We all live by faith every day. We sit on a chair trusting it will hold us, and we cross a bridge trusting it will bear our weight. The question isn’t whether we have faith. It’s what, and whom, our faith rests on.
Here are Bible verses about faith in God: what it is, where it comes from, how it holds when feelings and fears rise, and how it grows.
What Is Faith?
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1 NIV
Faith isn’t wishful thinking. It’s confidence: a settled trust in God and in what He has promised, even when we can’t yet see it. Hebrews 11 goes on to tell the stories of people who lived that way, from Abraham to Moses.
“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6 NLT
Faith Begins as God’s Gift
Faith isn’t something we manufacture to earn God’s favour. Our relationship with Him begins with His grace:
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”
Ephesians 2:8 NLT
We receive salvation by faith, and even that faith rests on what God has already done in Christ.
Faith Comes Through God’s Word
“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”
Romans 10:17 NLT
The more we hear and read what God has said, the more our faith has to stand on. In my book, Renewing Your Mind: Living Life Intentionally, I share one simple help:
“For me, the YouVersion Bible app on my phone has been a great resource, helping me to create and keep the habit of reading, studying, and meditating on the scriptures daily. It not only helps to increase my faith, but in doing so, it also increases my peace and joy as it aids me in keeping my focus on what is best.”
(For a simple way to start, see How to Read the Bible (opens in a new tab).)
Living by Faith, Not by Sight
“For we live by faith, not by sight.”
2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV
Paul wrote these words while thinking about the life to come, when we’ll be at home with the Lord. Until then, we live trusting what God has said more than what we can see right now. He says something similar a few verses earlier: we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen, because those are the things that last (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Faith Over Feelings
Feelings are real, and sometimes they seem more real than God. Scripture gives us something firmer to stand on:
“Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.”
1 John 3:20 NLT
John wrote these words to reassure believers whose hearts condemned them: God’s knowledge of us is greater than our self-accusation. As I put it in the book, “You are more than just your feelings.” Faith chooses to rest on God’s truth, even when our feelings say otherwise.
Trusting God When You’re Afraid
On the stormy sea, with His terrified disciples, Jesus asked:
“Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!”
Matthew 8:26 NLT
Then He calmed the storm. The disciples were genuinely afraid, and Jesus called them to trust Him. Faith can live alongside fear: it means turning to Christ and trusting Him, even while we’re afraid.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?”
Psalm 27:1 NLT
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10 NLT
Faith When You’re Struggling to Believe
Sometimes faith feels small. A desperate father once brought his son to Jesus and said what many of us have felt:
“The father instantly cried out, ‘I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!’”
Mark 9:24 NLT
Jesus didn’t turn him away. He healed his son. Honest, struggling faith brought to Jesus is still faith.
How Faith Grows
In the book I describe it this way:
“Faith, like a muscle, can only grow stronger when it is exercised. The more you exercise faith, the more faith grows.”
Faith grows as we:
- Stay in God’s Word. Faith comes from hearing it.
- Pray. Bring Him your needs, and watch for His answers.
- Remember His faithfulness. Keep a record of what God has done, and read it back on hard days.
- Step out in obedience. Do what He shows you, even before you see how it will turn out.
- Walk with other believers. Their stories of God’s faithfulness strengthen ours.
For more verses on growing in faith, see Bible Verses About Spiritual Growth (opens in a new tab). Faith and hope go hand in hand; see also Bible Verses About Hope (opens in a new tab).
Keep a Verse of Faith Close
Choose one verse from this page and keep it with you this week. Hebrews 11:1, Hebrews 11:6, Romans 10:17, Ephesians 2:8–9, 2 Corinthians 5:7, 1 John 3:20, Psalm 27:1 and Isaiah 41:10 are all on our Scripture Cards (opens in a new tab), made to carry in your pocket.
Go Deeper
These verses come from the faith chapter of my book, Renewing Your Mind: Living Life Intentionally, which looks at surrendering to faith, choosing faith over feelings and fear, and how exercising faith grows faith.
Let Faith Renew Your Mind
Faith grows as God’s Word reshapes what we trust and where we look. At Renewing Your Mind Discipleship Ministry, we teach a simple way to engage God’s Word so it changes how you live, in four parts. We call it The Process.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
