Along the way to writing and developing BattleStrong, God has taught me, grown me and instilled in me a desire to share with His Saints. Paul exhorted the Ephesians to "Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them" (Eph. 4:29). Believers today need to hear and re-hear those encouraging words of God. In a world that seeks to deflate, discourage and destroy anyone that is willing to stand up for their faith in Christ, he will need to be encouraged - not with words of man's wisdom but with words that are grounded and rooted in the Word of God.
The first of the BattleStrong series focuses on the most basic, yet integral and imperative role of the Christian life - Faith. The Bible describes faith as, "the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." As believers we are in a continual, daily spiritual war. We cannot always see our adversary (though we can see the attacks of his presence) but regardless we can claim victory through faith. Whether that victory be found in overcoming the "besetting sin," praying healing upon a loved one, experiencing personal triumphs, or witnessing the salvation of one that was far from God, faith is the power cord that connects our heart's desires with God's electrical system.
Today the battle cry from all of God's warriors ought to be, "because Christ lives I can do anything." That anything, whatever it may be, can only be attained through faith in Christ and the daily demonstration of that faith. A faith that fails to be put to practical use is not faith at all. In fact, the Bible tells us in Romans 14:23b that, "everything that does not come from faith is sin." For the believer to truly live a life that pleases God and fulfills the calling upon his life, he must live that life by faith. Not dependent upon ourselves. Not dependent upon our circumstances. Not dependent upon the actions of another. Completely, absolutely, and utterly dependent upon God. Faith in action in the One whom we cannot see. Regardless who you may be, you demonstrate faith every day. That faith may be found in science, that faith may be buried in self, that faith may even be centered in fear - but for the believer, the only faith he need to extend is that is the King of kings, the Lion of Judah, the Captain of the Heavenly forces - Jesus Christ.
D.L. Moody once noted, "To fear is to have more faith in your antagonist than in Christ." Today, stop fearing; dismiss the lethargic, apathetic attitude that has beseeched the Body; condemn the complacency and utilize faith in Christ as never before.
Industry Reviews
"Over the years I have been privileged to get to know Dave. He is a family man who loves God with his whole heart and wants to see his boys grow up to be men who truly chase after God's heart. Dave does not fall into the watered down manhood of America and nor does he accept it from his boys. BattleStrong will help you grow into the young adult that God wants you to be. If you believe you are where God wants you to be in your relationship with Him, then spend your time on something else; but if you are ready to be the believer God wants you to be, start reading BattleStrong today." - Mike Aldridge, Student Ministry Outreach Pastor "BattleStrong has inspired my heart. In it, Dave tends to write and inform in a style that speaks to me because it takes our common problems and activities of real life and applies Scriptural advice and knowledge to them. Simply put...BattleStrong exposes the fact that we are in a battle which should not be taken lightly. One look at Dave's personal page and life and you can see that he believes that we as Christians should be "NOT just talking...but walking testimonies!" BattleStrong speaks to the fact that we CAN and DO possess the power to be strong in battle for our faith walk on this earth. I believe you will be, as I am, excited to read more BattleStrong messages." - Lisa Murdock Padula, Teacher/Speaker/Author/Radio Host "BattleStrong offers continual reminders of God's desire to get our minds off ourselves and on His faithfulness, rather than trying to live the Christian life on our own failed pursuits. BattleStrong will continually inspire you to "look to Jesus" for a fresh perspective of God's will in real life situations. You will be challenged by heroes of the faith, past and present, who overcame difficulties, failure, grief, etc. You will read of those who redirected their energies and faith to trust in God's sovereignty rather than living with their own hopelessness. This Devotional will challenge anyone seeking to more effectively live the Christian life that pleases God." - Earl Thompson, Pastor "I have known Dave for several years now, and during that time, I have learned two things about him. First, he is a devoted husband to his wife and a loving father to his children. Second, he is devout in his faith. I believe that he is a man who loves the Lord with all of his heart, soul, and mind and loves his fellow man as our Lord has commanded. This is not only evident in his relationships with others, but also through his writings. The Lord has gifted him in that he is able to transmit deep spiritual and life-changing truths through the means of the proverbial pen. His writings have proven to be a source of blessing to me, and I believe that they will be to you as well, as we both seek daily to stay BattleStrong!" - H. Dwayne Spearman, Ph.D. www.dwaynespearman.org Founder and President, Directional Ministries
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