Phil Strong

All about living a life of purpose on purpose

Category: hold fast

  • When Hope Feels Out of Reach

    When Hope Feels Out of Reach

    Finding God in Your Darkest Moments

    When God Feels Silent, He’s Actually Closest

    Have you ever felt like God packed His bags and left? Like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling? You’re not alone—and you’re not abandoned.

    When life falls apart, our first instinct is to interpret silence as absence. But Psalm 34:18 flips that script entirely: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Notice it doesn’t say He might come close or He’s thinking about showing up. It says He is close—present tense, guaranteed proximity.

    Why Hardship Feels Like Abandonment

    Our emotions aren’t always reliable theologians. When we’re drowning in grief, loss, or disappointment, it’s natural to feel isolated. But here’s the truth bomb: God’s nearness isn’t dependent on your ability to feel it.

    Think about it like standing in a dark room. The walls didn’t disappear just because you can’t see them. Similarly, God’s presence doesn’t evaporate during your darkest seasons—your spiritual eyes just need time to adjust.

    The Hindsight Gift

    Looking back on painful seasons, how many times have you seen God’s fingerprints all over moments that felt God-forsaken at the time? That’s the ministry of hindsight—it reveals that helplessness was actually an invitation to deeper intimacy.

    When you’re too weak to carry yourself, that’s when you discover God’s been carrying you all along.

    Practical Steps Forward

    1. Stop interpreting emotions as evidence. Feelings are real, but they’re not always reliable narrators of truth.
    2. Anchor to Scripture, not circumstances. Psalm 34:18 is a promise, regardless of what your day looks like.
    3. Talk to God honestly. He can handle your anger, confusion, and questions.
    4. Find community. Isolation intensifies hopelessness; connection brings perspective.

    Listen to Episode 1 of Helpless Not Hopeless to dive deeper into recognising God’s nearness when hope feels impossible to grasp.

    https://philstrong.buzzsprout.com

  • The Caleb Spirit: 45 Years of Unwavering Faith

    Holding Onto God’s Promises in Uncertain Times

    Life has a way of testing our faith, doesn’t it? One day we’re walking confidently, and the next we’re facing giants that seem insurmountable. In those moments, we need something solid to anchor to—something that doesn’t shift when storms hit or fade when circumstances get dark.

    That something is the promises of God.

    The Caleb Spirit: 45 Years of Unwavering Faith

    In my new book Stay Strong, I share the incredible story of Caleb—a man who understood what it meant to live by God’s promises. At 40 years old, he was one of twelve spies sent to scout the Promised Land. While ten spies returned terrified by giants and fortified cities, Caleb boldly declared, “We can certainly do it.”

    But here’s where Caleb’s story becomes extraordinary. Due to Israel’s unbelief, he had to wait 45 years to see that promise fulfilled. Forty-five years! Yet at 85, this remarkable man stood before Joshua with fire still burning in his eyes, declaring, “Give me this hill country that the Lord promised me!”

    What kept Caleb strong through nearly five decades of waiting? He never let go of God’s word. He didn’t just passively hope—he actively agreed with heaven’s perspective on his situation.

    Your Promise Treasure Hunt

    Scripture is loaded with promises waiting for you to discover them. Whether you need encouragement about God’s provision, strength for relationships, or clarity about your calling, there are specific promises designed to anchor your soul.

    I challenge you to go on your own “Promise Treasure Hunt.” Search for verses that speak to your current struggles. Use your Bible app, ask God to reveal His heart through Scripture, and approach it with expectation. When you find those promises, write them down. Make them visible reminders of what God has declared over your life.

    Remember, promises aren’t just meant to comfort you in the waiting—they’re meant to strengthen you for the fight. Like Caleb, you can face giants and claim mountains because you know what God has said.

    When circumstances look impossible and doubt creeps in, that’s when you pull out those promises and declare with confidence: “This is what God has said, and I believe Him.”

    GRAB PHIL’S LATEST BOOK:

    Ready to discover how biblical heroes found unshakeable strength in surrender? Order Stay Strong now and learn the timeless secrets of spiritual resilience that can transform your overwhelming circumstances into testimonies of God’s faithfulness.

    You can purchase a PDF version of the book here: https://philstrong.com/shop

  • How to Find Strength in God When Life Feels Overwhelming

    Have you ever felt like David—coming home to find everything you held dear has been ripped away? Or like King Jehoshaphat, staring down impossible odds with nowhere to turn?

    “David strengthened himself in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6).

    That single verse holds the key to something profound—something that transformed two biblical heroes from defeat into victory, and something that can revolutionize how you face your own overwhelming circumstances.

