The Bible defines faith as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Thus, in biblical vernacular, faith is a channel of living trust —an assurance—that stretches from man to God. In other words, it is the object of faith that renders faith faithful.
Furthermore, faith is the assurance that God’s promises will never fail, even if sometimes we do not experience their fulfillment in our mortal existence. Hebrews 11 underscores the fact that we trust God to fulfill his promises for the future (the unseen) based on what he has already fulfilled in the past. Thus, our faith is not blind, but based squarely on God’s proven faithfulness.
Sadly, many people, including some Christians, live with this definition of faith. For some it feels liberating. It means being able to believe in anything you want to believe. No explanation is required, indeed, no explanation can be given; it is just a matter of faith. For others, such a definition is sickening. Embracing faith means you stop thinking. As faith increases, reason and meaning eventually disappear. No explanations can be given, and none can be expected. Thus, living in faith is living in the dark.
Faith is hard and does not come easily. Just like the muscles of the body, faith must be exercised to grow. You may go one inch the first day, two inches the second day, three inches the third, etc. Just like with any other activity into which you are growing, faith must be exercised every day.
As Jesus said in Matt 17:20 “…if you faith as small as mustard seed…” you can accomplish amazing things for God. The mustard seed needs to watered each day for it to grow. Seemingly, nothing happens for a very long time, but one day the seed bursts into the biggest tree in the garden.
It is in this way that the writer of Hebrews talks about faith in God. Faith is knowing that God is real and that you can trust in God’s promises. You cannot trust someone who isn’t there, nor can you rely on someone whose promises are not reliable. This is why faith is talked about as the substance of things hoped for and as the evidence of things not seen. Both words carry with them a sense of reality. Our hope is not wishful thinking. Faith does not make God real. On the contrary, faith is the response to a real God who wants to be known to us:
Real faith is believing in what Christ has done for us. the Bible says in ,
Romans 5:1,kjv
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"
Jesus is the source of faith. the Bible says in, Luke 17:5,AMP:The apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith (that trust and confidence that spring from our belief in God)."
Romans 10:17, AMP:So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).
Faith is trusting God in everything. the Bible says in ,Hebrews 10:38, AMP:But the just shall live by faith [My righteous servant shall live by his conviction respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, and holy fervor born of faith and conjoined with it]; and if he draws back and shrinks in fear, My soul has no delight or pleasure in him."
Weak faith can become strong faith with God's help. the Bible says in Mark 9:24, TLB. "The father instantly replied, 'I do have faith; oh, help me to have more!'"
Finally, the faith that serves to protect us in spiritual warfare is not to be confused with mere knowledge. Millions worldwide believe in the trustworthiness of Billy Graham. They have heard him proclaim the good news on television and yet do not believe that his message corresponds to reality. Thus, they have the knowledge that it takes to be saved but do not have saving faith. Others hear the message, agree that it corresponds to reality, but due to the hardness of their hearts do not bow. Rather, like the demons, they continue to live in fearful anticipation of the judgment to come (James 2:19). Some, however, have what Scripture describes as genuine justifying faith—a faith that not only knows about the gospel and agrees that its content corresponds to reality, but a faith by which they are transformed.