HEBREWS 11:1  Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Faith is the inner conviction and certainty that I can trust God in every situation because of who God is and what he has done to demonstrate his faithfulness.

Before we learn to swim, we do not trust the fact that we can float in water. But eventually we learn that the water will support us without any effort on our part, if we will trust in the facts of its characteristics.

FAITH IS founded on -
•  GOD'S CHARACTER - his love, his grace and his faithfulness, not on man's ideas or efforts
•  GOD'S REVELATION OF HIMSELF in his WORD - The Bible - and in his WORKS     eg Creation of the Universe
•  GOD'S ACTS IN FULFILLING HIS PROMISES, not on man's feelings

MARK 11:22 which is usually translated as "Have faith in God" should actually be translated as "have God's (ie God-given faith) faith".

FAITH IS NOT  -
•  make-believe, wishful thinking or "naming & claiming " using magical thinking
•  pressing the prayer button and expecting God to do what I want
•  initiated by us - it is a gift from God  EPHESIANS 2:8-10

Four Features of Faith

HEBREWS 6:13-15 and 18-19  describe Four Elements of Abraham's Faith

•  He HEARD God's voice
•  He BELIEVED God's word
•  He WAITED on God's timing
•  He RECEIVED God's promise

When God speaks, he always keeps his promises because it is impossible for him to lie. HEBREWS 6:18