Volume 26: How To Increase Your Faith

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR FAITH

There is only one recorded request the disciples ever made concerning faith: “Lord, increase our faith.” (Luke 17:5)

Their request reminds us of an important truth: faith is measurable and it can grow. But how?

The Bible never tells us to manufacture faith. Instead, it reveals the means by which God strengthens it.

Faith begins by hearing the Word of God. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Faith begins with divine revelation, not human reasoning. We cannot trust a God we do not know, and we know Him through His revealed Word.

Faith grows through prayer. The disciples did not ask for more miracles, greater influence, or larger ministries. They asked Jesus to increase their faith because they understood that faith is something God Himself develops within His people. (Luke 17:5)

Faith is strengthened through obedience. James teaches that faith is made perfect by works. Every act of obedience becomes another opportunity to trust God beyond what we can naturally see. (James 2:22)

Faith is refined through testing. Peter explains that the trial of our faith is more precious than gold because genuine faith is purified—not destroyed—by adversity. (1 Peter 1:6–7, James 1:2–4)

This raises a sobering question: If we sincerely ask God to increase our faith, are we also asking Him to entrust us with greater opportunities for obedience and deeper seasons of testing?

The answer is yes.

This is why I often describe biblical faith as an inconvenient faith. According to Scripture, faith grows by being exercised and is refined through trials. Just as gold is purified by fire, faith is purified through adversity. God does not increase our faith merely by giving us more information, but by leading us into circumstances that require greater dependence upon Him.

In that sense, praying for greater faith is also praying for the grace to obey more, trust more, endure more, and ultimately know Christ more deeply. This is why Paul desired to know God through both, “the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings…” (Philippians 3:10).

Faith is encouraged by remembering God’s faithfulness. Before David ever faced Goliath, he remembered how God had delivered him from the lion and the bear. Yesterday’s victories became today’s confidence. (1 Samuel 17:34–37)

Finally, faith is sustained by fixing our eyes on Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) Faith never matures by staring at our circumstances. It matures by continually looking to Christ.

Faith is not increased by wishful thinking, positive confession, or human effort.

It grows through God’s Word, prayer, obedience, testing, remembrance, and an unwavering focus on Jesus Christ.

If we desire greater faith, we must also embrace the inconvenient biblical process through which God chooses to increase it.