    When Everything Falls Apart

    David’s story isn’t just about a moment of crisis. It’s about what happens when you lose everything—your family, your security, even the support of those closest to you. His own men, desperate in their grief, actually talked about killing him. If anyone had a right to give up, it was David.

    But he didn’t. Instead, he did something that reveals a secret most of us miss when we’re drowning in our circumstances.

    King Jehoshaphat faced a similar moment. Three massive armies were marching toward his small kingdom—a coalition so large it could crush Judah effortlessly. The Bible says he was afraid (thank goodness it records that!), but his response reveals the same profound principle that saved David.

    The Secret They Both Knew

    What did these two men understand that most of us struggle to grasp when life hits hard? How did they find strength when everything seemed lost?

    In Stay Strong, I unpack the two simple but powerful truths that carried both David and Jehoshaphat through their darkest valleys—the same truths that have sustained me through my own seasons of overwhelming circumstances.

    These aren’t complicated formulas or fancy programs. They’re timeless principles that work whether you’re facing relationship struggles, financial pressure, health challenges, or dreams that seem to keep slipping away.

    Your Turn to Discover

    The beautiful thing about David and Jehoshaphat’s stories is that they didn’t end in despair. David’s situation was completely restored—and then some. Jehoshaphat’s impossible battle became a testimony of God’s faithfulness that echoed through generations.

    What impossible situation are you facing today? What has you feeling alarmed, uncertain, or overwhelmed?

    The same God who was with David in his darkest hour, the same God who fought for Jehoshaphat against impossible odds, is with you in yours. And the way they accessed His strength is available to you too.

    GRAB PHIL’S LATEST BOOK:

    Ready to discover how biblical heroes found unshakeable strength in surrender? Order Stay Strong now and learn the timeless secrets of spiritual resilience that can transform your overwhelming circumstances into testimonies of God’s faithfulness.

    You can purchase a PDF version of the book here: https://philstrong.com/shop

  • Restored and Redeemed

    A NEW BOOK FOR YOU!

    Why God Isn’t Finished with You Yet

    If there’s one message that echoes across the entire Hold Fast journey, it’s this:

    God is not done with you.

    You might have limped through life. You might have failed publicly or quietly walked away from something you once burned for. But grace? Grace doesn’t write people off—it writes them back in.

    “He restores my soul.”
    —Psalm 23:3

    In Chapter 8, we look at the beauty and power of being restored and redeemed—not as a concept, but as a lived reality. We zoom in on the story of John Mark, a young leader who blew it early on… but got called back in.

    Paul once rejected him. Later, he begged for him.

    That’s redemption.

    In this final chapter post, you’ll discover:

    • What true restoration looks like (hint: it’s more than forgiveness)
    • Why your failure doesn’t cancel your future
    • How to partner with God in the process of being made new
    • Why your limp can become your ministry

    There’s a story I share in this chapter that’s painfully close to home—a moment I thought I’d disqualified myself. But what I thought was the end? God used it as a new beginning.

    Restoration isn’t soft. It’s powerful. It’s the moment God breathes back purpose into a weary, wounded soul.

    And if that’s you?

    You’ll want to download the “Redemption Reboot” worksheet—a tool to help you reflect, reset, and realign with the God who still wants to use your story.

    Friend, the limp is not the prize.
    The prize is the friendship of God you’ve forged through every chapter.

    He restores. He redeems.
    And He’s not finished yet.

    APPLICATION DOWNLOAD:

    HF-Application8Download

    Grab your copy here from Amazon-… simply click the image cover below.

  • Staying the Course

    A NEW BOOK FOR YOU!

    How to Keep Going When You Feel Like Giving Up

    Some days, just turning up feels like a win.

    If you’ve ever found yourself spiritually exhausted—wondering if the prayers are working, if your obedience matters, or if anyone even notices—you’re not alone.

    Chapter 7 of Hold Fast gets real about one of the hardest, holiest disciplines: staying the course.

    Because while the world loves a big start, God honours a faithful finish.

    “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
    —Galatians 6:9

    That’s the promise. But the waiting is where most people fall off the trail.

    This chapter explores:

    • What it really means to follow Jesus for the long haul
    • Why Elisha refused to stop short—even when invited to
    • The subtle danger of “slow fade” spirituality
    • How to build resilience through spiritual rhythms, not hype

    You’ll also hear a personal story from a moment I wanted to walk away—but didn’t. And how that moment didn’t bring resolution… but it did strengthen my roots.

    Faithfulness is rarely flashy. It’s quiet. Hidden. Sometimes unseen by others. But God sees.

    He sees your persistence.
    He sees your secret obedience.
    He sees your quiet yes when you feel unseen and unqualified.

