Money is more than numbers, budgets, or bills. It reveals the posture of the heart and the depth of our trust in God. In this powerful teaching from the Victorious Living series, we dive into the biblical foundation of finances through a Kingdom lens, exploring how stewardship, giving, and integrity shape our walk with Christ.

In this episode, we examine the timeless principles of tithing, offerings, and wise stewardship, tracing them from Abraham’s voluntary tithe to New Testament instruction on cheerful giving and faithful management. Scripture shows that finances are not separate from faith. They are a place where obedience meets trust, and where eternal investment begins.

We discuss why tithing existed before the Law, how Jesus affirmed the right heart behind giving, and why Malachi calls believers into a season of “proving God.” You will also hear practical biblical wisdom about avoiding debt traps, guarding your reputation, working diligently, and resisting the love of money. Whether your finances feel stable or strained, this lesson reminds us that God cares deeply about how we handle what He has entrusted to us.

This episode will encourage you to:

• See giving as worship, not obligation

• Understand the difference between tithes and offerings

• Learn how stewardship reflects spiritual maturity

• Invest in eternal treasure rather than temporary gain

• Trust God to supply every need according to His riches in glory

If you have ever wrestled with faith and finances, this conversation will challenge you, strengthen you, and point you back to God’s promises.

📖 Key Scriptures: Genesis 14, Malachi 3, Matthew 6, 2 Corinthians 9, Philippians 4, Proverbs 22, 1 Timothy 6

The Disciple Life exists to equip believers to live victorious, disciplined, Spirit-led lives. Share this episode with someone who wants to align their finances with biblical truth.

In this special series of The Disciple Life, Cody D. Thrash and Pastor Brad Forsythe connect by phone with pastors from across the body of Christ to talk about the good things God is doing in His church. Each episode brings a real conversation — honest, encouraging, and focused on the impact of revival, leadership, and kingdom work happening right now.

We believe that anything filled with people will have imperfections, but the beauty of the Church has always been greater than its flaws. Rather than magnifying negativity, this series highlights testimonies, growth, outreach, and the life-changing power found in healthy, Spirit-led congregations.

These calls are not interviews meant to expose problems — they are conversations meant to celebrate hope, unity, and the mission of the Church. If you love hearing how God is moving through pastors, congregations, and communities, this series will strengthen your faith and remind you why the Church still matters.

What does true spiritual authority look like through a biblical lens? In this powerful episode, we explore God’s divine design for authority—from creation to the church, the home, and society—and why submission is not weakness, but alignment with God’s order.

Drawing from Scripture and the teachings found in Spiritual Authority by Watchman Nee (1972), this episode walks through the story of authority beginning in Genesis, where God entrusted mankind with dominion, and how that authority was compromised through rebellion. We then follow the redemptive thread of obedience through Jesus Christ, who restored authority through His perfect submission to God.

Together, we examine:

• How all authority originates with God and is restored through Christ.

• The biblical role of pastors and spiritual leadership, and why submission protects spiritual growth.

• Lessons from Korah’s rebellion and the consequences of resisting God-appointed authority.

• The purpose of government rulers and how believers are called to pray, honor, and live peaceably.

• God’s design for authority within the family, including Christ-centered leadership, mutual love, and biblical order.

• The “umbrella” of spiritual covering and why humility positions us for protection and blessing.

This episode is a call back to biblical order in a culture that often resists authority. Discover how living under God’s chain of command brings stability, peace, and spiritual strength.

If you’ve ever wrestled with questions about submission, leadership, or God’s structure for His people, this conversation will challenge, encourage, and ground you in Scripture.

✨ Stay humble. Stay submitted. Stay under His covering.

Fasting is more than skipping meals—it’s a spiritual discipline that brings the flesh under submission so the spirit can hear clearer, pray deeper, and fight stronger.

In this episode, we break down what biblical fasting really is, why God honors it, and how it becomes a turning point in spiritual warfare and personal breakthrough. From Esther’s three-day fast that helped deliver a nation, to Daniel’s partial fast that opened the door to heavenly revelation, Scripture proves that fasting isn’t extreme—it’s effective.

We’ll also walk through Jesus’ instructions on the right way to fast (without religious performance), and we’ll unpack the powerhouse promises of Isaiah 58—where God shows what true fasting accomplishes: breaking yokes, lifting burdens, and releasing real freedom.

You’ll hear why prayer is fasting’s partner (“fasting without prayer is just dieting”), what misconceptions need to be corrected, and why some battles won’t move until God’s people combine prayer and fasting.

If you’re hungry for more of God, needing direction, fighting for your family, or facing a spiritual wall you can’t seem to break through—this lesson will challenge you, steady you, and call you into the kind of fasting that brings heaven into the fight.

Prayer: The Key to Victory isn’t about polished words or public displays—it’s about real power, real connection, and real results.

In this episode, we walk through Jesus’ pattern for prayer, uncover the four levels of prayer taught by Paul, and explore why prayer is not optional for the believer—it’s essential. From praying God’s will to standing in the gap, from spiritual warfare to praying in the Spirit, this lesson shows how prayer activates heaven’s authority on earth.

You’ll learn why unanswered prayer happens, how to listen for God’s voice, and why praying in Jesus’ name is the greatest weapon we have. With Scripture-rich teaching, practical insight, and a pastoral tone, this episode reminds us that prayer isn’t the last resort—it’s the first response.

