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Jul 12, 2026
Faith
Faith
00:00
08:53
Transcript
0:03
Faith. Jamie Altman, The Prayer Board VR. July 4th, 2026, thematic. Introduction. Faith beyond planning.
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I know all you worrywarts like to plan things to death, every little detail, every contingency, every action. Today, I wanna encourage you to open yourselves up to plain faith. Hebrews 11:1-6- 3
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calls it faith in action. Now, faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.
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By faith, we understand that the universe was formed at God's command so that what is seen is not made out of what was visible. So what is faith? What is belief?
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What do I think? What does God think? And what's the difference? Now, faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. So what is faith exactly?
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It is both confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. And I wanted to repeat that, emphasizing the and, 'cause the definition of assurance is the groundwork, the substance.
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In biblical times, hupostasis was often used as a legal or technical term meaning a title, deed, or guarantee of ownership. By defining faith this way, the author indicates that faith isn't mereful--
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uh, mere wishful thinking. It is the guarantee that the things we hope for are legally and securely ours.
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Faith brings promises into the present, and it allows believers to act as though God's unseen promises are as real and tangible as the physical world. Now,
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going back to the scripture, faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. The definition of confidence, in the Greek, confidence and assurance are the same word,
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hupostasis. But in this context, it means the linguistic definition, to stand under.
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The Greek word hupostasis is a compound word, hupo meaning under, stasis meaning to stand. Literally, it translates to that which stands under,
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a substructure, foundation, or bedrock. In this context, confidence is defined as the structural support that holds up our expectations for the future.
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It is the solid ground that keeps hope from collapsing into mere wishful thinking.
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Hebrews 11:3 says that, "By faith we understand that the uni- that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible."
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God tests our faith. God brings out of us what is unseen into the very visible present. I do not always like what I see coming out. Sometimes I'm surprised, both good and bad.
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Sometimes I know I nailed that test, and sometimes I fail miserably. Uh, in Hebrews 11, you can see all throughout the book of Hebrews are examples of faith. So what is belief?
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In the context of the New Testament, continuing from the Greek language of Hebrews 11, the word for belief or faith is pistis as a noun or pisteuo as a verb. The demon analogy,
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the writer James notes that even the demons believe that God exists, but they tremble. This is intellectual belief without relational trust or submission. The chair analogy
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is an intellectual belief is looking at a chair and agreeing it can hold your weight. Biblical belief, or pistis, is actually sitting down in the chair and resting your full weight upon it.
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Jesus challenged common beliefs of the day. Jesus walked in water, on water, excuse me, heading to the disciples in a storm. Peter calls out to Jesus and asks Jesus to make it so he could walk out to Jesus on the water.
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Jesus replied, "Come on." Of course, I'm paraphrasing, but Peter knowing Jesus, believing Jesus, sees the evidence contrary to common belief that no one can walk on water and has faith he can do it.
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He steps out of the boat, and he walks on water. The scripture is Matthew 14:28-29. "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." Verse 29, "'Come,' he said.
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Then Peter got down out of the boat and walked on the water and came towards Jesus." Peter believed Jesus, Jesus' word, and had confidence it would happen as Jesus said. Lastly, what do I think? What does God think?
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And what's the difference? In Romans 12:2, it says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
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Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing, and perfect will." My thoughts are my own. I have all kinds of thoughts that I should have and that I should not have.
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My thoughts are rarely godly thoughts, but I am encouraged to change them, meaning I have control over them.
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The Bible says so and encourages me to be transformed by the renewing of the mind, change from believing false things to believing the truth. In my conclusion today, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life
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that you can place your faith and trust in. He's the promised Messiah. Faith for me is one of the hardest things to grow in. I am certain I still have only a little faith of all I have experienced, seen, and heard.
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I am certain there are times where God wants to slap me upside the head saying, "Didn't I tell you?" Or I say to God, "What now?" But Jesus is greater than all that, and he still loves me.
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He waters my faith, stretches me, places me in and gets me out of what I think are impossible situations, not because of what I have done, but because of who he is. He is my Lord and Savior.
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He has sent people like me to you because he loves you. You may not know or have not experienced that.
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I will not promise ease and comfort all the days of your life, but if you follow Jesus all the days of your life, following his commandments and grow in a relationship with him, you'll never regret it.
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You'll never regret it at all. Have a blessed day. As my mentor says, "All things are as they should be."
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