Hebrews 11:1 (Amplified Bible)
NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, [a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
Footnotes:
1. Hebrews 11:1 James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament.
Faith brings about what we are hoping for. Faith isn't hope. We have a hope of seeing something happen and it is our faith that brings that into being.
But faith isn't just something we have within ourselves. It's not just an attitude.
We have faith IN A PERSON - Jesus Christ and what He said. Faith in Jesus and His Word means we have faith in Him as being a Person of integrity, someone we can trust, someone we can rely upon to do what He said He'd do. Never put your faith in the fact that you have faith. Put it in the person whom you are trusting to be true to His word.
The Apostle Paul said it this way...
2Cor.1v19For the Son of God, Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who has been preached among you by us, by myself, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not Yes and No; but in Him it is [always the divine] Yes.
20For as many as are the promises of God, they all find their Yes [answer] in Him [Christ]. For this reason we also utter the Amen (so be it) to God through Him [in His Person and by His agency] to the glory of God.
This is how it reads in the NKJV...
New King James Version (NKJV)
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. 20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
This says all the promises of God are found in Christ Jesus. Everything God wants for us has already been provided for us through what Jesus has done. Everything! But notice, the promises of God today now work out "through us". This is where we walk in faith/trust/believing in what Jesus has said and done. For example, "These signs shall follow them that believe...they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover". If you believe, you will have signs follow the preaching of the truth of the Gospel.
Try this. Go out and tell someone "God has already forgiven you and already healed you of all your sickness and diseases". (This is the Gospel/Good News). Then tell them Jesus said you can lay hands on them and He would heal them. If you believe what Jesus said, you will do this. If you have any doubt or unbelief you will hesitate, or worse, do nothing. Or worse still, you will lay hands on them and just HOPE God will do something. (I've found that God works through faith, not hope. You don't have to have faith to hope God will do something.)
But don't fall into the trap of looking to yourself to see if you have the faith to do this. Look to Jesus. Look at who it is you are putting your faith in! He said He'd accompany the preaching of the Gospel with signs following. Step out and have a go. Believe, and you will find God is very keen to do super-abundantly far over and above whatever we could ask or think through His power that is at work within us. (Eph.2:20) So don't limit God with small mindedness. Expect God to do what He said. He can be trusted.
Here is an example of how a lot of so-called-believers try to walk in faith...
Faith in their mechanic:
"I believe he'll do a good job with my car because I'm believing he will. Jesus said that all things are possible to them that believe, so I'm believing. I have faith."
Same example but with biblical faith...
"I have faith in my mechanic because he has a great reputation. He's the best in town. He knows what he's doing & he can fix anything. Besides, he said he'd fix it".
The 1st believed that if he had faith, it would work.
The 2nd believed it would work because he was believing in the mechanic.
If I told you I had great faith in my Dentist, you wouldn't think I was amazing because I had great faith! You'd think "Your Dentist must be one amazing Dentist".
We have great faith in Jesus/God because of Who they are and what they have done for us; what they are renowned for; their reputation; their trustworthiness; their integrity; their great power; the fact that they know all things and always know what to do for our good; that they love us - it is these qualities that gives you confidence to believe in them and trust them.
Personally, I have trusted my spirit, soul and body into God's care because I believe He loves me and has the power to deal with whatever comes my way.
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