Strengthen Your Faith When You’re Struggling 2 Peter 1

Pastor Dan Walker, PhD, MDiv

Introduction: Why Faith Must Be Strengthened in Difficult Seasons

This morning our message is entitled “Strengthen Your Faith When You’re Struggling.” Let’s talk about strengthening for a minute. We’ve all seen this, especially in January.

People sign up for the gym to get back in shape. New Years resolution. They buy the membership, get the workout clothes and even post about it online. They go to the gym in January, but find it so crowded, so they take a break.

They have full access to the equipment, the classes, the trainers, everything. But weeks go by, and they don’t show up. Nothing changes.

That’s what happens to many Christians. God has given them access to everything they need to live strong, fruitful, godly lives. But they’re not using what He’s already given, so their faith stays stuck.

Their spiritual strength is not increasing, it’s decreasing. As their growth stops, their passion fades, their joy weakens. They feel ineffective, like they’re just going through the motions.

Their attendance at church becomes sporadic, as other priorities take first place. If this continues, many stop going to church all together, not realizing the devasting consequences for themselves and their families. They don’t understand that spiritual growth is not automatic.

Just as physical muscles atrophy with no exercise, so too do our spiritual muscles.

1 Timothy 4:7b–8 (ESV) Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Spiritual growth like physical training requires effort. It doesn’t happen by accident. We are to train ourselves for godliness. What is godliness, it is being like God, being more and more like Jesus.

Spiritual training has value in this life and for eternity, for ourselves and for others.

Philippians 2:12–13 (ESV) Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

God us already at work in you as a believer. But we have to work it out. We are not earning our salvation, we are exercising it.

We work out in fear and trembling because of who God is, we are to fear Him and tremble before Him. God works in believers to cause us to desire to work for Him and to give us strength to carry out His will.

James 1:22 (ESV) But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Simply hearing the truth is not enough. We grow when we obey. That’s when faith gets stronger. So, today we ask ourselves, how do we strengthen our faith when we’re struggling?

God has already given us everything we need to grow. It’s time to build on what He’s provided.

God Has Already Given Us What We Need

2 Peter 1:1–2 (ESV) Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Peter begins by stating that first of all he is a servant of Jesus Christ, like every believer. He is also an apostle, once who has seen Jesus and has been sent to tell others. He begins this letter by reminding believers of who they are.

Their faith is of equal standing to his. That’s a strong statement. It means that your faith, your salvation, your access to God are not second-class. They are built on the righteousness of Jesus, not our performance.

Grace and peace are multiplied in our lives as our knowledge of God and Jesus grows. This knowledge of Jesus isn’t just about knowing about Him. This is relational, personal knowledge.

It’s daily fellowship with Jesus. Talking and listening to His voice speaking to you. That’s where peace multiplies. That’s where grace flows more freely in everyday life.

2 Peter 1:3 (ESV) His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.

Peter makes it clear. We already have what we need, we have been given all things. God’s divine power has provided everything for life and godliness.

Not some things, not most things, but everything. We receive everything we need though the experiential knowledge of Jesus. He’s the one who has called us to become more and more like Him.

2 Peter 1:4 (ESV) by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

This verse discloses a hidden secret of God’s provision. We receive everything we need through God’s promises in the Bible. There are an estimated 7000 promises in God’s Word for us to claim.

To unleash the power of God’s promises, we must have faith in them. And as many are conditional promises, we must meet the conditions to receive the reward. These promises allow us to share in God’s very nature.

They break the grip of sin on our lives and lift us out of the world’s corruption. Our desires shift from sinful desires to the godly desire of serving Jesus.

Application: Remember What God Has Already Given You

When we’re struggling, when our faith feels weak, our first step is not trying harder. We must remember and believe what’s already ours. We have the Spirit of God within us.

We have the promises of God in our hands. The verses that we just read are wonderful promises. We have everything we need to follow Jesus and grow in our faith.

We have the presence of Jesus through His Spirit walking with us at all times. Take some time this week to reflect on what God has given you. Write out three promises from Scripture that speak to your current struggle.

The condition for every promise to be fulfilled is to simply believe it. Put those promises somewhere visible, on you phone, on a card. Read them aloud everyday and thank God for the promise being fulfilled in your life.

Then go one step further. Share one of those promises with someone else. Text it to a friend who’s discouraged.

Speak it over someone during a conversation. Share it with others in your Life Group. When we take what God has given and use it to strengthen someone else, our own faith grows.

God doesn’t just give grace for you; He gives it through you. This week let’s shift our focus. Instead of asking “what am I missing?” ask, “What have I already received.”

When you start from that place, faith comes alive. You are not waiting for God to act, you’re stepping into what He’s already done.

We Must Build on the Faith We’ve Been Given

2 Peter 1:5 (ESV) For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,

Since God has given us everything we need, let’s not just relax, let’s make very effort. Now Peter gives a list. It’s not random, it’s a pathway.

Faith is the foundation, but it’s meant to be built upon. The first building block is virtue, choosing what’s right in every aspect of our lives.

