How to Develop Compelling Conviction

When I was about 8 or 9 years old, a ‘crazy’ dog chased me down a busy road as I approached an aunt’s house. I ran, tripped and fell. As the dog got ready to pounce, someone frantically called out and it retreated. It was a narrow escape.

It was a very traumatic experience, one that made me resolve — never own a dog.

Conviction is a deep-seated persuasion and firm belief, typically informed by our core values. No, I’m not talking about a firm belief about never owning a dog (borne out of my past experience), but about God and His call on your life.

Without conviction, it’s impossible to live the Christian life. It’s a non-negotiable necessity for living the God-intended life.

Your faith will be tested and stretched. And when it does, your conviction is what will hold (or NOT). What do you REALLY believe? — Ephesians 4:14 Click To Tweet

What core, unshakable beliefs truly inform your Christian walk, purpose and mission on earth?

How do you develop compelling conviction as you pursue hard after God and live out your purpose? Let me share four pointers, drawing inspiration from the life of Apostle Paul.

Conviction begins with a personal spiritual journey

Developing compelling Christian conviction is not an emotional experience but a spiritual one.

It starts with and thrives on a personal (and direct) relationship with Jesus, not on the basis of the collective affirmation of your denomination’s doctrinal position.

Some Christians take a firm stand with their church doctrinal position and believe they have conviction. This eventually proves problematic in due course if that’s the chief basis of your persuasion. The convictions that outlive seasons is one borne out of a personal walk with God.

Without a personal and serious walk with God, you cannot develop conviction deep enough to stand the test of time.

God is looking for the committed few with a firm and personal persuasion about who Jesus is, without regard for the contrary voices of the ‘many’.

But first, this ONLY begins when you say YES to Jesus and board His train — Romans 3:10-12, 23, 6:23, John 3:3, 16.

Know your purpose, own your calling

Anyone can have a solid conviction but for the wrong reasons. A set of distorted core values will always produce a dysfunctional life. In Christ, we have the opportunity to truly become all we were made for.

When Paul had his encounter with Christ, his first response was “Lord, what do You want me to do?” — Acts 9:6 (check NKJV).

Christian conviction does not operate in a vacuum but stands on the legs of God’s call on your life. For Paul, his purpose was clear — Acts 9:15-16, and he owned his calling unequovically — Colossians 1:28-29.

Know your purpose. Own your calling. Don’t outsource it.

Embrace the fiery furnace

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction — Isaiah 48:10.

You can only develop strong Christian conviction when you face life, not run from it. Your affirmation and confession of faith is always under spiritual scrutiny. God allows such tests to prune and prove us.

We are in a spiritual battle. Unfortunately, ‘modern’ Christianity has conveniently ‘forgotten’ this and we pride ourselves in a pseudo-faith devoid of spiritual awareness.

The host of darkness have an unflinching conviction and single-minded focus to make shipwreck the faith of many believers. Why would a Christian live casually in war time? WAKE UP! Click To Tweet

Don’t embrace ease and convenience in these perilous times — 2 Timothy 3:1. Your faith will be tested. You will face many devils. But remember, the fiery furnace will refine, not destroy, you.

Stay in the WORD

Jesus rebuffed Satan with what is written in scriptures, not some random motivational keynote. Get in the Word! Click To Tweet

Nothing inspires strong Christian conviction like the Bible. Read it. Build your life on it. Trust it. Believe it. Embrace it entirely as the inspired word of God and the foundation for the core values that will shape your Christian conviction.

Stay in the Word. The Bible stands. So stand on it.

Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash.