Faith is described in Hebrews 11:1a, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  Hupostasis, the Greek word for 'substance' in this verse interestingly means: confidence, assurance, conviction, substance and reality.  'Hupostasis’ speaks of faith as being the most important or the most practical aspect (or even reality) of all that is hoped for regarding God's future promises.  "Faith is established conviction concerning things unseen and settled expectations of future reward." (NSFLB)

 Jesus tells His disciples in Mark 11:22, "Have faith in God..."  'Faith', pistis in the Greek, means: conviction, confidence, trust, belief, and reliance. (Note the similarities between substance and faith.)  According to the NSFLB, "In the New Testament setting, it (faith) is the divinely implanted principle of inward confidence, assurance, trust, and reliance in God and all that He says."  Then in Mark 11 verse 23, Jesus said, "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says."  A mountain is symbolic of an obstacle, a hindrance, or an insurmountable problem.  FAITH is the key that releases the resources of heaven into all of the circumstances or situations we face.

 Hebrews 11:6 reads, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Ephesians 2:8 states, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God..."  Our faith enables us to believe that God exists. Thus, faith is the foundation of our saving relationship with God.

 How do we attain faith?  The answer is found in Romans 10:17.  It states, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."  According to Vine's Expository Dictionary, 'hearing' (akoe) in this verse means, a message or a teaching.  So, faith comes by our hearing a message or teaching from the Word of God. Therefore, we also receive faith by reading the message the Spirit of the Lord gave us through the writing of His Holy Word. 

 As we look at the following scriptures, we will see that the amount of faith we have is not as important as it's quality.  In Matthew 17:14-21, we have the story of a man who brought his epileptic son to Jesus' disciples for healing.  When the father told Jesus that His disciples could not cure his son, we see in Matthew 17:17, "Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless (without trust) and perverse (corrupt, wicked) generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me."  In verse 19, the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast it out.  Verse 20 (NASB20) reads, " And He said to them, "Because of your meager faith (unbelief); for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."  Jesus told his disciples their failure was due to their meager faith and in this case, the need of prayer and fasting.

 Often in scripture, we read of Jesus teaching the disciples of the need of faith.  Also, we see Him addressing the issue of their having "little faith."  The Greek word for "little faith" is olegopistos.  It describes a 'faith' that lacks confidence or trusts too little.  Jesus used these words in Matthew 6:30; 8:26:14:31 and in Luke 12:28.  Another way to describe "little faith" is, underdeveloped or immature faith as opposed to outright unbelief or distrust.

 Jesus addressed the evidence of the disciples' "little faith" as manifesting as:

• Worry (about your life, what you eat or drink, clothing and height, in Matthew 6:25-33)

• Fear (for protection and deliverance from a storm in Matthew 8:23-26)

• Fear (from looking at hindrances - i.e. the waves, in Matthew 14:31)

 We see examples of great things done by faith in the 11th Chapter of Hebrews:

• Noah built an ark where there was no water.

• Abraham left his home and family without knowing where he was going and became the Father of many nations. (Romans 4:20 and 21, "He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform."

• Sarah believed for a son when passed child-bearing age.

• Moses led the Israelites to the Promised land.

• The Israelites passed through the Red Sea on dry land.

• The walls of Jericho fell when the people shouted.

 Then, Hebrews 11:36-40 tells of others who were tortured for their faith in Christ.

  "Faith does not provide an automatic exemption from hardships. trials, or tragedy.  The same faith that enables some to escape trouble, enables others to endure it.  The same faith that delivers some from death, enables others to die victoriously.  Faith is not a bridge over troubled waters, but is a pathway through them." (NSFLB)

 Our faith will be tested by trials which will teach us to hold fast, even in difficult times.

 James 1:2-4 (NIV), "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

 Then in 1 Peter 1:6 and 7, "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved (in distress) by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.."  Some may suffer grief to prove the genuineness of their faith.  Our faith is tested to see if we will obey God's commands, even when they do not make sense to us. Our faith will be tested by fire.  As we undergo our faith being refined by fire, the impurities of sin surface, so that we can confess and be made clean and pure.  Why is it necessary for our faith to be tested?  Remember, our faith is the foundation of our relationship with, and salvation from God!  Nothing is more important than that.

 We have to be proactive to keep our faith and spiritual life strong and healthy.  In order to have a well developed or mature faith, we must make the Lord and His Word a daily priority.

 Today, we are facing strong pressure from the world to compromise our beliefs and conform to the way of the world.  We will soon be facing the most serious time in the history of mankind.  The Word warns us of floods, earthquakes, and wars.  The question we must answer is this: "Will we respond with fear or be prepared to rise up in faith."  Job said, "Though He slay me, yet I will trust Him."  That is the level of faith we need to victoriously face the upcoming times.

 Study and stand on God's Word.

Refuse to give in to discouragement and the temptations of your enemy.  Become a hero of faith, by standing strong to the end.

 Remember, action is required in order for your faith to become strong!  Faith does not develop by osmosis from other believers.  James 1:21-25 reads, "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."  Focusing on verse 22, we learn we need to be a doer of the Word.  As we step out in faith and act on the Word of God which we have studied and meditated on, we will find our faith developing and maturing, because we will see the faithfulness of God in action, as He works with us to accomplish His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 (NIV), "for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

 I encourage you:  Do not let your faith stagnate into "little faith" or a faith that lacks confidence or trusts too little!

 You can do all things through Christ Who strengthens you!