Ron Dunn Podcast - Faith Is

Episode Date: October 30, 2024

In this message from Hebrews 11 Ron shows us how faith is an indispensable element of prayer.

I'm going to read the first three verses and then verse six, verses one through three, and then the sixth verse, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Now verse 6, But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Now let me read again the first phrase of that sixth verse. But without faith it is impossible to please him. That is one of the most devastating

statements in all the word of God. How much easier and more comforting it would be if the writer had said, but without works it is impossible to please him. Or, but without baptism it is impossible to please him. Or, but without tithing it is impossible to please him. And yet the word says, without faith it is impossible to please him. The possibility of being pleasing to God and gaining his favor without faith is non-existent. That makes faith a very important quality in a man's life.

That means that faith, like a lot of other things, is not a luxury item in the Christian life. It is not optional equipment. It is a requirement. It is an obligation. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Well, when I read that statement, the first question I want to ask them, well, do I have faith? Well, the second question follows the first. What is faith? How do I know if I have it or not? What is faith? And I've been for a long time trying to come up and

discover a definition of what faith is. And the only definition of faith that we have in the Bible as such is found in that first verse. And I'll confess to you, I've read that first verse over. I don't know how many times in the years that I've been studying the Bible and preaching, I don't think I ever understood that verse until shortly, recently. The message tonight is, what is faith? Now, in these Sunday evening services, we've been dealing with this matter of the ministry of intercession.

And, of course, when we come to this matter of prayer, we have to recognize that faith is an indispensable element in this matter of intercession. You're wasting your time praying if you don't pray in faith. Jesus said, Whatsoever you desire when you pray, believe. Believe that you have them and you shall have them. Faith is indispensable in this matter of praying

as it is in this matter of living, period. Whatever you do, if it is not done in the atmosphere and in the element of faith, then God is not pleased. Well, what is faith? All right, we're going to preach tonight on what is faith, a biblical definition of what faith is. And may the Lord open our eyes to see, as we've never seen before, what is faith. First of all, faith is substance. Faith is substance. And that's what he says in that first verse.

Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Now I want you to underline a little word in that verse, and can you tell me what word that is I want you to underline? The most important word in that verse, anybody want to guess? Is. I-S. Faith is substance. It does not say faith brings substance. It does not say faith gets substance. It says faith is substance. Now, there are three stages to this kind of faith, to biblical faith. There are three things you can say about God

as far as your faith is concerned. First of all, you can have the kind of faith that says, God can. God can. God can do anything. We used to sing a little chorus, God can do anything. God can do anything, anything, anything but fail.

He can save, he can keep. Satisfy with joy complete. God can do anything but fail. That's a good little chorus, by the way. God can do anything. And all of us tonight, more than likely, have that kind of faith. Don't you believe that? Nothing is impossible with God.

God can do anything. Jeremiah said, is anything too hard for the Lord? And then he began to doubt, and God answered him back and said, Jeremiah, don't you just remember what you prayed? You said, is anything too hard for the Lord? And we live by this. We say God can do anything. Is that faith? No. Not

the biblical kind. It's a certain kind, but it's not worth much, just to be honest. You can't get saved with that kind of faith. God can't bless you with that kind of faith. Well, there is a second stage of faith which is better than this. And it's these people, all of us, who say not only God can, God will. That's even better. Not only God can meet my needs, God will meet my needs. Not only God can deliver me from this, but I believe one of these days he's going to deliver me. And most of us tonight believe that. We have that kind of faith. God can? Right.

God will. You're not there yet. A man sitting back here during the invitation says, I know God can save me. I believe someday God will save me. Is he saved? No. Third element of faith, God can, God will, God has. God has.

It's not a matter of God being able to do it. It's not a matter of God being able to do it it's not a matter of God doing it God has already done it now we must understand that God has already made provision for every need of our life it is not a matter of God can make it. It's not a matter of

God will make it. It's a matter that God has made it. Now let's come back to our definition. Faith is substance. I heard a fellow talking last week. We were discussing this matter of faith, exchanging ideas, because both of us were traveling in the same direction. He said, there was a time in my life when I needed a large sum of money, and I camped on this verse, and I believed that God could do it, and I believed that God would do it. And I said, Lord, I have the faith.

