John Bevere - Relentless : the power you need to never give up

Relentless will stir your passion for the things of God and strengthen your resolve to stand firm in faith and pursue the destiny that God has laid out for you.

J OYCE M EYER , best-selling author and Bible teacher

John Bevere has a mandate on his life to serve the body of Christ. His desire to see everyone find and flourish in their God-given destiny is evident in his teachings. His love for Christ and deep revelation of the Word of God will have you pursuing the cause of Christ, relentlessly.

B RIAN AND B OBBIE H OUSTON , senior pastors, Hillsong Church

Its one thing to write on a subject; its another thing to be a living demonstration of what you share. In word and in his life, John Bevere reveals the powerful effect that the relentless pursuit of Gods purpose produces. He inspires readers to move from spiritual passivity to a passionate pursuit of Gods will a challenge worth embracing!

J AMES R OBISON , president, LIFE Outreach International, Fort Worth, Texas

John Bevere captures the premiere criteria for navigating through the vicissitudes of this life. He challenges every believer to go beyond the goal of stability into the much needed attribute of becoming Relentless . People who achieve great goals in life did it in part because they were relentless. I encourage you to take the time to read carefully this necessary word.

B ISHOP T. D. J AKES , The Potters House

There are far too many one-hit wonders in the church. So few finish faithfully. But it doesnt have to be that way. John Bevere, one of the most inspiring men in the body of Christ today, compellingly challenges us to believe that our lives are not destined to be cautionary tales of what could have been. Your faith and passion dont have to flame out or fizzle. You can be Relentless.

S TEVEN F URTICK , lead pastor, Elevation Church and author of Sun Stand Still

Each book John Bevere writes is a worthy contribution to building a solid, healthy, and fruitful life in Christ and for Him! Thanks John, for another brick!

J ACK W. H AYFORD

Relentless is what the enemy is toward us. It is time we were likewise, relentless in both our faith and actions. God is raising up a tenacious people who will not rest until His will is done. This book is an invaluable tool in this pursuit.

C HRISTINE C AINE , director, Equip & Empower Ministries, and founder, The A21 Campaign

A few years ago I was given a bracelet with the words RELENTLESS on it and I have worn the bracelet ever since, to remind my heart about my pursuit of Christ and His purpose for my life. This book, by the awesome John Bevere, continues to tell the great unfolding story of our passion and pursuit of Jesus and His incredibly great love for us. I know that this teaching will open the space of your heart that yearns for more.

D ARLENE Z SCHECH , worship leader and singer/songwriter

Relentless is one of the most spiritually provoking books Ive read. John compels us to go beyond just enduring in life to overcoming with Gods authority in every area of our lives. It is a timely message of empowerment for the body of Christ that will propel you into the call of God on your life in a fierce and bold way. If you truly have a desire to finish strong and live relentlessly in every area of life God is calling you to, youve got to read this book.

S TOVALL W EEMS , lead pastor, Celebration Church, Jacksonville, Florida, and author of Awakening

John Beveres new book Relentless is a must read for those who have experienced a stumbling block of adversity. Relentless will walk you through Gods grace as He uses the valleys and storms in life to equip us for His destined purpose. John reminds us that God never gives up on us and we should never give up on Him.

J ENTEZEN F RANKLIN , senior pastor, Free Chapel, and New York Times best-selling author

R ELENTLESS
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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ( AMP ) are taken from The Amplified Bible. Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. ( www.Lockman.org ). Scripture quotations marked ( CEV ) are taken from the Contemporary English Version. Copyright 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked ( KJV ) are taken from the King James Version. Scripture quotations marked ( MSG ) are taken from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NET) are from the NET Bible , copyright 19962005 by Biblical Studies Press LLC, www.bible.org . Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ( NIV ) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com . Scripture quotations marked ( NLT ) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ( TEV ) are from the Good News TranslationSecond Edition. Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked ( TLB ) are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (Weymouth) are from The New Testament in Modern Speech by Richard Francis Weymouth.

Italics in Scripture quotations reflect the authors added emphasis. Brackets in all Scripture versions except those marked ( AMP ) are the authors parenthetical insertions.

Copyright 2011 by John P. Bevere Jr.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published in the United States by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House Inc., New York.

W ATERBROOK and its deer colophon are registered trademarks of Random House Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bevere, John.
Relentless : the power you need to never give up / John Bevere.1st ed.
p. cm.
eISBN: 978-0-307-45777-6 1. SuccessReligious aspectsChristianity. 2. Perseverance (Ethics) 3. Persistence. I. Title.
BV4598.3.B48 2011 248.4dc23
2011026747

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C ONTENTS

I NTRODUCTION

S hortly after I began writing this book, I watched a movie that vividly illustrates the importance of being relentless. The Ghost and the Darkness stars Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer, and it is based on an event that took place in the late 1800s.

A brilliant military engineer named Patterson (Val Kilmer) is hired to oversee the building of a railway bridge to span the Tsavo River of Uganda and thus increase the reach of the British East African Railway. The project is already behind schedule when Patterson arrives on site.

He soon learns why. Workmen have been disappearing. They vanish under the cover of night, never to be seen again. Patterson quickly learns that two man-eating lions have been stalking the work campsites. To stop their killing rampage he sets traps and tries various different methods, but the deadly duo seem to anticipate Pattersons moves and escape his snares.