In the last couple of years working in various Christian media and publishing companies, I have reviewed hundreds of manuscripts, edited countless testimonies, and sat across the table from believers in almost every walk of life. From new converts to pastors, I have noticed one question surfaces more than any other. It is not usually about theology or church history. The most pressing question, often asked in a whisper during a crisis, is simply this: “I believe, but how to build faith in God when I feel empty?”
Faith is not a light switch that you flick on and off. It is a muscle. It is a living thing that requires nutrition and exercise. If you are feeling spiritually stagnant or facing a trial that feels bigger than your ability to believe, you are not alone. The Bible provides a clear standard and steps for this exact struggle.
In this publication, I will share 7 proven, biblical steps on how to build faith in God. These are practical disciplines that I have seen transform hopeless situations into firm trust in God, time and time again.
What is Faith? The Foundation for How to Build Faith in God
Before we can discuss how to build faith in God, we must define what we are building. In our modern culture, “faith” is often synonymous with “wishing” or “positive thinking.” This is not the biblical definition.
Scripture defines faith clearly in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
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Notice the words substance and evidence. Biblical faith is not a blind leap into the dark; it is a confident step into the light of God’s revealed character. Understanding this difference is the first step in learning how to build faith in God. You are not trying to manufacture a feeling; you are choosing to stand on evidence.
To give a clearer picture of this topic, here is a comparison of worldly hope and biblical faith:
Worldly Hope vs. Biblical Faith
| Feature | Worldly Hope / Wishful Thinking | Biblical Faith |
| Basis | Based on desire (“I hope this happens”) | Based on God’s Word (“God said it, so it is settled”) |
| Stability | Fluctuates with emotions and circumstances | Remains constant despite feelings |
| Evidence | None; relies on optimism | The written Word of God and His past faithfulness |
| Outcome | Uncertainty | Assurance / Conviction |
If you want to know how to build faith in God, you must move from the left column to the right column. You must move from “I hope God can” to “I know God will,” based on His promises.
1. Build Your Faith in God by Hearing the Word
If you asked me for the single most important mechanical step for how to build faith in God, I would point you to Romans 10:17: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
This is a spiritual pointer. Just as your physical body needs food to grow, your spirit needs the Word of God to build faith. You cannot starve your spirit all week and expect to have strong faith on Sunday.
How to build faith in God starts with consumption. However, there is a difference between skimming the Bible and letting it sink into your soul.
The Commuter’s Transformation
I once discussed with a young woman who was battling deep anxiety about her career. She wanted to know how to build faith in God to trust Him with her future. She admitted she only read one verse a day on an app.
We implemented a strategy of “saturation.” She replaced her morning news podcast with an Audio Bible during her 45-minute commute. For one month, she listened to the Psalms and the Gospels. By week three, she reported a physical shift in her anxiety levels. Her circumstances hadn’t changed, but her capacity to trust had. She had learned how to build faith in God by literally “hearing” the Word daily.
Actionable Advice:
- Read Aloud: When you read Scripture, read it out loud. Let your own ears hear the promises.
- Meditate: Do not just read; chew on the verses. This deep engagement is essential for building faith in God.
2. Using Prayer as a Tool for Building Faith in God
You cannot trust someone you do not talk to. A major hurdle in learning how to build faith in God is a lack of intimacy. Prayer is the engine of your relationship with the Father.
Jude 1:20 gives us a specific instruction: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.”
Notice the connection? Prayer is the method of construction. It is how to build faith in God when your own strength fails. But this doesn’t mean you must pray perfect, polished prayers. In fact, honest desperation is often more effective.
Consider the father in Mark 9:24. He cried out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” He didn’t hide his doubt; he brought it to Jesus. Honesty is a key component of how to build faith in God. When you bring your doubts into the light of prayer, they lose their power.
3. How to Build Faith in God Through Obedience
Faith is not a noun; it is a verb. You can read every book on how to build faith in God, but until you act, your faith will remain theoretical. James 2:26 reminds us that “faith without works is dead.”
Think of faith like a muscle. You do not build muscle by reading about weightlifting; you build it by lifting heavy weights. How to build faith in God requires the heavy lifting of obedience.
The Step of Generosity
I remember a man named David from our publishing network. He was facing a financial crisis in his business. He asked me how to build faith in God regarding his finances. He felt God prompting him to sow a significant seed (donation) into a missionary family, but it made no logical sense.
David chose to obey the prompting despite the fear. He wrote the check. That act of obedience broke the grip of fear over his life. Two weeks later, an unexpected contract came through that saved his business. While the contract was a blessing, David told me the real miracle was the confidence he gained. He learned how to build faith in God by stepping out of the boat, just like Peter in Matthew 14.
