Central Truth: When we know what we are in Christ and think in line with that, when we believe that and confess that, then there can be no failure for us.

In our last lesson we said that confession is actually three things: first, affirming something we believe; second, testifying to something we know; and third, witnessing for a truth we have embraced. The major problem for us to face is to know exactly what we are to confess.

We briefly touched on confession’s five parts in our last lesson, but we will go into more detail on these in our study for today as we endeavor to learn more about just what we are to confess. Our confession centers around these five things:

1. What God in Christ has wrought for us in His plan of redemption.

2. What God, through the Word and the Holy Spirit, has wrought for us in the new birth and the infilling of the Holy Ghost.

3. What we are to God the Father in Christ Jesus.

4. What Jesus is doing for us now at the right hand of the Father, where He ever lives to make intercession for us.

5. What God can do through us, or what His Word can do through our lips.

Discovering Our Privileges in Christ

As we have said, confession is testifying to something we know. It is impossible to testify to something we don’t know. And it is what we know personally about the Lord Jesus Christ and what we are in Him that counts. First of all, we can know Him personally, and it is of primary importance to be born again. But just because someone has been born again does not necessarily mean that he is a successful Christian. He must also know what he is in Christ Jesus. When we know what we are in Him and think in line with that, when we believe that and confess that, then there is no failure for us.

To discover what we are in Christ, we must look to the Word of God. Go to the New Testament, primarily the epistles written to the church, and underline with a red pencil every scripture that has the expression “in Him,” “in Christ,” and “in whom.” Better yet, take several sheets of paper and write down all of these scriptures. (You will find about 133 of these scriptures.)

The moment you find them, begin to confess that this is who you are and what you have in Christ. If you will do this, I will guarantee that before many days, life will be different for you.

While neither time nor space here permit us to go into all these scriptures, let us look at just a few.

Becoming a New Creature in Christ

II Corinthians 5:17

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Notice the expression “in Christ.” What a revolutionary thing that is for believers to believe and confess! We are new creatures in Christ Jesus. We are not just forgiven sinners. We are not poor, weak, staggering, sinning, barely-getting-along church members. We are new creatures, created by God in Christ Jesus. We are new creatures with the life of God, the nature of God, and the ability of God in us.

As a new convert at the age of seventeen, I never had the problems that so many have because I was quick to tell everybody, “I am a new creature.” I was quick to witness to Christ’s saving grace in my life wherever I went. I found that the more I talked about it, the more real the new creation became to me, because that is who we are and what we are.

I was active in soul winning – preaching in jail services, on the streets, and working in the church. While I was standing on the street corner one day, a boy who I knew came up to me and asked me to do him a favor. “I wouldn’t ask you to do this,” he explained, “but I’m running late now and I promised my girl friend that I would bring a date for her cousin who is visiting her from out of town. Would you come along and help me out of this jam? I’ll always be grateful and I’ll promise that we won’t stay over thirty or forty minutes, and that we won’t have any smoking, drinking, or dancing while you’re there.” Reluctantly I went along to help him out.

When we got to his girl friend’s house, she introduced me to her cousin. We had barely gotten seated when they put a record on the phonograph and started dancing. When the girl’s cousin asked me to dance, I said, “No, thank you, I don’t dance.”

She looked at me as if I had just come from Mars and said, “You don’t dance? Why?”

“Because I’m a new creature,” I answered.

“What do you mean, you’re a new creature?” she asked.

Then I quoted II Corinthians 5:17 to her, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” There was a time when I was interested in things like dancing, but now my life is different. I have been made a new creature in Christ, with new interests and new desires.” While the record continued to play and the other couple were dancing, I continued to give this girl my testimony of faith in Christ. The words began to grip her heart with conviction and she started crying. When the record stopped, the boy saw what was happening. He turned to me and said, “Let’s go!” and took me right home.

It didn’t matter where I was – whether in the jails, on the streets, at school, or church – I was quick to witness to everyone I came in contact with that I had been born again and was a new creature in Christ Jesus. And if we will confess that, it will make a big difference in our lives. I wasn’t tempted by the things of the world because I constantly confessed that I was a new creature in Christ Jesus.

Redemption From the Curse of the Law

Ephesians 1:7, 8

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.

Notice the words, “In whom we have redemption …” How thankful we can be that we are not trying to get it, we already have it. We are not going to have it sometime, we have it now. Satan’s dominion has been broken; he lost his dominion over our life the moment we became a new creature. We received a new Lord. Jesus Christ reigns over us. Satan was our Lord, but now Jesus is our Lord. Romans 10:9 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus …” or “Jesus as Lord.” Satan’s dominion ended; Jesus’ dominion began the moment we accepted Him as Lord and were born again.

