WHAT IS FAITH? (2)

Today, we want to look at another aspect of “WHAT IS FAITH?” In Hebrews 11:1, God describes what Bible faith really does or how it works.

“Now faith is THE SUBSTANCE of things hoped for…” (Heb. 11:1, KJV). Faith is an established conviction concerning things unseen, and a settled expectation of future reward. Faith is the “title deed” of things hoped for. Assurance rests on God’s promises.

One modern translation of Hebrews 11:1 reads, “Faith is giving substance…………to things hoped for…”

What is hope? Hope is to have a wish to get or do something, or for something to happen.

The Bible says, “Now faith is…” Notice in this Scripture that the verb “is” is in the present tense. Here is the truth: If it is not now, it is not faith, but hope. Faith is present tense. Faith is now.  Hope is future tense or pointing to the future.

If you are shifting the expected result to the future (a later date), you are not believing, you are hoping. That is exactly the reason why the Word is not working for you.

Hope believes that God is going to do something for you, sometime in the future. But faith believes that He has done it already, and is also doing something right now.

Moffatt’s translation of Hebrews 11:1 reads, “Now faith means that we are (1) confident of what we hope for, (2) convinced of what we do not see.”

Are you sure of the things you are hoping for? Faith is (1) being sure of the things you hope for, and (2) knowing that something is real even when you do not see it.

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Faith is Trusting in something that you cannot fully express or prove.  Here is the truth: you can’t have faith without knowing it because it is a SUBSTANCE.

What is a substance? A substance is a particular kind of matter.

What is matter? Matter is any physical substance of the universe that (1) has mass, (2) occupies space, and (3) is convertible to energy. 

Matter is a particular kind of material having uniform properties. For instance, water, ice and snow are not different substances because they are made up of a particular kind of matter – Hydrogen (H) and Oxygen (O).

For your faith to work, you MUST act on the Word that God has spoken concerning your situation. For instance, when the children of Israel came up against the city of Jericho, God instructed them on what to do (He gave them an instruction to obey). But in order to enjoy the victory God had promised them:

(1) They had to receive God’s Word to them, (2) they had to believe God’s Word to them, and (3) they had to act upon that Word God gave to them.

Their obedience to the instructions God gave to them was their faith in action.

What was the instruction God gave to them? They were to march round the city of Jericho once a day for six days, and on the seventh day, they were to march round the city seven times. Then when the musical instruments sounded, they were to shout a shout of victory (Josh. 6:3-5).

The children of Israel shouted as instructed while the walls were still standing. They acted on the Word from the LORD while the problem was still there looking at them. Their faith was the substance of what they were hoping for. The Word from the LORD gave substance to what they were hoping for.

And when they obeyed the instruction the LORD gave them, God’s promise became a reality and those walls came down flat and became a bridge for them to cross over.

Joshua 6:20 says, “So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.”

Faith in God is faith in His Word. In John 8:31-32 Jesus said, “If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Since faith begins only where the will of God is known, that implies that no Word of God no faith! In order words, faith is equal to the Word of God or the promise of God as recorded in the pages of the Scriptures.

So, Hebrews 11:1 should read: “Now the Word of God is THE SUBSTANCE of things hoped for…”

Hope does not have any substance. It is faith that gives substance to those things that you are hoping for. Faith will eventually bring into reality what you have hoped for.

In other words, what God is saying in Hebrews 11:1 is that faith is taking hold of the unseen realm of hope, and bringing it into the realm of reality. Faith is grasping the unrealistic of hope and bringing them into the realm of reality (Rom. 4:17).

For instance:

1. You hope for God’s continued protection. FAITH in His promises concerning protection gives you the assurance that you are protected. His promise is the substance to that which you are hoping for (Ps. 91:1-16).

In Isaiah 43:2 the Bible says, “When you pass through the waters, He will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.”

Colossians 3:3 says, “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

In Zechariah 2:5 the LORD said, “He will be a wall of fire all around you, and He will be the glory in your midst."

In Isaiah 59:19 the Bible says, “...when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.”

Psalm 23:4-5 says, “Yea, though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you will fear no evil; for God is with you; His rod and His staff, they comfort you. 5 He prepares a table before you in the presence of your enemies; He anoints your head with oil; your cup runs over.”

In Deuteronomy 28:7 the Bible says, "The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.”

In Isaiah 54:15 the Bible says, “Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by Me: whosoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake. Your enemies will always be defeated because God Himself is on your side.”

Therefore, in Isaiah 54:17 God promised saying, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and your righteousness is from Him."

2. You hope for finances to meet a certain obligation. FAITH in His Word concerning finances gives you the assurance that you’ll have the money when you need it. Check through the Bible to see if there is anywhere God made any promises to us concerning prosperity. If there is any such promise, then that is your legal tender; that is the substance of the thing you are hoping for. The Bible says that:

a) God has pleasure in the prosperity of His children (Ps. 35:27).

b) God wants His children to prosper (3 Jn. 2)

c) God wants the righteous to flourish (Ps. 72:7).

d) God wants His children to live in abundance (Jn. 10:10; Gen. 2:8-17).

e) The Scriptures say that Christ became poor so that we through His poverty might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9).

f) Prosperity is the reward of the righteous (Prov. 13:21).

g) Christ has redeemed us from the curse of poverty (Gal. 3:13-14, 29).

In Philippians 4:19 Apostle Paul said, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

But remember that you must act on the instructions of Jesus before the substance can work for you (Lk. 6:38; 2 Cor. 9:6-8; 2 Cor. 8:9). This is because faith without works is like a physical body without the spirit (Jam. 2:26).

Therefore, if you want to overcome the world and breakthrough in every aspect of your life, you must choose to act on God’s Word. Act on His promises and then rest in His power and faithfulness. Rise up and receive your miracle by faith today!

Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!

• Your friend: I. I. Madubunyi (Senior Pastor)                                August 18^th, 2019!

Promise of God:

“God will give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine” (Gen. 27:28).