The Life of Faith (Pt. 14) - How To Practically Build Your Faith
This week, we discussed “How to practically build your faith”. Acts 6:1–8 introduces Stephen—a man described as full of faith and power—showing us that it's possible to be recognized for the depth of our faith. That means faith comes in measures: little, growing, or full. We've learned that we need faith to receive promises, become who God called us to be, and manifest Him in every situation.
But the real question is: how do we go from being unsure and unstable—like the man who cried, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief”—to being steady and strong in faith? It starts by being intentional. Faith doesn’t grow by accident—it grows through consistent prayer, the Word, and surrender to the Spirit. And our desire is that, like Stephen, we’ll be found full of faith and power.
Let’s further describe how we can practically build our faith.
Be Intentional
The first step to building faith is to be intentional about attacking doubt and unbelief. Doubt won’t leave on its own—you have to root it out.
Think of it like trying to save $100,000: an increased income won’t help if expenses keep rising. Doubt is like those expenses—it cancels out your faith gains. Your heart is soil, and just like God’s Word can grow there, so can the enemy’s lies. That’s why Jesus said, “does not doubt in his heart, but believes” (Mark 11:23).
Scripture separates faith and doubt because believing alone isn’t enough—you must cast down doubt. James 1:6 warns that doubt makes you unstable, tossed by every wave. So confront doubt the moment it arises.
When your mind is filled with fear or negativity, find truth in Scripture to cancel it out. If you’ve ever convinced yourself to make a bad decision, then use that same ability to doubt your doubts. Don’t let doubt sit—challenge it, reject it, and replace it.
Read & Meditate Scripture
To build faith intentionally, we must prioritize our intake and meditation on Scripture. Everything we've taught about faith—its alignment with God's will, the power of the Rhema word, the unseen foundations, and knowing God—all trace back to the Word.
You can’t walk in real faith without a deep relationship with the Bible. Stephen, who was full of faith and power, also demonstrated profound understanding of Scripture in Acts 7—it wasn't head knowledge, it was Spirit-filled revelation. That’s no coincidence. You cannot be full of faith and empty of the Word.
Colossians 3:16 tells us to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly. Just like no one becomes a specialist in medicine overnight, we won’t build strong faith casually or only when crisis hits. We’re meant to store the Word daily so the Holy Spirit has something to breathe upon in battle.
Let’s not wait until we’re tested to start scrambling for verses we never planted. Whether by reading, listening, or memorizing, we must stay full of the Word. This is how we prepare for victory and walk in overcoming faith. No shortcuts—just daily, intentional Scripture intake.
Obedience
Another powerful and often overlooked way to build faith is through daily obedience. If you study Hebrews 11—the faith hall of fame—you’ll notice a pattern: by faith, Abraham obeyed, by faith, Noah obeyed, by faith, Moses obeyed. Obedience and faith are deeply connected.
Most times, God’s answer to a situation is an instruction. But if we haven’t built a habit of obeying the clear, written Word, how will we obey when Rhema comes? Obedience must already be part of our lifestyle. Start with what’s written—love your neighbor, forgive quickly, make peace when offended. Then grow into obeying specific promptings from the Holy Spirit. When He tells you to call someone, give to someone, or make a hard choice—respond. If we delay or ignore the small instructions, we won’t be ready when God asks us to do something big.
Remember, Abraham didn’t start with Isaac; he had a track record. Let’s build that same track record—so when it’s time to walk on water, we don’t hesitate. A life of consistent obedience makes faith natural.
Proper Environments
To build strong faith, we must place ourselves in environments that inspire and strengthen it. Faith is spiritual, and spiritual things can be caught by proximity—just being around people or places where faith is active can cause it to rise in us. Atmospheres carry presence, and the people we surround ourselves with shape what our minds are able to conceive. If we constantly hear doubt and impossibility, we’ll start to think that way.
In contrast, when we’re around people who believe boldly—whether in real life or through books and teachings—our capacity to believe expands. We start seeing what once seemed impossible as normal. That’s why it’s so important to guard our space and seek out voices of faith.
Like Elisha watching Elijah, exposure makes the miraculous accessible. Let’s be intentional about what influences us, surround ourselves with people who stir our faith, and most importantly—start using our faith before we desperately need it. Take on projects, trust God for things, and practice walking by faith now—so when the big moments come, we’re ready.