(Please don't rush, patiently get this truth :) )
Lets start with Paul's brilliant defination of faith in Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."KJV Notice key words: Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for the EVIDENCE of things not Seen. 'Faith' is the Greek 'Pistis' or Hebrew 'Emunah' which mostly translates as Trust. The word Substance means confirmation, title deed. Evidence means proof, conviction. So trust in God and his promise is by itself the CONFIRMATION, TITLE DEED, PROOF , CONVICTION and EVIDENCE. When money is transferred into my bank account, usually the transaction is electronic. I know it is completed when I electronically check my bank account via my bank app or I receive an alert on my phone. Now, I do not need to see or feel the money physically to celebrate having the money. The electronic alert within my phone is my CONFIRMATION, TITLE DEED, PROOF , CONVICTION and EVIDENCE of receipt. In this same way, faith within my Spirit is the evidence of what I hope for, the proof of what I cannot see! God' s word about my situation is the promise but my Faith(i.e absolute trust) in what he has said is my Proof of receipt! Note that as my evidence of having what I hope for is not God's word, so also, a physical, visible manifestation of what I hope for is not my evidence. My Evidence is the inner conviction of TRUST in what God has promised or said! "Therefore", you might ask, "the evidence of anything hoped for is not first physical it is spiritual?". To this I say YES! You are now getting it! You see, the spiritual realm is the REALITY. This physical world is the illusion of reality. God is a spirit, HE is reality. He lives in a real spiritual realm with spiritual principles and lifestyle. Heaven for one, is not a physical realm and neither is hell . These places and indeed all of God's creation- physical and spiritual - are governed by principles of the spirit, because God is Spirit (John 4:24). He therefore, is concerned about bringing up his children spiritually.
God's Word is spirit and is only activated by the spiritual mechanism/tool of faith (absolute trust). This trust is the spiritual EVIDENCE that governs, transforms and imposes authority and dominion over all things physical and spiritual. So faith, by itself, is the real result. Faith is the real victory! The Amplified version of Hebrews 11 expounds to make this clearer that Faith is the conviction of reality. It comprehends as FACT what cannot be experienced by the physical senses. One astounding example of this truth is in the account of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14:24-25 : "But by this time, the boat was several miles from shore, battling a rough sea and a headwind. Around four o’clock in the morning, he came toward them, walking on the lake!" CJB You see, prophets before Jesus came had divided the sea but Jesus came to show us a higher way of life - God's way of life and thinking. To God, the raging sea, water or winds are inconsequential- after all, they are just physical (not real reality) - they are an illusion; a mirage. So why bother to part the sea? Why bother to stop the winds or calm the storm? For him, they are not a factor in getting to his destination! For the physically minded disciples though, the storm was the very real problem. Now you might say, "Good for Jesus, HE was the Son of God, born of a virgin etc, etc." But Thank God for Peter! Read what happens shortly after: 'Peter said, “Lord, if that is really you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “Come, Peter.” Then Peter left the boat and walked on the water to Jesus.' Matthew 14:28-29 ERV Peter, a fully fleshed flawed human, by his trust (faith) in the word of Jesus -"Come!" - and in the person of Jesus as The Messiah, walked on water! For that instant, Peter ceased to be controlled by this physical world of illusions, his real self (his Spirit) gained the dominion so that that the water, winds, waves became nothing. He transcended the physical. He focused his spirit on Jesus and overcame the world by his trust in the Word of God. The mechanism is this: 1. Jesus is the Word of God become human. John 1:1,14 2. The universe was created by the spiritual power in the Word of God. 3. The universe is therefore controlled by the Word of God! 4. This Word is only activated by absolute Trust i.e faith in it. God's Word is the most potent power in all spiritual and physical realms, and this power is activated by our faith. "Faith helps us understand that God created the whole world by his command. This means that the things we see were made by something that cannot be seen." Hebrews 11:1, 3 ERV
“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”Mark 9:23 NIV
Therefore, it's what's happening inside you that really matters. What's happening outside is irrelevant because it is changeable. The moment you remove your gaze from the Word of God, you will lose your spiritual ability and evidence (trust) and you will begin to sink. But when he (Peter) saw the wind, he became afraid; and as he began to sink, he yelled, “Lord! Save me!” Yeshua(Jesus) immediately stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “Such little trust! Why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:30-31CJB So brothers, because faith IS the evidence, our focus is therefore not on circumstances or people. Our fight of faith is to keep our trust in God's word. The victory to be worn is not first visible, it is the invisible victory of Trust in God and his assurances. Once you've won this internal battle, YOU HAVE WON! So rejoice because Faith IS the VICTORY.
Amen.
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for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4 NIV