From what and from whom are we redeemed? When asked this question many people say, “I am redeemed from sin.” And that is part of the answer, but not nearly all of it. Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” We are redeemed from the curse of the law.

To find out just what the curse of the law is, we must go back to the first five books of the Bible. There we see that the curse or the punishment for breaking God’s law is threefold: poverty, sickness, and the second death. God has redeemed us from the curse of poverty, from the curse of sickness, and from the curse of death – spiritual death now and physical death when Jesus comes again. We need have no fear of the second death. (In one of the lessons to follow we will look in more detail at our rights in Christ’s redemption from the curse of poverty.)

Acts 17:28

28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being …

What a vast storehouse of power we overlook so many times! In Him, Christ our Saviour and Lord, we have life, energy, strength for the impossible tasks. It does not say that we can do these things in ourselves, but it is through Him, through His power, for it is “in him we live, and move, and have our being.”

Deliverance From the Power of Satan

Then let us look at two scriptures that, although they do not contain the words “in Him,” “in whom,” or “in Christ,” yet they convey something of the same message of what we do have in Him. “Who (God) hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). This verse says that we are delivered from the authority of darkness, from the power of Satan.

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (I John 4:4). The Old Testament counterpart to this scripture is found in Isaiah 41:10: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Then in the New Testament we find, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). We can take this as a personal message for ourselves. Because we are under the new covenant, we can say, “Thank God, for He is in us.” This is the best reason I can think of for not being afraid.

People have come to me and said, “I have read all those scriptures you said to read, but it doesn’t seem real to me.”

“Have you confessed it is so?” I ask them.

One woman said to me, “But it isn’t so in my life. I know it is not.”

“God says it is so, you say it isn’t. Therefore, either you or God is lying about it. If you were to stand before your mother and call her a liar, you would feel badly, wouldn’t you? Then how can you expect to feel right when you stand before God and say, ‘Your Word is not true, it isn’t so. You’re a liar.’ To remedy this situation you must start confessing that it is so whether you feel like it is so in your life or not. Then it will become a reality.”

We must get our thinking in line with God’s Word and then our believing will be right. When our believing is right we can confess – say, affirm, witness, testify – to what God’s Word says about us. Then we will succeed. Then life will be different for us!

Memory Text: “For in him we live, and move, and have our being …” Acts 17:18).
Faith in Action: “But be Ye doers of the word, and not hearers only ….” (James 1:22).

Previous Lesson – Kenneth Hagin – Confession of God’s Word Builds Faith
Next Lesson – Kenneth Hagin – Right and Wrong Confession

Comments

  1. Hello. Is it possible to have the confession file too? I will be soooooo grateful.
    Thank you in advance

    Best

    1. Author

      Ashley, I am emailing you a file that you can have and print. We love you. Rex

      1. Hello. Is it possible to have the confession file too? I will be soooooo grateful.
        Thank you in advance

        Best

  2. Waoh….there’s power in the word…I’m particularly touched by JMlanga’s testimony….. I will start my own confessions this night….Isaiah 61….

  3. Am encouraged. Thanks for making the word available. Thanks Papa Hagin….you are one of the saints I would love to hug when we get to heaven…..

  4. Plz send me the confession scriptures so I can begin to confess who I am

    1. Read Ephesians 1:3-14
      That is who you are in Christ and those are your confessions. There are at least 16 spiritual blessings just in those 11 verses of who we are in Christ and what we have now. Those are your confessions.

  5. Before knowing Christ i was suffering from mental illness and and was having sexual relations with guys. After few yrs i came to knw abt Christ i accepted him as my personal Savior at that time also i was going through alot. I used to go to church i used to read bible sometimes bt never took my christian life seriously. During this time also i committed many sins. Then last year because of my failure in college i was very frustrated i talked to one of believer dint tell her anything abt my past bt when she spoke abt Gods word i felt very comforting and felt Gods love for me. 3 months even though i was struggling mentally and emotionally i used to pray and attend all prayer meetings and church. Bt one day suddenly a very evil negative thought came in my mind and i became astray again. even though i was warned by one pastor that dont hv sexual relations demons can work through it…bt after few days some negative evil thought came in my mind and i cudnt control myself and had sexual relations. i went back to same old life and habits. Now frm past 2 months i am coming infront of God Jesus unveiled… bt that true repentant mind and heart that repentant behavior is not coming. When i am praying i am not able to hear his voice double mindedness is there. Very evil thoughts and voices are coming inside me that i do not belong to Jesus. I belong to satan and much more. I am not able to even believe in Jesus. Negative images and thoughts are coming in my heart and mind. I know the steps to renew my mind bt untill and unless that true repentant heart and mind comes hw will Jesus accept me? I am feeling very guilty. My family my career my relationships my whole life is coming to end it seems. Please help me. What should i do? That stubborness is not going. Is there any way i can save myself and my life? Is Lord Jesus still ready to accept me?

