Lent as the Original 40-Day Grit Challenge: Leaving the Arena for the Throne

Tyler opens the Applied Faith Podcast by noting that Ash Wednesday marked the start of Lent and challenges listeners not to treat Lent as a watered-down inconvenience or failed resolution. He frames Lent as a 40-day training ground meant to step out of cultural noise, “kill the flesh,” and create space for the spirit, describing fasting as an intentional rebellion against consumerism and instant gratification (endless scrolling, on-demand entertainment, and convenience).

He introduces the “arena and the throne” concept: the gladiator mindset seeks applause in the cultural arena, while the kingdom mindset lives before God as the only true spectator, aligning with Jesus’ teaching to fast in secret. Tyler encourages listeners to use the next 40 days for quiet, disciplined formation and presents his 40-day Kingdom Challenge, built around eight daily disciplines designed to break reliance on the world and anchor participants to the kingdom. He invites listeners to join him, follow along with the daily podcast episodes, subscribe on YouTube, and participate in the community as they pursue resilience and faith leading up to Easter.

00:00 Ash Wednesday Kickoff: Why Lent Matters Again

01:00 Lent as the Original 40-Day Grit Challenge (Not a Diet)

01:44 Fasting as Rebellion Against Consumerism & Instant Gratification

02:41 Arena vs. Throne: Gladiator Mindset vs. Kingdom Mindset

04:00 Fasting in Secret: Leaving the Applause Behind

04:45 A Practical Framework: The 40-Day Kingdom Challenge

05:49 Use the Next 40 Days to Shift Your Trajectory (Join the Challenge)

06:51 Community + Subscribe: Building Applied Faith Together

07:31 Wrap-Up: Daily Episodes, Accountability, and Eyes on the Throne

In this episode of the Applied Faith Podcast, Tyler marks the significant milestone of day 40 in the 40-day challenge. He reflects on the transformation participants have undergone, emphasizing that day 40 is not an end but a launch into a new phase of life. Drawing parallels to biblical stories, Tyler urges listeners to celebrate their achievements but remain committed to their evolved selves, resisting old habits and vices. The episode encourages participants to make a covenant with God, committing to their newfound strength and purpose. Tyler also reassures that the podcast will continue to provide guidance and support in applying faith biweekly.

00:00 The Journey of Transformation Begins

00:24 Day 40: A Milestone, Not the End

00:50 Reflecting on the 40-Day Challenge

01:33 The Significance of the Number 40

02:26 Embracing the New You

03:44 The Oath of No Return

04:32 Continuing the Mission Beyond Day 40

Day 39 of the Kingdom Challenge: Leading by Example

In this episode, Tyler emphasizes the importance of leading by example, highlighting how our actions influence those who look up to us, whether it be our children, employees, or friends. Reflecting on the Apostle Paul's words, Tyler challenges listeners to live in a way that others can emulate, stressing that our daily habits form our legacy. He encourages everyone to identify someone in their shadow and intentionally uplift them, sharing the fire of their faith. This episode serves as a penultimate step in the 40-day Kingdom Challenge, focusing on selflessness and setting a godly standard for others.

00:00 The Influence of Your Actions

00:48 Welcome to Day 39 of the Kingdom Challenge

01:05 The Importance of Setting a Standard

01:49 Paul's Example of Leadership

02:31 Living a Life Worth Following

03:29 The Biography Test

04:18 Encouraging Others in Your Shadow

04:55 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

The Kingdom Economics: The Power of Letting Go

In this episode of The Applied Faith Podcast, Tyler explores the 38th day of the Kingdom Challenge, focusing on the concept of sacrifice for spiritual growth. He emphasizes that to receive greater blessings from God, one must be willing to let go of lesser, worldly comforts. Citing Matthew 13:44, Tyler explains that true joy comes from trading temporary pleasures for eternal rewards. He challenges listeners to identify and give up one specific habit or behavior that hinders their spiritual journey, symbolizing this act by writing it down and throwing it away. This act of sacrifice opens up space for divine blessings, underlining that empty hands are hands God can fill.

00:00 Introduction: The Cost of Holding On

00:37 Welcome to The Applied Faith Podcast

00:51 The Illusion of Having It All

01:28 The Parable of the Hidden Treasure

02:33 Applying the Lesson to Day 38

03:21 The Challenge: Letting Go to Receive More

04:17 Conclusion: Preparing for Day 39

Motivation is unreliable.

Systems are not.

In Day 37 of the Kingdom Challenge, Tyler explains why lasting success in faith, fitness, and life is never built on motivation — it’s built on systems that run whether you feel like it or not.

Kingdom Warriors don’t wake up hoping to do the right thing.

They remove decisions before the day even starts.

In this episode of the Applied Faith Podcast, you’ll learn:

1. Why motivation always fades
2. How systems outperform willpower
3. What the Bible teaches us through Daniel’s discipline
4. How to use friction management to make good habits automatic
5. Why preparing the night before is a spiritual advantage
6. How to build non-negotiable systems that carry you through hard seasons

Identify one system you must make non-negotiable.

Then remove friction tonight so tomorrow runs on obedience, not emotion.

Because Kingdom men don’t rely on feelings.

They rely on systems.

📌 Subscribe for daily Kingdom Challenge episodes

📌 Share this with a man who keeps starting over

📌 Comment: What system are you locking in?

