Faith: The Substance of Things Hoped For

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”— Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

Faith is not a feeling; faith is a substance. Faith is not wishful thinking; it is based on something more real than this natural world. It is based on a God who is faithful and whose Word is true. It impossible for God to lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18). Therefore, you can put your trust in His Word, and see His promises become a reality in this realm, just as they are a reality in the heavenly realm. What does it mean that faith is a “substance”? The Greek word for “substance” in Hebrews 11:1 is fascinating. It means “to stand under.” But not to stand under just anything. It means “to stand under an a guaranteed agreement.” It carries with it the connotation of a title deed. If you have the title deed to a house, it shows the reality that you possess the thing you claim to possess. It is figuratively a “title” to a promise or property, i.e. a legitimate claim (because it literally is, “under a legal-standing”), entitling someone to what is guaranteed under the particular agreement. For the one who has faith, that faith is God’s guarantee to fulfill the promise related to the faith they have.

So in summary, just as a title deed to a property gives you the assurance that the property is yours, faith in God’s promises gives you the assurance that His promises are going to be fulfilled in your life—whether you see them yet or not. No wonder Jesus said, “Whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says” (Matthew 11:23 NKJV). No wonder He also said, “You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it” (Matthew 21:22 NLT).

Rather than being blind optimism or hope that isn’t based on anything certain, faith is a powerful force. It is a substance. It carries weight. It is a reality in the unseen dimension that ends up as reality in this dimension. Pray the promises of God today, and have the confidence in prayer that you have the title deed to the promise you are praying.

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This blog entry is taken from Evangelist Robert Presson's devotional book, "30 Days of Faith, Hope, and Love." To order this book, go to https://cityrevivalnola.com/fhl, and do 2 things: 1) give an offering of any amount, and 2) fill out the form that includes your mailing address so we can send you the book.
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