The pastor encouraged him to just go live by faith. He didn't know how to respond. This young man was trying to live by faith in faith. But faith itself is not a valid object. The only valid object for faith is God and the revelation we have of Him in His Word.
Faith is the operating principle of life.
The only difference between Christian and non-Christian faith is the object. God must be the object of our faith. Lord God, I place my faith in You alone today. Help me not to allow anyone or anything to take Your place as the object of my faith.