Hebrews 11:1 speaks of the importance of faith. This is the only verse in the whole Bible that gives the definition of faith. “Now faith is the substantiation of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” There are many ways to translate the word “substantiation.” It is a difficult word to translate from Greek to English. The word “substantiation” means the capacity to make something real. For example, we have the shape of the lamps, the color of the walls, and the sound of the organ. How can these shapes, colors, and sounds become real to us? The only thing that proves the existence of color is our eyes. Here is a picture in beautiful green, red, and yellow colors, but the beautiful colors can be substantiated only through the eyes. Without the eyes, the colors could not be substantiated no matter how beautiful they are. The sound of the organ is very beautiful, but it can be substantiated only by the ears. A deaf person will not be able to substantiate sound. The eyes cannot substantiate sound, and hands cannot substantiate sound. Only the ears can substantiate sound. Different objects have different shapes: some are cubic, while others are spherical, flat, triangular, or curved. One can substantiate these shapes only by the vision of the eyes or the touch of the hands. Therefore, it is one thing for objects to exist, and it is another thing for the existence of these things to be substantiated. There are millions of objects on the earth, but all of them are dependent upon a certain ability in order to be substantiated. The same is true with faith.
Here is a painting with mountains, water, flowers, grass, and trees. The scenery is beautiful, and if you have eyes, you can appreciate the beauty of the painting and tell others about it. But suppose a person was born blind and has never seen color his whole life. If you tell him about red and that it is attractive, he will ask, “What is red?” You may tell him about green and that it is lovely, but he will ask, “What is green?” You can only say that red is red and green is green. Although the painting exists, he cannot appreciate how wonderful it is. Although the scenery in the picture is wonderful, there is no way he can enjoy this wonder.
We have a sister here who can play the piano very well. Those who have ears and understand music can appreciate the music that she plays. However, those who are deaf or do not understand music cannot testify to the beauty of the music. The same is true of our faith. All of God’s facts are real. However, these facts of God can be substantiated only by faith, because faith is the substantiation of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
A nice painting may have beautiful scenery, but a blind man cannot see it. However, one cannot say that the painting does not exist because he has not seen it. The painting exists as a fact. Whether or not one sees, it is still a painting, and the beautiful colors are still present. The question is whether or not you have received the benefit from the painting. Those with sight will find enjoyment from the painting; they will receive the benefit from it. The Lord has died and shed His blood on the cross for all men. This is a fact. But some have the faith to substantiate this fact of the Lord’s death, and they receive the benefit from it. Some do not have the faith. The death of the Lord on the cross is still a fact, but they are unable to experience it.
Brothers and sisters, do you see the importance of faith? We need faith to substantiate a spiritual fact just as we need eyes, ears, and hands to substantiate physical objects. In spiritual matters, we need faith to substantiate the reality of everything. The hand substantiates the shape of objects, and the ear perceives sound, but the hand cannot feel nor can the ear hear colors. Colors can be substantiated only by the eyes. This is also true with spiritual matters. For example, the Lord is the Head and we are the members. This union is a fact, and there is no possibility of any separation. In the same way, the Lord is the vine and we are the branches, and there is no possibility of separation. If we believe this, we will receive the benefit of this fact. Some people confess that the Lord is the vine and we are the branches. But they do not have the juice, the life. They cannot bear fruit, because they do not have faith.
What is faith? It is not a mental understanding of a truth. It is the seeing of a fact and the substantiation of it. We have heard that the Lord has died on the cross and shed His blood for our redemption. We may even agree with others that the Lord has died on the cross and shed His blood for our redemption. We have also heard that the Lord is the vine and we are the branches, and we may agree with others that He is the vine and we are the branches. We have heard that the Lord Jesus is our life and living within us, and we may even agree with others that He is our life and living within us. Yet this alone cannot substantiate these facts. Brothers and sisters, we may have put ourselves aside and have already realized that we are powerless and useless. We may have already let go, but these are only the things we should do on the negative side. On the positive side, we should still substantiate Christ. This is a wonderful thing! It takes only a second, and the accomplished facts of Christ will be substantiated in us.
Here is a beautiful painting. How do you know that it is beautiful? You know it because you have seen it. How do you know about all the riches in Christ? You know because you have seen them. Colossians says that we are made full in Christ. How do we know that we are made full in Christ? We know because we have seen Him. When we look at ourselves, we do not see any fullness. But we are told that we are made full in Christ. Are we made full in Christ yet? The Lord has given us all the fullness and given us grace upon grace. Do we have them yet? It is not a question of whether we have them in our head but whether or not we have such a faith in our heart.
Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ.” There is no doubt that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. But where are these blessings? Brothers and sisters, the main question hinges on faith; we have to believe that God’s Word is true. This is so simple, and there is nothing more to say about it.
What is faith? Let us consider this matter from the Lord’s view. A great failure among Christians is that they cannot believe. Believing is substantiating the facts. Once we see something, we substantiate it. Once we believe, we substantiate the facts, and we have it.
