The Power of Awareness
| Chapter 25 |
FAITH
A miracle is the name given, by those who
have no faith, to the works of faith.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
THE VERY reason for the law of assumption is contained in this quotation.
If there were not a deep-seated awareness that that which you hope for had substance and was possible of attainment, it would be impossible to assume the consciousness of being or having it. It is the fact that creation is finished and everything exists that stirs you to hope –and hope, in turn, implies expectation, and without expectation of success it would be impossible to use consciously the law of assumption. "Evidence" is a sign of actuality.
Thus, this quotation means that faith is the awareness of the reality of that which you assume, [a conviction of the reality of things which you do not see, the mental perception of the reality of the invisible].
Consequently, it is obvious that a lack of faith means disbelief in the existence of that which you desire.
Inasmuch as that which you experience is the faithful reproduction of your state of consciousness, lack of faith will mean perpetual failure in any conscious use of the law of assumption.
In all the ages of history, faith has played a major role. It permeates all the great religions of the world, it is woven all through mythology, and yet today it is almost universally misunderstood.
Contrary to popular opinion, the efficacy of faith is not due to the work of any outside agency.
It is from first to last an activity of your own consciousness.
The Bible is full of many statements about faith, of the true meaning of which few are aware. Here are some typical examples:
Unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Hebrews 4:2
In this quotation, the "us" and "them" make clear that all of us hear the gospel.
"Gospel" means "good news". Very obviously, good news for you would be that you had attained your desire. This is always being "preached" to you by your infinite self. To hear that which you desire does exist and you need only to accept it in consciousness is good news. Not "mixing with faith" means to deny the reality of that which you desire. Hence there is no "profit" (attainment) possible.
O, faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? Matthew 17:17
The meaning of "faithless" has been made clear.
"Perverse" means turned the wrong way, in other words, the consciousness of not being what you want to be. To be faithless, that is, to disbelieve in the reality of that which you assume, is to be perverse.
"How long shall I be with you" means that the fulfillment of your desire is predicated upon your change to the right state of consciousness.
It is just as though that which you desire is telling you that it will not be yours until you turn from being faithless and perverse to righteousness. As already stated, righteousness is the consciousness of already being what you want to be.
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him Who is invisible.
Hebrews 11:27
"Egypt" means darkness, belief in many gods (causes). The "king" symbolizes the power of outside conditions or circumstances. "He" is your concept of yourself as already being what you want to be. "Enduring as seeing Him Who is invisible" means persisting in the assumption that your desire is already fulfilled. Thus, this quotation means that, by persisting in the assumption that you already are the person you want to be, you rise above all doubt, fear, and belief in the power of outside conditions or circumstances; and your world inevitably conforms to your assumption.
The dictionary definitions of faith,
"the ascent of the mind or understanding to the truth" – "unwavering adherence to principle",
are so pertinent that they might well have been written with the law of assumption in mind.
Faith does not question – Faith knows.
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