Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
(Heb. 11:1)
Faith is the substance of things, but hope is a necessity. Sometimes people say, “You don’t get anything by hoping.” And that’s true to a certain extent, for there is no substance to hope.
But hope is a very important partner to faith. Hope is the goal-setter. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. The substance of “things”—what things? The things you hoped for. What do we hope for? We hope for the things that God has given us.
That’s why the Bible says in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him.” God is not pleased when we don’t enter into the provisions that He made for us. Some things we will never enter into except through faith.
God’s willingness is multiplied to us through the knowledge of God. We must know what God has given, or we can’t have faith in that promise.
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.
(2 Peter 1:2-3)
Hope is Necessary
Hope is a partner to faith. You are reading this article because you hope to receive some insight into hope and faith. But hope alone will not give you that insight. Yet, if it wasn’t for hope, you wouldn’t be reading this.
Look at what Abraham did when there was no hope.
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
(Rom. 4:17-18)
When there was no hope, Abraham believed in hope. There are people today who have no hope medically. Doctors have done all they can do.
When the doctor says there is no hope, do what Abraham did: go to the Word of God and get supernatural hope. He decided to agree with God.
That’s what we are doing when we make a decision to confess the Word of God. We are coming over to God’s point of view by saying what God declared about us.
Some might say, “There is no hope, so you might as well give up.” You can always go to the Word of God and get some hope. I don’t care if it’s physical, financial, or spiritual.
When your situation seems to be hopeless, go to the Word of God. God’s Word is hope for you.
When there was no hope, Abraham decided to believe in hope. He made a decision to believe God’s Word. That is where his hope came from—the Word of God.
Don’t try to use faith where hope should be, and don’t try to use hope where faith should be. Hope has no substance. Faith is the substance of the thing hoped for.
So there must be faith and hope. They are partners. They go together. Faith is the divine energy of God. It comes by hearing God’s Word. It is the substance of things desired.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Charles Capps is a retired farmer, land developer, and Bible teacher who has traveled extensively throughout the United States and several foreign countries sharing the truths of God's Word. He has taught Bible seminars for over 35 years, emphasizing the authority of the believer, faith and the power of words.
Charles and Peggy both have their roots in the rich farmland of Lonoke County, Arkansas. Having been raised by parents who were farmers, Charles began farming cotton, soybeans, and rice immediately after graduating from high school and marrying in 1951.
Peggy, being 3 1/2 months older than Charles had to sign as the adult on his behalf when he wanted to begin flying lessons at the age of 17. They joined an organization known as the Flying Farmers and gained experience going to "fly-ins" and national meetings across the United States. Neither knew that this skill of flying would be such an asset later when Charles began teaching personal evangelism in the 1960's. He spoke on the subject of soulwinning in churches not only in the US, but flew his twin engine Piper Comanche to the Bahamas to teach students of Youth With a Mission how to share Christ with others.
After reading a book by Kenneth E. Hagin entitled, "Authority of the Believer", Charles and Peggy's life took on a new dimension of travel and ministry as Charles became known for his teaching gift and insight on the subjects of faith and confession. Invitations to minister to the Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship International (FGBMFI) began to pour in, eventually leading to the publication of his teachings in book form. "The Tongue a Creative Force" and "God's Creative Power(r) Will Work for You" became bestsellers after Buddy Harrison, Kenneth Hagin's son in law, launched his publishing company with these two classics. These two books have sold millions (the God's Creative Power(r) series has sold over 5 million copies) and are still much in demand today.
We celebrated Charles' promotion to heaven at 5:15 pm Sunday, February 23, 2014. He informed the family and close friends on Friday that he would be going home to heaven in 3 days. After having some final words with family and friends on Saturday, he went to bed, went to sleep and never awoke. (He kept saying, "I want to go in my sleep.") His wife and daughters had the privilege of being with him as he finally got that glorified body he always talked about. Charles Capps was a man of integrity, a man of his word and he got what he said. He called those things that be not as though they were.
Charles Capps broadcast called, "Concepts of Faith", continues a daily national radio broadcast and a weekly television broadcast aired over several networks, satellite, and the internet. Click on the Radio or TV link to find the broadcast in your area.
Peggy continues to reside in Arkansas. Both Charles' and Peggy's daughters, Annette and Beverly are involved in the ministry.
