Hebrews 11: 1 In-depth Study

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrew 11:1 ESV

What is faith?

I love how the Amplified Bible puts it, Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for( divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen[ the conviction of their reality- faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].

Therefore by faith, we can see what can’t be seen(what is hoped for), by faith we have the evidence that what we are seeing exists.

Faith is not hoping we get lucky, that’s the world kind of faith. Apart from God, we hope things kind of work out. We hope life goes well for us. But in God, we  receive the ability to see the things God has for us through faith. And by faith, bring those things into our reality.

Faith is eyes to see the way God sees.

Faith believes that God exists.

It’s quite impossible to follow someone you don’t believe exists. And as believers, we live by faith because we first believe that God exists. Without His existence, we can’t be able to obey him by faith.

Faith begins where we believe that God exists…

And without faith, it’s impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrew 11:6 NIV (emphasis mine)

Faith is confidence that God hears us

When we know that God hears us we have the confidence that we have what we believe.

1 John 5: 14-15 John tells us, and this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

If we don’t believe that God hears us, we will not have the confidence to believe him for anything.

Faith is going where we don’t know

Abraham the father of faith is one example of what faith looks like. We are told, by faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. Hebrews 11:8 NIV

This is what a life of faith looks like. We know God is calling us to something or somewhere but we don’t know exactly where. By faith, we take the first step of obedience and we trust His guidance.

God may not call you to leave everything including your family like Abraham (or he just might). but by faith, He may ask you to move to another city. He may call you to leave the life you’ve always dreamed you’ll have, all the plans you’ve made, to new dreams and a different plan. By faith, He might lead you to do something you never imagined doing or places you never imagined going.

Without the conviction that something greater existed, Abraham wouldn’t have left. Faith makes the unseen greater than what we see. Without this conviction of faith, we will not be able to move from what we know and see, towards what is unseen and unknown. We will not be able to leave the familiar for the unfamiliar.

Faith requires obedience

The evidence that faith exists in someone is seen in their willingness to obey.

Obedience is the correct response of faith.

When we believe God we follow through by obedience. Obedience is what tells God that we actually believe him. When we don’t believe Him we will not walk in obedience.

Without obedience, our faith is dead or useless. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish [spiritually shallow] person, that faith without [good] works is useless? Was our father Abraham not [shown to be justified by works [of obedience which expressed his faith] when he offered Isaac his son on the altar [ as a sacrifice to God]?James 2: 20-21 AMP

To produce results, faith must be followed by obedience. A lot of people say they have faith but they have nothing to show for their faith.

We have been taught our part is to just believe God and He will do the rest. But you’ll have nothing if you live like this. Our faith has to be expressed through obedience.

If I believe that God wants to give me a job; but I don’t bother applying for it my faith is useless. But because I know by faith He wants to bless me with a job I obey him by applying for one.

Through obedience, we pursue those things God has given to us by faith.

If all Abraham did was to believe God and not obey, we would be reading a different story. He believed God was calling him somewhere, he obeyed and went, because of his obedience, he received the results of his faith.

We have to do our part. We cannot do God’s part. And He will not do our part. Obedience is how we partner with God for results.

Faith requires patience

When we first come into faith, the excitement of faith is that we can have whatever we believe. But we quickly learn that God is not a genie, and faith is not a slot machine. Faith works together with patience. Anything that is of worth will take time, and that’s where we add patience to our faith.

I love the exhortation In Hebrews 6:12…through faith and patience we inherit the promises. Faith requires patience to produce results.

Faith is our victory

As believers we face many battles. However, we can overcome all the trials we go through because of our faith. Faith gives us the ability to endure difficulties until we have victory. God promises us victory in this life but we have to work our faith to see that victory.

For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world-our [continuing, persistent] faith[ in Jesus the Son of God].1 John 5:4 AMP

Our faith is the weapon that overcomes this life.

Without faith, we will live a defeated life. We become empowered to be victorious over everything we face in life through our faith in God.

We have no excuse as believers to live defeated lives. God has given us the gift of faith to enables us to go through things and come out on the other side victorious.

The enemy knows this and he tries to discourage us in faith, but when we know that our faith is actually what we require to overcome; we will not be worried by the trials and difficulties this life.

Sis, you already have the victory by faith. You just have to believe and refuse to give up until you grab hold of that victory in Christ Jesus.