FAITH…

The word faith means different things to different people, the definitions may seem similar but I believe they have different depths in meaning. The dictionary definition of faith (or at least google’s definition) is the complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Faith is also sometimes defined as a person’s religion. The Bible defines faith in Hebrews 11:1 as

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. [KJV]

Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. [AMP]

Dividing the biblical definition into two, Assurance and Evidence. Firstly ‘the Assurance of things hoped for’. In Matthew 17:20 the Bible says

“For I ASSURE you and most solemnly say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’, and it will move…”

Assurance is a certainty, it’s not an assumption or speculation or even hope, it’s an absolute belief in a thing or in this case things hoped for. Faith cannot be hope anymore because if so it then becomes ‘the Hope of things hoped for’. It is a certainty that the things you desire and hope for are yours but you just haven’t received them yet. So for example the way you are assured about gravity and if asked on the topic you’d say what goes up must come down, so also with Faith as an Assurance, when asked about the things we hope for, we know we are going to receive them.

Faith can also be defined as “The EVIDENCE of things not seen”. In faith, we accept things that are not visible to the physical eyes as facts. When doctors graduate from university, the evidence of the knowledge they acquired and the evidence of their ability to act as a doctor is the certificate they receive. Without this, there’s no way they can practice as doctors. So also FAITH is the evidence we have of the things we cannot yet see. With this Evidence, we are Assured of the things we hope for even without seeing them.

Please read my post titled EXPECTATIONS for a practical example of this Assurance of things not seen. Without faith it’s impossible to please God, I believe this is because when you lack faith on issues it in a way shows your inability to depend on Him and His faithfulness. Faith does work, I have seen it work so many times in my life and the lives of those around me. If you think about it, the alternative is dependence on yourself or on other inefficient means. No matter how absurd it may seem, put your trust and faith in God and watch Him do wonderful wonders in your life.

Of course, this is in no way glorifying or excusing laziness; the same Bible also says “faith without work is dead”, the balance is to do the best you can with the Assurance that the result of your best would achieve the supposedly impossible goal before you. In the same manner, you can’t expect to benefit from faith, without first having faith in the giver of the Assurance, by surrendering your life to Him. Jesus died for us and by so doing gave us the opportunity to have a relationship with the Father. It should be noted that Faith in Jesus is not an Assurance that all your requests would be given to you, but it’s an Assurance that walking with Him would bring you in alignment with the purpose for which you were created. Because having faith in Him is also having faith that His plans for you are better than your plans for yourself. Surrender your life to Him today and begin this beautiful walk with Him.