The Apostle Paul explains faith in Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV), “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen..”
Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon defines the Greek word for “substance” as a firm foundation or assurance. So, faith gives us the assurance that God will always keep His promises and that the Bible is true.
“Evidence” is “a proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested,” as defined again by Thayer’s.
So, our faith in God is the assurance and the proof that what God has said, He will do – even though we cannot see how things will work out.
How do we increase our faith? By developing a relationship with the God of the Bible.
First, we need to learn about what the Bible declares are four attributes of God: justice, love, wisdom and power.
Justice is a foundation of God’s character. Psalm 89:14 (ESV), “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.”
Love is one of God’s attributes. 1 John 4:16 (NKJV), “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” Everything God does is always the most loving and best action.
Wisdom is another attribute of God. Psalm 104:24 (NKJV), “O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all…”
All power belongs to God. Daniel 2:20 (NASB20), “Daniel said, ‘May the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.” Jeremiah 51:15 (NKJV), “He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heaven by His understanding.”
All of God’s attributes work in harmony together in every aspect of His being, His purposes, His plans and His promises. As we see evidence of His work in our lives through answered prayer, providences, and the fulfillment of His Bible promises and prophecies, our faith becomes anchored in Him.
Additional Resources:
Christian Questions Podcast
Episode #1278:” What Does It Feel Like To Have Real Faith?”
Digging into the depth, power and transformative qualities of true faith
Preview Video
CQ Rewind Show Notes
Episode #1274: “If I Have God’s Peace, Why Am I So Stressed?”
Learning to reduce negative stress and replace it with God’s peace
Preview Video
CQ Rewind Show Notes
For children, parents and Bible class teachers:
Animated video: What is faith?
Animated video: Why can we trust God?
