How to Stand Firm in Faith

Do you need some help to stand firm in your faith? I have encouragement for you, along with a free printable for you if you sign up for my Tea on Tuesdays newsletter below.

I have a new video for you today. Watch it here, or read the transcript below it.

Learning How to Stand Firm in Faith

Have you watched any episodes in The Chosen series? If you haven’t, you’re in for a big treat. If you have, I’m going to share one of my favorite takeaways with you today.

So, The Chosen is a TV series that’s free. It’s very well made, and you can watch it in The Chosen app, or on Facebook or YouTube. {Though my church recently did a sermon series on this, it’s no longer available to watch on replay.)

Season 2, Episode 1 just debuted a couple days ago on Easter Sunday, 2021. I’m reflecting on my favorite quote from that episode today.

There was a young woman who wanted to follow Jesus, but her father was opposed to it. He was letting Jesus know his honest opinion. In the story, told with creative license, this father was the winemaker in the story of the wedding at Cana, where Jesus performed his first miracle. He wasn’t there at the wedding, but he heard through his daughter and some of the other workers what Jesus had done, and it had preserved his reputation in the community.

While he respected Jesus, he did not really, fully believe that Jesus was the Messiah, or that his power was from God. He was voicing his concerns to Jesus about that, but he was also granting his daughter permission to follow Jesus. In this paternalistic society, he had to give her his blessing to go.

So, Jesus looked at the man with solemn compassion. Then he said,

“I ask a lot of those who follow me. And I ask very little of those who do not.”

The Costs of Standing Firm in Faith

I have been thinking and thinking about that quote since I heard it. That exact quote is not in the Bible itself. But I think the producers of the show based that on quite a few different teachings that Jesus spoke to us.

Such as, the road to hell is very broad and many travel it, and the road to eternal life is very narrow and few find it (Matt. 7:13-14). He also talks about if we are going to follow him, we’ve got to take up our cross daily and suffer for his sake (Luke 9:23). He talks about how we will be persecuted if we are sincere followers of him, and that we’re blessed if we are mocked and insulted in his name (Matt. 5:10-12).

Jesus never ever tells us in the actual scriptures that it’s easy to follow him. He even tells us to count the costs. He gives a parable of a builder that’s about to build something and he counts all the costs up before he puts the building together. Jesus is saying that’s what we need to do if we’re going to follow him more deeply.

I want to ask you: Have you been asked a lot from Jesus, or have you only been asked a little? That’s going to tell you where your faith is going to grow.

Facing Spiritual Warfare

I have written and talked about the spiritual warfare that I’ve faced as a Christian author and speaker. Every time I do some new project, new book, releasing my podcast, any new venture, I get attacked. I have had to tell my family – my children, my husband – “What’s happening to us is spiritual warfare.” It’s because I’m moving out into the front lines of God’s army to fight in a spiritual battle, and so I’m being attacked for that.

Anytime a new project comes up, I have to count the costs. I have to say, If I’m going to do this, I know that weird things are going to happen. Difficult things are going to happen. Hard things are going to happen. But I’m willing to do it because Jesus is my Lord.

I think that we have to discover our why. Why would we want to suffer for God’s glory? Why would we want to do that?

Facing Persecution

You know, there are Christians all around the world that aren’t in the “safe” West, where it’s relatively safe for us to practice our faith. I know that most of you who are listening, watching and reading, according to my statistics, are in safe places for practicing your faith.

But we have brothers and sisters in Christ, all over the world right now, who are being beaten, imprisoned, tortured and killed for their faith. If it doesn’t come to that, if they speak up and say they want to believe, then their family renounces them, and it’s hard for them to find work.

I was just contacted on Instagram by a woman who said she’s a Muslim and she wants to believe. But she’s afraid because her family’s going to turn on her if she admits that she wants to believe. She asked me to pray for her. {Would you stop and pray for her too?}

I know what I’ve suffered, but I can’t imagine those costs. I would like to hope that my faith is strong enough that if it came to that, I would be willing to suffer to that extent.

The Why for Standing Firm in Faith

And I think, What is their why? What is their why for suffering so much? So many Christians through the centuries have suffered to the point of being willing to die for their faith. Including the disciples. Almost all of the disciples, except for John, were martyred for their faith.

Our why is not just a ticket into heaven. I think our why is not just to be in the “cool Christian” group. I mean, I know some Christians like that. That it’s “cool” to be Christian. That’s not a solid why either.

A why is because we are in a love relationship with God. As my love for God has grown, my relationship with him has deepened. My respect for him has grown, and my willingness to do his will instead of my own has grown.

I still sin every day, but compared to before, the way I look at it now is, I don’t want to cause him grief. I don’t want to cause him hurt because of this choice I’m about to make. My relationship with him has deepened to that point where I realize everything I’m doing is really against him. That’s what we learn in Psalm 51:4, when David says, “Against you, and you alone, have I sinned.” That is before me all the time.

Bringing God Honor and Glory

I want to do him honor. I want to glorify him and bless his name because he’s given me so much. It’s just my honor to serve him. Even though I’ve had lots of losses, like relationships and some physical possessions. When I’m under spiritual warfare, it hurts. It makes me angry and frustrated because Satan is trying to steal my joy. So it’s difficult.

Jesus was right when he said, “You will have many troubles.” (John 16:33) But then he promises that he will give us the peace that passes all understanding if we trust in him. That is always true. Every step forward I’ve taken in deeper faith has made this become more and more true in my life.

How to Stand Firm in Faith

When I was watching The Chosen this Sunday, I was thinking about what God has asked me to give up for him, and has it been worth it? I can say with full conviction, Yes, a hundred times over. Everything he’s asked me to give up, I would do it all again because it’s for his glory.

I know I won’t understand it all until I get to heaven someday. But he is going to show me what good things came out of me giving up those things I was holding on to because I did it for his glory.

Maybe he’s asking you to suffer some more:

• Persevere in a hard situation
• Wait in prayer
• Give something up that you don’t really want to give up (I’ve been there before)
• Go somewhere that you don’t really want to go
• Lay aside a toxic relationship

Maybe he’s asking you to do something new for his glory:

• Lead a Bible study
• Mentor someone
• Change your job

There are all kinds of things God might be asking you to do that are painful in the moment. But you know deep in your heart are really for the best and for his glory.

Here’s a free printable to help you stand firm in your convictions when you’re faced with hard things for God’s glory. You will receive it instantly as a subscriber to my Tea on Tuesdays newsletter below.

I have several different verses that are going to affirm that it’s hard and it’s not easy. But there’s some comfort knowing that Jesus told us that. He didn’t play games with us. He didn’t do a bait-and-switch with us – he told us this for our own protection. You can use these verses to meditate on God’s Word to strengthen your faith as you’re waiting in faith and trusting God as you take that next step forward.

Prayer to Stand Firm in Faith

Father God,

I thank and praise you that you ask us to do hard things for your glory.

You have great plans for us, Lord.

We praise you that we can be a part of your work

if we choose to obey you and grow in our faith.

May each one of us be protected

by your hand of blessing on us.

May you call us to walk into the deep with you.

Help us be willing to step forward in faith and stand firm on our convictions

because we know you have something better in mind for us,

even if we have to give up something good right now.

Even if you are calling us to suffer, Lord,

may we be empowered and strengthened in your might.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Prayer Requests

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How to Stand Firm in Faith

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