Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
—Hebrews 11:1

How do you define faith? If you define it as high expectations or hopeful wishing, it will mess you up. Most people read Hebrews 11:6, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him," and immediately come under condemnation. They think, I'm not getting healed or having my prayers answered because I just don't have enough faith, so God must be angry with me. I just don't believe enough. I'm not good enough. These people are crippling their own faith through condemnation. The condemnation cancels their faith.

But that's not what Hebrews 11:6 means at all. The Greek word for please means "to come in a line and come in agreement with God." The writer of Hebrews is saying that without faith it is impossible to come in a line or come in agreement with God. And it is critical to understand how faith is developed. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Faith is the Word, and the Word is faith.

Notice that God never separates himself from His Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). He makes Himself synonymous and equal to His Word. In fact, He says to us, "I'm going to reveal Myself through My Word."

So if God began with the Word, we have to begin with the Word. That's why faith is the substance or the guarantee that those things that you are waiting upon God for will come to pass. Faith is the evidence when we cannot see the manifestation. Faith is a calm assurance, a trust place, a resting in God.

The Bible says you only need faith as a tiny little mustard seed, just a little grain of faith (Matthew 17:20). You don't have to have 66 books of the Bible operating in your life. You just need one word that becomes a revealed Word, a Rhema revelation, where it jumps off the page and that's your Word. It's not a long Word; it's a revealed Word. When you work that Word, then that Word will work for you. That's what faith does in you.

The bottom line is there has to be a paradigm shift because there is "now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). Faith is not something you must work to conjure up in your life. It has to do with the Word that works in you.

Related Texts: Matthew 17:20; Mark 11:22–26; Romans 1:17; 5:1–2; 10:8–11, 17; 1 Peter 1:6–