How Long Does Faith Wait?
Hebrews 6:12 writes, “that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Faith is an interesting thing. We know according to the Word that we are to live by faith, that we all have a measure of faith, and that we should grow our faith and do that by hearing the Word of God. I think, however, that the true concept of what faith is gets lost on people.
Hebrews 11:1 gives us the exact definition of what God says faith is, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Before we get too far into this, we must do a little prep work. The words “hoped for” do not mean what we commonly assume they mean based on our modern day usage of them. When the Bible mentions hope, it is referring to an expectation; not that you hope it happens but you rest in the hope or knowledge that it will. Looking at it from this perspective drastically changes the meaning of this verse. Now faith is the substance of things that you expect will happen. Expectation is a sure thing. Expectation does not change. If I expect someone will do something, then I know with every fiber of my being that it will be done. Expectation of God for so many is subjective. The Word is eternal, it is truth, and therefore cannot ever be subjective. Neither, I might add, is the Lord. For He and His Word are the same thing.
I expect God because I believe His Word. This is what faith is. We would all do well to wake up daily saying this. We need to believe God for and because of what He has said and that’s it. Faith has no expiration. It continues because that is the very essence of true faith. This is what is meant by the idea of the just living by it. They live it, as long as they live faith as the truth. What faith says is what we are to be. Faith says yes, faith says it will happen, faith says I can, faith always works, and faith leaves NO WAY out! Glory to God!!!! Faith is our truth and the day we stop living by faith is the day we stop living.
I have a certain expectation of God that is formed by and only by His Word. It isn’t something that people who are influenced and controlled by the world understand. It isn’t even something I always understand, but who says you have to understand the truth to make it truth? Truth will always be truth because that’s what truth is. Truth that changes was never truth. Why do you think God said in Malachi 3:6, “For I am the Lord, I do not change…”? He is the same yesterday, today, and forever so that we can have something solid to rest our, you guessed it, faith on!
What a mighty and wonderful God we have. Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-25, that building on Him means that we will not be shaken but will stand through every storm. “Will stand” means won’t fail. This my friends is the attitude we must have. Do you have room in your prayer for God not coming through? Do you leave provision for some hope you are standing on to fail? If you do, you are not in faith. We must remain in faith no matter the wind, the trial, the storm because that is how and only how we stand. Faith bets it all. Faith has no other option. How can I say all this? Because faith works through God’s love and 1 Corinthians 13:8 tells me love never fails. If my faith is rooted in His love, it can’t fail.
Let me tell you this. You can have this faith but not on your own. God has commanded us to come together in unison of faith to stir this faith up in us. He wants us to have it in abundance but we can’t without our local church and without the ministry gifts. Why do you think He said where two or more are gathered I am there in the midst? (Matthew 18:20)
So how long does faith wait? Faith never asks, “how long?” because faith doesn’t just know it will happen, faith is convinced of its PRESENT reality! Faith waits continually because that’s what faith is. Now faith is the expectation and knowledge of the reality of that which already exists, the unwavering and very proof of things which you cannot see yet.
Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff
