Hebrews 11:1 provides the Bible definition of faith:
Hebrews 11:1Now faith is (present tense) the substance (two words-hupo, “under,” histemi, “to stand”, that which is the basis of something) of things hoped for (favorable and confident expectation, to expect with desire), the evidence (the convincing proof) of things not seen.
Faith can never be spoken of in the future tense. It is always in the present tense. It functions in the present tense, but it is based upon something that has already happened and was completed in the past.
Faith is based upon the eternal realm in which God lives; when God speaks or does something it becomes an eternal reality. Faith is based upon the word that God speaks, and the provision that Jesus has made. Faith has its substance in the eternal realm. The natural realm is the time realm. There was a moment in which time began, and a moment when time as we have known it will cease. Everything of the natural creation will pass away and is not eternal, but the word of God will never pass away.
We will never see the will of God manifested in the time realm, unless we receive it by faith as a reality already existing in the eternal realm. How do we receive it by faith, and how does it work by faith?
Faith is- the word is, is in the presence tense and means- (he, she, it) is. It comes from the root to be.
Faith is more than an it, because it is a fruit of the Spirit. God is love. God is joy. God is faith.
The faith that we are talking about here is God’s faith, it is not our faith. It is something that emanates from God that we have to be filled with. Just like the joy of the Lord. It is something we have to learn how to draw upon and release.
The eternal life of God flows into our spirit through our first love gate (intimacy) and then out of our spirit through our faith gate into our soul and then through one or more of our soul gates (like emotion, we can feel the faith of God rising up in us, it flows through our will gate strengthening our will), it flows through our choice gate into the voice gate in our body and we speak it forth into the atmosphere around us. Confession is an important part of bringing the reality of what exists in the spirit realm, into manifestation in the natural realm. But our words must be filled with the faith of God.
Faith is the substance- the word substance comes from two words-hupo, “under,” histemi, “to stand”. To stand under.
Substance is what really exists under any appearance that we can see in the natural, it is the essential nature of something. We are talking about the unseen realm that is all around us, but is just as real as this material realm.
Substance is translated person in heb 1:3-the express image of his person (substance).
In Heb. 1:3 it says Christ is the very image of God’s substance. Christ is the express image or exact expression of God’s essence or being or nature. The eternal word of God became flesh (the manifestation of the eternal life of God in the time and space realm).
Faith is something that proceeds out of God’s being, just like love and joy and peace. His being emanates it.
It is called a fruit of the Spirit, because it is what is produced.
To get more faith we need to get more of God, it is a result of being in his presence. It is a result of being filled with His Spirit. It is the result of His life flowing into us.
When we are filled with the Spirit we are filled with God’s love, joy, peace, and all the attributes of God including His faith.
When a person is filled with the faith of God you can see it in their countenance, you can hear it in their voice, and you can see it in their actions.
Substance is translated confidence in heb 3:14
Hebrews 3: 14For we are made (the finished results or completeness of the action- to come into existence or a spiritual state, we have become) partakers (Partaking, participating, partner, companion, fellowship of the same life, “sharing in,” “partaker of.” ) of Christ(anointed), if ( two words 1-a condition which experience must determine 2- a word added for emphasis or strength) we hold(action subject to a condition- to hold fast, retain, take possession of, to occupy a place) the beginning of our confidence(substance) steadfast (fixed) unto the end(completion); 15While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden (continuous action subject to a condition-to make stubborn) not your hearts, as in the provocation( rebellion).
The faith of God comes to us through the life of God flowing out of heaven as a river of life into our spirit. It flows into our spirit gates, intuition gate- we intuitively know that we know. Revelation gate-spontaneous flow of thoughts, images, and impressions, we are hearing God, and this is how the faith of God comes to us.
The faith of God flows into the hope gate in our spirit, producing a confident expectation. Once we have a confident expectation in our spirit, the confidence or faith of God is in our spirit.
Now we have to learn how to hold on this with our spirit. Our spirit has to embrace it. We have to hold on to the substance of faith with our spirit, in order for there to be a manifestation in the time and space realm.
We do this by abiding in the life of God, by continually being filled with the Spirit.
Once the word of God is in our spirit, it doesn’t matter when the manifestation occurs because we know it will occur. It has become a part of our spirit and is more real to us than what we perceive in the natural realm with our body senses.
The manifestation has nothing to do with us; it has to do with the faith of God, or the faithfulness of God. The word faith is translated as faithfulness in gal 5:22.
Gal 5: 22But the fruit (that which originates or comes from God), of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith (conviction of the truth, the Lord opening our eyes to see, faith is the acceptance of divine revelation, the God given ability to trust his word, which results in his faithfulness operating in our lives, the character of one who can be relied on).
God wants to develop His faith in us, so the manifestation sometimes may not immediately occur. This is called the testing or development of our faith.
We need to learn also to go into the courts of heaven to see if there are any legal issues involved that could be blocking the manifestation.
Once we have the witness of the Holy Spirit, that all legal matters are in order then we have to guard our faith.
Faith is not just an action on our part, it is actually a level for us to occupy. With every new level, we have to learn the lessons on how to abide and grow in the faith of God on this level.
The situations where we learn to develop faith are often the entry points to that level that God wants us to live on. We go from grace to grace, faith to faith, strength to strength and glory to glory.
The entry point to that level is whatever our current problem, difficulty or challenge is, that is our doorway to the new level we are to occupy. And on the other side of that doorway is the manifestation, the fullness and abundance.
The problem is designed actually to enable us to succeed, to overcome, and to enable us to learn how to stand in something and believe who God is for us.
When faith comes to us we must move into thanksgiving immediately. Rejoicing is a lifestyle for us, it is not an option, and it is an absolute necessity like water. We need it; we must never allow ourselves to get dehydrated.
When we mix rejoicing with faith it seriously strengthens our confession. Father I thank you for your word towards me, I thank you for your promise towards me, I thank you for your provision for me, I thank you for your heart towards me, I thank you for your intentions towards me at this point in time.
Rejoicing with confession is clear, it is articulate, it’s bold, it’s confident. There must be enthusiasm in our voice. Rejoicing is clear, it is strong, it is focused, it has breath, it has energy, and it has power, it is the life of God flowing through us.
Confess means to say the same thing as God says. When the Father speaks to us, He releases His own personality through His words. These things I have spoken to you that my joy might be in you-john 15:11
With God it is not just about resolving a problem, it is about bringing us into a deeper place of joy in who He is. In the presence of the Lord there is fullness of Joy.
It is not about resolving a problem but about becoming a partaker of Christ. It is about our growth and development in the divine nature.
Once faith has come, it is outworked through our intimacy with Him. Our focus is on being filled with Him not the solution to our problem.
We are learning to live in the Spirit, to be filled with the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit. We are learning how to become a gateway to bring heaven down into the earth, not only in our own lives, but also the lives of those the Holy Spirit leads us to.