God desires for you to be physically fit and healthy, so you can enjoy life to it’s fullest to serve him. The Bible says, “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” Just as there are proven methods to achieve physical success, which includes superior strength, health and longevity, there are also proven methods to achieve spiritual success.
At the beginning of the Bible you can read, “God has created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” We are three-dimensional people, spirit, soul and body. Most of the physical enthusiasts spend all their time, finances and energy, to mold and shape their bodies to their fullest potential. Some desire to have greater strength, so they can compete in strength competitions, others to improve their appearance, to be more attractive and gain self-confidence and live a productive happy life.
At twelve years of age, I weighed 112 pounds. I was inspired by my Father to start an exercise program to gain weight, and be stronger. As I started my exercise program, I envisioned myself as a future champion bodybuilder. I trained and exercised with those who wanted to achieve the same success. I studied about nutrition and read routines of other champions. I also received motivation by reading books on goal setting, physiology, visualization and discipline. I followed these proven principles to the best of my ability. I realized that if I followed these proven physical and mental principles, I would receive the fruits of my labor. At nineteen years old, I won Teenage Mr. America. I then went on to win every national AAU competition, including Mr. America. I won other awards in power lifting and weightlifting. Then I won Mr. Universe four times. I have been honored four times as an inductee in various hall of fame organizations. I achieved my dreams and visions. This led to worldwide fame and fortune. I had great satisfaction and pride that I was able to lift incredible weights and trained for hours without tiring. My accomplishments along with my phenomenal strength made me feel superior knowing that very few people in the world accomplish what I achieved.
However, I eventually realized that there was a hidden price to pay. Like so many health enthusiasts they neglect their spiritual life. Some try to fill the spiritual void in their life with counterfeit replacements of God, new age philosophy, Buddhism, chanting, meditations, other man-made religions and mythologies. I realized that the pursuit of these spiritual paths did not fill the void in my heart. They left me with many unanswered questions. They never dealt with the issue of sin in a man’s heart. Instead, they actually made excuses for me to continue to sin.
But by God’s mercy and grace Ray McCauley a former South African body builder and Christian Bible school student, shared his faith in Jesus Christ with me. I grabbed hold of the Bible promise, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I realized that the empty void in my heart was miraculously filled when I said a simple prayer, asking Christ to forgive my sins and be Lord of my life. After I accepted Christ I realized that there were Godly principles (tools) in the Bible that would provide me with success in my relationship with Christ just as there are principles in the physical realm. The Bible instruction was clear and simple, “Study yourself to be approved unto God, a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
As I studied the Bible I found that faith, joy, peace, and excitement filled my heart. Other religions fell short in giving me answers to my questions. However through reading the Bible and praying I got answers. I learned to develop a prayer life on a daily basis. In church I would worship and praise God, and afterward be in fellowship with other believers.
I now understand the true purpose and meaning for my life. In 1979 I understood that God was calling me to be in full time ministry as an evangelist. I now go about sharing the eternal truth of Jesus Christ. My life has truly been an adventure in faith. I have seen multitudes of lives transformed throughout the four corners of the world where I have now ministered. My family and I have been faced with many challenges in our walk of faith. I have survived a roll over car accident, plane crash at LAX, the Northridge earthquake, millions of dollars in debt, terminal cancer, and death threats. In all these trials we learned to apply God’s word to resist the powers of darkness (Satan). In all these trials we have had victory.
The eternal principles that are essential for a strong spiritual relationship with God are, read His word on a daily basis, pray, spend time with other believers, have a humble heart, learn to be a worshiper, Let the word of God be shed abroad in your heart. If you want true spiritual strength make sure you use the best equipment: the Bible, prayer, fellowship and faith.
Dennis Tinerino’s life story is told in his book, “Super size Your Faith”. It chronicles his fitness accomplishments , supernatural conversion, and overcoming journey of faith. He says, “This biography exposes my unique and very public success as a world champion athlete. I not only abused steroids and saw forty of my friends die from them, but also I have been a personal friend of Arnold Schwarzenegger along with many other celebrities mentioned in the book. I was a high power businessman and heavily involved in the secret world of the mafia underground in New York City and Los Angeles losing everything for the sake of money and self-gratification. Dennis can be reached at dennis@tinerino.com. To learn more about his ministry go to www.tinerino.com 