You provide the substance. And he said, that's not what that verse says. That verse says, faith is substance. If you have the faith, you have the substance. Now, I never realized what this meant. Notice what he says. Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for. Now what in the world does that mean? Here's what it means. Faith is having everything you've always hoped you would have.

All of those things you've hoped for, that deliverance, that power, that victory that you've hoped for, you have it. Faith is the substance of everything you've ever hoped for. Faith is not hoping, faith is having. Faith says, I have it right now. I have it right now. Faith is substance. You say, are you trying to tell me that if I need $500 to pay some bills and I believe that I've got it when I don't have it, that I do have it?

That's right. It doesn't say faith brings substance. It doesn't say that faith will get you the substance. It says faith is substance. Let's listen to what Jesus said in Mark chapter 11. My how many times have we quoted this verse? Mark chapter 11 verse 24. Jesus said, Therefore I say unto you, What things so ever you desire when you pray believe that you receive

them and you shall have them now he's got the tenses backwards there hasn't he no he doesn't believe and the greek is in the aorist tense and he says believe you've already got it and you'll get it you say that doesn't make sense no it doesn't make sense. No, it doesn't make sense. We're not going tonight according to senses. What you can see, what you can hear, what you can feel, what you can taste, and what you can touch, and what you can smell. We're going tonight according to scriptures. Jesus said, what things soever you desire, when you pray, believe, you've already got it and you'll get it.

That's exactly what he says. Now listen. God has already made provision for all things. Which came first, the second Adam or the first Adam? Somebody want to give me an answer? The second Adam came first. You go back to that account in creation, you'll find God made provision before he made the problems. First of all, he made air, then he put some birds to fly

in it. He didn't make the birds first and say, you hold your breath until I make you some air to breathe. That's what some of you are living by, though, you're holding your breath until God meets your needs. God doesn't work that way. God never has operated that way. God made the water, then he made fish swim in it. He didn't make fish. Say, you flop around on the dry land there for a while and I'll make you some water after. Well, he didn't do that. God made green herbs for men to eat and then he made man. God made the garden, then he made man. That's the way God operates. God makes provision. You know what some of you believe?

You believe that God creates provisions to meet your problems. Don't you? Honest now, come on, let's be honest. Don't you believe that? You run into a problem, you're faced with a difficulty, and you begin to pray, All right now, Lord, here's a need. Meet this need, make provision. I want you to know something tonight. God does not create provision to meet your problems. God creates problems to meet his provision.

That's right. God creates problems to meet his provision. Remember over in John chapter 9? Jesus and the disciples were walking along and they saw a man there that was born blind. The disciples said, Lord, who sinned to cause this man to be blind? He himself or his parents? Jesus said, nobody sinned.

This man was born blind that the works of God might be made manifest. Why did God create that problem? So it would meet the provision, so God would be glorified. You remember over in 2 Corinthians 12, Paul had a thorn in the flesh and he couldn't understand that. And he said, Lord, I want you to move this thorn in the flesh. I can't get along this way. I've got a problem. You create provision. God answered and said, My grace is. Not my grace will be. My grace can be. My grace is sufficient for thee, for in my strength is made perfect in your weakness. Now, notice what Paul said.

Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest on me. Paul, after that, and he goes on in verse 10. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake. For when I have a problem, then I have provision. That's not what he says, but it's what it means. For when I am weak, then I am strong. God said, listen, my grace is sufficient for you.

God says, the only reason I've created a problem in your life, Paul, is so I can display my power in your life. And so after that, every time Paul had a necessity, a problem, a persecution, a distress, he said, praise the Lord, God's getting ready to glorify himself again in my life. And he never worried and fretted and got uptight and filled with frustration, praying that God would meet his needs. God does not create provisions to meet your problems. He creates problems so that you can enter into his provision. Do you believe that? Faith is substance. Faith is substance. When you pray, believe you've already got it and you will get it.

