Hebrews 10:35-11:3

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” – Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Faith is spiritual substance.

• Substance (sub-stance, ground) means “foundation,” something solid you stand upon.
• It is the reality of something you cannot see.

Faith is being sure.

• To be sure is to be assured.
  • Assured: certain, secure, guaranteed

• Surety: A legal term meaning to have a warranty or guarantee
  • True faith assures you.

Our faith becomes certain when we are:

1. Sure about God’s will.

1. If you aren’t sure if something is the will of God, you can never have faith for it.
   1. Romans 12:2
2. Not everything is His will.
   1. Lazarus’ death
   2. Storm on the sea of Galilee
3. God’s will comes out of God’s nature.
   1. God’s nature is good; Satan’s nature is evil.
   2. God wants you free from sin, disease, poverty, mental torment.

2. Sure about God’s promise.

1. A promise is a declaration of what someone will do.
2. Faith is about God keeping His Word.
   1. “When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable…” –Hebrews 6:17 (MSG)
   2. “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.” –Hebrews 6:18 (ESV)
3. Jesus is the surety of our faith.
4. God promised many things in the Bible:
   1. Forgiveness of sins
   2. Physical healing (James 5:14-15)
   3. Financial provision (Philippians 4:19)

3. Sure about God’s power.

1. “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” –Hebrews 11:3 (ESV)
2. A miracle is when the spiritual world releases into the natural.
3. Faith is a choice to believe in God’s power in the spiritual world.
4. Faith is being sure of what you see in your heart even when natural evidence contradicts it.
   1. It even rejoices over what it has not seen yet.
      1. “Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” –1 Peter 1:8 (KJV)