When I try to think of a comparison of what “pressing in” to my faith means, I visualize a runner who is running a marathon and is determined to do the best they can to make it to the end. Moments when they have to push through the burning lungs and physical inclination of wanting to give up. Pressing on when they’ve gone about as far physically as they can go and at this point the only thing keeping them going is sheer determination to finish the race.
That’s comparing it to something physical. But in our walk with the Lord, we at some point come to the realization that we can’t do this on our own strength. God even tells us that in His word:
“Not by power, not by might but by MY SPIRIT says the Lord.”(Zechariah 4:6)
Pressing in is when your spiritual lungs are burning and you’ve been praying and praying and believing and thanking and waiting on the Lord and there is NOTHING else you can do. NOTHING BUT BELIEVE. The Bible puts it this way:
“…When you have done ALL that you can, just stand.” (Ephesians 6:13)
My question to you, is HOW ARE YOU STANDING? What is your spiritual posture? Are you standing in expectation to a Father who tells you in His Word:
“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11)
Or are you standing there in defeat, head down, and shoulders slumped kind of faith?
Have you given up on God answering you because you are looking at a hill and wondering where you are going to find the strength to push on and move forward when you feel spent and have no more strength on your own accord???
We can do NOTHING on our own accord. We have to continue believing, continue trusting, continue praising Him for the answer. This is the time when we are at our MOST vulnerable. This is the time where ol’ slewfoot tries to attack your mind and begins to whisper mocking words on your relationship with God. This is the time where we are usually tested on the level of our faith. There are multiple examples of it in the Bible.
I Googled, “how many times did Jesus use the phrase – Oh ye of little faith’ in the Bible?” Google’s answer was 4 times. Matthew 6:30, Matthew 8:26, Matthew 16:8 and Luke 12:28. Jesus spoke this twice to His disciples and twice to all the people. Is He saying this to you???
ARE YOU PRESSING IN AND HOLDING ON TO THE ONE THING THAT YOU CAN TRUST IN? YOUR FAITH IN GOD, YOUR PROMISES! BELIEVE!!!!
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
When you are standing at the end of your strength, that is when God says, “Okay, are you done now? Are you ready to trust in Me?”
“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.” (1 John 5:4)
Pressing in and continuing to believe even when you don’t see your answer on the horizon. You can trust that He has got this. He has got you.
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the Word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that were visible.
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.” (Hebrews 11:1-12)
What do all of those have in common? THEY PRESSED IN. If you look at your life and your walk with the Lord I am sure (as I can myself) where you can see times when God moved in explicable ways. As long as we have breath in our body we need to press on… We need to realize that we can’t do anything on our own accord. God didn’t make us that way. We have ALWAYS been dependent upon the One who created us. But those that choose to trust in Him – especially at the moments where they have no strength and can’t see beyond the horizon of circumstances in their lives need to trust in the One who can! HE CAN! Ol’ slewfoot wants you to give up! Give in! He is waiting for you to just raise up your arms in exasperation and defeat. RAISE THEM UP IN PRAISE INSTEAD. Your eyes are on the One who is the LIFTER of your head. PRAISE HIM! There is SUCH power in praise! Praise is an act of faith! HE IS ABLE. HE IS! Deep inside your spirit is that “mustard size faith” and as you read these words it is growing. You are nodding your head. You are inhaling a deep fresh new anointing of Holy Spirit. You are straightening your spiritual back and lifting those shoulders and looking UP to the hills recognizing Who it is who gives you the strength to walk forward. Shout out a HALLELUJIAH!!! THANK YOU LORD! I LOVE YOU! I HAVE FAITH! I BELIEVE! I TRUST! I STAND IN YOU. I WALK BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT! I GIVE YOU GLORY AND HONOR AND PRAISE! YOU ARE THE GOD OF “I CAN” YOU ARE THE GOD OF “I WILL” AND I WILL WALK IN YOU! GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST…
“Father, forgive me for the times where I took You out of the equation. Forgive me for the times I tried to figure out a solution when what You wanted me to do was press in on my faith in what YOU can do. Lord, I don’t have all the answers. BUT YOU DO. There are times when I come to HUGE hills in my walk and I can’t see how to rise above them. Help me. You tell me in Matthew 17:20 ‘If I have faith the size of a mustard seed I can move mountains.’ Father please take my mustard seed faith and move the mountains that need moving in my life. You know what they are. I am pressing in to You Father. I thank You for hearing my prayer and being glorified in EVERY area of my life. As I press deeper into You, I speak as the psalmist in Psalm 28:7-8 and I say, “Do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.” And I have faith You will. Thank You Father, I praise You and I worship You. And most of all, I love You. Thank You for being the Way, the Truth and the Life, In Jesus’ precious name I pray. AMEN
Truth is – we need Him. EVERY DAY. The beginning of having a faith in Him is in knowing that. How do we strengthen our faith for moments when we need to press in? READ THE WORD OF GOD. It is food to our souls. It will strengthen you when you need it most. It will be what keeps you going when your spiritual lungs burn for Holy Spirit air. It will push you forward. It will strengthen you, it will guide you – it will keep you. When you are at your lowest moments you will accelerate with scriptures whispered in your ear that was stored up in your heart. Holy Spirit will bring them to mind. Keep believing. Keep trusting. Keep moving forward in faith knowing that when ALL is said and done we will believe as Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:7:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
May that be you, may that be me. May that be us! AMEN
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