In a world filled with challenges, temptations, and opposition to biblical values, staying strong in your faith can feel like a battle. Whether facing personal trials, societal pressure, or spiritual doubts, remaining a committed Christian requires perseverance, wisdom, and unwavering trust in God. This blog explores practical ways to strengthen your faith, stand firm in your beliefs, and grow closer to Christ—no matter the challenges you face.
There is an old hymn that says:
In times like these you need a Savior,
In times like these you need an anchor.
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the One,
This Rock is Jesus, the only One;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
In times like these you need the Bible,
In times like these, O be not idle;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the One,
This Rock is Jesus, the only One;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
In times like these I have a Savior,
In times like these I have an anchor;
I’m very sure, I’m very sure
My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the One,
This Rock is Jesus, the only One;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
I am providing two chances to listen to this hymn, Mahalia Jackson
The second is a choir
The Pressures
There is so much happening around us everyday. Wars and rumors of war. Strange viruses and diseases. Violent attacks on the innocent, reckless accidents. The daily news is depressing. The world is changing rapidly before our eyes.
Christians are being challenged and pressured to accept and adopt the ideology of a very vocal few. These are a well connected and aggressive minority in our society. They see Christianity as an afront to them and the teachings of the Bible as “hate literature”.
Schools, universities, and workplaces have become battle grounds, and the church stands divided in its stance. Many pastors crumble under the assault, either because they actively participate in the debauchery, they fear their congregants, or they worry about media scrutiny.
How do you maintain your faith in these days? How do you remain a committed Christian standing in the face of the storm?
Here are 7 Strategies to Remain a Committed Christian in These Days.
1. You Must be Convinced of the Truth on Which you Stand, and you Must be Prepared to Defend That Truth.
1 Peter 3:15-16 tells us to always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. Unfortunately, many people claim to be Christian but they cannot defend their faith. They do not know scripture and they can be derailed by any wind of doctrine.
To stand against the deceptive arguments of the devil, we must know what the Word of God says. In these days men think that their way of thinking makes more sense that God’s way and the Bible is archaic and irrelevant in today’s society. There is no such thing as Truth, it is relative and what is right depends on the situation.
This argument asserts that everything is “socially constructed,” so one cannot rely on the dogma of the Bible. The truth is that unless you prepare to stand firmly on the Bible as the Word of God, and therefore on its infallibility, you will falter when you face these arguments.
Make it your business to find out why the Bible can be taken as authoritative and reliable. There are many books on the market and there are many free videos that can help you to educate yourself on the subject.
2. Anticipate the Challenges
As a follow-up to strategy number one, you must anticipate the challenges and the difficult questions that you could be asked and you must get the answer to those questions for your own edification. You must be prepared.
When I first came to Christ, I had my own questions about Christianity. I set about getting answers that I found to be acceptable. We live in a multicultural , pluralistic society. Everyone has their own belief system. However, the Bible tells us to make disciples of every nation. Jesus gave us this is the commission before he left. Therefore, we must look for the opportunities that the Lord brings to us to be a witness.
If you are going to be an effective witness, you must first be prayerful in this regard but you must also know what the religious beliefs of these nations are. Then you must know how you will counter their arguments as you present Christ.
One very strategic weapon that you can use as you interact with people of other faiths is to ask thought-provoking questions and let them wrestle with the answer. You are not trying to anger people, only to have them think about what they really believe. As you anticipate the questions, make sure that you have a Bible in which you can write notes and reminders.
3. Listen to the Christian Apologists
There are many great Christian apologists online. Not all of us are called to be the next Apostle Paul engaging in Christian apologetics. Nor even the next Nabeel Asif Qureshi, Cliffe Knechtle, Frank Turek, or Ray Comfort. But you can listen to the arguments of these men so that you can learn how to stand in defence of the faith and also that you can be strengthened in your own faith.
By listening to Christian apologists and other great teachers, you can also learn how to share your faith. Sharing your faith can be very intimidating. Not everyone has dramatic life stories, but we can learn how to weave Christ into our day-to-day interaction with people so that they see how Christ makes a difference in our lives and the seeds can be sewn in their hearts. We can then invite them to church or to a Bible study or even to our homes, where we can tell them more about Christ.
4. Be Prepared to Stand Alone
Philip P. Bliss penned the refrain:
Dare to be a Daniel!
