Faith Verses Hope

The Bible says “faith is the substance of things hoped for,” and therein lies the difference between faith and hope. Faith has substance: it is the proof or evidence that what you hoped for has become yours, but hope has no substance! Hope is futuristic: faith is for now. Hope is looking over a wall at something you desire, praying that one day it’ll become yours. But faith either climbs that wall and takes a hold of that thing, or gets the necessary documents to take ownership of that thing even though from a distance. So, while the hoper says, “I am going to have it,” faith says, “I have it now!” The Bible never said the just should live by hope but by faith (Hebrews 10:38). Faith is the evidence of unseen realities; as far as faith is concerned, whatever you were hoping for is yours now, thus you act as though you've already gotten it. Now, when I say “act” I don't mean you pretend that you've gotten it or ‘try to act like you've gotten it so you can really get it.’ No. You act like you've gotten it because you know you’ve gotten it in your spirit! But the hoper doesn't understand this. He's still waiting and praying to get it. He's still counting on God to fight his battles for him, not realizing that God has already done all that’s necessary to usher us into the glory-life. But the one who’s in faith says, “Thank you Lord; you've made all things ready for me and given me all that I require for life and godliness. I claim every blessing that's in your word for me, in Jesus’ Name!” While hope puts things in the sweet by-and-by, faith is in the now; faith is for today! Faith takes possession now. It's faith that catapults you into your inheritance in Christ, not hope. For you to reign in life as the king that you are, your hope must be converted to faith by accepting what God has said about you, and speaking the same thing in agreement, irrespective of contrary circumstances. 

Pastor Anita