Article Display
Email  |  My Account  |  Donate

We are to live by faith—looking into the Word of God and fixing our eyes on Jesus. As believers, we are not trusting our feelings, but following the guidance of the Spirit of God. What you are looking at determines whether you live or die, succeed or fail, win or lose.


Faith Is Instrument Rated
How would you feel if the pilot on your next flight came on the intercom and said, "Today, folks, I'm not going to look at my instruments or listen to the air traffic controller. I'm going to fly by my feelings. I think I can land us at our destination."

You would want off that flight immediately! Did you know that without being instrument rated he can only fly for 90 seconds without visual reference? That means when he gets into fog or clouds he becomes disoriented. He may feel like he's going the right direction when actually he is totally off course.

You need a pilot who is instrument rated for a safe flight. To be instrument rated means that you focus on your instruments instead of what you are feeling or perceiving naturally. A good pilot trusts his instruments to give him the true status of his altitude, position, airspeed, etc.

This is how Christians should live their lives. We are to live by faith—looking into the Word of God and fixing our eyes on Jesus. As believers, we are not trusting our feelings, but following the guidance of the Spirit of God. What you are looking at determines whether you live or die, succeed or fail, win or lose.

You Can Believe When You Look
Numbers 21 tells the story of how Moses prayed for the people who, because of their sin, were bitten by poisonous snakes. The Lord instructed Moses to make a "serpent of bronze and set it on a pole, and if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the serpent of bronze [attentively, expectantly, with a steady and absorbing gaze], he lived" (Num. 21:8-9 AMP).

Can you imagine how hard it must have been to focus and keep their gaze on that brazen serpent while surrounded by the poisonous vipers biting at them and others around them? When they looked and kept on looking, they were healed and they lived.

This was a picture of Jesus and how He became a curse for us on the cross. When Moses held up the serpent on the pole, it represented our sickness, curse, sin, guilt and shame. As we look at the cross, we can see that we were crucified with Christ.

The words "to lift up" are significant in the Greek. I like what William Barclay said:

"The verb 'to lift up' is hupsoun. The strange thing is that it is used of Jesus in two senses. It is used of his being lifted up upon the Cross; and it is used of His being lifted up into glory at the time of his ascension into Heaven. It is used of the Cross in John 8:28; 12:32.

It is used of Jesus' ascension into glory in Acts 2:33; 5:31; Philippians 2:9. There was a double lifting up in Jesus' life—the lifting on the Cross and the lifting into glory. And the two are inextricably connected. The one could not happen without the other."
Believing on what God did for us on the Cross brings that "lifting power" to our individual lives. Jesus used the word believe when speaking about focusing on the cross. When we look at what Jesus did for us on the cross with an attentive, expectant, steady and absorbing gaze, He calls that believing.

The power that is in His redemptive work and written Word is released into our hearts to give life, healing, and blessing. Believing means that you see with the eyes of your heart. By meditating on redemption you can absorb the power in it. You can receive the promises and what the Blood has done for you in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus. Remember what you are looking at determines whether you live or die, succeed or fail, win or lose.

Jesus Will Save You When You Look
Remember the classic story about Jesus walking on the water and how Peter got out of the boat to walk to Him? Matthew 14:30-31 in the Amplified Bible says:
"...when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me! Instantly, Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
The Living Bible says when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified. Here again you can see the direct effect that your vision and focus have on your faith. A steadfast gaze on Jesus will remove all doubt and fear. There is saving power when you look at Jesus!

There's Power To Change As You Look
What can be done when it seems like you'll never change and it is impossible to be free from old attitudes and lifestyles? What are you looking at? The Word of God is compared to a mirror that you keep looking into until you change. This is the wisdom you are looking for.
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: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being now a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
(James 1:23-25)

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
(2 Cor. 3:18)
There is a supernatural transformation when you keep your gaze fixed upon the Word, find scriptures that paint a picture of the answer, let the Holy Spirit reveal the face of Christ and stamp it into your heart. Receive God's blessing and transformation when you look at His Word!