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known!
We must be prepared to stand alone, as Christian believers . We may not always be at church to have an assembly of believers behind us. Sometime we may have to make a clear declaration in the workplace or at school where there is no one else who shares our faith.
Our faith must never be a secret. The Bible tells us that if we are ashamed to own Christ before others, He’ll be ashamed to own us before His father.
Standing for what you believe may also be costly. Are you willing and ready to pay that cost? Consider that for many Christians it has cost their lives. Some have lost their entire family, friends, status, job or career. As an aside, I think it is important for Christians to have multiple streams of income, so that they are never at anyone’s mercy.
Choosing Christ can be costly indeed.
But the Bible is very clear. Luke 14:25-26 tells us, “Now large crowds were going along with Jesus; and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not [a]hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God]—he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow after Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me] cannot be My disciple. (Amplified).
In the face of global peer pressure, you must pray for grace to stand alone, if necessary, because this is not an easy path to take. You must find the courage to say “no” and walk away from whoever tries to pressure you to do things that you know is not right. It’s not easy when you are being ridiculed. It can be humiliating when you feel that you are different and boring. It takes a special strength that comes from the Holy Spirit.
5. Get Involved in Your Church
In order to stand in these days, you should have a church community to which you belong. Church is where you go to be refreshed, to be encouraged, and to belong. A community of believers reminds you that you are not alone.
The Christian journey can be lonely at times but when you get together with fellow believers, you are encouraged in your faith. These are people on whom you can call. They can surround you with prayer and help to strengthen you in difficult times.
Church is also where you can figure out where best you can serve. You can discover your gifts and talents and where God wants to use you.
Scripture says, do not neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Heb. 10:25).
God never intends for us to be alone on our journey. This is when you are most vulnerable. Satan likes when a Christian decides to wander away from the flock. He’ll always encourage us to do that. Like sheep, we can become easy prey. There is strength in numbers.
Be careful if you become upset, disenchanted or have taken offence and start staying away from other believers. Satan is always looking for any opportunity to ravish and destroy you. He is a ravenous lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).
6. To Remain a Committed Christian You Must Cultivate a Robust Prayer Life
A prayerless Christian in a powerless Christian. Jesus often rose up early in the morning and go off to seek His father’s face. Scriptures also tells us, men ought always to pray and not to faint (Luke 18:1).
It is unfortunate that many Christians do not pray. Although they claim to be Christians, they have no relationship with Christ. Christianity is relational. Otherwise, all we have is a religion – that is a set of do’s and don’ts rules that have no power or life in them.
Consistent prayer connects us with the Holy Spirit. It is from a relationship with Him that we get everything that we need to live a Christian life. . . power, authority, direction, protection, revelation . . everything.
A Christian who does not know how to “pray without ceasing” is a Christian who has a form of godliness but denies its power (2 Tim.3:5). It is Holy Spirit who was sent to help us live triumphantly in this world. In order to stand in this world, in order to be a committed Christian, we must have an intimate relationship with Him.
7. Pursue God, not Men
St. Paul admonished the believers in Corinth to, follow me as I follow Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). For us to stand in these days, we must be doggedly following Christ, not men. Mighty men around us are falling. Many people have fallen away from the faith, because their focus was on a “man of God”, a “prophet” a “bishop” or some other title. Many have never met Christ. Their faith was in a man and when that man fell, so did they.
We must follow our leaders only for as long as they are following Christ. This is why it is important to know the Word of God and not to exalt or revere any man above Christ.
We have a command to bear up our leaders in prayer and to, Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Heb. 13:17). Be careful, however, of unscrupulous, charlatans who abuse their authority and ask you to engage in acts which the Bible clearly does not condone. We must all give an account to God for the deeds done in the body. (2 Corinthians 5:10).
We are living in very difficult days. Many are falling away from the faith. The Bible tells us that that would happen. There is danger within and without the church. Again, we are told that if it was possible, even the elect would be deceived. We must therefore be vigilant and persistent in prayer.
Conclusion
Remaining a committed Christian in the face of challenges isn’t always easy, but with prayer, Scripture, and a strong relationship with God, it is possible. Remember, trials are opportunities to grow stronger in Christ, and you are never alone in the battle. Keep trusting, keep seeking, and keep standing firm—because a faith tested by fire is a faith that endures.