The Substance Called Faith

Reading: Matthew 14:22-31

What is Faith?

Seek the true faith, by all manner of means, but do not spend a whole life in finding it, lest you be like a workman who wastes the whole day in looking for his tools.

Charles Spurgeon

Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is a substance

What does this mean?

This word for "substance" comes from the Greek word "hypostasis" which could mean "assurance and/or confidence."

So for Faith to be a substance, it is something inside of us that carries a measure of confidence or assurance in something.

What is the confidence for? "...things hoped for."

Faith is the measure by which we are grounded or confident that that which we hope for will come to pass.

Romans 12:3 says that God has given each of us a "measure" of faith. In every person in this world, God has placed the very ability to believe in Him. Remember, Ephesians 2:8 teaches that it is by grace that we are saved THROUGH FAITH. Faith is the requirement for our salvation, but also a tool that God has equipped us with to walk out this Christian life.

Faith Comes With Covenant

While the word used for substance earlier means assurance and confidence, the word "hypostasis" itself is broken down into two parts - the first meaning "under" and the second meaning "stand."

Now to put these two together does not mean to understand, but rather "standing under a guaranteed agreement."

It could be a title to a promise or property as the Strong's Concordance states. 

So FAITH is the title we have to that which we have been promised and hope for.

Faith is walking in the COVENANT promises of God and believing confidently that we will receive that which has been promised.

Sinking Faith

Matthew 14:26-27

In verse 27, when Jesus says, "It is I..." He is literally saying "I AM."

This is the same phrase used in Exodus 3:14 in the Septuagint (the Pre-Christian Greek translation of the Old Testament) where God tells Moses that His name is "I AM."

So Jesus, by saying this, alludes to His own unified relationship with God and His own divinity. This is creating an opportunity for Peter to request of Jesus to command him to come out onto the water under the inspiration of divine authority.

Now in the moment, we see the divinity of Christ, He is walking on the water, and Peter believes that if Jesus commands him to come to Him, that he too will be able to walk on the water. 

If Jesus says to come to Him, He will give you the power to do so...as long as your faith is rooted and grounded.

Jump to James 1:5-8

If we doubt, we shouldn't expect to receive anything from God.

Remember from earlier, faith is standing under a guaranteed AGREEMENT. An agreement takes TWO parties. 

For us to doubt is to step outside of covenant agreement - why should we expect anything if we step outside of agreement with God. 

Romans 14:23 teaches us that anything done outside of faith is sin. DOUBT IS SIN.

Matthew 14:28-31

Peter followed Christ in obedience, but did what James chapter 1 warns about - he doubted.

The doubter is like a wave driven by the wind.

The problem was that Peter took his eyes off of the divinity of Christ.

Sometimes our biggest problems with doubt is because we have taken our focus off of the divinity of Christ. 

Jesus said, "I Am," and Peter stepped onto the water, but when his eyes were taken off of the divinity of Christ and looked to the crashing waves and tumultuous weather around him, he doubted. 

Yet even in Peter’s doubt, Jesus pulled him back up.

Pursuing Greater Faith

There's times where maybe we've been like Peter and doubted, taking our eyes off of Christ and His covenant promises. We have this promise, however, in James 1:2-4.

"2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

There are times where we will be tested and we, like Peter, will see our weakness and lack of faith - we shouldn’t take this as an opportunity to condemn ourselves, but rather to continue in the pursuit of keeping our eyes on Christ.

Mark 9:21-29

Context: A man approached Jesus who had a son with a deaf and dumb spirit. The man said that he had first went to Jesus' disciples but they could not cast the evil spirit out.

Verse 22 - The man says, "...But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." 

Jesus responds with an if of His own, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."

Why could the disciples not cast out the spirit?

Jesus said that this kind could only come out by prayer and fasting. 

How can we apply this in our own lives?

If we will pursue a relationship with God that denies our flesh (living a fasted lifestyle) and that seeks Him in prayer, we WILL grow in faith.

Romans 10:14-17

Verse 17 - "So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God."

The preached Word is what God uses to reach the hearts of man and stir their faith.

It is the hearing of the word of God that brings out faith. 

This is applicable not only to the time of our response to the Gospel, but also in our daily Christian walk.

We will grow in faith if we surround ourselves with the Word of God - whether that be the preached Word, the taught Word, or the reading of the Word of God. 

His Word stirs our faith.

Application

What does faith do in YOUR life?

Luke 17:5-6 “And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.”

Faith allows for the working and power of God to manifest in YOUR life.

James 5:13-16

The prayer of faith will save the sick. Our faith brings an activation to the will of God if we align ourselves with Him.

James 4:2-3

Our faith MUST be aligned with the will of God for

Closing

Matthew 14:30-33

After stepping into the water, seeing the boisterous waves, doubting, and then sinking; there was a shift in focus.

VERSE 33

"Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped Him, saying, 'Truly You are the Son of God.'"

They placed their focus back on Jesus Christ and began to worship Him.

Learn from those sinking moments in your life and place your focus back onto Christ.

Faith is YOUR agreement with and belief in the plans and purposes of God.

Hebrews 11:6

“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 that diligently seek Him.”

Levitical blessing: “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”