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I Declare War: Four Keys to Winning the Battle with Yourself
In both sports and war, athletes and soldiers must work to have a mental edge to successfully deal with all that they encounter. While success for both is typically defined as overcoming their respective opponents, the reality is that their victories can never happen unless they’ve first won their internal battles.
I Declare War is a practical guide for fighting our inner war, the struggle against sin that breaks us down and fills our lives with pain and suffering, in turn making us feel weak and inadequate. With personal stories of his own struggles with night terrors, anxiety, narcissism, and self-doubt, Pastor Levi points readers to the hope and power that God offers in his Word.
From stockbrokers and soccer moms to skateboarders and sorority sisters, I Declare War is for anyone who struggles with depression, fear, anxiety, suicide, negative thoughts, addiction, lust, pride, jealousy, resentment, abuse, anger, self-doubt, eating disorders, and/or codependent relationships. Pastor Levi doesn’t offer a quick fix or the perfect life if you follow prescribed steps but, instead, helps guide readers in how to think right so they can live right.
I Declare War is a practical guide for fighting our inner war, the struggle against sin that breaks us down and fills our lives with pain and suffering, in turn making us feel weak and inadequate. With personal stories of his own struggles with night terrors, anxiety, narcissism, and self-doubt, Pastor Levi points readers to the hope and power that God offers in his Word.
From stockbrokers and soccer moms to skateboarders and sorority sisters, I Declare War is for anyone who struggles with depression, fear, anxiety, suicide, negative thoughts, addiction, lust, pride, jealousy, resentment, abuse, anger, self-doubt, eating disorders, and/or codependent relationships. Pastor Levi doesn’t offer a quick fix or the perfect life if you follow prescribed steps but, instead, helps guide readers in how to think right so they can live right.
Audio CD
Published October 30, 2018
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About the author
Levi Lusko
49 books473 followersLevi Lusko is the founder and lead pastor of Fresh Life Church, located in Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Utah and everywhere online. He is the bestselling author of Through the Eyes of a Lion, Swipe Right, I Declare War, Take Back Your Life, Roar Like a Lion, and The Last Supper on the Moon. Levi also travels the world speaking about Jesus. He and his wife, Jennie, have one son, Lennox, and four daughters: Alivia, Daisy, Clover, and Lenya, who is in heaven.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
January 3, 2020
Read this book. Please. No matter who you are, how far or how close you are to Jesus, whether you hate God or love Him, whether you're broken or doing well... please, read this book.
I wish I could shake Levi's hand personally and thank him for this book. I am dearly grateful for my bestie: this is the bestest Christmas gift I could've gotten this year.
This book sheds light on topics many Christians do not want to hear. I could go into my own book of my thoughts on this book (ha, one day...) but for now... wow. Eye opening. Moving. Useful. I loved it.
I wish I could shake Levi's hand personally and thank him for this book. I am dearly grateful for my bestie: this is the bestest Christmas gift I could've gotten this year.
This book sheds light on topics many Christians do not want to hear. I could go into my own book of my thoughts on this book (ha, one day...) but for now... wow. Eye opening. Moving. Useful. I loved it.
January 4, 2019
This was a really powerful book and such a great choice to start the year off with. I really enjoy Levi’s brutally honest writing style and his personal stories of facing his demons in all the same ways he encourages the reader to adds a level of authenticity to this book that is lacking in some other popular titles on the same subject. I also really just enjoyed the formatting and layout of this book with the whole card theme playing off the idea of the game of War. I’m a sucker for well put together physical books and this one was definitely a winner there. :) But far more important than that, the message he shares is important and timely and he does it in a way that leaves you feeling convicted and challenged to step up your walk with God to the next level. Absolutely recommended to anyone and everyone!
Favorite Quote: “I hear your objections; I can’t show that kind of zeal if it isn’t how I feel, because that wouldn’t be real. Let me warn you that this kind of thinking is why so many marriages fall apart and why so many people never experience the breakthroughs God has for them. People who do the right things only when they feel them never enter into the victorious life. Worship is not a feeling expressed through actions; it’s an act of obedience that, once expressed, often leads to feelings. Simply put, you do it because it is right. And in God’s grace, many times the emotions follow suit.”
