Keep Pressing On
“We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forgotten; struck down, but not destroyed.” – 2 Corinthians 4:8
Troubles of different kinds fill our world. No matter how much we pray or love God, we would still experience the troubles and trials of life. When we find ourselves in a challenging situation, when unpleasant things happen to us, we have an important choice to make. To choose to keep pressing on or allow ourselves be pressed down. In 2 Corinthians 4:8, Paul said they were hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; everywhere Paul turned, there was something or someone to discourage him, to crush his spirit, faith, focus and joy, but he refused to be pressed down and crushed. Instead, he kept pressing on! We see Paul’s resolve to keep pressing on no matter the difficulties before him, no matter what life threw at him in Philippians 3:12. “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” Paul further reiterated his determination to keep pressing on in Philippians 3:14. “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
No matter what comes your way, choose to keep pressing on! We must refuse to allow our mistakes, our past, our emotions press us down and crush us. We must forget those things that are behind that have the tendency to slow us down and hold us down (Philippians 3:13). Notwithstanding how dark and ugly our past is we are not our past. We are new creations in Christ Jesus and so must keep pressing on to be who God created us to be, who God says we are not who our past says we.
We must refuse to allow people’s opinion of us or even the negative thoughts we have of ourselves bring us down and crush us. If you allow people look down on you, if your mind is filled with thoughts of I can’t do it, I’m not good enough, you won’t have any reason and strength to keep pressing on. The Israelites who saw themselves as grasshoppers and believed they were seen as grasshoppers by others, were ready to stay on one spot instead of pressing on to take the land of Canaan which God had promised them(Numbers 13). Caleb on the other hand, was full of faith and courage to go and take over the land, to keep pressing on because he was not limited by a negative mindset.
We must refuse to allow any trial or trouble of life cramp us and slow us down. No matter how bad you think your situation is, it is a light affliction compared to the eternal weight of glory God has prepared for you (2 Corinthians 4:17). If you keep focusing on problems, you will become weary and discouraged and won’t have any energy to press on. So keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith, so like Christ, you can endure your own ‘cross’, you can press on to lay hold of the joy, glory and great things God has prepared for you (Hebrews 12:2)
We must refuse to allow any evil chain or shackle hold us down. Like Paul and Silas did, we should praise and pray our way out of every prison the enemy wants to use to lock down our destiny, purpose and blessings (Acts 16:23-27). Don’t stay silent in any prison situation. Keep your praise on, keep the fire of prayer burning so you can break free from every evil yoke and bondage, so you can keep pressing on even when the enemy is doing everything possible to pin you down.
Don’t allow what you have or don’t have cast you down. Keep pressing on! Don’t allow the works, schemes and operations of the kingdom of darkness push you down. Keep pressing on! Refuse for any bad news weigh heavily on you and press you down. Keep pressing on! We must refuse to be oppressed, suppressed, compressed, repressed, and depressed. We must keep pressing on! Victory comes to those who press on despite difficulties.
PRAYER
I receive grace to keep pressing on to lay hold of everything You have planned and prepared for me. I refuse to allow any person or situation press me down and crush me, in Jesus mighty name. Amen!
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