Receive Your Healing When You Look
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
(Prov. 4:20-23)
Seeing and hearing the Word of God opens the door for the power of that Word to come into you. The power of God will displace sickness in your body and replace it with health—spirit, soul and body. Faith in God will grow automatically as you focus on the healing found there and you'll find yourself believing for the impossible.

Pastor Yonggi Cho, who pastors the largest full gospel church in the world, recently shared how he confessed out loud one thousand times, "By Jesus' stripes I am healed." He received his healing as he focused his attention on that scripture, and by speaking it, absorbed its power into his spirit, soul, and body. Say it like you would take medicine: with diligence and regularity. Miracles and healing will take place when you look!

This is No Time For Attention Deficit Disorder
What is the Holy Spirit saying to the Church in these end times? What should we be doing when there are financial storms, vipers of fear, disease, and troubled times surrounding us? What are you looking at? This is no time for spiritual attention deficit disorder! Focus on these powerful words from the Apostle Paul:
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
(2 Cor. 4:18)
You can see invisible things and eternal things. Hebrews 12:1,2 gives us our instructions for finishing this race with joy! First of all, you are not alone—you have a mighty host in Heaven cheering you on. Next, you remove every weight and sin hanging on you and keep running with your eyes on Jesus as your focal point.

Forget those things you left behind. They are only distractions to trip you up. Keep an attentive, expectant, steady and absorbing gaze on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith. There is certain victory when you look at Jesus!

Let us believe the Word of God and see ourselves crucified with Christ. Then we can see the believer's identification with Christ, which is the greatest revelation in the New Testament. Believing is seeing yourself in Christ in His death and triumphant resurrection with the eyes of your heart. Let your faith take hold of this truth—that if you were crucified with Christ, then you were also raised and lifted up with Him. From that perspective your eyes behold His Majesty and Glory as you reach your destination and see Him face to face. Let us finish our course with joy!

Mark Hankins Ministries
All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Author Biography

Mark Hankins
Web site: Mark Hankins Ministries
 
Mark and Trina Hankins travel nationally and internationally preaching the Word of God with the power of the Holy Spirit. The vision of MHM is to take the spirit of faith, the message of who the believer is in Christ, and the work of the Holy Spirit to every generation and to every nation. Mark and Trina Hankins have been in full-time ministry for over thirty five years. Through church services, leadership conferences, mission trips, publications, radio, television, Bible schools, and the internet, MHM is reaching the world with the Word of God. Mark is known widely for his unique anointing to minister on the subjects of faith and the believer’s identification in Christ.
Read more...

About Us

The online ministry of cfaith has been helping people discover faith, friends and freedom in the Word since 2000. Cfaith provides a unique and comprehensive collection of faith-building resources for the worldwide faith community.

At cfaith, you can strengthen your faith and deepen your understanding of the Word of God by digging into the vast collection of teaching articles, streaming audio and video messages, and daily devotionals. No other website offers such a unique and extensive collection of spiritual-growth resources aimed at helping you grow in your knowledge of the Word.

Read More...

 

 

Support Us

Why support cfaith?


(All contributions are 100% tax deductible)


SUPPORT CFAITH WITH ONE CLICK!

For every Internet search you make using
goodsearch, cfaith will receive one penny!

GS Logo 250x38

Contact Us

Business Hours:


Monday—Friday: 9 a.m.—5 p.m. CST
Saturday & Sunday: Closed

Phone:

(763) 488-7800 or (800) 748-8107

Mailing Address: 

CFAITH.com
9201 75th Avenue North
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

 

Login Form

Please ignore the “Secret Key” field; it is not needed to log in to cfaith.

Login Change Article

Spring360x442
You need to enable user registration from User Manager/Options in the backend of Joomla before this module will activate.