Today, we will continue with our discussions on the meaning of “FAITH.” Now, let me shock you: Do you know that you have a beautiful car right now? Do you know that you have a house right now? Do you know that you have more than enough money to take care of all your needs right now? If you happen to be sick, do you know that you are well in spite of the persisting symptoms? If you are going for an interview, do you know that you have gotten that job? Do you know that you have everything that pertains to life and godliness right now?
Grace has provided all these for all who believe in Christ. But Faith is the only way you can access what grace has already provided (Eph. 2:8-9).
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, 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 (material) with uniform properties.
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 the substance of which a physical thing is made.
It 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).
Here is the point: Hope does not have any substance. It is faith that gives substance to those things that you are hoping for. Faith is what brings the thing you have been hoping for from the spirit realm down to the physical realm.
For your faith to work, you MUST act on the Word that God has spoken concerning your situation. For instance, when Naaman had leprosy, God gave him an instruction on what to do to recover of his leprosy.
What was the instruction? “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean (2 Ki. 5:10-12).
Naaman rebelled against this senseless advice. “But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought,…” (2 Ki. 5:11-12).
Look at a timely advice by his servant: And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” (2 Ki. 5:13).
Thank God that Naaman eventually harkened to this piece of advice. “Then Naaman went down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (2 Ki. 5:14).
The same man that stood outside before the healing took place now came and stood before the man of God after the healing had taken place.
“And Naaman returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all earth, but in Israel ...” (2 Ki. 5:15).
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 (Rom. 4:17).
For instance, 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 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. If you keep quoting the promise of God concerning prosperity without obeying His instructions (Lk. 6:38; 2 Cor. 9:6-8), all that you will see at the end of the day is increased bill that you have to pay. 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)
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