Vision and Discipline: Navigating the Path to the Kingdom

In Day 36 of the Kingdom Challenge on the Applied Faith Podcast, Tyler discusses the critical role of vision and discipline in maintaining a kingdom mindset. He explains that drifting away from your goals is a slow, subtle process that can lead to losing track of your spiritual path. Tyler emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision, which acts as the destination while discipline is the vehicle that gets you there. He introduces the concept of a five-year blueprint to help listeners stay committed to their spiritual, physical, and financial goals. Today's challenge focuses on writing down specific visions for one's future in these areas, aiming to make striving for improvement a continuous, daily action. Tyler encourages listeners to maintain and build upon their achievements, thereby inspiring others through their faith in Jesus.

00:00 The Dangers of Drifting

00:45 Welcome to the Kingdom Challenge

01:31 The Importance of Vision

02:41 Creating Your Five-Year Blueprint

03:27 Visualizing Your Future Self

04:00 Day 36 Challenge: Write Your Vision

05:07 Sustaining Your Achievements

05:46 Conclusion and Next Steps

Resilience and the Full Armor of God: Day 35 of the Kingdom Challenge

In this episode of the Applied Faith Podcast, host Tyler discusses the misconceptions that a life of faith is free from challenges. He emphasizes that both believers and nonbelievers face trials, but kingdom warriors are equipped with God's armor. Tyler introduces the concept of fragility versus anti-fragility, encouraging listeners to become stronger through their struggles, as Jesus foretold of inevitable troubles. He breaks down the importance of each piece of the armor of God described in Ephesians 6:13 and introduces the 'protocol' for spiritually suiting up in the face of trials. The challenge for day 35 asks listeners to identify their biggest stressor and reconsider which piece of armor they might be missing.

00:00 Debunking the Myth of an Easy Christian Life

00:48 Welcome to the Applied Faith Podcast

01:40 Facing Life's Challenges with Resilience

02:46 The Armor of God: Our Spiritual Defense

03:19 Applying the Protocol in Times of Trial

04:37 Day 35 Challenge: Identifying and Equipping Your Armor

05:33 Conclusion and Looking Ahead

Guard Your Inner Circle: Protecting Your Progress

In this episode of the Applied Faith Podcast, Tyler discusses the importance of carefully selecting who you allow into your inner circle as you near the end of the Kingdom Challenge. He emphasizes that after fortifying your discipline for 34 days, it is crucial to maintain those gains by distancing yourself from influences that could pull you back into old habits. By citing Proverbs 13:20, Tyler highlights the inevitability of being impacted by those around you and encourages listeners to conduct a 'relationship audit' to identify and set boundaries with individuals who may hinder their progress. The episode serves as a critical reminder to 'guard the gate' and protect the personal growth achieved during the challenge.

00:00 Introduction: The Castle Metaphor

00:46 The Danger of Your Circle

02:12 Walk With the Wise

03:23 The Relationship Audit

04:35 Day 34 Challenge

The Danger of Day 41: Building Lasting Habits Beyond the Challenge

In today's episode of the Applied Faith Podcast, Tyler emphasizes the importance of day 41 in the Kingdom Challenge, explaining that the true test begins when the challenge officially ends. He discusses the concept of adopting a 'kingdom mindset' and building lasting habits rather than temporary goals. Tyler encourages listeners to create 'non-negotiables' or minimum standards of behavior that they will adhere to in order to maintain their new lifestyle. He underscores the significance of not reverting to old habits and instead, setting a foundation for continuous growth and faithfulness in their relationship with God. The episode focuses on how to sustain the discipline and habits formed over the past 33 days as a lifelong commitment.

00:00 The Most Dangerous Day: Day 41

00:19 Building Lasting Habits Beyond the Challenge

00:56 Kingdom Warriors: Owning Discipline

01:08 Welcome to the Applied Faith Podcast

02:08 Goals vs. Standards: A Biblical Perspective

03:40 The Non-Negotiables: Setting Your Life Standard

05:01 Commit to Your New Lifestyle

05:45 Conclusion and Next Steps

Day 32 - Embracing Your True Identity: From Renting to Owning Your Life

In this episode of the Applied Faith Podcast, Tyler discusses the critical difference between renting and owning your life, particularly in the context of discipline and righteousness. He emphasizes the importance of not treating one's lifestyle as a temporary phase but instead, owning it fully. Citing the biblical story of Gideon from Judges chapter 6, Tyler speaks about the power of identity and how God sees us by our future potential rather than our past failures. The episode encourages listeners to adopt a 'declarative identity' by changing their mindset and language from 'trying' to 'being.' The challenge for day 32 is to identify areas where they feel like impostors and affirm their new positive identities out loud. Tyler concludes by encouraging listeners to stop renting their lives and fully embrace their new, empowered selves.

00:00 Renting vs. Owning Your Discipline

00:43 Welcome to Day 32 of the Kingdom Challenge

00:53 Shifting from Survival to Building Tools

01:24 Identity Transformation: From Old to New

02:05 The Story of Gideon: A Lesson in Identity

03:26 Declarative Identity: The Tool for Day 32

04:26 Embracing Your New Identity

05:26 Conclusion and Looking Ahead to Day 33