Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
Faith and hope go hand-in-hand. In fact, you can’t have faith if you don’t have hope.
But what is hope? Hope is when you’re expecting something positive to happen, and this is the precursor to faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for.
If you expect something bad to happen, that’s fear. And just as faith brings what you’re hoping for into your life, fear can also bring what you’re afraid of into your life. As Job 3:25 says, “What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.”
If all you listen to is the news, all you’re going to expect is bad things. The economy is down, our politicians are bad, new viruses are popping up, terrorism is on the rise…there’s always something new to be worried about.
As believers, are we victims to whatever the world throws our way? No! We have God’s kingdom within us, which overrides everything on this planet. We can choose who we will believe!
When the world says it’s impossible, we prosper. When the doctors say there is no hope, we are healed. When experts say a marriage is doomed for failure, God’s power in us brings forgiveness, joy and peace!
The blessings of the Lord are not dependent upon the economy or what experts are saying. They’re not dependent upon what doctors or tests say. The kingdom of God, which is within you, is removed from all the restrictions of this world.
God’s kingdom works by faith, and faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). Let’s listen to what the Word says!