Have you ever caught yourself saying, "I love Jesus, but I’m just not ready to fully commit"? If so, you’re not alone.

In this article, we’ll walk through five crucial pillars to help you move beyond lukewarm faith and deepen your relationship with God.

What Does It Mean to Be a Lukewarm Christian?

There are usually two main camps of people who fall into the lukewarm trap:

Those who do all the motions but lack intimacy with Jesus
Those who say they love the Lord but take no next steps to actually become like Him

Most of us have been one of those at some point.

In Revelation 3:15–18, Jesus speaks to the church in Laodicea:

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”

This is a sobering warning, but it’s also filled with love. Jesus isn’t trying to shame us—He’s inviting us into something deeper.

When we compartmentalize our faith or keep God at arm’s length, we miss out on His fullness. But when we surrender and invite Him into every part of our lives, everything changes.

So, how do we move from lukewarm to fully devoted?

Here are the five pillars you need to build a faith that’s bold, deep, and alive.

1. Surrender to Jesus

The first step is surrender. That means giving every part of your life to Him—even the ones that are hard to let go of.

Count the Cost

In Luke 14:27, Jesus says, "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple."

To follow Jesus means laying everything down. That might sound overwhelming, but Jesus meets us where we are and helps us walk it out one step at a time.

I remember trying to say, "Jesus, I surrender it all," but the fear crept in. I thought of all the habits, hobbies, and comforts I’d have to let go of.

But surrender doesn’t mean instant perfection—it means being willing to let Him change you.

Read Matthew 19:16–22 to see how Jesus lovingly challenged the rich young ruler. He knew the man’s heart and what he was holding onto.

Jesus knows what’s in your heart, too—and He’ll walk you through the letting go.

If you’re a busy mom who feels stuck in lukewarm faith, you might find encouragement in my blog post, Seek God as a Busy Mom With These 7 Principles.

2. Seek Jesus

We can’t grow in our faith without seeking Jesus intentionally and continually.

“If you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” – Proverbs 2:4–5

Jesus is the treasure. And He is worth pursuing with everything you have.

Read the Scriptures

We must read our Bibles!

The Bible is life-giving as it is alive, active, and God-breathed.

What if someone you loved dearly passed away, and they left a trunk full of letters just for you?

Would you throw them away or simply ignore them?

No! You would probably cry and begin to pour over them carefully.

Their words would be precious to you.

This isn’t the greatest analogy, as God is alive, but the Creator of heaven and earth speaks to you through the Bible.

Will you hear Him out?

Pray

Prayer is powerful, and it is imperative in our walk with Christ.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1Thessalonians 5:16-18

Prayer is God’s will for us, and prayer is how we develop our heart posture toward “thy will be done.”

Reading the Bible is our intake of the daily bread we receive from the Lord.

When we pray, it is our outpouring of thanksgiving, worship, and intercession for others.

We also pray for the things we hope for in our lives, asking God, through whom all things are possible, to intervene on our behalf.

We can even pray for the Lord to increase our faith!

I love the story in Mark chapter nine, where a father asks Jesus to cast out an unclean spirit from his son.

The boy’s father tells him that his disciples weren’t able to do it, and then says, “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

Jesus responds, “If you can?! All things are possible for one who believes.”

Immediately, the child’s father cried, “I believe; help my unbelief.”

I have prayed that God would increase my faith and help my unbelief countless times.

I know that prayer is what sustains me and keeps me.

Prayer isn’t about spitting out requests to God.

It’s also about being still and listening.

Leave room to hear from God.

Fast

Fasting is a sacred time of one-on-one communion with God, where you sacrifice food and intentionally seek the Lord.

You signal to Him that this time with Him is important to you, eliminating all distractions and relying on Him instead of food.

Man cannot live on bread alone.

The discipline your body endures during a fast, relying solely on Jesus through prayer and the Word of God, is beautiful and powerful.

Fasting is to be done in secret. It is between you and God.

Do not complain during this time. LEAN INTO GOD.

Fasting aims to cultivate an intimate and personal relationship with Jesus, be sensitive to the Spirit, and pray for a breakthrough in a specific area.

3. Walk Through Sanctification

Sanctification is the process of becoming more like Jesus. It’s not about perfection—it’s about progress, guided by the Holy Spirit.

“Put off your old self... be made new in the attitude of your minds; and put on the new self, created to be like God.” – Ephesians 4:22–24

Renew Your Mind

Transformation starts with the mind. Be mindful of what you consume, where you go, and who you surround yourself with. Romans 12:2 reminds us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Pursue Godly Community

Find a Bible-based church, a small group, or a Christian friend you can be honest with. You need people who will pray with you, sharpen you, and help you grow.

Practice Confession

Bring your sins into the light. Confess to God and to trusted friends. James 5:16 says, "Confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed."

Healing and growth often come through vulnerability.

4. Serve Like Jesus

When we serve as Christians, we see where there is a need and meet it without expecting anything in return.

Whether it’s helping someone when no one is looking or serving in ministry.

We can learn directly from Jesus, who showed us how to serve well.

Matthew 20:28 says, “Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

5. Share the Gospel

This is where many of us hesitate. We fear being judged or feel unqualified.

But Jesus commands all of us to share His message—not just pastors or influencers.

“Go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” – Matthew 28:19–20

We don’t need to be perfect or have it all together. God uses willing hearts. Like Moses, who doubted his own ability, we can trust that God will give us the words.

Your story matters. Your voice matters.

We can do kind things, but if we never share the gospel, we’re just philanthropists. People need to hear the truth in love.

Let it overflow from your time spent with Jesus.

Final Thoughts

These five pillars—surrender, seek, sanctify, serve, and share—are not checkboxes. They’re ongoing postures of the heart.

If you’ve felt stuck, discouraged, or disconnected in your faith, you’re not alone. But you don’t have to stay lukewarm.

Jesus is inviting you into deeper waters.

“Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” – Matthew 7:24

Let’s build on the Rock. Let’s stop settling for lukewarm. Let’s be all in.

He is worth it.

5 Pillars to Stop Being a Lukewarm Christian

Have you ever caught yourself saying, "I love Jesus, but I’m just not ready to fully commit"? If so, you’re not alone.

What Does It Mean to Be a Lukewarm Christian?