What is faith anyway? The Bible calls faith the substance of what you hope for and the evidence of what you don’t see (Heb. 11:1). In other words, you’re saying, “Jesus, I believe You can and will do this thing that I hope for. And because I believe that You can and will, I take Your Word as evidence that it is already done.”
That’s what you call trust! You’re trusting that God’s Word will work for you. You are trusting in it so much that you don’t even consider that what you hope for might not happen.
“Of course it is going to happen!” you might say. “We’re talking about God here!” Now, if you’re thinking like that, you’re going in the right direction.
The King James Version’s definition of faith goes like this:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, 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.
(Heb. 11:1-3)
God used faith to create the worlds. He used it to create you! The fact that you’re here at all is evidence that God had faith! That ought to tell you something!
I think a lot of people negotiate with the things of God, choosing one instead of the other when the potential is there to receive all from God. What happens if you negotiate around the truth that Jesus delivers? You could get stuck fighting off miserable things like depression or addiction.
And what happens if you negotiate around the truth that Jesus blesses abundantly? You could miss out on God’s plan for your earthly success. You could stay broken by poverty or limit God’s ability to bless others through you.
And healing? What if you negotiate around the truth that Jesus heals? Yeah, you got it. You could remain bound by sickness and the freedom of living healthy. But faith is faith, no matter whether it is put in God’s power to save, deliver, prosper or heal, or if it is put in Satan’s powers to steal, kill and destroy.
Some people make faith hard. Instead of trusting in Now faith is they say, “Is faith now?” They change the words and confuse themselves. But it is in black and white right there in the Bible, so don’t let those people confuse you!
If you hear someone say, “That faith stuff isn’t for today,” remind yourself of Hebrews 11:1, and then ask yourself, “When is now? Is now tomorrow? Is now yesterday?” Then answer yourself, “No! Now isn’t in the past! It’s in the immediate present. Now means now! It happens suddenly. Now faith is!
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Jesse Duplantis, minister of the Gospel, motivational speaker, television personality, and best-selling author, has been in full-time ministry since 1976 and is the founder of Jesse Duplantis Ministries, located in the Greater New Orleans area of south Louisiana in the United States of America. With over four decades of sharing his unique blend of humor and faith around the world, generations of believers have been inspired by his messages and countless numbers have come to know Jesus Christ as Savior through his ministry.
Known for his unflinching, status-quo-breaking messages and humorous take on experiences in the life of the believer, Jesse continues to draw large audiences of believers through social media, television, and meetings held around the world. With speaking engagements booked years in advance, Jesse Duplantis continues to keep an intense traveling schedule, flying throughout the United States and the world preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With no booking agents pursuing meetings for him and no set fees imposed upon churches for speaking engagements, Jesse chooses his outreach meetings based on the same two criteria he always has: invitations that come in and prayer over each one. This uncommon way of scheduling in today’s world means Jesse’s many followers may find him speaking in some of the largest churches and venues in America and the world, as well as a great many small and growing congregations, too. No church is too big or small for the Holy Spirit, as he says.
Side by side with his wife Cathy Duplantis, the co-founder and chief of staff of Jesse Duplantis Ministries and the senior pastor of Covenant Church in Destrehan, Louisiana, Jesse continues to fulfill his life’s calling by daily taking up the Great Commission of Jesus Christ: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Through social media, television broadcasts, books, and other ministry products, as well as through many evangelistic meetings, the JDM website, the JDM app, and Voice of the Covenant magazine, Jesse Duplantis continues to see growth in his ministry and expand each year while maintaining his roots. Jesus is the center of his life. The salvation of lost people and the growth of believers is the purpose of his ministry. And for both he and his wife, every day is another day to “Reach People and Change Lives, One Soul at a Time.”