Faith in God III

Note: Whoever will coordinate this lesson MUST get this manual LATEST A DAY BEFORE and also review parts I & II ahead of the meeting to facilitate free flow of the discussions (Please see printed or e – mail copies)
We have been discussing Faith in God.
Our scripture: Heb. 11.6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 
Question 1: What are the two levels of faith? (Coordinator to take reactions and help out with answers)
Level 1: Faith in His essence (believing that HE IS), that is, in His intrinsic nature and quality which is what determines His character.
Level 2: Faith in His acts (believing that HE REWARDS), that is, He provides, heals, delivers etc.)
If, according to our scripture, it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God without faith then it is important for us to know exactly what faith is.
Question 2: What is faith? (Coordinator to take responses without reference to the manual)
The bible definition: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Heb. 11. 1
To understand what faith is let’s look closely at certain elements of this definition:
“Now faith is…” – “Now” refers not to something you will have or can have, but to something you already have. FAITH IS A PRESENT POSSESSION. It is never in the future but always in the present. Faith is NOW!
“…things hoped for”, “…things not seen” – this refers to things that are in the future.
Question 3: Give examples of things that you are believing God for but have not yet physically received. (everyone to participate)
Heb. 11.3 is saying that, although the physical possession is yet to manifest, the only assurance that they will manifest is your possession of faith NOW.
Another translation of Heb. 11. 1 says, Now faith is the title deed, the confirmation of things divinely guaranteed. The evidence of things not seen.
Notice that faith is a title deed, a confirmation, an evidence…
For instance, if you pay your child’s school fees into the bank, you present the teller to the school as confirmation or evidence. Or, if you buy a landed property, you present the title deed (or C of O) to the bank if you want to use it to take a loan. In the same way, when the bank collects your landed property as collateral, they don’t physically take the land, they simply lock up the C of O in their vault and THIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS LOCKING UP THE LAND because you can’t carry out any other transactions on it!
What Heb. 11.1 means is that faith is as good as having the real thing.
Question 4: Do you still believe you actually have faith for the things you are “believing” for? In other words do you have the confidence of a person with a deposit teller or C of O?
What then is the Source of Faith?
Notice that the above translation calls faith “…the confirmation of things guaranteed by God.” That is the starting point:
Do you have a promise for what you are believing for? Do you have a word?
Therefore, Faith in God = Faith in His Word, and until you have a word, your “faith” is a wish.
In other words, if you don’t have a promise/a word on any issue, YOU CANT HAVE FAITH CONCERNING IT.
The word of God is therefore the substance, the confirmation, the evidence or the title deed you must possess NOW in other to be assured that the things you are hoping for but have not seen will ultimately manifest.
That is why Faith does not come any other way but by Hearing… and hearing THE WORD OF GOD. Romans 10. 17
Question 5: How do we “hear” the word of God.