How can you strengthen your faith to be "certain of what we do not see"? Root Your Mind in Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.” • Assurance: a settled confidence that God’s promises are true. • Certainty: an unshakable conviction about realities beyond physical sight. Start with the Word • Romans 10:17 — “So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” Read, listen, and meditate until Scripture shapes your inner dialogue. • Joshua 1:8 — Keep the Book of the Law on your lips; speak it aloud to reinforce truth. • Practical step: memorize a verse each week that reminds you of unseen realities (e.g., 2 Corinthians 4:18). Remember God’s Track Record • Psalm 77:11-12 — Recount His wonders; yesterday’s faithfulness fuels today’s certainty. • Create a written “faith journal” of answered prayers, provision, and protection. Re-read it when doubts arise. • Hebrews 11 itself is a catalog of God’s past reliability. Let their testimonies inform yours. Exercise Faith Daily • James 2:17 — Faith without works is dead; give your faith something to do. – Act on a promise of God before you see the outcome. – Serve someone in need, trusting God to replenish your time and resources. • As muscles grow by resistance, faith grows by practiced obedience. Pray Believing • Mark 11:24 — “Believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Pray with expectation, not mere hope. • Philippians 4:6-7 — Present requests with thanksgiving; thank Him in advance for unseen answers. • Keep a running list of requests and record dates when God answers to track His invisible hand. Stay in Fellowship • Hebrews 10:24-25 — Stir one another up to love and good works; isolation breeds doubt. • Share testimonies in small groups; borrowed faith strengthens weak knees (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). • Choose companions who speak life and Scripture, not fear and speculation. Guard Your Mind • Ephesians 6:16 — Take up the shield of faith to extinguish fiery arrows of doubt. • 2 Corinthians 10:5 — Take every thought captive to obey Christ. Replace “What if?” with “He has said.” • Limit voices that undermine trust (news cycles, cynicism, scoffers). Feed on what reinforces biblical reality. Look to Christ, the Author and Perfecter • Hebrews 12:2 — Fix your eyes on Jesus; He began your faith and will mature it. • John 20:29 — “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Meditate on His resurrection as the ultimate unseen vindicated by fact. • Regularly celebrate the Lord’s Supper to anchor your heart in His finished work. Anticipate the Final Reward • 1 Peter 1:8-9 — “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him… you are receiving the outcome of your faith.” • Revelation 21:3-4 — Envision the coming reality of God dwelling with His people; future certainty fuels present endurance. • Train your imagination on promised glory rather than present gloom. Put It All Together Feed on Scripture, recall His faithfulness, act in obedience, pray expectantly, stay connected, guard your thoughts, keep eyes on Jesus, and rehearse the future He guarantees. As these habits take root, you will grow “certain of what we do not see,” living the substance of your hope in real time. |
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