Favorite Quote: “I hear your objections; I can’t show that kind of zeal if it isn’t how I feel, because that wouldn’t be real. Let me warn you that this kind of thinking is why so many marriages fall apart and why so many people never experience the breakthroughs God has for them. People who do the right things only when they feel them never enter into the victorious life. Worship is not a feeling expressed through actions; it’s an act of obedience that, once expressed, often leads to feelings. Simply put, you do it because it is right. And in God’s grace, many times the emotions follow suit.”
October 4, 2020
Powerful words of encouragement to overcome lifes real problems
February 18, 2020
Christian Bible Study: My fave!!!! I highly recommend this book and the study guide that goes with it- excellent Bible Study on your own or with a group. We did it with the videos in our Sunday School class. Super amazing, life changing ways to stop being our worst enemy.
Eye opening way to get closer to God, no matter where you are at with your walk this will have something for everyone!! The tools and resources contained in this book are so wonderful. If you can splurge for the video, get it too because Pastor Levi Lusko has an easy way of talking about the topic. His stories are great and the setting is in New Mexico I believe.
A wonderful experience that happened to me is that our Sunday School class is multi-generational and it was great to hear from across the room, across our social circles that we are all fighting the same battles..sometimes differently, and it unites us as women! This Bible Study is not just intended for women.
Eye opening way to get closer to God, no matter where you are at with your walk this will have something for everyone!! The tools and resources contained in this book are so wonderful. If you can splurge for the video, get it too because Pastor Levi Lusko has an easy way of talking about the topic. His stories are great and the setting is in New Mexico I believe.
A wonderful experience that happened to me is that our Sunday School class is multi-generational and it was great to hear from across the room, across our social circles that we are all fighting the same battles..sometimes differently, and it unites us as women! This Bible Study is not just intended for women.
November 3, 2018
In the age of Donald Trump as U.S. President, I came to this book with the expectation that something called I Declare War would somehow be political, if not problematic. (See, I review bad books so you don’t have to read them.) I don’t know if I’m thankful and relieved to know that the title is culled from a much more innocent source, a children’s card game. (I’m not much of a card player, so you can forgive and excuse me for not catching that reference off the top.) This is a book about laying down four cards at your disposal to eradicate bad habits, bad thoughts, bad things you say and so on to become a better human being. Self-improvement this book is, but seeing as though it comes from a Christian publisher, you know there’s a God angle in here somewhere. That angle is that the fourth card is something of a lifeline to God. Feeling suicidal, as Lusko, the author, admits to sometimes feeling? Make a point of talking to God. It’s that easy! Presto, majicko!
The truth of it is — while I enjoyed certain aspects of this book, which I’ll go into a little later — this is a dangerous book in some ways. Make no mistake, laying your problems with God is a good thing and may be a little helpful. Waking up at 2 a.m. in cold sweats thinking you’re going to die (which the author admits to doing) is probably best dealt with through therapy and/or medications. I suppose that makes me a proponent of science over God, though Lusko does quote science-y things at length in the first two-thirds of the book, but there it is. I honestly feel that suicidal thoughts are a big problem. Maybe not bigger than God can handle, but surely the last thing one would want to advise someone to do who is thinking of ending their life is simply to pray and memorize a few choice Bible quotes. (Lusko has provided a few of these in an appendix at the back of the book.) That’s where I cross myself and say that I Declare War has its blind spots and may be more harmful than good in certain instances.
Read the rest here: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...
The truth of it is — while I enjoyed certain aspects of this book, which I’ll go into a little later — this is a dangerous book in some ways. Make no mistake, laying your problems with God is a good thing and may be a little helpful. Waking up at 2 a.m. in cold sweats thinking you’re going to die (which the author admits to doing) is probably best dealt with through therapy and/or medications. I suppose that makes me a proponent of science over God, though Lusko does quote science-y things at length in the first two-thirds of the book, but there it is. I honestly feel that suicidal thoughts are a big problem. Maybe not bigger than God can handle, but surely the last thing one would want to advise someone to do who is thinking of ending their life is simply to pray and memorize a few choice Bible quotes. (Lusko has provided a few of these in an appendix at the back of the book.) That’s where I cross myself and say that I Declare War has its blind spots and may be more harmful than good in certain instances.
Read the rest here: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...
December 9, 2019
This book is perfect for those who tend to get stuck in their own anxious thoughts. Levi lays out some practical tips to help you overcome being your own worst enemy. His biblical perspective is sound and i found myself highlighting a LOT of this book. Definitely something I will try to pull out a few times a year to help me fight through those anxious times of the year!
June 27, 2019
4.47, shout out Peak City Church!
