By Chinedu Emmanuel

 Heb. 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen.”

WHAT FAITH IS NOT

Before we learn about faith, let us first establish what faith isn’t. Faith is not hope! Many Christians often mistake hope for faith and fail. You know those Christians by their words. They make statements like “God is going to heal me” or “God is going to do it”. They think it is faith, but that is hope. Hope is for the future, for what is yet to happen. Hope is for what you do not possess yet. Scripture says that hope that is seen is not hope for hope has not seen it yet, because it has not happened. So, if you say “God will do it” it means it is not done yet and so you do not have it yet.

Rom 8:24-25 “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”

As long as you believe that you don’t have it yet, then you do not have it and will not have it because it shall be to you according to your faith. This is why we cannot receive by hope.

Matt 8: 13 “Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.”

FAITH IS NOT A PRESUMPTION. Presumptions are assumptions that are not proven to be true but are widely held because people heard them as true and believe them. Many live in presumption because they are comfortable doing so and have accepted it as the moral way to live. Most things are used wrongly and damaged because time was never taken to get the correct information for usage. This simply means the reason you don’t get the desired result is that you are living your life on presumptions. You cannot walk in faith if you don’t understand what faith really is. A lot of believers make assumptions about faith just like they do with salvation. Working in assumption regarding salvation is dangerous because salvation is our redemption from hell and the only guaranteed access to God.

John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ^“

We receive salvation by faith in Christ alone. This is why it is very important for us to be crystal clear and make sure we are not presuming we are saved; we must be sure! Our Christian walk is lived out by faith alone, not our presumptions or assumptions.

 WHAT IS FAITH?

Faith is now! Faith says it is done! I have it now although I do not see it, I have it. FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR. Faith is a substance, not abstract, or something that only exists in our imagination. What is a substance? A substance has a tangible, solid presence!!! A reality! To drive this point home, let’s assume you started off expecting to be healed. Why the expectation or hope to be healed? This is because the promises of God are all legally yours by blood covenant and have all been already fulfilled, waiting for you to receive them.

2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.”

You start off with a glorious hope when you found that scripture that tells you God’s promises are yours. You start praying with that scripture not with an evil heart of unbelief but with boldness and expectation from the throne of grace.  At this point, you are hoping to receive your healing. Initially, it doesn’t look or sound real and you might have different thoughts blocking or challenging the word. This is normal but, you must continue to meditate and focus on the scripture like a laser beam. Until it enters and BAM it lights up your heart with understanding and you see the reality. It becomes a substance! Faith has now come.

FAITH IS EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN. What is evidence? Any tangible object, action, or word indicating whether a proposition is true or false; indicating whether what you believe is true or not. FAITH is action or words that prove and certify that I truly believe that what is not seen is real. Once faith comes inside you and you can see the word become a reality in you first, it comes out of your mouth and influences your action. Joy comes, praise comes, then you act as you believe. Your actions and words must agree. That action and word is evidence that can be seen of what you believe inside of you. If you are gloomy and complaining that is evidence you do not believe the word yet.

EVIDENCE OF FAITH CAN BE SEEN. Your actions and words are seen and heard and they are proof of your faith.  

• Luke 5:19-20 “And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.”

•  Matt 8:8-10 “The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed…..10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”

FAITH CAN BE PERCEIVED! 

Acts 14:9-10 “The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.”

So, to give a complete picture of what faith looks like. Let’s assume again that you need healing. Your healing should have a tangible, solid presence that you can say is yours now, it should be real to you and not just a strong feeling. In addition, your testimony should collaborate with what you believe. You should be able to say “I am healed” Your healing must be real to you. You must also be fully persuaded that the evidence of your healing is not by what you see but, by the word of God. Then as a result of your persuasion, you wholeheartedly give thanks to God for your healing even though you haven’t seen the physical manifestation of it. FAITH IS ALWAYS ABOUT THINGS NOT YET SEEN. REMEMBER THIS, IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO SEE PHYSICAL SIGNS OF YOUR HEALING FIRST, THEN YOU ARE NOT IN FAITH BUT, IF YOU KNOW AND BELIEVE IT IS TANGIBLE AND PRESENT AND AS REAL AS GOD IS TO YOU, THEN YOU ARE IN FAITH.

Example: Abraham gave thanks for Isaac way before he physically saw him. The Bible says he was fully persuaded that Isaac had been given according to the word God spoke. To him, Isaac was a reality not by sight but by what God said.

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