8 Ways to Move Forward in Your Faith

1. Accept Him

Perhaps you wonder if you have faith. Was there a time when you accepted Jesus into your life?

As you come to him, you must come to him in faith and accept him wholeheartedly. Give him your life – your heart, soul, spirit, and body. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6).

God has great love and compassion for all of humanity. In love he sent his Son Jesus Christ who is “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15) to rescue everyone from their sinful nature.  Jesus is the sinless lamb of God who selflessly lay down his life for you. He came to give you a more abundant life. When you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior you allow him to change you. How to give your life to Christ:

1. Admit you are a sinner and need forgiveness.

2. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.

3. Through prayer, confess that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and commit to live for him. 

Photo credit: Unsplash

2. Trust in Him

When you put your confidence in God you build a strong foundation on his Word and promises. His ways are wise and he shows his wisdom to the ones who seek him.  He’ll reveal himself to you. “He sent his Word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions,” (Psalm 107:20).

Be humble and obedient. God said, “Trust me with your whole heart so I can guide your steps” (Proverbs 3:5). You can count on him to be faithful to you.

Photo credit: Unsplash

3. Be Transformed by Him

Do you have any evidence to show you are growing in your faith and as a Christian?  The Bible tells us God wants Christians to get serious about living for him.

God cares for you and helps you become a new person. The Bible says, “Be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). He brings about a noticeable difference.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Be equipped with God’s Word. The Holy Spirit helps you understand his Word and how to live. He opens your eyes of understanding. He gives you a new heart and a new nature.

Photo credit: Unsplash

4. Abide in Him

Since you’ve been adopted into God’s family, you are his child. He wants to have a close relationship with his children. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God!” (1 John 3:1). You share in the inheritance with other believers.

When you pray,  you don’t come to him as a beggar, but as his dear child. When you abide in him, you can “pray without ceasing,” knowing he hears you (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

When you want to progress in an area, it takes discipline. Discipleship is not just head knowledge. It’s spiritual discipline. The good news is that you don’t need to do it alone. Jesus said, “He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Photo credit: Unsplash

5. Love Him

Love God and long for him. Guard your heart. If you find you’re having difficulty growing in your faith, join a group of people who desire to live for Christ and to grow closer to him. Get under the discipline of a pastor and Bible teacher. Pursue what God’s call is for you in your life.

With all diligence keep your heart clean. Worship God. God inhabits the praises of his people. Nurture your relationship with God, feeling his love and presence. You can experience the kingdom of heaven on earth. Pursue holiness.

Photo credit: Unsplash

6. Walk with Him

He is the Good Shepherd. He knows his sheep and his sheep know him. His sheep hear his voice (John 10:27). Jesus said, “This is eternal life that you might have experiential knowledge of me” (John 17:3).

Walking the straight path, you have a mind and heart for God. God can use you, with your unique and original background and gifts. Delight in his blessings and peace, walking in his presence.

Photo credit: Unsplash

7. Live for Him

Your time on earth is a gift from God. Use this time to serve him. He uses your gifts for his glory. “We are laborers together with him” (1 Corinthians 3:9).

Many Christians don’t realize they are in a spiritual battle. Stand prepared and ready. Use the Word of God as a sword and as a weapon against what enemy says. Use the armor that God has given you. Fear has no hold on you since you live in the presence of God. 

Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/vadimguzhva

8. Rest in Him

God will never ever leave you or forsake you. He is in your midst.

At times you may feel fatigue, fear, or failure. When these times hit you, take the time to rest in him. Choose to rest, where he can renew and recharge.

Look back to the times when God showed you he is good, kind, and faithful. Use those times as memory stones or markers in your life. See once again that you have a great God. He is a place of refuge for his people.

Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Continue in faith with joy. “The joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).  He will enliven and satisfy, bringing purpose. When you rest in him, he’ll give you ultimate triumph.

Photo credit: Unsplash

Deborah Nayrocker is the author of Grow in Faith toward Maturity. The book can be purchased through CredoHousePublishers.com or Amazon.com and is available in print and as a Kindle e-book. Find out more about the author at www.DeborahNayrocker.com