If you're looking for a good church, I gotchu
If you're looking for a good church, I gotchu
July 2, 2020
Excellent book! I love how Levi Lusko thinks and writes - Using fascinating facts/stories to teach life-changing Biblical Truth, all the while being incredibly authentic.
December 17, 2024
This book is amazing! It brings such a unique perspective and helped me through a lot.
April 21, 2019
Good book with a slow start but strong finish.
February 21, 2019
Excellent! We received this as a blessing through our church and I am grateful to have been introduced to this author. His humor and ability to be real and current added such flavor to his suggestions for personal improvement. I am looking forward to reading "Swipe Right" next.
December 29, 2020
Laid back, informal, regular-Joe type of writing style (as is trending among preacher-turned-authors these days), going for authenticity , I think. Which is good.
However, I don’t adore this style of popular Christian books. The personal stories, arbitrary references, and downright silly analogies, such as using movies, and my least fave- analogies from within the preacher world (like how I am uninterested when poets write poems about writing poetry, or screenwriters and directors do movies about actors)-, such as anxiety he feels before preaching a sermon- just aren’t my thing. It’s fine though, since these bits are chunked and can be easily skipped over.
My critique aside, Lusko did his homework for this, and I really appreciate it. He doesn’t just talk about his world. He brings in a variety of great quotes from a variety of people. Lots of wisdom. He also shares many interesting statistics and studies- in that way he reminds of Malcolm Gladwell but maybe a minor-league player, comparatively.
Also, Lusko refrained from what I call Bible verse bombing (no pun intended based on the book title and premise of figurative war). On the one hand, preachers verse bomb to build ethos. So I get it. On the other hand, too many verses is annoying for two reasons.
One, verse overload feels like a disservice to the true depth of scripture. For example, a preacher could spend a whole series on one psalm. So what makes an author think they should include a psalm every third page?
Secondly, verse bombing feels like a cheap way to add more pages to a book that was too short and had too little to say to justify itself as a full length book. If I wanted to read the Bible, I’d read the Bible. But I read books other than the Bible in order to join conversations about and beyond the Bible. I Declare War was successful in that it didn’t verse bomb me, though Lusko still included enough to chew on when it was appropriate to try to support his claims.
(I don’t pretend to be a Bible scholar thus will not speak to how “biblical” his claims are. I like his points a lot overall. Nonetheless, we should test everything ourselves, research ourselves rather than believe everything we read about others’ interpretation of the Bible. I will say though, the book didn’t come across as trying to redefine or stretch the Bible. It doesn’t have a Rob Bell or Anne Lamott tone to it, whether you like those authors or not. So maybe that point is useful to you as you are deciding if you want to read this book. Idk.)
I kind of gauge how much I valued the book by how much I highlighted it. I yellowed something on most of the pages in I Declare War. Moreover, I can tell how much it made me think based on how much of it I share with others. This is my first written review of a Christian living book, so I’m thinking haha. Finally, I can see how applicable books of this genre are to me by how many moods and life happenstances it addresses. To this, Lusko’s suggestions have already helped me during a moment of sadness as well as a moment of inspiration. The book added something. It took away a few things too.
However, I don’t adore this style of popular Christian books. The personal stories, arbitrary references, and downright silly analogies, such as using movies, and my least fave- analogies from within the preacher world (like how I am uninterested when poets write poems about writing poetry, or screenwriters and directors do movies about actors)-, such as anxiety he feels before preaching a sermon- just aren’t my thing. It’s fine though, since these bits are chunked and can be easily skipped over.
My critique aside, Lusko did his homework for this, and I really appreciate it. He doesn’t just talk about his world. He brings in a variety of great quotes from a variety of people. Lots of wisdom. He also shares many interesting statistics and studies- in that way he reminds of Malcolm Gladwell but maybe a minor-league player, comparatively.
Also, Lusko refrained from what I call Bible verse bombing (no pun intended based on the book title and premise of figurative war). On the one hand, preachers verse bomb to build ethos. So I get it. On the other hand, too many verses is annoying for two reasons.
One, verse overload feels like a disservice to the true depth of scripture. For example, a preacher could spend a whole series on one psalm. So what makes an author think they should include a psalm every third page?
Secondly, verse bombing feels like a cheap way to add more pages to a book that was too short and had too little to say to justify itself as a full length book. If I wanted to read the Bible, I’d read the Bible. But I read books other than the Bible in order to join conversations about and beyond the Bible. I Declare War was successful in that it didn’t verse bomb me, though Lusko still included enough to chew on when it was appropriate to try to support his claims.
