Wednesday Word Study - Faith - Episode 2

Speaker 0 (0:00): Wednesday Word Study Episode two. Originally written August 1731. Hebrews eleven:one from the Amplified Bible. Now faith is the assurance, the confirmation, the title deed of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see, and the conviction of their reality. Faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.

Speaker 0 (0:34): This is the Strong's Greek Concordance number 4102. Pistis. Phonetic spelling p I s t I s. Faith, belief, trust, confidence, fidelity, faithfulness. I love the way this verse reads in the Amplified Version.

Speaker 0 (1:00): Faith is the assurance, the title deed, of the things we hope for. Once you hold the title deed to something, it is yours. No one can take it away unless you give it to them and sign it over to them. So if we hope for our children to come to the Lord, or if we hope for the finances to get out of debt, or if we hope for healing for our bodies, do we also have the faith to fill that hope? Do we have the divine assurance that this will happen?

Speaker 0 (1:37): You cannot generate this hope by yourself. It must come from God. It is a gift God has given, a divine gift. Romans twelve:three Amplified Bible For by the grace of God given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of himself and of his importance and ability than he ought to think but to think so as to have sound judgment as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith and a purpose designed for service. There is a difference between belief and faith.

Speaker 0 (2:19): You may say you believe something, but the devil himself also believes. Belief is something you choose on your own, usually based on previous experience. Faith is a gift. Human belief is merely confidence. Faith is God given assurance in something.

Speaker 0 (2:41): Something that probably hasn't even happened yet. Belief is based in the past. Faith is based in the future. Ephesians two:eight-nine For it is by grace, God's remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ, that you have been saved, actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life through faith. And this salvation is not of yourselves, not through your own effort, but it is the undeserved, gracious gift of God, not as a result of your works nor your attempts to keep the law so that no one will be able to boast or to take credit in any way for his salvation.

Speaker 0 (3:33): When the world says they have faith that their car won't break down, that is simply belief that their car won't break down. From repeated past experiences, they believe it will function properly on that day too and that it won't break down. Faith is a gift of the Spirit and is a divine assurance. So, when a believer says if they have faith that their car won't break down, it could very well be that they have the divine assurance that their car will not break down. They believe because they have read about how and know firsthand about God's divine care and protection over his children.

Speaker 0 (4:19): They received the faith for the promise ahead. Evaluate your faith today. Do you use the word faith when you really mean you believe? Is your belief based on repeat experience and knowledge or do you really have faith based on divine assurance? Receive faith from the Holy Spirit today.

Speaker 0 (4:45): That faith can move mountains. Each Wednesday I will be posting a Wednesday Word Study to further elaborate on a significant word from the previous Monday's meditation episode. On Mondays, I focus on one verse to meditate on for the week. On the Wednesday after, I drill down to look at one specific word to gain further information and knowledge. Then on the following Friday, I will post a teaching pulling it all together.

Speaker 0 (5:21): Each week, we'll provide a thorough study into a verse, a word, and then the overall concept. Thank you for listening. Be sure and check out my other podcasts and episodes at nancyjacksonpodcast.com. Follow along with your favorite podcast player.