Hebrews 11:6 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

WHAT FAITH IS NOT 

Before delving into the concept of faith, it’s important to clarify what faith is not. Faith is not hope. We don’t attain things through hope; rather, it’s through faith that we receive. While hope pertains to future ownership, faith relates to present ownership. Hope centers around something you currently lack, whereas faith revolves around something you already possess. You cannot receive what you do not believe has already been accomplished.

Faith is not an abstract concept – something that exists solely in thought or as an idea without concrete evidence. Instead, faith represents a reality that may not be visible, yet you are thoroughly convinced of its existence.

WHAT IS FAITH?

Faith can be understood as the substance of the things you hope for. It’s like the Holy Spirit providing you with a profound understanding that what you’ve prayed for has now become a tangible reality. It’s as though your hopes have been fulfilled, even though you may not have seen them materialize yet. This understanding from the Holy Spirit solidifies the Word of God you’ve encountered as truth. Initially, you might have started with hope or expectation, but now it’s a reality—an accomplished hope, even if it hasn’t become visible. You receive a revelation that the unseen has become real, just like realizing that Christ genuinely resides within you. It’s no longer uncertain but a reality, affirmed not by sight but by a deep inner knowing. It has transformed into something substantial—a concrete reality.

Additionally, faith serves as evidence for things that are not seen. It’s the proof that you genuinely believe in what hasn’t been revealed to your eyes. Faith isn’t passive; it’s an active force. It’s about taking actions that align with your wholehearted beliefs.

Faith without corresponding actions is ineffective; it lacks life. Faith is essentially evidence-based. If you don’t take actions that demonstrate what you believe, then you don’t truly possess faith. For instance, if you believe that Jesus is Lord, your obedience to Him becomes a natural outcome of that belief. Similarly, if you believe in your healing, your actions should reflect that belief.

Here’s a clearer explanation using the example:

In Acts 14:7-10, it tells the story of Paul preaching the gospel in Lystra. During his sermon, there was a man who had been unable to walk since birth, essentially a lifelong cripple. As Paul spoke, this man was attentively listening, and Paul, in turn, recognized that the man had faith in the message of healing.

Paul saw in this man the unwavering belief that Jesus could heal him. So, with a strong voice, Paul told him to take action, to demonstrate his faith. Paul essentially said, “Stand up on your feet!” And something incredible happened—this man leaped to his feet and started walking.

This moment is powerful because it illustrates how faith works. The man didn’t doubt or hesitate; he believed he was healed, and his immediate action, leaping to his feet, became the evidence of his faith. This remarkable act of faith was all the proof needed. It’s especially striking because this man had never walked in his entire life, and there were no therapists or treatments involved—it was a testament to the power of his unwavering faith in Jesus.

HOW TO RELEASE YOUR FAITH TO WORK FOR YOU

Having faith alone isn’t sufficient; it must be expressed through words and actions to be effective. We just saw an example of someone who had faith in healing but remained physically impaired until they put their faith into action. This is a stumbling point for many well-intentioned Christians—they have genuine faith but fail to act upon it, and as a result, they remain unchanged.

Here’s another illustration to emphasize this point: Matthew 12:13, where Jesus instructs a man to stretch out his hand. The man obeys, extends his hand, and experiences a complete restoration—he is made whole, just like the other. This story exemplifies how faith, when put into action, can bring about remarkable transformations.

Evidence of faith is not just in what you believe but also in what you say and do (James 2:18-20). Faith possesses the incredible power to turn the impossible into reality. When faith is activated, it opens the door to the extraordinary. Faith is the catalyst for God’s power to become evident, revealing His glory within an individual’s life.

SAY WHAT GOD SAID

Faith is manifested in words also. If we confess what we believe that is evidence. That is one way to release your faith to work for you.

 2 Cor 4:13 “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;”

Psalm107:2 “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;”.

What you say reveals what you believe. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Matt 12:34 “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

To witness the glory of God, it is essential to embrace the gospel’s profound truth. Our salvation becomes visible when we wholeheartedly believe in everything that Christ has accomplished for us. Remember the words of Jesus: “Only believe, and you shall see!”

Rom 4:16-19 “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb”.

There are two distinct types of faith: natural and spiritual.

Natural faith is grounded in what can be perceived through the senses—what can be seen, felt, or touched. It tends to doubt the existence of things that cannot be directly observed or sensed. We all rely on natural faith in our everyday lives, regardless of our religious beliefs. Natural faith operates based on tangible evidence. For example, in John 20:24-27, we see an instance of natural faith in Thomas, who insisted on physically seeing and feeling the wounds on Jesus’ body before believing.

Spiritual faith, on the other hand, is of a different nature. It believes in what is revealed to the heart rather than relying on physical senses. It’s often referred to as “spirit faith” because it involves believing in the unseen but real aspects of God’s realm. This type of faith doesn’t require physical evidence but trusts in the spiritual reality.

Spiritual faith operates on the principle of believing before seeing. It recognizes that God cannot be located through physical sensations or tangible objects but can only be found through His Word and through our spiritual connection.

HOW DOES FAITH COME?

So, how does faith come about? According to Romans 10:17, faith comes through hearing the Good News about Christ. However, it’s not a one-time hearing but a continuous process of hearing and internalizing the Word. Faith is born as the Word penetrates our hearts and brings about revelation.

Psalm 119:130 says that the entrance of God’s Word brings light and understanding to the simple. This means that faith is nurtured as we repeatedly hear and allow the Word to permeate our being. Faith isn’t a product of our natural understanding or senses; it emerges through spiritual understanding and revelation of divine truths in our hearts.

Pastor Chinedu Emmanuel is the Senior Pastor of Fountain of The Living Word Church East Orange, New Jersey.