If God gave you a dream in which He gave you a vision of the winning lottery ticket, and you went and purchased a lottery ticket and sure enough it was a winner, you would now have a winning lottery ticket, and the hope of receiving the money from the winning lottery ticket.
As long as you have the winning lottery ticket, by default you do not have the money, but the hope of receiving the money when you arrive at the destination where you will receive the money in exchange for the winning lottery ticket.
Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen. Hebrews 11:1
If we have faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, then by default we have not yet received the salvation of our soul yet.
Like the winning lottery ticket, we first must actually obey what the Lord told us in the vision, His message to us, which is to purchase the winning lottery ticket.
This is when we obtain the end result [winning the money]
by faith: obedience in response to what God speaks to us.
They announce the ticket numbers and you see that you have the winning lottery ticket.
The end result of your faith to obey the heavenly word is to receive the money that the winning ticket represents.
The winning ticket is not the actual money, but represents the money you will receive when you reach the destination where they have the money.
You must arrive their with the winning lottery ticket.
Can you throw away the ticket, because you simple do not believe anymore?
Can you get lost along the way.
If someone convinces you to trade the winning lottery ticket for a bag of "magic beans" that are claimed to bring you something better, and you agree. Do you still have the winning lottery ticket?
If someone threatens to kill you if you don't tear up the ticket and throw it away: Do you still have the lottery ticket?
If you arrive at the destination where they will give you the money for the ticket, and you have no ticket, can you honestly expect to receive the money that the ticket once represented?
Peter says it this way -
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9
- that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ
- receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
The end result of a life of faith, is to receive the salvation that we hope for when He returns.
- He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. Hebrews 9:27-28
JPT