I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13)
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)
Have you ever reached the absolute end of your own strength? Have you ever sat in the quiet of a midnight hour, staring at a mountain of bills, a broken relationship, or a physical ailment that refuses to bow, and felt the hollow echo of your own "toughness" ringing in your ears? Why is it that when the world tells us to "dig deep," we find nothing but dry soil and exhaustion? Why does the promise of a "better tomorrow" feel like a cruel mirage when the pain of today is so visceral?
We have all been there. We have all tried to put on the mask of the indomitable spirit, pretending that we are the masters of our fate and the captains of our souls. But there comes a moment for every believer where the mask must fall, and we are forced to confront the reality of our own fragility.
The Great Illusion of the Indomitable Spirit
It is an unfortunate fact of our human condition that the flesh cannot stand to show itself as weak, needy, or fragile. We loathe the idea of being the cause of our own failures. Instead, the flesh, that part of us that seeks to live independent of the Divine, wants to pretend that it is tough, strong, in control, mighty, and superior to any force that could possibly oppose it.
The flesh believes it is sovereign. It clings to a "grind culture" mindset that was just as prevalent in 1999 as it is today in 2026. It tells us that if we just work harder, pray louder in our own strength, or "man up," we can conquer the darkness. But this is a firebrand of emotional devastation. We are trying to build a fortress out of sand while the tide is coming in.
Pastor Anthony Joseph Massotti, Th.M. observed in his original 1999 teaching that "the flesh believes that it is sovereign; it is the INDOMITABLE SPIRIT." But what happens when that spirit meets a force it cannot control? When push comes to shove and true evil raises its vicious and ugly head, the flesh finds that it is quickly subjugated. It becomes a willing slave to the demonic master. We find that sin is suddenly easy to yield to, and the demons that taunt us cause our "tough" exterior to cower in a corner.
The Quivering Child in the Face of the Enemy
We often mistake "trying harder" for growing in faith. We push with our will and pull with our emotions in a frantic tug-of-war with the conqueror of our souls. We cry out in the night and make bold promises in the morning. Our flesh whispers, "YOU CAN HANDLE THIS!"
But can we?
Sickness, stress, and betrayal turn the most "indomitable" person into a quivering, immature child with no stamina. We pray for deliverance from the forces that assail us, but then, in a tragic irony, we once again call upon the aid of the flesh to fight the battle. It is like trying to put out a fire with a cup of gasoline. We are using the very thing that failed us to try and save us.
In the realm of biblical teaching, we must understand the linguistic distinction between "worldly grit" and "divine grace." Grit is the flesh trying to endure the unendurable. Grace is the Life of God flowing through the believer to do what is naturally impossible. When Jesus said, "Without me ye can do nothing," He wasn't giving a suggestion; He was stating a foundational law of the spiritual universe.
The Flesh's False Gospel: "Just Keep Going"
The world’s favorite mantra is: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
This concept comes straight from the depths of the flesh. It is a wolf cloaked in sheep’s clothing, suggesting that your survival depends entirely on your own momentum. It implies that if you stop, you fail. If you rest, you lose. If you admit you can’t do it, you are weak.
But the Spirit of God offers a different path. It would be better to say "the tough will NOT QUIT" than to say "just keep going." There is a monumental difference between stubborn self-reliance and the steadfastness of faith. One is a dead-end street; the other is a deepening faith that trusts in the Victory of another.
As Pastor Anthony Joseph Massotti, Th.M. famously penned, "In fact, it would even be better to agree with the Spirit and simply say: ‘When the going gets tough, I’m gonna get my Daddy, you bully!’"
The Punchline of Faith: "I'm Getting My Daddy!"
Think of a child on a playground being cornered by a bully who is twice his size. The child has two choices. He can try to ball up his tiny fists and fight a battle he is guaranteed to lose, or he can look that bully in the eye and say, "My Daddy is standing right behind me."
When we choose Life and reject the poison of self-sufficiency, we are not admitting defeat; we are claiming a higher Victory. This is the "victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4). Our faith is not in our ability to endure the storm, but in the One who speaks to the storm and tells it to be still.
To "get God" is to retreat into the secret place of the Most High. It is to acknowledge that the "indomitable spirit" of man is a myth, but the Spirit of God is an invincible reality. We are more than conquerors, not because we are tough, but "through Him that loves us" (Romans 8:37).
More Than Conquerors
What does it mean to be "more than a conqueror"? A conqueror has to fight the battle to get the prize. To be more than a conqueror means that someone else fought the battle, won the victory, and then handed the prize to you. Jesus Christ has already subjugated the demonic forces, defeated sickness at the whipping post, and conquered death at the empty tomb.
When you realize who you are in Christ, you stop trying to "get tough" and start "getting God." You stop trying to prove your strength to the enemy and start resting in the strength of your Father.
The enemy, that old serpent who seeks to devour your peace, wants you to stay in the tug-of-war of the flesh. He knows that as long as you are fighting in your own strength, he has already won. But the moment you drop the rope and run to the Father, the enemy has no power over you.
Step Into the Victory
The time for pretending is over. The "going" has gotten tough, and your flesh is likely screaming for a way out. Stop listening to the lies of the "indomitable spirit."
- STOP trying to handle it on your own.
- SURRENDER your "toughness" at the feet of the Cross.
- ADMIT your need for the Divine Strength that only comes from the Word.
- CALL upon your Father. Say it out loud: "I’m getting my Daddy!"
- CHOOSE to stand in the Victory that has already been won for you.
Behold, the door is open. No man, no demon, and no amount of worldly stress can shut it. When the going gets tough, don't just keep going into the darkness. Get God. Get the Word. Get the Victory.
© Anthony J. Massotti Th.M., Th.M. 7/18/1999
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