What is faith?
If you asked a hundred people, you would probably get a hundred different answers.
We hear the word “faith” almost every day, but rarely, if ever, do we take the time to really think about, or reflect upon, what faith is. We speak of:
Blind faith
Leap of faith
Mustard-seed faith
Mountain-moving faith
In bad faith
In good faith
Breaking faith
Keeping the faith
Have faith
Share your faith
Test of faith
Losing your faith
Found new faith
Breach of faith
Restored faith
Act of faith
Accept it by faith
Man of faith/woman of faith
Little faith/great faith
Faithless/faithful
Failure of faith
Overcoming faith
Saving faith
Faith of our fathers
Heroes of the faith
Have faith in yourself
Have faith in God
Wow! Sometimes confusing. Sometimes contradictory. I didn’t know there were so many expressions and idioms about faith!
I may have missed some, but you’ll just have to “take it on faith” that most of the many takes on faith are listed.
So, how does God answer this important question? What is faith? I’m sure He’s neither confusing nor contradictory in His explanation of faith. Agreed? Let’s learn from Him.
So Jesus said to them (His disciples), “Have faith in God.” (Mark 11:22)
Other translations render the verse this way:
(Worrell) – “Have the faith of God.”
(Passion) – “Let the faith of God be in you.”
(Godbey New Testament) – “Have God’s faith.”
We are told, not just to have faith in God, but to operate in the same kind of faith that God has and uses, so let’s explore what that means. How does God use His faith?
¹ “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ² The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. ³ Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” (Genesis 1:1-3)
Notice these points in the creation account:
● Before God spoke there was a state of chaos. Total darkness shrouded everything
● God didn’t speak what He saw (darkness), but He spoke the end result that He desired (light)!
● Light and order exploded throughout the universe, created by God’s Word!
Literally, God said, “Light, be!” and light came into being.
We can, and should, marvel at the creative genius and power of our Abba-Father… and we should also marvel that He has called us to have and use the awesome power of faith-filled words, just as He does!
So once more, what is faith? Here’s God’s definition:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
(Hebrews 11:1)
While studying this scripture the phrase “NOW-FAITH” just kept leaping in my spirit, as though it was blowing a bugle, waving a flag, and shooting off fireworks all at the same time.
I read the first part of the verse again and again.
“NOW-FAITH is the substance of things HOPED for…”
Since hope is defined as our positive expectation about the future, we can say that “NOW-FAITH” brings our hopes, our future positive expectations into the reality of the present.
The rest of the verse says that NOW-FAITH is “…the evidence of things not seen”.
“NOW-FAITH” is the EVIDENCE (true facts which are presented as the verifiable and indisputable foundation of any legal case).
“NOW-FAITH” produces CONVICTION in our hearts (persuasion beyond any reasonable doubt based on the certainty of the evidence).
This certainty is that the INVISIBLE (things not yet seen, but promised by God) are being manifested and made VISIBLE in the NOW by our FAITH!
“What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead”. (Hebrews 11:1, The Living Bible)
Let’s look at one more word in our verse. It may be the most important word in the verse.
“NOW-FAITH is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for…”
The Greek word translated as substance in our verse is the word”hypostasis”. It means, “essence; existence; that which stands under; foundation”.
Faith is actually a real substance, but not in a tangible, visible, material sense. If faith was a natural substance, we could see it and touch it, so there would be no need for faith, because “faith is the evidence of things not seen”.
Faith is a real substance, but only in an intangible, invisible, spiritual sense. Faith can create things. Faith can change things.
Faith can do anything (Mark 9:23) because faith was the method God used to create everything!
“Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s Word! He spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.”
(Hebrews 11:3, The Passion Translation)
If you walked out of our home’s back door you would step onto a flagstone patio. It’s made of six tons of Colorado red flagstone, plus countless bags of cement, and sand, mixed together with water to make mortar. It doesn’t take any faith to see the patio, walk on it, or touch it.
But Grace, Jayden, and I experience it much differently. You see the patio. We see it too, but we also see the faith, commitment, and love it took to create it.
We visualized our patio. We spoke it. We planned it. We put corresponding action to our plans. We applied the spiritual stuff (our vision, diligence, perseverence, etc.) to a small mountain of flagstone, and saw it changed into what we hoped and desired… all of it completed by the grace of God! What you see, and what you don’t see, is all part of our patio.
Operating in “NOW-FAITH”, in many ways, is like building that patio. You start with the spiritual stuff (your hope, your vision, the end-result you desire) and apply it diligently to the natural, physical stuff (your health, your finances, etc. ) you want to creatively change.
“NOW-FAITH” is the very foundation, the substance, the “stuff” of creation, and there is an unlimited supply of it still “out there”, working with unending and undiminished power!
And the good news is that we can have all of it we need for our faith-projects because
“NOW-FAITH” comes by hearing… the Word of God! (Romans 10:17)
John 1:1-3 says that “all things were made by and through the Word of God.”
Hebrews 4:12 (Amplified) says that “the Word of God is living, and active, and full of power, making it operative, energizing, and effective.”
Hebrews 1:3 (Amplified) says that God’s Word is “upholding, and maintaining, and propelling all things, the entire physical and spiritual universe.”
“NOW-FAITH” in God’s Word breaks the chains of depression, addiction and perversion. It opens blind eyes, burns out cancers, and causes the lame to leap for joy.
It drives out demons, sweeps away fear, and raises the dead.
“NOW-FAITH” saves sinners and restores the prodigals, as it brings healing and comfort to the broken-hearted.
“NOW-FAITH” is what makes the impossible possible!
So it’s time to get started, using faith like our Father does, creating, forming, and framing “our world” with the Word of God!
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My wife, Grace, and I are very proud to be in partnership with Student Life Organization, Inc. We believe in the great work they are doing in Cebu City, and throughout the central part of the Philippines.
SLOI provides educational opportunities to
many physically disabled and financially disadvantaged children, helping them reach their God-given potential.
Your generous giving will help co-founders Ian Rustia and Anne Ruiz, as they faithfully declare and demonstrate God’s love to these precious children and their families.
“I mention this not because I’m requesting a gift, but so that the fruit of your generosity may bring you an abundant reward.”
(Philippians 4:17, TPT)
Would you please give today? If so, please use this link: paypal.me/anaferuiz
Thank you! We pray that you will experience God’s richest blessings as you give freely and cheerfully in Jesus’ name!
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