Standing firm through faith is one of those things we know we should do in our heads, but the practical application can be much more difficult. Like the apostle Paul, we want to do what’s right, but we keep finding ourselves wandering into sin (Romans 7:15). Spiritual perseverance can be a rare commodity.

If you’re feeling this way, take heart. You’re not alone. God doesn’t expect you to be perfect. He just expects you to grow and to mature in your relationship with Him. And part of that process involves learning how to stand firm in faith.

Getting Stronger

A while back, I tore three tendons in my quad muscle. In addition to being incredibly painful, my injury left me unable to bear weight. That meant I couldn’t stand or walk without crutches.

After my surgery, I spent time in physical therapy so I could stand and walk without assistance again. Slowly, I moved from a wheelchair to a walker to two crutches to one crutch. Eventually, my knee was strong enough and stable enough to bear weight. 

I reached a point where I could stand firm again, though I’ve still got some work to do. My recovery has given me a little better insight into standing firm physically and standing firm in faith. When we start out as believers, we can’t bear much weight. But over time, we grow stronger in our spiritual journeys. We learn how to stand firm through faith—though we always have work to do.

Keys to Standing Firm

While it’s pretty easy to wander out of a strong relationship with God, it’s impossible to wander into one. Standing firm in faith means being intentional in your walk with the Lord. It involves making certain practices—called spiritual disciplines—a regular part of your life. It also requires a renewed mindset that puts the focus squarely on God and His plans for your life.

Below, you’ll find six keys to standing firm in your faith. Putting these into practice will nurture your walk with God and help you learn to stand strong. As you grow, He will continue to show you ways to take root, but these are foundational principles for standing firm. They are valuable tools to keep in your spiritual toolbox.

Spend time with God

As I recovered from surgery, I put in several weeks of physical therapy. It was hard work, but the time I spent with my therapist and doing exercises at home made all the difference in the world.

Likewise, practices such as prayer and Bible study are key to standing firm in faith. These spiritual disciplines help you stay connected to God, sharing your heart with Him and hearing what He says in His Word. As you “put in the work” of spending time with the Lord, you’ll learn how to stand firm through faith.

Resist temptations

Another important thing I learned in my recovery was avoiding the urge to take on more than I could handle. As much as I wanted to stand up and walk on my own, pushing things too far would have done more harm than good. I had to learn how to evaluate each situation and make the best decision for my leg.

When you’re learning to stand firm in faith, you’ll face challenges. You’ll be tempted to fight battles you can’t win alone. If you give in to those urges, you’ll fall into the very sin you want to avoid. So, don’t rush. Slow down and evaluate the situation. Ask God for help and act with the wisdom He provides. His Word promises that He will help you overcome every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).

Expect persecution

I had a great physical therapist, and she taught me a lot about getting better. She told me to expect recovery to be hard, and she challenged me to embrace the difficulty. That eventually would build the muscle and improve flexibility.

The apostle Peter applied the same principles to standing firm in faith. Throughout his first letter, he assured his readers that persecution and suffering were part of the Christian life. They needed to expect hard things, but they also needed to lean into those storms for God’s glory (1 Peter 1:3-9; 3:13-22; 4:12-19). They could embrace the struggle, knowing that it would help them stand firm in this life and experience God’s affirmation in the next.

Build a team

Every physical recovery is a team effort. During my surgery, doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals surrounded me. Afterward, I continued to meet with my surgeon regularly, along with my physical therapist. When some unusual complications arose, other doctors stepped in and provided specialized treatment.

Standing firm in faith is also a team sport. While you’re the one learning to stand firm, building a network of mentors and friends who will hold you accountable is vital (Proverbs 27:17). If you’re going to be spiritually healthy, you can’t do it alone. You need a team to stand with you as you learn to stand firm in faith.

Use your spiritual gifts

During my recovery, I was blessed with some great tools to help me get stronger. I’ve mentioned my doctors and my therapist, but I also relied on everyday equipment like braces, crutches, and medications. Each of them made a difference for me.

Spiritually, God has given you a set of tools to help you learn to stand firm in your faith. These spiritual gifts allow you to serve others and to grow in your own walk with God (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31). As you learn to use your spiritual gifts for His glory, you’ll learn more about standing firm. You just need to make the most of the opportunities He brings your way.

Keep the end in mind

When I first learned that I’d be having such a significant surgery, my first questions were “how long” questions. I wanted to know how long the surgery would be, how long the recovery would take, how long I’d be in physical therapy, how long I’d need crutches, and so forth. I needed to identify the finish line and as many markers along the way as I could.

Just like my desire was to stand firm and walk without assistance, we should strive to stand firm and walk strong spiritually. Ultimately, our goal should be to hear “well done” when we stand before Jesus (Matthew 25:14-30). In the process of learning to stand firm in faith, focusing our eyes on Jesus and on eternity can’t be understated. Keeping the end in mind motivates us to do our best today.

It’s All About Relationship

While the practical steps listed above are great, trying to stand firm in our faith means nothing without a personal relationship with Jesus. We really can’t grow in faith if we don’t have a faith. 

So, if you’ve never asked Jesus to forgive your sins and accepted Him as your Savior, that’s the place to start. He loves you, and He died for you. Embracing His offer of salvation is the true first step to standing firm in faith.