Hebrews 11:1Now (the word does not have to do with time but serves to introduce something else, whether opposed to what precedes or simply continuative or explanatory. Generally it has the meaning of but, and, or also) faith (conviction of the truth of anything, with the included idea of trust, reliance upon, faith has the secondary meaning of “an assurance or guarantee,) is (present tense) the substance (lit., “a standing under, support”. two words-hupo, “under,” histemi, “to stand”, to be under the authority of, that which is the basis of something-guaranty, that which underlies the apparent-the reality, that which really exists under any appearance-essential nature) of things hoped for (“favorable and confident expectation, to expect with desire), the evidence (a proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested, conviction, the convincing proof) of things not seen.
Faith is spoken here in the present tense- faith is. Although faith is in the present tense it is based upon something that has already happened and been completed in the past.
Faith is based upon the eternal realm in which God lives; when God speaks it becomes an eternal reality. Faith is based upon the word that God speaks. Faith has its substance in the spirit realm or 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 spirit realm.
Faith is the substance. It is to be under the authority of the Lord, the lordship of Jesus over our life. It is the word of God spoken over our life. When the New Testament was being written, this word substance was used in the legal profession as the title deed. It was a written document describing the property a person owned. The substance of faith is the legal aspects of our salvation; it is the eternal reality of what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross. This faith is birthed in our heart through the revelation of the Holy Spirit to our spirit. Faith is the revelation of what is legally ours in Christ; It is what the Holy Spirit can legally bring into manifestation in our life.
Faith is the evidence or convincing proof. This is also a legal word and was used in criminal courts. The prosecuting attorney would present his convincing proof in such a way that the jury would have no doubts. This is the conviction of the Holy Spirit to our heart so that we see things in a new reality.
Faith obtains things that already exist in the spirit realm. If we are to obtain something by faith in the natural realm, it must already have been spoken into existence in the spirit realm by the word of God. Once God’s word has been spoken in the spirit realm, the substance of faith (being under his authority) brings it into manifestation in the natural realm.
When God speaks out of his being there comes forth this creative force that is called the Word of God. The essence of God is released in his words; it comes alive in the realm of the spirit and remains there eternally alive. Every word of God is living, once He speaks it-it exists. Every word God speaks is an eternal word, and time does not affect it.
We cannot separate the faith of God from the eternal life of God.
1tim 6: 12Fight (command continuous, to contend with an adversary, preserving amidst opposition-temptation, to contend with adversaries, fight, to contend, struggle, with difficulties and dangers, to endeavor with strenuous zeal, strive: to obtain something) the good fight ( an assembly, a place of assembly, the place of contest, the contest for a prize, any struggle or contest, a battle) of faith, lay hold on (command to begin this moment,to lay hold of, take possession of, attain, attain to, to seize upon, of laying “hold” on eternal life-practically appropriating all the benefits, privileges and responsibilities involved in the possession of it) eternal (1-the 2-eternal) life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed (to speak by the Spirit his lordship-our identification with Him) a good profession before many witnesses.
We are to lay hold of the eternal life of God, to strongly grasp hold of it. We are to lay hold of the eternal life; the definite article refers to the life God possesses. By laying hold of His eternal life, his faith comes to us. The infilling of the Spirit, is being filled with His life. When we are filled with his life we are filled with his faith.
We have a human nature of unbelief, but when we receive the life of God in our spirit, we also receive God’s faith. Faith is a fruit of the Holy Spirit in our life. Faith is not a human reasoning, but a revelation of the Holy Spirit that comes to us as we are hearing or communing with the Spirit of God. Only God has the ability to believe and move in real faith. God has perfect faith concerning his word and never doubts that what he has spoken will come to pass. In the receiving of Gods life there comes his ability to believe what he reveals to us. Faith is the acceptance of what God reveals to our spirit.
It is beyond human ability to believe the word of God. Until we understand how God’s faith comes, we will unsuccessfully try to believe the word. We cannot manufacture this faith. This faith is a possession of God; it is the faith that belongs to him.
Mark 11: 22And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have (command to do something in the future which involves continuous action, continual possession) faith (1definite article-the 2-reliance upon) in (there is no in-in the Greek) God (1-definite article-the 2-God). 23For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
True faith believes the Word of God the way God believes it. The life of God in us has the ability to believe without doubting. It is in the infilling of the life of God that his faith comes to us. The faith of God is the result of the life flow of His Spirit in us. The more we are filled with God’s life the more we are filled with God’s ability to believe his word.
The faith of God is something that we receive from God, but we must actively cooperate with him. God is the supplier but there has to be an activity of receiving on our part from within. It is only as our spirit is active and pressing in to him that we make contact with His Spirit where God communicates with us. It is through the infilling of the Spirit that faith comes. When God’s life is filling us then it becomes natural to believe. It is an impartation from God.
Faith comes by hearing; our spirit must be alive unto God where we are receiving what God is communicating to us. Faith comes as the Holy Spirit quickens the word of God to our spirit. His faith comes as the Holy Spirit reveals to us each word God has spoken. When a word from God comes alive to us, his faith in that word is imparted to us. We have to hear God speak to us personally. It is called the hearing of faith. The hearing of faith allows the Holy Spirit to live in us continually; it is hearing God speak directly to us by His Spirit in our hearts.
The life of God must increasingly fill us, as we learn how to live by his life flow in us, instead of our natural life, we will find his faith coming to us. When his life becomes our life we will find that his faith becomes the natural result of being filled with Him. The more we are filled with his life, the more we will be moved to think like God and speak like God. The Spirit of God imparts the faith of God through our participation with his life. When we are partaking of the divine nature we are partaking of his faith.