Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.  3  By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Before there was anything God spoke and made something from nothing.  His word had the power to make something out of nothing.

But, more than that is the thought of how the prophets of old spoke about what God was doing or would do for Israel at a time when anything other than what they spoke is what seemed most possible.

The prophetic words spoken by the prophets were not visible realities in that moment and time.  Their words did not seem possible when they spoke them, and yet they spoke them none the less.

For this reason the prophets were considered the very odd ones among all the rest because they spoke of things not yet seen and seemingly impossible in the natural based on current circumstances.

As we read of their accounts in Scripture we get to see them according to hindsight.  We know that the things they spoke actually did come to pass.  So we do not think them strange.  But had we lived in their moment and time and had we heard them speaking would we have believed their report?

When Jesus arrived on the scene preaching He spoke of things that sounded way to incredible for many to grasp, let alone believe.  Yet, He spoke them anyway.  Jesus called things that were not as though they were.  Someone would be lying on their death bed and Jesus would say, “this sickness is not unto death.”  Someone would be pronounced dead and Jesus would say, “he is not dead but only sleeps.”  Jesus would tell His disciples they were going to see His friend Lazarus knowing Lazarus had already died.  But Jesus spoke of Lazarus as though he were alive.  Jesus spoke according to faith in what He knew God would do but was not yet seen.

This practice of speaking according to something not yet seen is all throughout the Scriptures, and yet, still today many struggle at the prospect of speaking in faith according to what cannot yet be seen as though it already is.  Jesus said,

Luke 6:43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

If we use context to determine what Jesus is describing as fruit bearing in these passages it seems to me He speaking more about what is spoken by a person than He is their moral conduct.  I’m not saying good conduct has no place, mind you, just that in this case Jesus is talking about speech.  What we say about a situation comes from what we believe in our heart to be true.

Honest confession is always rooted in what a person believes to be true in their heart.  A good confession is an honest confession in line with what God says about something because the heart is convinced of His undeniable faithfulness and integrity.

It might well be that a true test of being set free from the fear of man is to walk totally free of the opinion of others and speak as you believe without apology, or fear of rejection or reprisal.  Being free to declare His promises in full assurance of faith even though it cannot yet be seen in the natural.  I encourage you today to speak according to faith in Him, as opposed to your circumstances.  It is good for the heart.  Be blessed and encouraged in Him today!