    1. Jesus is always ready with a wide spread arms to welcome you home once again. He does not cast out anybody that comes and returns back to Him. He is always willing and ready to forgive you no matter how bad your sin might have been. The voices you hear are Satan’s tricks and schemes to deny you hope and tie you down perpetual with guilt. Just rededicate your life to God, and raise to fight radically those voices with strong and emphatic rebuke. “My spirit, soul and body belong to God, I have control over my emotions. sin will not have dominion. In Jesus Name.

    2. Viral Bhangale – I saw what you wrote and pray you’re getting stronger. I wanted to encourage you that no matter where you are in life, we have been a “prodigal son” (Luke 15) and the father will always be looking for your return. He will run to meet you as it is His heart of love for you as his creation. He breathed life into you and gave his son for you. The struggle that you’re in is a spiritual battle and the fruit of it comes out in a physical way (Eph 6;12). The war is waged spiritually therefore it needs battling spiritually. Set your heart to agree with the word of God and what it says about the lifestyle you’re fighting and confess what God wants for your future. (Promises) It is by faith, not feeling. We can never trust our feeling or that our works are ever good enough. Thank God for his grace and the works of Jesus. Jesus spoke in Luke 11:24-26 about impure spirit cast out and his house put back in order and then more returned and his state worse than the first. Please, fill up your spiritual “house” up with his word, meditating and memorizing his word and stay in church knowing that Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy you, and when your house if full of the Greater One in you, it will not penetrate. Your life is precious to God and to the body of Christ. Please don’t fight alone, put on every piece of your armour (Ephesians 6) please stay in touch with those that will bear your struggle with you. Thank you for being courageous.

  6. Can you please email me the ful 133 or 134 Scripture passages so I can begin to confess his word.
    I am asking God to reveal the root of fear that is causing anxiety in my life.

  7. Thank you Papa Hagin , Life changing ,life transforming message , can’t get enough of it.. To God Be The Glory,!

  8. Like I commented earlier on, though times have changed God’s will, purposes and objectives have not. This kind of teaching is relevant for today’s “believers” …Jer. 6:16. God bless you for this teaching.

    1. Author

      Victor – Of course, I could not agree with you more. That is why we have over 600 articles and 250 free books. God bless. Rex

  9. We need teachings like this for our day.The old pathway is still the relevant and approved way for today…..Jer.6:16 And that’s what Papa Hagin is showing. Thanks and God bless you for now and eternity.

  10. The Word of God is alive. According to Acts 19:20 ” So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed”.
    The Word grows in the process of confession and declaration. Keep speaking the word……Uzoma Chukwuka

  11. It’s about time believers took our rightful place in Christ and manifest the power of Christ here in the earth.

  12. I have seen tremendous power in the WORD of God.it has healed me of chronic stomach disorders.I keep confessing the word every day in my life.

  13. Gods Word is all powerful and will never pass away! Sharper than any two edged sword .
    At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow

    1. Author

      Ben – Yes, I agree. Keep confessing His word and stand upon it. He is faithful and He can be trusted.

  14. Now I no longer am sick. The devil try’s but I resist him!!!!!!! I say get off my body Satan, I know the truth. I know I am healed. I confess the word in the name of Jesus and the devil FLEES!!!!!!

  15. I confessed isaiah 53:6 and God healed me, if a disease od 28 years . I did the confessing in 2 days. First day I confessed 300+ times all under 1hr. The next day I confessed 537+ times under 2 hrs. I got healed. Romans 10:17 faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. I spoke it and heard it.

      1. Hi I know I am still healed. I was healed after suffering with chronic gastric reflux disease and esophagitis, for nearly two years I kept confessing God’s Word no matter how I felt. I ignored my symptoms and kept believing and believing that by Jesus stripes I was healed 1 Peter 2:24. I have now been symptom free for the last 4 years. Gods Word is true!!!

    1. Author

      Ellen – Thank you. God’s word is literally life saving. Keep reading, speaking, meditating, and doing. It is the path to abundant life, both for our time here and for eternity. This is a great one – Confession – Change Your Life. Rex

  16. I just can;t have enough of this sermon. I listened to it on youtube @ work and now I’m reading it.
    Thanks for posting this!!!

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