(I don’t pretend to be a Bible scholar thus will not speak to how “biblical” his claims are. I like his points a lot overall. Nonetheless, we should test everything ourselves, research ourselves rather than believe everything we read about others’ interpretation of the Bible. I will say though, the book didn’t come across as trying to redefine or stretch the Bible. It doesn’t have a Rob Bell or Anne Lamott tone to it, whether you like those authors or not. So maybe that point is useful to you as you are deciding if you want to read this book. Idk.)
I kind of gauge how much I valued the book by how much I highlighted it. I yellowed something on most of the pages in I Declare War. Moreover, I can tell how much it made me think based on how much of it I share with others. This is my first written review of a Christian living book, so I’m thinking haha. Finally, I can see how applicable books of this genre are to me by how many moods and life happenstances it addresses. To this, Lusko’s suggestions have already helped me during a moment of sadness as well as a moment of inspiration. The book added something. It took away a few things too.
October 3, 2019
Stop letting life happen to you, and start happening to your life.
So many amazing quotes from this book that I highlighted...too many to even scroll through as I was looking back over it. For me, having read a lot of books like this one, it was fundamental, but also had deep. While the points he made weren't new to me, the illustrations he used were interesting. It didn't detour me from finishing the book just because I've so much of this before. No, studies have shown that it takes 7+ times for something to get grounded in your memory. And even after that, reminders are so important. We don't just read the Bible once and we're done. We continue reading and growing. This is just another growth step.
The book is split up into four quadrants (thus the playing cards metaphor) of things we must declare war on spiritually to overcome the battles we are up against. Thoughts, Words, Actions, Strongholds. Is it a Christian self-help style book? I suppose so. But what wouldn't be? God wants us to continue growing and always striving to become more and more Christ-like. If that's not what the world calls "self-help" then I don't know what is.
Lusko's style is easy-breezy and conversational--much like his teaching style. I will definitely pick up another of his books.
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
So many amazing quotes from this book that I highlighted...too many to even scroll through as I was looking back over it. For me, having read a lot of books like this one, it was fundamental, but also had deep. While the points he made weren't new to me, the illustrations he used were interesting. It didn't detour me from finishing the book just because I've so much of this before. No, studies have shown that it takes 7+ times for something to get grounded in your memory. And even after that, reminders are so important. We don't just read the Bible once and we're done. We continue reading and growing. This is just another growth step.
The book is split up into four quadrants (thus the playing cards metaphor) of things we must declare war on spiritually to overcome the battles we are up against. Thoughts, Words, Actions, Strongholds. Is it a Christian self-help style book? I suppose so. But what wouldn't be? God wants us to continue growing and always striving to become more and more Christ-like. If that's not what the world calls "self-help" then I don't know what is.
Lusko's style is easy-breezy and conversational--much like his teaching style. I will definitely pick up another of his books.
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
September 28, 2019
Lusko is vulnerable and honest. On top of citing applicable historical and current events, he uses his life as an example in many of the ways. I certainly appreciated his encouragement to move toward emotional intelligence (something I think some Christians write off as New Age) and the practical advice that is attainable. He specifically says "without God, this would be a self-help book", but self-help isn't what he was going for. And I'm grateful for a Christian author who is conscious of that.
September 6, 2024
Very powerful and empowering. No matter your relationship with God, this book is a roadmap to better. Not all scenarios are relatable but most are and the advice is grounded in Biblical truth. Realistic and relatable. Concrete tools to implement in your everyday life.
August 20, 2019
Wow! This was great! I learned a lot and felt very good about the the ideas introduced. I hope this makes a lasting impact on my life. I would definitely listen to this audiobook again.
March 7, 2022
GREAT BOOK! So good I had to read it twice!
June 26, 2019
I listened to the audio book with a 30 day free trial on scribd. But even before I was finished, I knew this was a book I would want to own. So I bought a hardcopy. I cannot recommend this book enough. It is so good! It is one of those I will definitely read more than once and will go back to again and again. Highly recommend.
February 9, 2023
Loved this book so fun to read 📚 and iblove the look and feel of the cover. Definitely a keepsake for me.
Books are my art
Books are my art
July 27, 2022
one of the best books i’ve read! this is a great resource for practical ways to reshape your thinking and replace bad habits with great ones, no matter where you are in life. i’ve never highlighted or underlined a book so much. i would recommend this book to everyone!