Then we are to build with knowledge. The first references to knowledge were to knowing Jesus. This word in the Greek is different and refers to wisdom, discernment, spiritual insight into God’s Word.

2 Peter 1:6 (ESV) and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,

Next we come to self-control, which helps us stay on course. Self-control helps us keep our thoughts, our emotions, our words and actions under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Steadfastness gives us endurance, the strength to keep going when it gets hard. The resolve to never give up either on ourselves or others.

Next there is godliness that we’ve already touched on. A reverence for God that shaped our very lives in becoming more like Him.

2 Peter 1:7 (ESV) and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

Now Peter turns to our relationship with those around us. We must grow in brotherly affection; this is the type of love for others in our families and in the church family.

This is not just a feeling, but action towards others. Finally, the Greek word for love, the last and pinnacle of this list is agape.

Agape love is unconditional, sacrificial and intentional. It is always doing the best for others no matter how they have treated you.

It is the love that God has for us. This is where maturity leads. The strongest faith is always marked by love.

Application: Taking Intentional Steps Toward Growth

Spiritual growth is intentional. It doesn’t happen because you attend church or listen to sermons. It happens when you choose to respond to the Word and act on it.

So start simple. Look at the list Peter gives and pick one trait, just one. Maybe it’s self-control, maybe it’s perseverance, maybe its love.

Ask God to help you grow in that this week. Then create a real plan.

If you’re growing in knowledge, set a goal to read one chapter of the Bible each day. If it’s brotherly affection, call someone you’ve been avoiding and encourage them. If its steadfastness, keep showing up where you wanted to quit.

These small steps create momentum. And momentum turns into growth. Don’t feel like you have to master everything at once.

That’s not the goal. Growth is a life-long process and God will guide and help you. Just take the next step.

And trust that as you do, the Holy Spirit is working in you. You’re not building alone, you’re building with God’s help. And your faith will get stronger because of it.

Growth Keeps Us Effective and Assured

2 Peter 1:8 (ESV) For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter then gives us a promise. When these qualities are growing, your life becomes effective. You bear fruit, you make a difference.

These qualities are meant to just have, we are to be ever increasing in them. Effectiveness and fruitfulness are part of growing in your relationship with Jesus.

This growth process continues for the rest of our lives.

2 Peter 1:9 (ESV) For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

Peter then give us a warning. If these qualities are missing, something dangerous happens. You forget who you are.

You forget that your sins were washed away. That kind of spiritual forgetfulness leads to doubt, shame and spiritual drift back into the sins of your former life.

Growing in these qualities is not optional for the Christian life. This instruction began in verse 5 with the command to make every effort to grow in becoming more and more like Jesus.

2 Peter 1:10–11 (ESV) Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Peter summarized his teaching instructing us to be all the more diligent to grow in God. This is about assurance that we indeed are believers. Growth doesn’t save you, but it confirms that you belong to Jesus.

It gives you confidence, it helps you stay standing. The promise in this verse is that if we practice these qualities, we will never fall.

Of course, implied is that if we do not practice these qualities, we will fall away. Peter ends this section with another beautiful promise.

If you live this way, your entrance into the kingdom of heaven won’t be uncertain, it will be rich, full and joyful. You can have complete assurance of your salvation as you grow more like Jesus.

Application: Growing Forward Instead of Spiraling in Doubt

Maybe today, you don’t feel confident in your faith. Maybe you’ve been wondering if you’re even saved. Or maybe you believe you are, but your walk feels dry.

If that’s you, Peter’s invitation is not to spiral into doubt, it’s to grow. He says make every effort to grow, that’s how you confirm your calling.

Take time this week to reflect on what God has done in your life. Thank Him for saving you. Remember the moment you gave your life to Him.

But don’t stay there. Move forward. Ask yourself, “Am I growing in these qualities?”

If not, ask God to help you restart. He’s not finished with you. Your best days of growth can still be ahead.

And as you grow, something else happens. You begin to walk with assurance. You stop questioning your value and start living in your calling.

You stop doubting your future and start anticipating heaven. That’s what God wants for you, not just survival, but fruitfulness and joy, even in the struggle.

Conclusion: Building on What God Has Already Provided

Remember the gym membership? Everything was there. The equipment, the access, the opportunity.

But nothing changed, because it wasn’t used. That’s exactly what God wants to prevent in your spiritual life. God has already given you everything you need.

His power, His promises, His Spirit and a great church family. You don’t need to chase something new. You need to build on what’s already yours.

Build on your faith with virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly affection and love. Each step matters, each trait brings you closer to the person God is forming in you.

So, this week, take one real step. Pray with someone who’s hurting. Reach out to a friend who’s drifting.

Serve wherever there’s a need. Choose one quality from Peter’s list and practice it on purpose.

When you do, your faith will grow. Not just in knowledge or emotion, but in real, lasting strength.

And when you stand before Jesus one day, it won’t be as someone who barely made it. It will be as someone who grew strong in the struggle.

Someone who finished full of joy and brough many others with them.

Meta Description: Learn how to strengthen your faith during struggles by building on what God has already given and growing intentionally in Christ.

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