What is Faith?

In Hebrews 11:1 It says that:

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen”

Now I don’t know about you, but when I read this I see what it’s saying but it still doesn’t give me the answer of what I’m really looking for. As a matter of fact at first glance and maybe not to all but to those of you like myself, when you read this it almost doesn’t make sense! I mean think about it; Faith is the substance of things hoped for… The evidence of things unseen. I mean when you think of something with substance, you think of something that is tangible right? And when you think of evidence you think of something you can see. That’s why in the court room if there is no evidence (some proof that you can see) than there is no crime.

Now I been asking all my followers on Twitter what that means to them “The substance of things hoped for… The evidence of things unseen” and they all gave some good answers but none that could explain what I was looking for. I mean we all know or have a sense or idea for what it means, and usually because we have been around for awhile and have been taught or told what it means. But have you ever really sat down and thought about it? What is the Substance, the things that are tangible that we can hope in? And what is the evidence of the unseen yet seen?

I been thinking about this alot lately and this what I found. In order to understand that saying  you have to go deeper into what Faith is.

  1. Faith is having the Mind and Conviction of the Truth! And not just truth, but Spiritual Truth.
  • What do I mean by the Mind and Conviction of Truth? You have to remember that every think starts in the mind, it starts with your way of thinking and your mentality.
  • Mind – The intellectual perception and understanding, The capacity for spiritual truth, the faculty of perceiving divine things, of recognizing goodness and hating evil, the power of considering and judging soberly, calmly and impartially.
  • You see each and every one of us has been given an understanding and capacity for spiritual truth.
  • Not only do we have an understanding and a capacity for spiritual truth, but we also have the ability to recognize it and apply it to our lives.
  • That’s what the Conviction of the Truth is. It’s not just believing in it or even recognizing it, But the conviction of the truth is recognizing it and applying it to your life!

     2.   Faith is the conviction and belief of God and divine things.

  • It is trusting with conviction that He is God and that He is Divine!
  • It is the conviction that God does exist and is the creator and ruler of all things.
  • It is belief with conviction and with the predominate idea of trust!
  • It is trusting in the Character of God.
  • You see sometimes we forget about what God has done for us, and we forget about His attributes and character and we always think that this problem or this situation might be harder for him than the last one. It’s like we forget that God is God. We forget that He is Almighty God!!  That he is Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent and infallible. He is incapable of making a mistake, he is incapable of failure!
  • It is simply being convinced that you can trust in the Character of God.
  • God’s Character is one that can be relied upon!

When you begin to look back at all the things that God has done for you, Where He has brought you from and how far you have come. When you look back at all the times that He has provided for you and your family, how He has come through time and time again! And you remember that not only is He Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient and Infallible, But that He is also Immutable! He never changes! He is the same yesterday today and forever! If He came through for you then… If He provided for you Last year… If He made a way last month, Then He can do it again Today!!

That is your Substance and Your Evidence!!

 When you begin to look at all of his attributes and you begin to add all these things together, then you are able to see The Substance Of Things Hoped For and The Evidence Of Things Unseen!!!

“Building New E.R.A. Leaders For A New Era”

Rick Alanis Jr.

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