There was an Englishman called Mr. Webpeblo whose daughter died one day. When he returned from his daughter’s funeral, he considered what the subject of his sermon should be the next day. He thought, “My daughter is dead, and the congregation knows that I am heartbroken. I must give a sermon to comfort them.” He chose the text of 2 Corinthians 12:9 as his subject: “My grace is sufficient for you.” He divided his sermon into sections and subsections according to the Scripture. Then he knelt down and prayed for God’s blessing. But while he was praying, he asked himself, “Is God’s grace sufficient for me? If His grace is not sufficient for me, how can I say that it is? I say that God’s grace is sufficient, but if I sorrow and grieve over my daughter’s death, God’s grace is not sufficient for me. I cannot lie.” He thought of changing the subject, but there was no time to do it. He decided that he would just pray for God to make His grace sufficient for him. He prayed, “God, make Your grace sufficient for me. O Lord, make Your grace sufficient for me.” He prayed for a long time, but nothing availed. He did not know what he should do. At that moment, he lifted up his eyes and saw the same verse on the mantel. It was a verse that his mother had placed there while he was away for the funeral. The verse was printed in three colors. The words My and you were printed in blue; the word sufficient was printed in red. All the other letters were printed in black. Suddenly, God’s light dawned on him, and he confessed before the Lord, saying, “God, You said that Your grace is sufficient for me, but I said that Your grace is not sufficient for me. You have said that Your grace is sufficient for me, but I am still asking for Your grace to be sufficient for me.” He confessed his sin and thanked and praised the Lord, saying, “Your grace is sufficient for me. There is no need for me to pray for anything any longer.” He was filled with joy and thanksgiving. There was no need for him to pray any longer. The next day on the platform, he delivered the best sermon of his life. When someone asked him about the source of his power, he answered that it came after his daughter’s funeral. From that day on he was different, because he had learned to believe.
The problem today is that we have heard that the Lord Jesus is the Head, yet we still pray for Him to be our Head. Why would we not rather thank and praise Him, saying, “Lord, You are the Head”? If we would do this, the fact would be substantiated immediately.
A brother once said, “Mr. Nee, you have spoken so much, but I have not received anything.” I answered that it was because he was merely listening to my speaking; he should instead go to the Lord and ask Him to speak to him. That evening he prayed to God, saying, “God, make me overcome. Lord, make me victorious. Lord, I have a bad temper; help me to overcome.” While he was praying, he recalled the prayer of the leper who prayed to the Lord, saying, “If You are willing, You can cleanse me.” He prayed accordingly, “Lord, if You are willing, my temper will go away.” At that point, he realized that if the Lord was willing, there was nothing more to pray about. The Lord has accomplished everything, and He is willing; everything is done.
Brothers and sisters, all that we have to do is believe 2 Corinthians 12:9 or Luke 18:27. As long as we believe the words “I am willing,” everything will be all right. Once we have the “I am willing,” problems are behind us and tempers are no more. Even if our wives are dying from sickness, as long as the Lord has said, “I am willing,” everything will be all right. This is the meaning of believing. Believing is not asking for something; it is not asking for God to do something that He has already promised to do.
Once a brother was speaking on the subject of overcoming. After his message, he invited the brothers and sisters to ask any questions that they might have. He noticed that a young sister was weeping in her seat but would not stand up to ask anything. Another older lady stood up and asked, “For the past few years, I have been praying for victory but have never experienced it. What is wrong?” The brother answered, “Nothing. You have prayed too much. If you change your prayer into praise, everything will be well.” After this, another man stood up and said, “I have been seeking victory for eleven years but have not overcome. That lady’s question and your answer enlightened me, and now I have it.” The brother then walked over to the side of the young sister and asked how she was doing. The girl answered that she also became clear after hearing the question and the answer. This is the meaning of faith.
Brothers and sisters, please remember that letting go is not all. If you do not have faith, you will not substantiate the facts. The color of a painting can be substantiated only by the eyes, the sound of an organ can be substantiated only by the ears, and the texture of an object can be substantiated only by the hands. In the same way, God’s Word and His promises can be substantiated only by faith. We do not have to hesitantly pray to God, saying, “Lord, be my victory, be my life, and be my sanctification.” Rather, we should say to Him, “God, You are my victory. I thank and praise You because You are my life and You are my sanctification. I thank and praise You!”
Brothers and sisters, we encounter temptations all the time. Many difficulties confront us, and harsh words fall on our ears. Should we pray for God to give us the strength to overcome? No, we should say, “Lord, I thank and praise You because You are my victory! Lord, You are overcoming for me. I thank and praise You that You are withstanding everything for me. Thank You that You are my Head and I am Your member. You are the vine and I am a branch. You are supplying me everything.” He is already supplying us everything according to His Word!
When we were saved, we received one word out of the thousands that the Lord spoke. Some people were saved through John 3:16. Others were saved through John 5:24. Still others were saved through Romans 10:10. As long as we have one word from the Lord, we are saved. The same is true with victory; all we need is just one out of His many words. The brother mentioned earlier overcame through just three words: “I am willing.” Some overcome through 2 Corinthians 12:9, while others overcome through Romans 6:14. Still others overcome through 1 Corinthians 1:30.