Faith Refresher

(Heb 11:1 NIV)  Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

This morning we continue our new series entitled, “Faith and Patience VOL III – Never Give Up!”  We closed out last week by looking at 10:35, where I reminded you not to cast away your confidence because there is a great reward associated with it.  I also told you that faith is all about confidence.  With that in mind, let’s take a quick refresher course on faith.  Our text is pretty straightforward in describing faith.  The Amplified translation reads, “Now Faith is the assurance (the confirmation, 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].”  With these two translations in mind, I will share a few working definitions I use for faith:

1.  Faith is confident assurance that God will do what He said He would do.

2.  Faith is biblical evidence of what we cannot see.

3.  Faith is perceiving as real what you cannot verify with your senses.

4.  Faith is an expression of your confidence in God and His Word.

It’s hard to live by and to stand in faith if you don’t know what faith is.  If you have been receiving Today’s Word for any length of time, you know that most of my messages come back to faith.  So I hope this quick refresher will help you.  The text (in both translations) uses the words sure, assurance, certain, and conviction when describing/characterizing faith.  This does not sound like a person who is questioning God.  This is not the description of a person who is full of fear, doubt, or unbelief.  No, this is a person who is sure, certain, and confident that what they are believing God for WILL happen in their lives, even though they have no sense-realm evidence to support their belief.  The only evidence they have is found in the Word of God and in their personal relationship with God.  This person believes that a God who they cannot see will manifest Himself in their lives in ways that they can.  And this conviction, this confidence, influences how they wait on the manifestation of the promise.  Remember, how you wait can influence how long you wait.

The focus of this volume of the “Faith and Patience” series is not simply about standing in faith, because I believe most of us have done that from time to time.  The vein I am flowing in right now is about how long to stand in faith.  Most believers can say that they have been sure or certain about something God was going to do in their lives, but the issue is, how long can you be sure or certain?  How many times have you gone to church, heard a Word, got excited, prayed a prayer, spoken a faith confession, and believed… only to forget all about it three weeks later when it had not happened yet?

So what does this mean to you today?  A few things:

1.  Faith is sure and certain that an invisible God will manifest in a visible way.

2.  Faith is not moved by what it sees in the natural, because what is has seen in the supernatural is the driving force that enables a person to stand until what he has received in his heart shows up in his hands.

3.  Faith births a confidence that is so strong that it is evident in a person’s actions and attitude.

Closing Confession:  Father, I thank You for Your grace.  It is by Your grace that I am able to live by faith.  I am so confident in You and Your Word, that I am able to stand on Your promises until they come to pass in my life.  I am sure and certain that my God, whom I cannot see, will manifest in my life in ways that I can.  I am not moved by what I see in the natural.  I refuse to allow what I see with my physical eyes to change what I say.  I have seen and continue to see (with my spiritual eyes) what You desire to do in my life and I will confess, with my own lips, what You will do, before You do it, and I will stand until it comes to pass.  My confidence in You is so strong that it is evident to others.  I live by faith every day of my life!  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

This is Today’s Word!  Apply it and Prosper!