"The Believer's Hope (Part 1)"

[*For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.(Rom.15:4) ]

The reality of faith can only be explained and understood by having an adequate understanding of our hope. I hear many people during the course of the week preaching about what faith is; I've heard faith is "believing in what God can do," I've heard it's "trusting in God" I've even heard faith is "an action." It's time for us to stop thinking about these doctrinl terms and actually study them: faith is the greek word "pistis" and it means "a strong and welcome conviction of truth." A conviction is the "act or state of being convinced or persuaded." So more than anything else faith according to it's greek interpretation is a 100% persuasion of truth. Now lets look at faith's definition in Hebrews 11:1 which says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." So now that we know what faith is lets look at what it's not. Faith is not an action, faith is not an emotion or a feeling, faith is not your confession, and finally faith is not some strange foreign empowerment given to only to a few. Faith is a PERSONAL conviction or persuasion of what you believe to be true. The word "substance" in Heb. 11:1 can be translated to mean "conviction" in the greek. "Substance" is the greek word "hypostasis" which means a "firm and solid resolution or assurance" which makes it synonymous with the defintion of conviction.
So now let's find out where the beleiver's hope comes into play: why do we need hope when we have faith? What is hope? How do we work it and where is its place in our lives? Lets answer this with Heb.11:1 which says again, "Now faith is the substance(conviction) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The word "hope" in the greek is the word "elpis" it means "an expectation of good" Now if you notice "faith is the substance of things HOPED for.." this is why the believer's hope is needful. Without hope(elpis) there can be no faith because faith comes from the "conviction of a thing that is hoped for." So if their is nothing hoped for, then there is nothing for your faith to bring to reality. Now why do we "call those things that be not as though they were(Rom.4:17)?" Remember hope is an "expectation of good" so those good emotions of euphoria and expectancy of seeing the desired "thing" in your spirit come from hope not faith. The things hoped for will not come from you operating in hope hope merely changes your demeanor. So when there is hope you will hear people say things like "I know God can work it out!" or "I won't even worry about this woman on this job." Hope changes your ATTITUDE. When your attitude is changed so are your words so Hope gives your mind and heart the reality that what your believing has already come to pass. so that is what causes you to "CALL IT."
So Hope changes your attitude but just because you are full of hope that does not mean you are full of faith. I've laid hands on a lot of hopeful people but hope must turn over into faith which brings results. So hope alone does nothing of itself but make you feel good about what your beliving God for. Which brings us to this last part of Heb.11:1 which reads, "Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Doubt and fear get in at the end of this scripture for many belivers. The first part is easy its this last part that causes people to discontinue their stand in faith....."THEY CAN'T SEE IT SO IT MUST NOT BE REAL." Rom.8:24-25 says, "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." Hope is not hope if you can see it so since hope makes up what "faith is"(Heb.11:1), that means faith can't be faith if you can see what is hoped for("For we walk by faith and not by sight."2Cor.5:7). So patience is needed(Rom.8:25) and we will pick up here next time..................

Josh