December 27, 2018
One of the very best books I’ve read in a long time! Read it!
August 2, 2019
Some of the “current” and “millennial” language in this book is sort of annoying and I don’t think it will lend itself to this book aging well. Which is unfortunate, because there is so much good and great in this book.
Truly one of the most USEFUL books I’ve read in a long time. I’m very grateful about the mere existence of this book. I think everyone should read it, even if you don’t think you necessarily relate to any of the things “on the tin”. I feel like everyone would get more than a bit of encouragement, knowledge, and understanding out of this book.
Truly one of the most USEFUL books I’ve read in a long time. I’m very grateful about the mere existence of this book. I think everyone should read it, even if you don’t think you necessarily relate to any of the things “on the tin”. I feel like everyone would get more than a bit of encouragement, knowledge, and understanding out of this book.
February 21, 2022
We all have an inner war going on at any given point in time. One paper I read long ago each and every one of us has roughly 20K to 30K thoughts per day running through our brains. That said, some of those thoughts are inherently negative. And we must strive to stifle and put down these thoughts...nipping them in the bud, so-to-say. This is but one book that simply strives to do such a thing.
November 14, 2018
I enjoy listening to Levi's messages and thought his book, Swipe Right, was excellent, so really looked forward to this one. It wasn't all I hoped it would be and I didn't "wolf" it down.
The war analogy is not new, as Joyce Meyer presented Battlefield of the Mind rather long ago, and that's okay. It's also okay that the concepts and information in this text are not new, which he admits. He presents them in clever, more amusing ways at times, which may help us think of them more often, and thus apply them. While reading it, I did reflect on the concepts rather often, as I often contemplate such ideas (my degrees are in psych and counseling), and some things that stuck out were seeing “Make it a great day!” on my Mickey coffee mug instead of “Have a great day” (Disney is in accordance!) and “Armed and ready!” as a suggested response to “How are you?” that I particularly like.
I did hope that I would gain at least some really good new insight for "the battle". Even though the author and I are the same age, reading the same Bible, and probably reading and listening to some of the same Christian leaders, he has offered this before, or at least presented ideas in a zestful new light. I also made many highlights in my Kindle edition, because new or not, I want the truth fresh on my mind, and it's helpful to have shorter blurbs readily available.
It was disappointing to see at least five significant mistakes in the Kindle edition that were so glaring it didn't make sense for the editor to miss them. I saved one to offer as an example, but am not seeing it now among all the other highlights. It was like extra words in the sentence that did not make sense there, or as if he (or the editor) had put two different wordings of a sentence together, forgetting to delete one. This weakened the reading experience, as did his informing of how painstaking it was to write the book. That's like when you're shopping in a store and the employees are asking for their lunch breaks in front of you and talking about how many hours until they get to go home. Not fun for the customer; at least for me.
Also, there were a couple points I don't agree with, like that when we speak, we have the very same power as when God speaks. I wish I had saved the snippets to share, but there were some concepts that I'm not certain are biblical. On a similar vein, Levi, will you please be mindful of saying "Oh my God" in your sermons, simply as an expression versus talking to Him?
Anyway, I offer all this as a coach, not a critic, as he explains in his second preaching message in this series, and more importantly, as a sister in Christ who really appreciates what Levi is doing. It seems like his work is mainly targeted to seekers and new believers, and I'm deeper into my faith walk than that, yet value his style, especially with all the cultural relevance.
Explaining the basic concepts in a way many people can relate to gives me ideas for how to talk to people who need Jesus, or who claim to know him but need a lot more of him. I can also see it helping me as a parent elucidating to my kids, though I still prefer to do it directly through the lens of Scripture vs. wolf life! (Wolf likeness is one of the main themes in this book.) We are way too quick to forget vital facts we need to live lives of victory and slipping into negativity as a default mode (his words), so I don't regret reading it. In the future, however, I'd enjoy a work that is for a more mature audience with more intricate considerations.
The war analogy is not new, as Joyce Meyer presented Battlefield of the Mind rather long ago, and that's okay. It's also okay that the concepts and information in this text are not new, which he admits. He presents them in clever, more amusing ways at times, which may help us think of them more often, and thus apply them. While reading it, I did reflect on the concepts rather often, as I often contemplate such ideas (my degrees are in psych and counseling), and some things that stuck out were seeing “Make it a great day!” on my Mickey coffee mug instead of “Have a great day” (Disney is in accordance!) and “Armed and ready!” as a suggested response to “How are you?” that I particularly like.