One of the most important words in the Bible is that word is, I-S. Faith is substance. My grace is sufficient for you. First John 5, 4, this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." Faith is the victory. V. 9b-10 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? Faith is the victory. Now listen, if you believe you have a victory, you have a victory. You say, now preacher, are you telling me tonight, I've got this problem, I have this habit, I have this weakness, do you mean to tell me that if I believe that I have the victory just by believing? Mm-hmm. You say, I don't believe that. No, and you don't have the victory either, do you?

Faith is the victory. That's in the perfect tense. Overcometh the world. When was the world overcome? 2,000 years ago when Jesus died on the world. When was the world overcome? Two thousand years ago when Jesus died on the cross. It is wrong language for a Christian to say, I must win the victory. You don't have any victories to win. Jesus won every victory two thousand years ago. In Hebrews chapter 2, it says that through his death he destroyed the power of the devil and he delivered us

from the bondage of the devil. 1 John 3, verse 8 says that he was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. Listen, Jesus destroyed the works of the devil 2,000 years ago.

Jesus overcame the world, the flesh, and the devil 2,000 years ago. Jesus overcame the world, the flesh, and the devil 2,000 years ago. You don't have any victories to win. Jesus won all my victories for me 2,000 years ago. When Jesus died on the cross, he got salvation for me 2,000 years ago. How do I get salvation? He that believeth has. Faith is substance. He that believeth has everlasting life. All I have to do to have everlasting life is believe that Jesus has already provided for it, and I just take what he's already provided. Now, when Jesus died on the cross, he not only saved me from my sins, he also delivered me from the devil. He also gave me victory over the flesh. He also gave me victory over the world. He also met all of my needs. How do you get those? The same way you got salvation.

Just by saying, thank you, Lord, it's already done. This man that stands back here during the invitation, when is he saved? When he acts. And he steps out and says, praise the Lord. Listen, that fellow's not saved when he gets on his knees and asks God to save him. He's saved when he moves out, brother, the act of faith. He says, I believe. I believe. Don't believe God can save you.

Don't believe God will save you. Believe God's already done all that's necessary. Just my taking is all that's necessary. Faith is substance. When you have faith, you have substance. Now, you can remove that word substance, and you can put in there anything that you want to. Whatever your need is, whatever your problem is,

whatever your difficulty is, you put that in that word substance. Faith is it. If I need money to meet my bills, faith is that money. Faith doesn't bring it. Faith doesn't obtain it. Faith is it. If I have faith, that's just like having the money. That's the synonymous with having the money.

Faith is the victory. If I need victory in an area of my life, Jesus has already won it. God's already done it. All I have to do is faith it. And when I believe that I have the victory and I accept the victory that Jesus won for me, how do you overcome? You overcome the faith, not by striving and struggling. You don't have any victories to win. Jesus won all of your victories 2,000 years ago. All right, let's move on. Faith is not only substance, faith is also sight. win. Jesus won all of your victories 2,000 years ago. Faith is not only substance, faith is also sight. Faith is the substance of things hoped

for, the evidence of things not seen. I can divide this congregation tonight into two groups. Those who say, seeing is believing, and those who say, believing is seeing. John 20, But Thomas one of the twelve was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. Thomas said, except I see, I will not believe. Thomas had sense faith. And that's what we have, most of us. We live in sense faith. Seeing is believing. Lord, you give me victory, then I'll believe I've got it. Well, who couldn't believe it after that?

Lord, you give me the substance, then I'll believe've got it. Well, who couldn't believe it after that? Lord, you give me the substance, then I'll believe I have it. Well, that doesn't take faith. That doesn't honor God. That's why Jesus said you've got to believe you've got it, and then you'll get it. But Thomas said, except I see, I will not believe. And some of you tonight, you won't believe it unless you can see it or smell it or hear it or touch it or taste it. What you can't see and what you can't hear and what you can't understand with your mind, this is why you are all the time asking God for a sign, putting out the fleece. There are those that say, seeing is believing. Then there are those that say seeing is believing then there are those that say believing is seeing and after

eight days again his disciples were within and thomas with them then came jesus the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said peace be unto you then saith he to thomas reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but Well, sure he believed now. He'd seen him. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Praise the Lord. He didn't bless Thomas. He didn't say, Thomas, that's a good Christian. You're growing. He said, Thomas, I believe he was shaking his head and said, Thomas, because you've seen you believed. Because of the bread you believed. Because you see the, you believed. Because of the bread, you believed. Because you see the miracles, you believed.