    To help you build endurance, download this week’s tool: the “Stay the Course Inventory.” It helps you check in on your rhythms, your rest, and your reasons for staying faithful—even when the fire’s faded.

    Let this be your reminder:

    You don’t need perfect faith.
    You just need to keep showing up.

    Because the harvest is coming.
    And you’re closer than you think.

    APPLICATION DOWNLOAD:

    HF-Application7Download

    Next and final post: Blog 8 – Restored and Redeemed
    Because the story doesn’t end with pain—it ends with purpose.

    Grab your copy here from Amazon-… simply click the image cover below.

  • Wrestling with God

    A NEW BOOK FOR YOU!

    When Wrestling with God Is the Most Faithful Thing You Can Do

    Have you ever wrestled with God?

    Not walked away from Him, but wrestled with Him—face-to-the-floor, questions flying, soul aching kind of wrestle?

    Then you’re not weak. You’re in good biblical company.

    In Hold Fast Chapter 6, we explore the profound truth that wrestling with God isn’t rebellion—it’s relationship. It means you’re still in the ring. Still holding on. Still believing there’s something worth contending for.

    “So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.”
    —Genesis 32:24

    Jacob didn’t walk away unchanged. He walked away limping and blessed. Marked. Transformed.

    This chapter—and this blog—dives into what happens when we stop pretending and start bringing God our real selves: the grief, the anger, the confusion, the “I thought You said” prayers.

    Here’s what you’ll learn in this post:

    • Why wrestling doesn’t mean you’ve failed—it means you’re hungry for breakthrough
    • The difference between resisting God and refusing to let go of Him
    • How Jesus Himself wrestled in Gethsemane, proving it’s holy ground, not heresy
    • What it means to be marked by struggle and still move forward in faith

    I’ll also introduce you to a personal story where I found myself in a nighttime wrestle—no halo, no clarity, just raw honesty. And I came out of it with deeper intimacy than I ever expected.

    This week’s download? A simple but powerful journal tool called the “Wrestle Sheet”—designed to help you articulate the struggle, bring it before God, and listen for what He might be shaping in you through it.

    You don’t need to win the fight.
    You just need to stay in it.

    Because some of the deepest blessings come not from the absence of struggle—but from the presence of God in the middle of it.

    APPLICATION DOWNLOAD:

    HF-application6Download

    Next: Blog 7 – Staying the Course
    Because once you’ve wrestled, you’ve still got to keep walking.

    Grab your copy here from Amazon-… simply click the image cover below.

  • Growing in God’s Grace

    A NEW BOOK FOR YOU!

    You’re Not Behind—You’re Growing in Grace

    Ever catch yourself thinking, “I should be further along by now”?

    You’ve walked with Jesus for years… and yet old struggles pop up, doubts creep in, and you wonder if you’ve failed some invisible spiritual exam.

    In Hold Fast Chapter 5, we take a deep breath and revisit the life-giving truth that spiritual growth isn’t a straight line—it’s a grace-fuelled journey.

    “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
    —2 Peter 3:18

    Grace doesn’t just save you—it sustains you. It’s not the welcome mat to Christianity; it’s the foundation you stand on every single day.

    In this chapter, we unpack:

    • Why grace is the environment for growth, not perfection
    • How John Mark’s story of failure turned into fruit
    • What to do when you’re tired of stumbling over the same things
    • How to shift from striving to receiving

    Spiritual maturity isn’t measured in theological vocabulary or streaks of good behaviour. It looks like quicker repentance, deeper gratitude, more compassion, and less ego.

    You’ll also get access to a practical reflection tool—the “Grace Growth Grid”—to help you track where God’s already at work in you, even when you can’t see it.

    This chapter reminded me of a moment in my own journey when I thought I’d disqualified myself. But God didn’t lecture—He leaned in. That’s what grace does.

    So let this blog be your permission slip to stop performing and start growing.

    You’re not behind.
    You’re not broken.
    You’re being transformed.

    Let grace do its work.

    APPLICATION DOWNLOAD:

    HF-Application5Download

    Up next: Blog 6 – Wrestling With God
    Because holding fast sometimes looks like not letting go—even when it hurts.

    Grab your copy here from Amazon-… simply click the image cover below.

  • Believing God’s Promises

    A NEW BOOK FOR YOU!

    What to Do When God’s Promise Feels Delayed

    If you’ve ever felt like God gave you a promise—and then went quiet—you’re not alone.

    Welcome to the waiting room of faith.

    In Hold Fast Chapter 4, we walk through what it really looks like to believe God’s promises, not when it’s easy—but when it’s excruciating.

    Because the reality is this: faith doesn’t always look like confidence. Sometimes, it looks like tears, stubborn hope, and saying, “I still believe” even when the miracle hasn’t come.