I did hope that I would gain at least some really good new insight for "the battle". Even though the author and I are the same age, reading the same Bible, and probably reading and listening to some of the same Christian leaders, he has offered this before, or at least presented ideas in a zestful new light. I also made many highlights in my Kindle edition, because new or not, I want the truth fresh on my mind, and it's helpful to have shorter blurbs readily available.
It was disappointing to see at least five significant mistakes in the Kindle edition that were so glaring it didn't make sense for the editor to miss them. I saved one to offer as an example, but am not seeing it now among all the other highlights. It was like extra words in the sentence that did not make sense there, or as if he (or the editor) had put two different wordings of a sentence together, forgetting to delete one. This weakened the reading experience, as did his informing of how painstaking it was to write the book. That's like when you're shopping in a store and the employees are asking for their lunch breaks in front of you and talking about how many hours until they get to go home. Not fun for the customer; at least for me.
Also, there were a couple points I don't agree with, like that when we speak, we have the very same power as when God speaks. I wish I had saved the snippets to share, but there were some concepts that I'm not certain are biblical. On a similar vein, Levi, will you please be mindful of saying "Oh my God" in your sermons, simply as an expression versus talking to Him?
Anyway, I offer all this as a coach, not a critic, as he explains in his second preaching message in this series, and more importantly, as a sister in Christ who really appreciates what Levi is doing. It seems like his work is mainly targeted to seekers and new believers, and I'm deeper into my faith walk than that, yet value his style, especially with all the cultural relevance.
Explaining the basic concepts in a way many people can relate to gives me ideas for how to talk to people who need Jesus, or who claim to know him but need a lot more of him. I can also see it helping me as a parent elucidating to my kids, though I still prefer to do it directly through the lens of Scripture vs. wolf life! (Wolf likeness is one of the main themes in this book.) We are way too quick to forget vital facts we need to live lives of victory and slipping into negativity as a default mode (his words), so I don't regret reading it. In the future, however, I'd enjoy a work that is for a more mature audience with more intricate considerations.
February 18, 2021
This book led me into greater freedom in who I am in Christ! Practical lessons on guarding my mind from bad thoughts. Thank you, Levi Lusko, for daring to write about what many of us struggle with. I will be forever grateful.
April 23, 2021
I've heard Lusko's message on the radio, and I have always appreciated his insights. However, this book wasn't a favorite among the faith-based books that I've read. He uses metaphors and analogies that seem like a stretch, and his perspective is unavoidably that of a privileged, straight, white man. I understand that you can only write from what you know, but the surprisingly frequent mentions of his struggles with Amazon shopping did little to move me. His examples were limited in scope and wouldn't ring true for all readers. Also, I think my faith is a little different than Lusko's. He clearly views the devil as an ever-present, active, personified force in our lives, and I don't necessarily think I feel the same way. Still, he writes authentically and from the heart. He provides tips from his own life about re-centering, being present with God, and praying without ceasing. The layout of the book is meticulously planned and executed. My favorite pieces of wisdom from this book were about using positive thinking. My favorite quote was, “I don't believe in positive thinking as a replacement for God but as a response to God. My goal isn't that you would see your metaphorical cup as half full: I want you to see it as constantly overflowing!”
January 5, 2021
I do want to point out this is a self-help book through a Christian lens, so if you are a believer of a different faith or a non-believer, you might not be the reader for this book. But regardless of the lens through which the self-help is provided, I--an agnostic--found a lot of sound advice that I plan to incorporate into my life. I didn't know all the stories from the Bible that were mentioned, since I've been agnostic pretty much all my life, but thinking of them as a parable or fable *showing* the soundness of Lusko's advice helped me get through.
I do admit that I most likely would not have picked this up if 1. a friend hadn't highly recommended it and 2. I had known it was through a Christian lens, but here we are.
If are finding yourself at odds with yourself, doing things that undermine your progress, then this might be worth your time.
I do admit that I most likely would not have picked this up if 1. a friend hadn't highly recommended it and 2. I had known it was through a Christian lens, but here we are.
If are finding yourself at odds with yourself, doing things that undermine your progress, then this might be worth your time.
