Relentless Faith Wins in the End

Have you ever felt like you were running full speed into the new year... only to get tackled by life halfway through January?

You start strong—Bible plans, new goals, high energy—and then bam, distractions, doubts, or discouragement hit. Suddenly, your “new you” is watching Netflix and ghosting your goals. We’ve all been there. So how do we stay fired up for Jesus when the flame wants to fizzle out?

Let me tell you a story.

Back in the day, I wrestled in high school. And let me just say, showing up “kind of ready” to a match was a guaranteed way to get pinned in under two minutes. I learned fast: if you wanted to win, you needed to come out relentless. You had to look like a dog ready to fight for every inch.

That’s the kind of faith Jesus is cheering for.

Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12). That might sound intense—but Jesus is talking about people who go after His Kingdom like it matters more than anything else. That’s the message: Relentless people take ground for the Kingdom.

Here’s a one-liner worth tattooing on your prayer journal:
“The highly powered relentlessly gather to seek the Lord.”

So why does God honor relentlessness?

Because it reflects His heart. Jesus didn’t give up when things got hard. He was relentless in love, in sacrifice, and in His pursuit of you. And now, He puts His Holy Spirit in us to fuel that same fire. John the Baptist didn’t have that kind of inner power, but we do—and that means we’ve got no excuse to stay spiritually sleepy.

So, what does this look like practically?

3 Simple Ways to Be Relentless for Jesus This Year:

1. Show up at church weekly—even when you don’t feel like it.
   Not because it checks a religious box, but because it strengthens you like going to the gym strengthens your body.

2. Get in your Bible—personally.
   Not just podcasts. Not just Insta-verse scrolling. Let Jesus speak directly to you through His word. Be like the Bereans—eager to study (Acts 17:11).

3. Get around people different from you.
   Real fellowship with other believers (even the awkward ones) is how God grows us. We need their perspective. And their spiritual warmth helps keep us burning bright.

The beauty of Jesus? He doesn’t shame us for when we haven’t been relentless. Instead, He offers His hand and says, “Let’s start again—this time together.”

Prayer:

Jesus, thank You for never giving up on me. I want to push past my past, power up through Your Spirit, and pursue You relentlessly this year. Help me take ground for Your Kingdom, not just on the outside, but deep inside. Amen.

What about you?
What would it look like to be relentless in your pursuit of Jesus this year?