    “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.”
    —Hebrews 10:23

    The key? Focus less on the promise and more on the One who made it.

    In this chapter, you’ll explore:

    • Why God’s delays are never denials
    • The difference between faith and fantasy
    • How Abraham, Joseph, and John Mark all had to live in the gap
    • Three practical ways to keep your faith alive when the wait stretches on

    One of the most powerful ideas in this chapter is that waiting is where trust is forged. God isn’t testing you to torment you—He’s training your heart to lean on His unchanging character, not shifting circumstances.

    There’s also a moment in this chapter where I share a story from my own life—where everything looked stuck, but behind the scenes, God was preparing breakthrough. That story might sound a lot like yours.

    At the end of the blog, grab the free worksheet “Promise Under Pressure” to reflect on what you’re holding onto—and how to keep hope alive in the waiting.

    Don’t quit the promise.
    Don’t bury the dream.
    You’re closer than you think.

    APPLICATION DOWNLOAD:

    HF-Application4Download

    Coming next: Blog 5 – Growing in Grace
    Because grace isn’t just how we start the journey—it’s how we keep going.

    Grab your copy here from Amazon-… simply click the image cover below.

  • Why Obedience Isn’t Restriction—It’s Freedom


    A NEW BOOK FOR YOU!

    Let’s be honest. The word obedience doesn’t exactly light up the room.

    It can sound rigid. Religious. Heavy.

    But what if we’ve misunderstood it?

    In Hold Fast Chapter 3, we unpack what it really means to obey God—not as slaves to rules, but as friends of God who trust His way is best.

    “If you love me, keep my commandments.”
    —John 14:15

    Here’s the truth: obedience isn’t about control—it’s about relationship. When Jesus spoke those words, He wasn’t demanding performance. He was inviting intimacy. Love leads to obedience, not the other way around.

    This chapter explores:

    • Why obedience is the natural outflow of trust
    • How Elisha’s refusal to quit revealed a heart aligned with God
    • The difference between rebellion and wrestling (yes, there’s a difference!)
    • Four common obstacles to obedience—and how to overcome them

    Sometimes, obeying God means staying when it’s easier to run. Forgiving when it hurts. Speaking truth when silence feels safer. But every act of obedience plants seeds for spiritual growth.

    In the book, I share a personal story where I didn’t want to obey—but did. And the peace that followed? Unmatched.

    Want to take this deeper?

    Download the “Obedience Audit” worksheet (below), where you’ll identify where resistance shows up in your walk, and how to respond with love-fueled action.

    Obedience isn’t perfection. It’s alignment. It’s choosing God’s way when your own instincts want the shortcut.

    And in that obedience, freedom breaks through.

    APPLICATION DOWNLOAD:

    HF-Application3Download

    Next up in Blog 4: Believing God’s Promises When They Feel Delayed
    Because sometimes faith means standing on the Word… even when the ground shakes.

    Grab your copy here from Amazon-… simply click the image cover below.

  • Trusting God in Uncertainty

    A NEW BOOK FOR YOU!

    How to Trust God When You Can’t See What’s Next

    Have you ever been in a season where clarity vanishes and the path forward is foggy? You’re doing your best to follow God, but every step feels like guesswork?

    In Chapter 2 of Hold Fast, we zoom in on what it means to trust God in uncertainty—not as a slogan, but as a lived-out, breath-by-breath experience.

    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
    —Proverbs 3:5

    Easier said than done, right?

    This chapter unpacks how trust isn’t the absence of doubt—it’s the decision to move forward despite it. Using the story of Jacob wrestling with God, we learn that trust is forged in struggle, not clarity. Like Jacob, we don’t walk away unchanged—but we do walk away deeper, humbler, more anchored.

    Here’s what you’ll take away from this chapter:

    • Why faith actually thrives in uncertainty.
    • What to do when God feels silent or distant.
    • How to pray raw, honest prayers that build deeper trust.
    • Why trust is relational—not just theological.

    You’ll also find a powerful worksheet prompt to help you name what area of your life needs surrendered trust this week, and a devotion guide through Psalm 23 to remind your soul that the Shepherd is still leading—even through the valley.

    Friend, you’re not weak for needing trust. You’re being invited into deeper intimacy with God—the kind you don’t get in seasons of certainty.

    So take the next small step.
    Pray the honest prayer.
    And let this foggy path become holy ground.

    Coming up in Blog 3: Obedience When It Costs You.
    Because trust is a beautiful start—but obedience is where the rubber meets the road.

    APPLICATION DOWNLOAD:

    HF-Application2Download

    Grab your copy here from Amazon-… simply click the image cover below.