June 23, 2020
Read through this with 2 of my friends! Levi’s writing is witty and laidback, and it was easy to read in that way. While he makes some good points in this book, and I have a few good takeaways, I wouldn’t consider this book overall to be strong. I felt like his points could’ve been better supported and focused.
I’m still a fan of Levi, though! And kudos to him for his bravery in being so vulnerable in this book!
I’m still a fan of Levi, though! And kudos to him for his bravery in being so vulnerable in this book!
November 9, 2021
3.5 / 5 stars rounded up to 4
In this book, Levi Lusko opens up about his own personal struggles and inner demons. He doesn't go too in depth with making himself vulnerable, but he does share several of his mistakes and hardships in life with the intent of humbling one's self, of leading by example. Ultimately, this book is about overcoming the version of "you" that you don't want to be - of course, from the perspective of a Christian. This means laying down our prideful, selfish behavior, turning away from our idols and learning to love God and love People above ourselves. Of course, this, and other things are explored in this multi-faceted book.
To be a little transparent myself, this is something I've been dealing with in recent times, and I suspect I will be dealing with for some time to come. That is, becoming more and more aware of my many flaws that are inherently tied to the human/fleshly nature, and learning that we don't have to live our lives chasing empty desires and meaningless passions. We don't have to live as victims to our emotions; giving in to anger and envy and lust. And as I've noticed these sinful tendencies and shortcomings in my own life, I've been seeking to remedy it. (To briefly clarify, I am not striving for perfection as no one on this earth will ever reach it, but, to simply love and be loved, and to realize that life isn't all about ME).
This book does well in bringing a lot of these common issues to light and examining them in a straight-forward and truthful manner. Some of the more surface level struggles that are delved into (external problems, if you will) include anxiety, addiction, depression, and many others. Of course, these all fall under the umbrella statement of Winning the Battle with Yourself. Isn't this what we want as Christians, (And I think most people, regardless of religion) is to attain the highest quality of life as possible? To experience freedom from the chains of unrestrained emotions and a pessimistic perspective? And one of the most important ways we do this, as the book will more adequately describe, is by our thoughts. Of course, this book is backed up with biblical truths and is just not a self-help guide or motivational work, but there does seem to be some of that as well. I would say it's balanced fairly well, as, in fact, much of our success relies upon OURSELVES, and not just our faith in God. What we do, what we say, how we act... and most importantly, what we think, will largely determine the quality of our life.
The author puts in solid effort in addressing several, common struggles that we (as humans) face. I think just about anyone (non-religious persons included) would find at least a couple of things highly relatable in this book. With the topics in this book, he uses a friendly, intimate and easy to read writing style. He often includes anecdotes and cultural references throughout, and also tends to lean on metaphors a lot. A bit too much, at times, which was a slight negative for me, as reflected in my rating. I think using metaphors can be great to help simplify or illustrate a scenario better, or even make it a bit more entertaining at times - but Lusko does it a tad too often for my tastes. Part of the problem I have with this excessive usage of metaphors (and anecdotes and cultural references, as well) is it too quickly abandons certain subjects and jumps into the next, leaving much to be desired and remaining surface level on some topics. A picture is often presented by the author, but he doesn't always spend enough time studying it and analyzing it with us before moving on to the next. Like a quick stroll through a gallery that's chocked full of meaning and purpose. (See what I did there, Mr. Lusko? Look what you have me doing, lol)
He also is a bit too personal at times for my liking as well. An example of this will be interruptions where the author will go off on a tangent, briefly describing something that happened to him I.R.L. at *this* particular moment in the writing process. Cute. But ultimately distracting and I could have done without such inclusions. This is more of a personal preference, a nitpick, if you will. Some might find this entirely inconsequential. Again, my biggest gripe is the briefly glossing over of some of the topics and not diving deep enough. Less metaphors, and a deeper examination of the ones already used would have been much more impactful, in my opinion.
I will say that this book did help open my eyes to some things and does provide food for thought. I wouldn't necessarily say it was life-changing for me, but I could see how it might be for some. I commend the author for crafting a fairly-well structured book that tackles a subject we can all relate to - if we so choose. It also succeeds in making clear that this book is simply that: a book - and it is ultimately up to us to take up our battle gear and begin making the changes necessary to defeat our alter egos. Levi Lusko just offers some wisdom and instruction on how to go about doing it. And I would say, minor complaints aside, he conveyed his message very effectively.
