“For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).^[1]

Another new year has begun. The old is finished and gone. We cannot undo or redo it. Whatever happened last year, good or bad, does not carry over into the new unless we allow it. As much as we would like, we do not know what will happen in the future. Wars, rumors of wars, political turmoil, societal unrest, terrorist threats, social upheaval aside no one knows what will transpire. So we pray for the best. But that is not good enough for those of us who believe in the One True God. We may not know what the future holds, but we do know the One who holds the future, and He has made us some promises in His Word upon which we stand. Therefore, we do more than hope and pray for the best, we activate our faith.

Activation supposes, however, one knows what faith is and how it works. The writer of Hebrews tells us that faith is both “the substance of things hoped for and the assurance of things not seen (KJV).” Substance here is a title deed or legal document which once once it is possessed provides the assurance of possession even though it is not seen. We serve a God who cannot lie. Our faith is in Him and His Word. Accordingly, we take that faith and walk in it, or live in it instead of waiting on what we can see. To walk or live by faith means to literally live in the realm of faith. It is a completely different reality that does not rely on what can be seen. It is enough to know that the One who made the promise is faithful to His Word to perform it.

Over the next three weeks we will explore what it means to live in the realm of faith. I hope you will join me in the journey.

Dear Father, You have called us to live by faith. We confess that it is often times little more than Christian speak that like so many other things we hear about in church we do not understand. We want to believe but there is so much around us that mitigates against believing. Help us to begin the path of living in the realm of faith so that as we begin this new year we may confidently activate that faith and thereby serve You more effectively and faithfully. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Heb 11:1.