“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
The Bible says “faith is the substance of things hoped for,” and therein lies the difference between faith and hope. Faith has substance; it is the proof or evidence that what you hoped for has become yours, but hope has no substance! Hope is futuristic, but faith is for now. Hope is looking over a wall at something you desire, praying that one day it’ll become yours. But faith either climbs that wall and takes a hold of that thing, or gets the necessary documents to take ownership of that thing even though from a distance.
So, while the hoper says, “I am going to have it,” faith says, “I have it now!” The Bible never said the just should live by hope but by faith (Hebrews 10:38). Faith is the evidence of unseen realities; as far as faith is concerned, whatever you were hoping for is yours now, thus you act as though you’ve already gotten it. Now, when I say “act” I don’t mean you pretend that you’ve gotten it or ‘try to act like you’ve gotten it so you can really get it.’ No. You act like you’ve gotten it because you know you’ve gotten it in your spirit!
But the hoper doesn’t understand this. He’s still waiting and praying to get it. He’s still counting on God to fight his battles for him, not realizing that God has already done all that’s necessary to usher us into the glory-life. But the guy who’s in faith says, “Thank you Lord; you’ve made all things ready for me and given me all that I require for life and godliness. I claim every blessing that’s in your Word for me, in Jesus’ Name!”
While hope puts things in the sweet by-and-by, faith is in the now; faith is for today! Faith takes possession now. It’s faith that catapults you into your inheritance in Christ, not hope. For you to reign in life as the king that you are your hope must be converted to faith by accepting what God has said about you, and speaking the same thing in agreement, irrespective of contrary circumstances.
Prayer
Dear Father, thank you for hope in Christ. Thank you also for teaching me today the difference between hope and faith! Now I know how to activate my faith and make it work all the time. By faith, I take possession of my God-given inheritance and declare that the vital realities of my rights and privileges as a new creation in Christ Jesus are my present-hour possession, in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
Further Study
Hebrews 11:1 AMP: “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]”
Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
(Taken by permission from Christ Embassy Church , aka Believer’s LoveWorld Ministries , Lagos, Nigeria. www.ChristEmbassy.org )