If you are a Christian still struggling to find some direction and purpose (aren't we all, to some degree?) I would recommend giving this one a read. It didn't quite hit a home run for myself, but it does contain a lot of helpful truths and I think many would benefit from it.
In this book, Levi Lusko opens up about his own personal struggles and inner demons. He doesn't go too in depth with making himself vulnerable, but he does share several of his mistakes and hardships in life with the intent of humbling one's self, of leading by example. Ultimately, this book is about overcoming the version of "you" that you don't want to be - of course, from the perspective of a Christian. This means laying down our prideful, selfish behavior, turning away from our idols and learning to love God and love People above ourselves. Of course, this, and other things are explored in this multi-faceted book.
To be a little transparent myself, this is something I've been dealing with in recent times, and I suspect I will be dealing with for some time to come. That is, becoming more and more aware of my many flaws that are inherently tied to the human/fleshly nature, and learning that we don't have to live our lives chasing empty desires and meaningless passions. We don't have to live as victims to our emotions; giving in to anger and envy and lust. And as I've noticed these sinful tendencies and shortcomings in my own life, I've been seeking to remedy it. (To briefly clarify, I am not striving for perfection as no one on this earth will ever reach it, but, to simply love and be loved, and to realize that life isn't all about ME).
This book does well in bringing a lot of these common issues to light and examining them in a straight-forward and truthful manner. Some of the more surface level struggles that are delved into (external problems, if you will) include anxiety, addiction, depression, and many others. Of course, these all fall under the umbrella statement of Winning the Battle with Yourself. Isn't this what we want as Christians, (And I think most people, regardless of religion) is to attain the highest quality of life as possible? To experience freedom from the chains of unrestrained emotions and a pessimistic perspective? And one of the most important ways we do this, as the book will more adequately describe, is by our thoughts. Of course, this book is backed up with biblical truths and is just not a self-help guide or motivational work, but there does seem to be some of that as well. I would say it's balanced fairly well, as, in fact, much of our success relies upon OURSELVES, and not just our faith in God. What we do, what we say, how we act... and most importantly, what we think, will largely determine the quality of our life.
The author puts in solid effort in addressing several, common struggles that we (as humans) face. I think just about anyone (non-religious persons included) would find at least a couple of things highly relatable in this book. With the topics in this book, he uses a friendly, intimate and easy to read writing style. He often includes anecdotes and cultural references throughout, and also tends to lean on metaphors a lot. A bit too much, at times, which was a slight negative for me, as reflected in my rating. I think using metaphors can be great to help simplify or illustrate a scenario better, or even make it a bit more entertaining at times - but Lusko does it a tad too often for my tastes. Part of the problem I have with this excessive usage of metaphors (and anecdotes and cultural references, as well) is it too quickly abandons certain subjects and jumps into the next, leaving much to be desired and remaining surface level on some topics. A picture is often presented by the author, but he doesn't always spend enough time studying it and analyzing it with us before moving on to the next. Like a quick stroll through a gallery that's chocked full of meaning and purpose. (See what I did there, Mr. Lusko? Look what you have me doing, lol)
He also is a bit too personal at times for my liking as well. An example of this will be interruptions where the author will go off on a tangent, briefly describing something that happened to him I.R.L. at *this* particular moment in the writing process. Cute. But ultimately distracting and I could have done without such inclusions. This is more of a personal preference, a nitpick, if you will. Some might find this entirely inconsequential. Again, my biggest gripe is the briefly glossing over of some of the topics and not diving deep enough. Less metaphors, and a deeper examination of the ones already used would have been much more impactful, in my opinion.
I will say that this book did help open my eyes to some things and does provide food for thought. I wouldn't necessarily say it was life-changing for me, but I could see how it might be for some. I commend the author for crafting a fairly-well structured book that tackles a subject we can all relate to - if we so choose. It also succeeds in making clear that this book is simply that: a book - and it is ultimately up to us to take up our battle gear and begin making the changes necessary to defeat our alter egos. Levi Lusko just offers some wisdom and instruction on how to go about doing it. And I would say, minor complaints aside, he conveyed his message very effectively.
If you are a Christian still struggling to find some direction and purpose (aren't we all, to some degree?) I would recommend giving this one a read. It didn't quite hit a home run for myself, but it does contain a lot of helpful truths and I think many would benefit from it.
May 10, 2019
The first 75% of the book is very "me-centered". It starts as a self-help book where God is an additive. But it finishes well. This book certainly had its gems, but it's not one that I would overall recommend.
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