Blessed are those who never see, and they don't need to see, they just believe. That's scriptural faith. You know how to have victory in your life? Move out of the realm of the senses and into the realm of the scriptures. If your senses and the scripture contradict, believe the scripture. Now, I know what I'm saying tonight is almost difficult for us to do because we've been brought up to believe what we can see and hear and taste and smell and touch and so forth. Believing is seeing. Listen, faith is the substance. If faith is the substance,

then faith is all I need to see that I have it. Faith is the only evidence I need. I don't need any additional evidence except faith in the fact of God's Word. If God's Word says I have victory, that's all the evidence I need. If God's Word says that Jesus died for me two thousand years ago, now listen, this is the way you got saved. You couldn't have been saved if you hadn't had scriptural faith.

You didn't see Jesus die two thousand years ago, did you? No, you just believe the book. But after we're saved, we move into the realm of our senses, see? And we limit God. It's contrary to human nature. It's all backwards. Believe you've already got it and you'll get it. That's right. Don't be a slave to your senses. That's right.

If the word of God and what you see, smell, and taste taste, handle, and touch contradict, stick to the Word of God. You don't need a fleece. Faith is the fleece. Faith is your fleece. It's the only evidence you need. I talked to a preacher, a friend of mine, and he gave me a good saying. He said, Act like it's so when it's not so, and it will be so. That's faith. Act like it's so when it isn't so, and it will be so. Do you remember the ten lepers that came to Jesus? Jesus said, What do you all want? They said, We want to be cleansed. We want to be healed.

Jesus said, Go show thyself to the priest. It was the law that when a leper got healed, he had to go first of all and show himself to the priest and get a clean bill of health so he could be admitted back into society. They would go and show themselves to the priest after they were healed. Jesus didn't heal them. They said, Lord, we want to be healed. Jesus said, Go and show yourself to the priest. What if they had said, Lord, we are not healed.

Lord we are not healed yet. Jesus said, Go and show yourself to the priest. Jesus said, Act like it is so when it is not so. You know what the Bible says? As they were going, they were healed. That's right. As they were going, they were healed. When they acted like it was so, when it wasn't so, it was so. You mean to tell me that I act like I got all my needs met when I don't and they will be? That's right, because you already had them all met. What evidence do I have? The Word of God.

That's the only evidence you need. Faith is sight. Faith is seeing. Faith is the only evidence that we need. Faith is sight. Faith is seeing. Faith is the only evidence that we need. And so you move out of the realm of the senses into the realm of the scriptural. And you realize that God not only can, God not only will praise his name, God already has. And his word says it, and that's all the evidence I need. I believe I've got victory because his word says it. I don't feel it.

I haven't heard any angel wings flapping. I haven't heard the heavenly chorus sing. I haven't felt any supernatural power go through my being. God's word says I have victory. I believe it. And when I said Jesus is Lord, I believed it whether I felt like it or not. And when the Spirit of God says he'll fill me when I yield to him, I believe I'm filled whether I feel like it or not. God's Word says it, and that's the only evidence I need.

Faith is sight. That's not enough. One more thing. Faith is spoken. Faith is saying it. I've been brought to see a great deal that the Bible has to say about the confession of our faith.

I'm not talking now about confessing Jesus as Savior and Lord. I'm not talking now about confessing our sins. But I'm talking about what about confessing Jesus as Savior and Lord. I'm not talking now about confessing our sins. But I'm talking about what Hebrews 4.14 says, Hold fast your confession. The confession of our faith. And if you'll take the time to read the book of Hebrews,

you'll see how many times the word testimony is there. For instance, in verse 13, These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. There is this vital element in the matter of believing faith. You not only must know that faith is the substance, that faith is, when faith says, I already have it, it's mine. And you not only realize that that's the only evidence you need that it's yours, but then you've got to confess it that it is. You've got to confess it

that it is. Let's go back to Mark chapter 11. Very interesting statement Jesus makes. Let's read verse 23. For verily, verily, I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Now he mentions the word faith one time in that verse and saying it three times. And you look at that last statement. He shall have whatsoever he saith. You possess what you confess. What does Romans chapter 12 say? What saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, the word of faith. The word of faith.

