATION WITH CHRIST

This book focuses on the reality of redemption and your

new identity in Christ. As a new creature, you have everything
you need inside of you to succeed in life!

THE SPIRIT OF FAITH

If you only knew what was on the other side of your

mountain, you would move it! Having a spirit of faith is
necessary to do the will of God and fulfill your destiny.

NEVER RUN AT YOUR GIANT WITH YOUR MOUTH SHUT

When David ran at Goliath, there was a war of words going

on. In this book, we learn that winning the war of words is
necessary to winning the fight of faith.

11:23 - THE LANGUAGE OF FAITH

Never underestimate the power of one voice! Over 100

inspirational, mountain-moving quotes to “stir up” the spirit of
faith in you.

TAKING YOUR PLACE IN CHRIST

Many Christians talk about what they are trying to be and

what they are going to be. This book is about who you are
NOW as a believer in Christ.

ACKNOWLEDGING EVERY GOOD THING THAT IS IN YOU

IN CHRIST

This mini-book encourages every believer to have a daily

confession or acknowledgment of who they are in Christ.

REVOLUTIONARY REVELATION

This book provides excellent insight on how the spirit of

wisdom and revelation is mandatory for believers to access
their call, inheritance, and authority in Christ.

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

This Book focuses on the five key factors to heaven on

earth: The Holy Spirit, Glory, Faith, Joy, and Redemption. The
Holy Spirit is a genius. If you will listen to Him, He will make
you look smart.

About the Author

Mark and Trina Hankins travel nationally and
internationally preaching the Word of God with the power of
the Holy Spirit. Their message centers on the spirit of faith,
who the believer is in Christ, and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Mark Hankins’ daily radio program, “Taking Your Place in

Christ,” is heard across the United States. It is also made
available internationally, via the internet at
www.markhankins.org.

Trina is an anointed praise and worship leader and recording

artist. She has recorded two albums: A Place by the Father and
Be It unto Me.

Mark and Trina have also pastored for 23 years, but now
they are traveling extensively around the United States and
Internationally full-time. Their son, Aaron Hankins and his
wife, Errin Cody, are now the pastors of Christian Worship
Center in Alexandria, Louisiana. Their daughter Alicia Moran
and her husband, Caleb, serve as directors of Mark Hankins
Ministries.
Acknowledgements
Special Thanks To

My wife, Trina
My son, Pastor Aaron Hankins and his wife, Errin
Cody
their daughters, Avery Jane and Macy Claire
My daughter, Alicia Moran and her husband, Caleb
their son, Jaiden Mark
My dad, Pastor B.B. Hankins, who is now in heaven
with the Lord
My mom, Velma Hankins
My wife’s parents, Pastor William and Ginger
Behrman
 Table of Contents
Chapter 1, A Man in Christ
A MAN IN CHRIST IS A NEW CREATURE
THE GOD-KIND OF LIFE
LIFE AS GOD HAS IT
ETERNAL LIFE: PRESENT ACTUAL POSSESSION
GOD SEES YOU IN CHRIST
SEEING WHAT GOD SEES
ACT LIKE THE BIBLE IS TRUE
Chapter 2, Once Upon a Time
A NEW DAY OF BOLDNESS
Chapter 3, Engrafted Into Christ
SHAME-FREE LIVING
RIGHTEOUSNESS: REVELATION AND
MOTIVATION
Chapter 4, Finding Your Place in Christ
IT’S NOT NECESSARY, UNLESS IT’S NECESSARY
MY MOTHER RUNS
SATAN HATH DESIRED TO HAVE YOU
ARRESTED BY GOD
I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM
SHOUT IT OUT
Chapter 5, The Secret Place
MAKING ADJUSTMENTS
FINDING YOUR PLACE IN THE ROCK
GLORY! GOD IS ALL GOOD
IN THE ROCK
 YOUR PLACE BY THE FATHER
YOUR PLACE IN CHRIST
EVERYBODY ON THE FRONT ROW
Chapter 6, Understanding Redemption
GOD’S MASTERPIECE
FIRST IMPORTANCE
A LEGAL RELEASE
YOU ARE REDEEMED
THE CENTER OF THE GOSPEL
PAUL’S SYSTEM OF TRUTH
PROCLAMATION, DEMONSTRATION,
EXPLANATION
Chapter 7, In Christ Determinism
IDENTIFY WITH CHRIST
POWERFUL PREPOSITIONS
JOINED TO CHRIST
ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR UNION WITH CHRIST
I LIKE THAT “AM” BUSINESS
SUBSTITUTION AND IDENTIFICATION
BE SWALLOWED UP
IN CHRIST SURGERY
Chapter 8, Understanding Righteousness
SUBSTITUTION, IDENTIFICATION, UNION
FIRST CLASS RIGHTEOUSNESS
FREEDOM FROM GUILT AND SIN
CONSCIOUSNESS
THE SMELL OF TRIUMPH
Chapter 9, Your Identification in Christ
AN IDENTITY CHANGE
 WERE YOU THERE?
THE GOSPEL IS A GROUP PICTURE
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CROSS
JESUS TOOK US WITH HIM
Chapter 10, Jesus in Your Jersey
GOD’S GOT A PLAN
PROOF OF IDENTIFICATION
Chapter 11, Revelation Knowledge
REVEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
NEW UNDERSTANDING
YOUR IDENTITY WITH CHRIST
Chapter 12, How God Changes People's Identities
A WHOLE NEW IDENTITY
A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
FROM CHILDLESS TO FATHER OF MANY
FROM COUNTRY BOY TO PROPHET
YOUR VALUE IN CHRIST
CHANGED FROM WITHIN
FROM COWARD TO MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR
MY NAME IS ROCK
LET ME TELL YOU WHO I AM
YOUR IDENTITY IN THE WORD
CHRIST LIVES IN YOU
CONFESS YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST
Chapter 13, Your Inheritance in Christ
IN CHRIST-ED
GOD HAS PREPARED THE WAY
FREED FROM SATAN’S DOMINION
JOINED TO CHRIST
 DELIVERED FROM SIN
A SPIRITUAL CONNECTION
TO BE LIKE JESUS
MORE LIKE JESUS
Chapter 14, The Unseen Connection
YOUR HELPER
REVEAL THINGS TO COME
INSIDE INFORMATION
GLORIFIES JESUS
JESUS ON THE INSIDE
SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY
FEED ON THE WORD
BECOMING LIKE CHRIST
Chapter 15, Acknowledging Every Good Thing That is in You
in Christ
EVERY GOOD THING IN CHRIST
GOD’S WAY OF THINKING
RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD
DEDICATION TO GOD
DELIVERANCE AND FREEDOM
THE WORKMANSHIP OF GOD
THE REALM OF GOD
LAUGH AT THE DEVIL
YOURS RIGHT NOW
COMPLETE IN CHRIST
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST
A SPIRITUAL DEPOSIT — NOW
TRIUMPH ALWAYS
RENEWING YOUR MIND
 DETHRONE YOUR REASONING AND BODY
THE ENGRAFTED WORD
FAITH IS AN ACT
SEE YOURSELF IN CHRIST
EVERYTHING WE NEED
THE WORD WORKS
REASON TO SHOUT
WHAT YOU HAVE NOW IN CHRIST
Chapter 16, Faith in the Blood of Jesus
INGREDIENTS IN THE BLOOD
IN CHRIST – ACCESS TO THE FATHER
THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS
HONOR THE BLOOD OF JESUS
IN CHRIST SCRIPTURES
REFERENCES
Mark Hankins Ministries Publications
About the Author