Food For Teens: THE EQUATION OF FAITH

According to Hebrews 11:1a, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for…” Faith is not the things hoped for but faith is the substance of things hoped for. Now, let us put this in proper perspective of how faith works. In the above scripture, there are two important variables that help us activate faith which then produces the result we desire and they are: 

1. The things hoped for 

2. The substance of things hoped for. 

1. The things hoped for comes from us as a people with our respective desires and needs, they are the outcome we desire in every situation. Before we go any further, I would like you to know that your desires as a believer is not lust, a lot of times believers find it difficult to place their hopes and desires before God because the devil always deceives and accuses them of lust. 

    Lust and desires are two different things, as believers we must understand them so that we can know how to supply this very important ingredients of faith which is “hope of a desired outcome.” The difference between lust and desire is that lust is and unholy desire. It is not really complicated to know when a desire is unholy. According to James 1:15a, “Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin.” Any desire that you know is sin or will lead to sin is lust. This is why James 4:3 says, “Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye might consume it upon your lusts.” Believers who ask for unholy desires do not receive, not necessarily because God is withholding but primarily because they do not have the confidence in their desires. 1st John 3:20-21, “For if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.” 

    The funny thing about righteous desires is that sometimes the devil still convinces a lot of believers to think God does not like their desires; as a result some lose confidence in their desire towards God. For example a believers genuinely needs a car or a house for his family or job, he can be deceived by the devil to feel that those desires are sinful (Carnal) whereas the purpose of such desires are noble and most importantly scriptural but the devil can make the believer feel like he or she shouldn’t desire such things and by so doing they lose confidence in their desire that is why the first step to asking anything of the Lord is to settle in your heart the primary reason for a desire, is it to enable you sin or for legitimate reasons, if they are for legitimate reasons, the next step is to search the scripture so that you can align your desire to God’s word (will). This is why 1st John 5:14 tells us that “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.” 

    Now, there’s confidence that God hears because our desires are according to His will. Mark 11:24, “Therefore, I say unto you, what things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them.” We have established how to have righteous desires, now Jesus is telling us that our desire (hope) for whatsoever is granted in the place of prayer and if we believe this then we shall have them. Like I said earlier, desires (hope) are from us it comes naturally to every man and now that we have established how to have the right desires (hope) concerning a situation, the next step is; 

2. Substance of your desire or of the things you hope for; unlike hope which comes from us naturally, substance comes from God, remember faith equals substance of things hoped for and Romans 10:17 tells us that “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” In the above scripture the word of God refers to the spoken word of God (Rhema). It makes a lot of sense to me that faith comes not from logos but from rhema but you must know this; that every rhema of God must align with the Logos (written word of God). 

    What is substance then? Substance is that strong confidence that you have inside of you that what you desire is done and this only comes from the mouth of the Spirit of God. It is that light that shines from the face of Jesus as we pray in the Spirit, God begins to reveal His mind (thoughts) concerning that situation, no wonder Psalm 40:5 says, “Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which are to us-ward: They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” 

    After making your desires known and believing that you have received your desire, you begin to meditate and pray in the Spirit and as you do so, the thoughts of God begins to drop into your consciousness, these are not your pre-determined thoughts but these are His thoughts. Isaiah 55:6, 8, 10 and 11, “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. So shall my word be that be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which i please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” 

    As you open your ears to the voice of God through your prayer and meditation of God’s word, I guaranteed you that the thoughts of God will begin to fall on your consciousness like rain fall until the reality of your desire granted becomes guaranteed in your spirit, then and then are you in faith and can confidently walk as the Lord instructs knowing with absolute certainty that you have received your desire, only then can you really know that you shall have them (it shall manifest in the physical). Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. The thoughts of God concerning that situation are your substance to have your desired outcome (expected end). 

In summary, submit your hope (desire) to God through prayers and let him supply you with the substance of your desire and I guarantee you the equation is complete, get ready for your miracle. 

God bless you and see you next month.