What is Faith

On February 23, 1987, at about twelve midnight, I was born again. My journey began a few months earlier as I was invited to attend some Navigator meetings. In those meetings, I had fun with those present, was introduced to prayer, and had others, who I didn’t know, praying for me. God used those times to spark faith in Him. Then, on February 23, 1987, it happened. I heard the voice of God in my mind. You’re a sinner! And that began my walk of faith. 

Later, I was introduced to the faith message while watching Christian television broadcasting. I was introduced to several faith ministers, including T.L. Osborne, Dr. Kenneth Hagin, Sr., Lester Sumrall, Marilyn Hickey, Norvell Hayes, Robert Tilton and others. I took courses at the Word of Faith Bible School that was founded by Robert Tilton. I didn’t attend school there, but I did take several courses. And I grew in my understanding of God’s Word and faith in God. 

While I value what I learned during that time, and I was taught about faith in God, learned the definition of faith in God, and thought I had faith in God, I really didn’t understand faith. And as I learned about faith in God, my life got worse and worse. My faith in God wasn’t working…or so I thought. Now, I must say, I truly believed. But I began to learn that believing isn’t enough; it’s not faith. And God began to teach me what faith is — the real faith. And I learned that faith is, and always must be, the gift of God for it to be real and not fake. 

During that time, I also learned that we can have a fake faith — an imitation of faith that really isn’t the faith of God. I learned that faith isn’t faith unless it’s faith. Now, you may not understand that, especially if you’ve never been introduced to the real faith. But I understood it then, and understand it today, as this: Faith must really be faith for it to be a real faith. In other words, having a false faith doesn’t really work. Which means, we can have something that looks like faith, walks like faith, and talks like faith that isn’t really faith. The real faith ALWAYS works. ALWAYS. But imitation faith doesn’t work. EVER!

 “Real faith is always centered and focused on the person of Jesus Christ. ALWAYS!”—Scott Wallis

Learning the difference between the real faith and a false faith was one of the best lessons I could’ve learned, for it taught me that I can believe something and think I’m right, but if it doesn’t work, it’s not of God; it’s of my own foolish thinking. In other words, I learned, you can believe something but that doesn’t make it faith. I will often say it this way, just because I believe I’m a chicken doesn’t mean I can lay eggs or just because I believe I can jump off a building doesn’t mean I won’t get hurt. In other words, faith isn’t unreal. No, it’s real and it works when we truly have it. Real faith works. False faith doesn’t. It really is that simple.

But it took me years to learn what real faith is and how to walk in it. And it wasn’t easy. No! It was hard. I had to unlearn some of the things I had previously learned about faith. And I had to learn that faith, real faith is always centered and focused on the person of Jesus Christ. ALWAYS! In other words, real faith must be focused on Christ, originate in Christ, and draw us to Christ for it to be a real faith. The false faith message causes us to depart from Christ. There’s a difference. 

The real faith of God works, draws us to Jesus Christ, focuses our attention on Him, and causes us to fall in love with Him. Faith is about knowing and walking with Christ on a daily basis — no matter what else is taking place in our lives. Faith always works; it bears positive fruit, and it produces fruitfulness and faithfulness in our lives. And that kind of faith works miracles, yes, miracles. Of which, I have seen many, many miracles, especially miracles of provision. 

Real faith believes what God said, but is rooted and grounded in who God is — It knows God, loves God, looks to God, and trusts in God. Further, it listens to and obeys God. Faith always requires obedience to God’s voice, which means, we must learn to hear Him speak. Discerning His voice among the myriad of voices in the world is one of the keys to walking the faith walk. If you don’t hear God, it’s impossible to walk by faith. Why? “[F]aith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17, NKJV.

The whole reason we read the Bible isn’t solely to obtain doctrine or teaching. Rather, it’s to lead us into a vibrant walk and journey of faith. If you’re reading the Bible but not growing in your faith in God, then there’s a problem — you’re not hearing. Faith listens. We’ve been taught that faith speaks. The Bible teaches us that faith listens. To whom? God. Real faith hears and listens to God. And that’s what sets it apart. 

Today, much of the Church has a hearing problem. That’s why we have little or no faith. The disciples were like that. They heard what Jesus said, but they didn’t really hear what Jesus said. When Jesus said, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod”, Matthew 8:15, the disciples thought He was talking about bread. Funny! I know. How’d they get it soooo wrong?! But they did. They weren’t listening or hearing what He was saying. In other words, they didn’t understand what He said. 

Often, we hear God. But we don’t really understand what He said. Like the disciples, we stop thinking for ourselves and we don’t remember what God did in our lives. The disciples forgot about the loaves and fishes that Jesus multiplied. Jesus wasn’t worried about provision, the disciples were. No! He’s our provider. Rather, He was concerned about our faith in Him being corrupted — like the Pharisees and Herod. 

Notice, the two things that are most likely to corrupt real faith are: 1) religion, and 2) politics. That was true then. And it’s still true today. When we get into religious duty or political debate, we’ve left the faith, our faith has been corrupted. Sadly, that’s happening today. Many believers have had their faith corrupted through religion and politics…and they don’t even know it. No wonder Jesus said, “take heed, beware”. In other words, religion and politics are dangerous to real faith. 

Real faith is centered on Christ. I like to say it this way — the closer I move towards Christ, the closer I get to real faith, and the further I move from Christ, the further I move from real faith — the distance I depart from Jesus Christ is the distance I’ve departed from the faith. Faith is in Christ; He’s “the author and finisher of our faith”.  Hebrews 12:2, NKJV.

In closing, real faith is rooted and grounded in Christ, produces good and godly fruit, always leads us to Christ and not away from Him, and requires a heart that’s willing to listen and obey Him. If that’s the kind of faith you seek, you shall not fail to find it, for it’s in, of, and through Him. Real faith is rooted in Christ. That’s the kind of faith we should seek, for it draws us nearer to Him. And isn’t that the ultimate purpose of faith — to draw us to Christ? Yes, it is. 

So then, faith is a person, is in a person, and comes from listening to and obeying that person — God. That’s faith! Now, go and advance in your faith in God and watch what He does! Real faith looks at what God is doing and has done. Faith advances, doesn’t retreat, and possesses what God gives it, for it’s unshakable, immovable, unstoppable. That’s the real faith! Now, go, be a person of real faith!

Let us pray!

— Scott Wallis