2 Corinthians 5:7 NASB95
for we walk by faith, not by sight-
Hebrews 11:1 KJV
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence (proof) of things not seen.
Faith doesn’t make something real; it is proof that something already is real. Faith does it make anything exist; faith is proof that it already exists. Though our feet are squarely on the earth, in Christ, we are seated in the heavenly places, and therefore, we see from heaven’s perspective through the eyes of Jesus. For the Christian, seeing is not believing; believing is seeing. Things aren’t real because our physical eyes can see it. Things are real because God said it.
Hebrews 1:3 says, “By faith, we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” Faith is substance; not what you feel or what circumstances declare as facts. We live by truth even if the truth seems to contradict what appears to be the facts. Step-by-step, we live by the words that are proceeding from the mouth of God – Deuteronomy 8, for the Christian life is to live by faith, and faith comes from hearing the word of Christ. Faith doesn’t come from hearing a word about Christ. Faith comes from hearing the words of Christ spoken into our hearts about all things. That is substance, and faith is the substance of things hoped for. If you haven’t received it (what Jesus says is true) as substance (even though you can’t see it yet with your physical eyes), then you don’t have faith.