A key verse in the study of faith is the familiar one found in Hebrews 11:1,
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Moffatt’s translation of this verse reads, “Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.”
Another translation says, “Faith is giving substance to things hoped for.” Still another translation reads, “Faith is the warranty deed, the thing for which we have finally hoped is at last ours.” Here God is telling us what faith is.
There are a number of kinds of faith. Everyone, saved and unsaved alike, has a natural, human faith. The above Scripture, however, is talking about a supernatural faith – a faith that believes with the heart rather than believing what our physical senses may tell us. Faith, in other words, is grasping the unrealities of hope and bringing them into the realm of reality. And faith grows out of the Word of God.
Our text describes faith as “the evidence of things not seen.” For example, you hope for finances to meet the obligations you have to pay. Faith gives the assurance that you will have the money when you need it. You hope for physical strength to do the work that you must do. Faith says, “The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1). Faith will say about itself everything that the Word says, for faith in God is simply faith in His Word.
Many people want to receive and then believe they’ve got it. It doesn’t work that way, though.
You have to believe FIRST, and then you will receive.
We may say we know God’s Word is good, but we will never really know until we have acted on it and have reaped its results. Faith is giving substance to things hoped for.
Hope says, “I’ll have it sometime.”
Faith says, “I have it NOW.”
Kenneth E. Hagin, “New Thresholds of Faith”