Think of the difference between the following two phrases – “I hope it will happen,” and, “I know it will happen.”
Hope knows that something may happen. Faith knows that something will happen. Faith knows because God said it.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the (spoken) word of God – Romans 10: 17
The promises in the Bible tell us what is possible. When God speaks one of those promises to our heart it comes alive. Once you have that you know that it will happen and you will no longer hope that it might happen. Hope MAY have it in the future, but Faith DOES have it now and WILL receive it in the future
Yes, hope is a confident expectation that something is obtainable in the future, but don’t confuse the general confidence of hope with the absolute specific confidence of faith. Hope comes to us through the Bible text revealing the allowable will of God – what CAN happen. Faith comes by God speaking directly to us and confirming the will of God – what WILL happen.
The absolute confidence of faith is based on a direct hearing from God concerning something promised in the Bible. In Rom 10:17 the word translated ‘word’ is Rhema and it means a direct spoken message that is heard.
Hebrews 11:1 says, “faith is (now, present tense) the substance or reality of things hoped for (past tense – already in hope).” Hope comes first, and then a witness can be placed upon that hope giving it firm reality. Faith gives our hopes reality. Hope knows that it is possible. Faith has God’s witness and knows that it will happen.