Thank you Father for the pressing…There is power in pressure. Power in the pressing. Thank you for the crushing Lord God… When you're pressed God is pressing to get the best of you out. Leaving the old behind with whatever situation or circumstance is being used to press you.
The best illustration for what we’re experiencing is a winepress:
A winepress is a device used to extract juice from crushed grapes during wine making. There are a number of different styles of presses that are used by wine makers but their overall functionality is the same. Each style of press exerts controlled pressure in order to free the juice from the fruit (most often grapes). The pressure must be controlled, especially with grapes, in order to avoid crushing the seeds and releasing a great deal of undesirable tannins into the wine. (Wikipedia)
Isn’t that how the Father handles us? He permits the pressure but it is controlled enough to get the best of us out so that the seeds of sin are not released into what He is producing in us. That’s so beautiful to me.. He makes all things new. When the pressing gets uncomfortable…don’t go to what is familiar to ease the discomfort…press in and praise and pray and worship your way through it….
I believe God has permitted the pressing and pressure and issues in our lives to extract the best out of us and not the worst out of us. We don’t need to condemn and judge everyone else. God make me new. God make us new…I believe God has permitted the pressing pressure and issues in our society even, to extract the best out of us and not the worst out of us. We don’t need to make America great again. We need a NEW America.
We each need to be made new. It is a time to renew our faith, renew our values and standards, renew our mind. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5). That means let us think humbly like Jesus. We need new thinking. Renew our mind Lord God. We need new language… Holy Spirit govern our tongue. New vision. Thank your for-sight God to see not with our natural eyes alone, but divine discernment. We need pure discernment. A Godly perspective and not our own.
Let us embrace change, embrace unity, embrace love, embrace one another, Embrace the trinity God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). We need enough people being the light to cast out and extinguish darkness. If you light your candle and I light mine darkness can not overshadow it. Darkness has no power unless there is no light at all. It does not matter if your one light in your area. Let your light shine and shine brightly. Your light is hope and inspiration for someone else to get the courage to shine their light.
Think of who and what you are being pressed for and who and what you are pressing toward in your personal life, in your ministry, on your job, in your community, nation and world. It’s for God first, but then it’s for your family, your friends, all those you love and for your community. I’m willing and I will survive the pressing…because I know it is for my good, I know it is for my family’s good, I know it is for all those who I love so dearly, I know it is for the good of you and all those God called me to.
We are pressed on every side, but the word says, 2 Corinthians 4: 8-10, " 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. "
That’s it right there. We carry what we carry so that the light of Jesus may be manifested through us and in us. We are the hands ,the feet, the voice, the heart, the mind, the eyes and the ears of Jesus. Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Let's Pray: Thank you Lord for the pressing.. Thank you Father for the pressure. While you're pressing Lord, extract the best of me so that I may glorify you in Heaven. That I might show Jesus glorified. That I might be used boldly walking and talking with the conviction of the Holy Spirit.