A Practical Definition of Faith from Scripture
A very direct definition of biblical faith is found in Hebrews 11:1, where we read, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. Hebrews 11:1 distinguishes between faith and hope. To have faith, you must first have hope. Hope is an expectation, something that remains in the realm of possibility but not yet a present-hour reality while faith is the proof or evidence that you indeed have what you hoped for even before it manifests in the natural. So while hope points to the future (Romans 8:24) faith is now (Hebrews 11:1). The Bible actually calls faith the substance or actuality of what you have hoped for (Hebrews 11:1). In other words, faith gives substance to your hope (Kenneth Hagin) and makes your expectations your present possession.
This is so important to understand because if we don’t, we would end up attempting to receive from God by hope instead of by faith and fail to receive. The Bible teaches that all things are possible by faith (Mark 9:23, Matthew 17:20) not by hope. When we walk by this biblical faith, we believe in our heart that we presently possess what we have asked for in accordance with God’s Word when we have not yet seen the manifestation in the natural (Hebrews 11:1, Mark 11:22-24). And the evidence that we indeed possess what we have not yet seen is the faith we have (Hebrews 11:1).
This is the kind of faith Jesus emphasized when He taught on faith. In Mark 11:24, Jesus said “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them”. Here, we are instructed to believe that we receive when we pray, not after we have seen our requests granted in the natural. And because we believe we receive, God ensures that we have (see the manifestation) what we asked for at the appointed time (Habakkuk 2:3, Galatians 6:9). We see this same truth in Jesus’ words to Martha, “Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God? (John 11:40). In the kingdom of God, it is not “seeing is believing” but “believing is seeing”. It is when we first believe God’s Word that we are guaranteed to see His Word manifest. We also see this kind of faith in 1 John 5:4: “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith”. Here, the Bible reveals that faith is not merely an expectation of victory but the victory itself, which overcomes. Even so, when we let go of our faith we let go of the victory as well as the very substance of what we have asked from God.
In the words of Jesus, as long as we are waiting to see before we believe, we are operating in unbelief: “Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing” (John 20:27). But when we believe the truth of what God says although we have not yet seen it in the natural, we inherit the blessings and promises of God: “Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:29).”
To be continued.
Kwadwo Omari, PhD
April 14, 2021
A Very Important Message
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). Therefore, If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, I invite you to put your faith in Him. Pray the prayer below to accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour: “I come to you God in Jesus’ name and surrender my life unto you. I repent of my sins and I ask You to forgive me all my sins. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, and I believe with my heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead. I thank you God for saving me, in Jesus name, Amen”. If you sincerely prayed this prayer, believe and be assured that you are saved, for the Bible says that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13, Romans 10:9-10, Acts 16:31). Find a Bible believing church to attend so that you can be discipled to grow in the ways of God. You can also email me ([email protected]) and I will be happy to grow together with you in Christ.