If you’ve ever wondered why prayer matters, how to pray effectively, or how to live in continual victory, this lesson will ground you, challenge you, and stir you to pray like never before.

What Jesus Faced in the Wilderness—and What We Face Every Day

Jesus didn’t enter the wilderness because He failed—He entered because He was led by the Spirit. Right after heaven affirmed Him—“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17)—the enemy came to challenge what God had spoken. And that reveals a sobering truth for every believer: temptation often follows spiritual victory, not spiritual failure.

In this episode, we walk through the three enemies every born-again believer will face as long as we live in the flesh: the Flesh (the enemy within), the World (the enemy around us), and the Devil (the enemy against us). In Matthew 4, Satan confronted Jesus with three strategic temptations—each one designed to bypass obedience and redefine trust. And Jesus defeated every attack the same way: “It is written.”

You’ll hear how the flesh tempts us to satisfy legitimate needs in illegitimate ways—relief without submission. You’ll see how the world offers shortcuts—success without sacrifice, authority without a cross. And you’ll learn how the devil twists Scripture itself, disguising deception as spirituality, trying to turn faith into spectacle and trust into testing. But Jesus didn’t overcome by emotion, reasoning, or avoidance—He overcame by standing on the Word, rightly applied.

This episode is both convicting and empowering, calling you to examine where you’ve been choosing relief over obedience, opportunity over faithfulness, or self-defense over surrender. Because the victory is already won in Christ—but it’s walked out daily by those who answer temptation the same way Jesus did:

“It is written.”

What do you do when life feels heavy—when the loss is real, the finances are tight, or the waiting season won’t end? In this lesson, we face a truth every believer must settle: your faith will be tried. And the trial isn’t proof God has left you—it’s often proof God is building you.

Starting in James 1:2–4, we learn why Scripture dares us to “count it all joy” when trouble hits: trials don’t just test faith—they produce patience, and patience matures us until we’re “complete,” lacking nothing. Then Peter takes us even deeper, comparing faith under pressure to gold purified by fire (1 Peter 1:7). The heat isn’t meant to destroy you—it’s meant to refine you.

From there, the lesson turns a corner into comfort: we have a promise. Romans 8:28 reminds us that God doesn’t waste pain—He works “all things” together for good in the lives of those who love Him and walk in His purpose. That means your struggle may be the very tool God is using to shape your stability.

And when the trial starts breeding fear, we don’t just need answers—we need a Deliverer. Through Psalm 34 and Psalm 46, we’re reminded that God hears, God sees, God stays close to the brokenhearted, and God delivers the righteous out of many afflictions. You are not fighting alone.

The episode also anchors your confidence in this reality: Jesus has all power (Matthew 28:18). Nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). The Holy Ghost gives power (Acts 1:8), and the Lord supplies every need (Philippians 4:19)—not because life is easy, but because the Kingdom has no shortage.

Finally, we bring our burdens where they belong: at the feet of Jesus. His invitation still stands: “Come unto me… and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28–30). Peter’s instruction is clear: cast all your care on Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:6–7). And with honesty, we also address a hard truth: some suffering is self-inflicted—so the path forward may include repentance, humility, and learning from what went wrong (1 Peter 4:14–15).

Key takeaway: Trials refine you, patience stabilizes you, fear doesn’t get the final word, and God’s promises still stand. Trust Him. Submit to His will. Rest in His goodness.

Before we climb higher, we pause to examine the foundation already laid. In this episode, we briefly revisit Levels 1–4—Faith, Virtue, Knowledge, and Temperance—because lasting spiritual growth is never accidental. Faith establishes the foundation, virtue puts belief into action, knowledge anchors us in truth, and temperance teaches us mastery over the flesh. These first levels shape what we believe, how we live, how we think, and how we discipline ourselves.

From there, we ascend into Levels 5–8, where true Christlike maturity is formed.

We begin with Patience—not passive waiting, but steadfast endurance under pressure. Patience is forged in trials and becomes the bridge between our faith and God’s timing. Drawing from Romans, Isaiah, and the life of Job, we see how waiting on God renews strength and produces hope rather than burnout.

Next, we explore Godliness, defined as deep reverence for God that transforms everyday life. Godliness is not outward appearance but inward awe—living with constant awareness of God’s holiness, authority, and worth. Through Job’s encounter with God in the whirlwind and the examples of Hebrews 11, we see how reverence stabilizes faith and elevates spiritual maturity.

From reverence, we move into Brotherly Kindness—genuine, committed love for the family of God. This episode challenges us to love beyond convenience, to forgive without scorekeeping, and to let the Holy Ghost pour divine love into our hearts so the Church becomes more than a gathering—it becomes a spiritual family.

Finally, we reach the summit: Charity. Agape love is the highest expression of Christian maturity—loving without return, loving enemies, and reflecting the heart of Christ Himself. Rooted in Jesus’ words from Luke 6 and Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 13, this level reveals why love is the greatest virtue and the ultimate evidence of Christlikeness.

This episode concludes with a powerful reminder: Peter did not give us a random list—he gave us a blueprint. Spiritual growth is not optional. It is the evidence of our calling, the source of our stability, and the pathway to an abundant entrance into God’s Kingdom.

You may still be under construction—and that’s okay. God is the Master Builder. If you keep climbing, keep obeying, and keep growing, the promise still stands:

“For if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” (2 Peter 1:10)

This is not just about believing like Christ.

It’s about loving like Him.