Over and over again, Jesus always spoke. When he stood there at the tomb of Lazarus, he said, Father, I thank you that you always answer me. He met Mary and Martha. He said, You are going to see the glory of God. Don't worry about Lazarus. He confessed his faith all the way through. The apostles, when they healed somebody, they spoke to them. In Acts 3, Peter said, In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk.

The centurion in Matthew 8 came to Jesus and said, Lord, just say the word and my servant shall be healed. In Acts 16, 16 the apostle Paul turned to that woman that was demon-possessed and he spoke to the spirit that was within her and said, In the name of Jesus, I command you to come out. You see, the Bible places a great deal on what you say. On what you say. Jesus said, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven.

If thou shalt confess with thy mouth, Jesus is Lord, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness. With the mouth confession is made unto salvation. God always demands that you confess what you're convicted of in your heart. Whosoever shall speak a word against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him. He doesn't say think a word or feel a word. Whosoever shall speak a word against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him. He doesn't say think a word or feel a word. Whosoever shall speak a word against the Holy Ghost. You say, I don't believe there's that much power in words. God made the world with words.

In Hebrews 1 says he upholds them by the words of his power. Now friend, your faith will be measured by your confession. Your faith will never rise above the level of your confession. You say, and confess, it's done. It's done.

I do not believe a man is saved until he confesses it. I don't think a fellow can sit back there and say, well, I'm not going to tell anybody about it. I'm just going to do this secretly, and I don't want anybody to know that I'm a Christian, I'm not going to tell anybody about it. I'm just going to do this secretly, and I don't want anybody to know that I'm a Christian. I'm not going to tell anybody about it. I'm just going to keep it to myself. Lord, save me. I don't believe that the Bible teaches

that salvation can come to a man unless he is willing to confess. You need to let your ears hear your mouth say it. And when you realize that faith is the substance and faith is the only evidence you need that you already have it, then you confess with your mouth, thank God I have it. I believe it. And you hold fast that confession. How do you overcome the devil? Revelation 12, 11. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb.

And what? What? The word, the word of their testimony. You want to know how to beat the devil? Tell him you've got him beat in Jesus. That's right. That's right. You tell him.

Not by the fault of their testimony. Not by the experience of their testimony, not by the experience of their testimony, but by the word of their testimony they overcame. The word of the testimony brings the power of the blood into action in our warfare with Satan. You possess what you confess. You say, well, what am I supposed to confess? You're supposed to confess that you are what God says you are. You're to confess that you are what God says you are.

God says you're saved. I confess I'm saved. Now, if I can't confess that, and I've got some doubts about confessing that, saying that, that's probably where my doubts are coming from. God says I'm filled with the Spirit. I confess that I am. God says I have victory. What am I doing when I confess it? I am merely giving my vote, my consent, my embracing what God has already said.

I'm merely saying what God said about me. You say, well, that's the power of positive thinking. Oh, no. No, the power of positive thinking is this, that if you believe it, it'll happen. Scripture or faith is you believe it because it's already happened. The power of positive thinking is faith in faith. You see, if you believe and you're believing, if you have enough faith in your ability to believe,

then things can happen. Uh-uh. This is faith in what? The Word of God. What God says. Faith in facts, not faith in fancy. It's not saying if we believe something hard enough it will happen. No!

Believe it because it has already happened. So that brings us to this matter of prayer. He says in 1 John 5, this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know there's faith, that he hears us. You know, sometimes we pray and we pray according to God's will, but we're not sure he hears us. Well, then you've violated, made null and void that prayer. If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we are having, that's in the present tense, that we are having the petitions that we've desired of him. I'm having it right now. Having it right now.

1 John 3, verse 22 says the same thing. Verse 21 and 22. Talking about prayers. Verse 22, and whatsoever we ask, we are receiving. It's in the present tense. We are receiving of him because we keep his commandments. You can't get away from it. God says it's already

done. The provision is already made. What you must do is to agree with God and confess that you are what God says you are. Faith says it and speaks it and it seals it, you see. It seals it. And you'll possess what you confess according to the word of God. Now let's pray together.