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

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

Definition of Faith

In part one of the definition of faith, we determined what faith is not. Now let us let the Bible define what faith is. I encourage you to take your religious glasses off and not assume that you know what faith is. This will not be an exhaustive definition of faith, for the entire Bible is designed to produce faith and contains further insight on principles of faith.

Notice that in Hebrews 11:1 that faith is the substance of things hoped for. Both faith and hope are eternal and will never pass away.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV

Hope is important but has no substance. Hope can be compared to a dream.

It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams, And look—he eats; But he awakes, and his soul is still empty; Or as when a thirsty man dreams, And look—he drinks; But he awakes, and indeed he is faint, And his soul still craves…

Isaiah 29:8 NKJV

Faith is the spiritual force that brings substance to our hopes, dreams, and desires. Now, these hopes, dreams and desires must be produced from the Word of God.

Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4 NKJV

Another words, you cannot desire another man’s wife, for example. That is contrary to the written Word and does not come from God. Faith will not bring substance to that desire.

Just as faith brings into manifestation what we do hope for, fear brings into manifestation what we do not want. Fear is misguided faith. Anytime you try to tell someone about victory in Jesus they always say, “well what about Job?” The Book of Job is a whole study in itself. But , the reason Job experienced the things he did was because of fear.

For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.

Job 3:25 NKJV

Faith is gateway for the goodness of God to be manifest in our lives. Fear is an open door for oppression from the devil.

In righteousness you shall be established;You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; And from terror, for it shall not come near you.

Isaiah 54:14 NKJV

Fear is the reciprocal force of faith. Another words, the higher level of fear operating in your life, the less faith operating in your life. The higher your level of faith, the lower your level of fear.

But He (Jesus) said to them, “Why are you fearful (full of fear), O you of little faith?”

Matthew 8:26 NKJV (Parenthesis mine)

But He (Jesus) said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

Mark 4:40 NKJV (Parenthesis mine)

NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for…

Hebrews 11:1 Amplified

Notice that the Amplified Bible includes “title deed”  in its description of faith. If I have a title deed to a car or any other piece of property, it is mine legally whether it is presently in my possession or not. The same is true with any promise in the Word of God. If you put faith in the Word the promise is legally yours.

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Mark 11:24 NKJV

The Word translated believe (Gr-Pisteuo) is the verb form of faith (Gr-Pistis).

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

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

In the second part of Hebrews 11:1 we see the origin point of faith and provision.

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.

Mark 11:22 NKJV

And Jesus answered and said to them, Have ye the faith of God;

Mark 11:22 Wycliffe Bible

The second rendering of this verse from the Wycliffe Bible is more accurate to the Greek text. It could be rendered, “Use or employ the God kind of faith”. This means that this is God’s faith we are using. This takes the struggle out of faith when you realize it is God’s faith, not ours that we have at our disposal! Do you think God’s faith will have trouble producing results?

Both faith and its provision come forth from the Spirit realm or unseen realm.

while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 4:18,5:7 NKJV

Everything in the seen realm came forth from the unseen realm and is therefore subject to the spirit realm.

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Hebrews 11:3 NKJV

If your problem can be seen it can be subdued from the power that originates in the spiritual dimension.

For by it (faith) the elders obtained a good testimony.

Hebrews 11:2 NKJV

Continuation of the Definition of Faith

According to Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest, the preceding verses are connected to verse one of Hebrews 11. They are a continuation of the definition of faith. “Obtained a good testimony” is a little blind to us. The word “testimony” is the Greek word “martureo”. It literally means they were borne witness to. Now this has a twofold application.

1. The Word of God is witnessed to our spirit.

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Romans 8:15-17 NKJV

This is where many people miss it. They mentally agree with black print on the white page of the Bible and call it faith. They do not have the witness of the Spirit on the subject. We have to meditate the Word until we receive a revelation of that word in our spirit and then faith comes.

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10:17 NKJV

The word translated “word” is rhema. And that is a word that has been quickened in your heart by the Holy Spirit. That brings us to another point. We cannot get faith by praying for it, although prayer is important for other reasons. We cannot get faith by having hands laid on us. You only get faith from the revealed Word. A revealed Word from God has binding and loosing power.

Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 16:17-19 NKJV

Not only did Peter get a revelation from God, Jesus said that this revelation is the foundation that the entire church will be built upon. And according to the Greek text with that revelation we can bind and declare unlawful in the earth whatever heaven has declared unlawful.

…whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven.

Matthew 16:19 Amplified

There is abundance in heaven. Therefore we have the right to loose abundance in the earth. There is no sickness in heaven. Therefore we have the ability to bind and declare unlawful sickness and loose health in our physical bodies.

2. God bears witnessed by manifesting the Word in our lives in manifest reality.

God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

Hebrews 2:4 NKJV

True Bible faith will produce results in this natural seen realm. Many people do not believe that their faith will produce anything this side of heaven. This is not Biblical faith. This is not the God kind of faith. The God kind of faith will produce in this natural realm. Some say “Well, brother, didn’t Jesus say, we are more blessed if we believe without seeing?” Yes He did.

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20:29 NKJV

We have to harmonize that with everything else that He said.

Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

John 11:40 NKJV

In context, in John 11:40 Jesus was referring to raising Lazurus from the dead.  When we harmonize these two passages we conclude that if we believe regardless of what we see, we will see what we believe come to pass.  Another words, if we see sickness manifest in our body and we believe “By his stripes we were healed” (1 Peter 2:24), we will see the manifestation of our healing. If we see a need in our life and we believe that “my God will supply all my need according to His riches in glory” , then we will see that need met.

We see the progression of the twofold witness illustrated in 1 John 5:10-15.

He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.  And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

1 John 5:10-15 NKJV

Notice the progression:

1. God bears witness.

2. We continually believe on Jesus and what He accomplished in redemption.

3. We ask confidently.

4. We receive the manifestation.

By faith we understand …

Hebrews 11:3 NKJV

Faith is grounded in understanding and not ignorance. Many Christians, always tie faith with ignorance. They say, “We just never know what God is going to do. But we just have to have faith”. You can only have faith to the degree that you know the will of God. You can only endure through knowledge.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing…

James 1:2-3 NKJV

Another principle tied to this passage is understanding comes through faith obedience. Many say, “I will obey God when I get more understanding”. That is putting the cart before the horse. You have to obey God before you get complete understanding.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV

Many say, “When I understand the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, I will obey Jesus and be filled.” You will never get understand. You have to obey then He will give you further direction.

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit…

1 Peter 1:22 NKJV

Our soul includes our mind, will, and emotions. Mind renewal and understanding come through faith obedience.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Hebrews 11:8 NKJV

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

We cannot please God without faith. The writer of Hebrews goes on to clarify what he means. First of all we have to believe He is. That goes beyond believing He exists. It means we have to believe He is who He says He is.

He is:

The Lord our Provider (Genesis 22:8,14)

THe Lord Our Healer (Exodus 15:26)

The Lord Our Banner (Victory)(Exodus 17:15)

The Lord Our Peace (Judges 16:24)

The Lord Our Shepherd (Guide) (Psalm 23:1)

The Lord Our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6)

The Lord Ever Present (Ezekiel 48:35)

If you do not believe God is all these things, you cannot be pleasing to God. Secondly, You must believe that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. How does He reward them? By being all those things He says He is to us personally.

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

Genesis 15:1 NKJV

If you think He may or may not heal you, you are calling Him a liar and cannot please Him. If you say He may or may not provide for your needs you are calling Him a liar and cannot please Him.

How do we release faith?

Now that we have looked at what faith is we now need to know how to release it. There are two kinds of energy. There potential energy and kinetic energy. Potential energy is like the energy that is in a stretched spring. Kinetic energy is the energy produced when you release that spring. Potential energy is stored energy while kinetic energy is energy in motion. Faith is released primarily two ways. Faith filled words and faith filled actions.

1. Faith filled words.

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, 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.

Mark 11:23 NKJV

The Bible says we are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26). God released His power through His words. According to Jesus we have the same ability to release the power of faith through our words.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 18:21 NKJV

2. Faith filled Actions.

For as the human body apart from the spirit is lifeless, so faith apart from [its] works of obedience is also dead.

James 2:26 Amplified

And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked.

This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed,

said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.

Acts 14:8-10 NKJV

Notice this man had faith to be healed but was still crippled. He had to act on the faith that was in Him.  If we want deliverance in our finances we have to tithe and give. When we give we are releasing our faith. We have to lay hands on the sick to see them recover (Mark 16:18). An act of unbelief separated man from God initially in Adam. An act of faith will reconnect us to God and His provision in Christ, who is the last Adam.

When you know the Definition of Faith, Faith will work for anyone who will put it to work.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:12,13

When we see an apple seed, we can envision an apple tree with apples. When we see an egg, we can envision a chicken that has the ability to produce it’s own eggs. Why is it so difficult to envision success when we sow the right seeds?

Think about a great achievement that you’ve had in your own life. Now, think back to when you started the endeavor that produced the success. When I was a freshman in high school, I had a strong desire to be on the debate team. As a freshman, I really wasn’t very good. In fact, sometimes when we lost, I didn’t even know why we lost. However, I continued to research, practice, and compete. I would go to debate camp during the summer, and spend many evenings researching new and better arguments. By the time, I graduated from high school, my partner and I were able to win the state competition.

Although I had the faith (belief) that we would win; hope that we would win; and the love for debate; it still took time for the success to manifest. Even though the full manifestation for me was winning the state championship, there were definite signs along the way. For example, my Sophomore year, we placed third in state. This is the process that I’ve seen in every achievement in my life.

“For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.” – Mark 4:28

I mention faith, hope, and love because these are great motivators. These are the things that keep us going. All of these relate to vision. If you have faith, you believe you can achieve something. If you have hope, you have a dream for something better. If you have love, you see the potential in something. If you have all three of these, you are able to look beyond what is seen on the surface, the outside, or the beginning.

Notice that the greatest motivation is love. If you love someone or something, you will persevere long after your desire for achievement dissolves. Love for his father is what enabled Nando Parrado survive after the plane carrying his rugby team crashed in the Andes.

His thoughts turned increasingly to his father, who he knew must be consumed with grief, Nando resolved that he must get home or die trying as his mother and sister had been killed in the crash. He led an expedition up the treacherous slopes of a snow-capped mountain and across forty-five miles of frozen wilderness in an attempt to find help.

So, set your vision; tap into the power of faith, hope, and love; and see your seeds produce success.