Hebrews 11:1-3 (NKJV) Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
The Hebrews author speaks of a company of people he calls “cloud of witnesses”, who were ordinary people who did extraordinary exploits for God. They were who they were because of their faith in God. In Chapter 11 we are told who these “cloud of witnesses” are – some by name, some by the miracles they experienced.
- By name: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Moses
- By their miraculous experiences: subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
We want to ask some important questions: What made them who they were? What was the environment that produced their experiences? What was their faith?
They all shared an understanding about faith that consisted of these three elements described in Hebrews 11:1-3. Before the author of Hebrews begins his rendition of the men and women and their exploits, he assumes that we have come to a similar understanding; just like these giants of faith – “by faith we understand.” These are the three elements of faith we are invited to “understand”.
1. Experiencing what’s hoped for
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for… (NKJV)Faith shows the reality of what we hope for … (NLT)
Faith makes hope tangible and real. Faith enables a person to experience “now” what he or she is hoping for, until what is hoped for eventuates and becomes a reality. Without hope, faith cannot exist. Hopelessness quenches faith. Faith requires hope. Faith thrives in the environment of hope. Faith makes hope experiential. When the need or vision is so big, where do we start? One small miracle at a time. Faith shows the reality of what we hope for. Suddenly what we are hoping for starts becoming a possibility as we see small prayers answered, little steps closer to what we are hoping for. Our hope increases and faith thrives in the environment of hope.
We need to dwell in an environment of hope. Focus on what God has done and believe he will do it again. We can’t have hope, we must do hope. In other words we must create an environment for hope to exist and thrive. The only way to ensure hope is present in our lives is to do hope with others. Who are your “cloud of witnesses?” Listen to testimonies, read a biography, go to the characters in the Bible, hang out with people who live, value and project hope. Dwell in an environment of hope. Have this mindset in you – “If you did it for them, Lord, you will do it for me.”
2. Evidencing what’s unseen
Faith is “the evidence of things not seen.” (NKJV)
“It’s our handle on what we can’t see.” (Message translation)
The second element that was present in these giants of faith was that they began to seek out evidence of things that wereunseen. Faith takes us beyond the mirage of the visible to the reality of the invisible.
Our eyes deceive us. We are dupe to believe that the seen and the visible is the only reality. If you cannot see, hear, touch, smell or taste, then it doesn’t exist. You must Google “The McGurk Effect” and watch the video on YouTube. We are shown how what we see overrules what we hear. When there is a conflict between what we see and what we hear, the brain decides that what you see is more real than what is heard and overrules the auditory process.
Much of what we are relying on are illusions. We think they will last forever – our money, our health, our jobs, our world we have created. The truth is, the unseen which is eternal is more real and everlasting than the seen and the visible. What we see is actually a mirage compared to the unseen world where God exists.
2 Kings 6:1-17 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
The story of Elisha and his servant is a clear example of this truth. What was visible presented itself as formidable and the only response was fear. But when the servant had access to visualise the invisible forces, fear dissipated and faith arose. As the apostle Paul pointed out:
2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
WHEN THERE IS A CONFLICT BETWEEN WHAT YOU PHYSICALLY SEE AND WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED YOU – PRAY FOR THE ABILITY TO SEE BEYOND THE MIRAGE OF THE VISIBLE INTO THE REALITY OF THE UNSEEN.
The two elements in the life of faith – Experiencing what’s hoped for, evidencing what’s unseen.
Now let’s look at the third element.
3. Engineering a God shaped world
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. (NKJV)
By faith, we see the world called into existence by God’s word, what we see created by what we don’t see. (MSG)
These men and women mentioned in Hebrews 11 posessed a worldview/reality that was framed by the word of God.
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.
Genesis chapter 1 wasn’t just an account of creation. It presented a worldview on how “worlds” were framed. “God said”,and “it came to pass”, and “it was good”. We see these phrases repeated for each of the first six days of creation. God calls worlds into existence by His Word. The “cloud of witnesses” believed that literall, and they framed their worlds by the Word of God.
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God.
The word “understand” in the Greek is “to exercise the mind”. It isn’t just a one-time change in our mindset. It’s a continuous exercising of the mind to shape our understanding towards that worldview or mindset.
The worlds were framed by the word of God.
The word “framed” – “katartizo” – means to complete thoroughly, to repair or adjust, to fit, to frame, to make perfect, to restore. When faced with the conflict between the circumstances and the Word of God, these giants of the faith chose to frame their minds with the word of God. Even though their brain was defaulting to the physical reality, they chose to go beyond the seen and frame their world by what God had promised them through His word.
How do we frame our world based on God’s word? You frame your world by speaking God’s word – you confess His Word.
Romans 10:10-11 (NKJV) Now with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
OUR CONVICTIONS INFLUENCE OUR CONVERSATIONS. OUR CONVERSATIONS REINFORCE OUR CONVICTIONS.
According to psychologist Jerome Bruner, the way a person sees and speaks of self “become so habitual that they (the self talk) finally become recipes for structuring experience.” Your speech patterns become your recipe on how you will frame your world.
Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV) Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. 2 Peter 1:4 (NKJV) …by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Through God’s exceeding great and precious promises – you partake in the divine nature. Frame your world by the Word of God. Take hold of God’s promises and use them to change your ways of speaking about self, others and your circumstances. Shape your “world”, the world you live in, by speaking God talk and creating an environment where faith thrives and you see the miraculous happening on a daily basis.
The three elements of faith that must become our “understanding”:
- Experiencing what’s hoped for
- Evidencing what’s unseen
- Engineering a God shaped world
Focus on what God has done and believe he will do it again.
Go beyond the visible world and believe in God possibilities.
Change your habitual ways of speaking into God talk. Frame your world by the word of God.