If you want to know how to build faith in God, look for the area where you are hesitating to obey. That is your gym. That is where your growth happens.
4. Building Faith in God by Engaging in Community
We live in an individualistic society, but the Bible teaches that building faith in God is often like a community project. We are described as a body, a building, and a flock – all plural terms.
Hebrews 10:24 – 25 commands us: “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…”
When your faith is low, you can “borrow” the faith of those around you. This is how to build faith in God when you are too weak to stand alone. Being around other believers who are speaking the Word, sharing testimonies, and worshipping creates an atmosphere where doubt cannot survive.
If you are isolating yourself, you are cutting off a primary power source for building faith in God.
5. How to Build Faith in God by Remembering His Faithfulness
Human beings are prone to spiritual amnesia. When a new problem arises, we tend to forget every mountain God has moved in the past. A practical strategy for how to build faith in God is active remembrance.
In 1 Samuel 7:12, the prophet Samuel set up a stone and called it “Ebenezer,” saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” He created a physical reminder of God’s help.
The Testimony Journal Strategy:
I strongly recommend keeping a journal dedicated solely to answered prayers. When you are facing a giant and wondering how to build faith in God to defeat it, open that journal. Read about the lion and the bear God has already killed for you (1 Samuel 17:37). Remembering what He did is the fuel for trusting what He will do. This is a simple yet profound method for how to build faith in God.
6. Trusting God in Difficult Times (The Real Test)
It is easy to have faith when the bills are paid and the body is healthy. But the true lesson of how to build faith in God is learned in the fire.
James 1:2 – 3 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
Please understand this: The trial is not meant to destroy you; it is meant to develop you. The “waiting room” is the classroom for how to build faith in God.
The Wait for a Child
A couple I know, the Millers, struggled with infertility for five years. They did everything right – prayed, stood on scripture, and believed. Yet, month after month, the test was negative. They often asked how to build faith in God when He seemed silent.
They decided to shift their focus from the outcome to the relationship. They stopped praying “Give us a baby” and started praying “Give us more of You.” They found that how to build faith in God involves trusting His timing as much as His power. Eventually, they did conceive a miracle child, but they always say that the faith they built during those seven years of silence was the greater gift. They learned that how to build faith in God means trusting His heart even when you cannot trace His hand.
7. How to Build Faith in God Through Worship and Thanksgiving
The final step in how to build faith in God is perhaps the most counter-intuitive: Worship before the breakthrough.
In Acts 16:25, Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison. They didn’t complain. At midnight, they were praying and singing hymns to God. Their worship shook the foundations of the prison.
Thanksgiving is the highest form of faith. When you thank God before the answer comes, you are declaring that you believe His promise is as good as done. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to “in everything give thanks.” This perspective shift is a powerful technique for how to build faith in God. It moves your eyes off the problem and onto the Provider.
Conclusion
Learning how to build faith in God is a journey, not a destination. There will be days of great victory and days where you cry out, “Help my unbelief!” That is normal. That is the Christian walk.
By hearing the Word, praying honestly, stepping out in obedience, staying in community, remembering His faithfulness, enduring trials, and choosing worship, you are actively participating in the process of how to build faith in God.
Remember, Jesus said in Matthew 17:20 that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. You don’t need giant faith to start; you just need to know how to build faith in God starting right where you are today.
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Which of these steps will you take today? Will you start a journal? Will you download an audio Bible? The path to unwavering trust begins with a single action.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Build Faith in God
Can you lose your faith in God?
This is a common fear. While the Bible gives us assurance of salvation (John 10:28 – 29), it is possible to “shipwreck” one’s faith through persistent disobedience or neglecting the Word (1 Timothy 1:19). Often, what feels like “losing” faith is actually a season of severe doubt or spiritual dryness. The 7 steps outlined above are the biblical prescription for how to build faith in God when you feel it slipping away.
What is the fastest way to build faith?
The most direct and immediate way is found in Romans 10:17: “Faith comes by hearing… the word of God.” If you need to know how to build faith in God quickly, you must saturate your mind with Scripture. Turn off the news, social media, and secular entertainment, and immerse yourself in the Bible. It is the spiritual food that produces immediate growth.
What if I pray and still have doubts?
You are in good company. Many heroes of the Bible struggled with doubt. Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is often a part of the wrestling match of faith. Being honest with God about your doubts is a crucial step in building faith in God. Bring your questions to Him, and let His Word answer them.
Why is building faith in God so hard?
It is hard because faith is a “muscle” and it only grows against resistance. The Bible is clear that we will face trials “to test your faith” (James 1:2 – 3). This testing is not to make you fail; it is the very mechanism God uses for building faith in God. It is hard because it is real, and the result is a faith that is “more precious than gold” (1 Peter 1:7).
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