Jul 27 2009
The Power of Pressing In
How far in the natural will we go to get the things we want? Many will go to great lengths for money or things, but what about when it comes to going hot after God?
This morning in prayer the Lord reminded me that many of our prayers go unanswered the same way our spiritual gifts do, because we really aren’t pressing in, eager to get them, and willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen.
First and foremost in order for our prayers to be answered on a regular basis, we need a personal relationship with Christ. We must have appropriated or accepted His gift of salvation.
Second–we must focus on true worship of God and make Him the focus of all we do and say.
Third–we must want it bad enough to go after answers to prayer and revelations of the Spirit.
Fourth–we must consider God’s opinion more important than other people’s opinions. We must be willing to make fools of ourselves if we have to, to get what we need from the Lord.
In order to press in toward God we will need to be willing to risk our reputation in the eyes of men, even other believers, and seek God, not taking no for an answer. In Scripture, our examples are those who would not let go until they got answers. Will we follow after them?
Scripture repeatedly says that the Lord will not hide Himself from those who earnestly seek Him. The key here is the word “earnestly.”
How bad do we want what we pray for? Most of us have had times when things were so desperate that we stayed on our knees for extended periods begging God for answers. And He showed Himself faithful during those times, in one way or another, didn’t He?
Well, during the good times, we seldom spend much time in prayer because the needs aren’t as pressing. Isn’t that so? The truth is that somewhere in the world the needs are desperate and people are dying without Christ, going through the fire in every conceivable way. But do we care?
I’m afraid we take little compassion on those who are out of sight and out of mind. Rather, we tend to thank God we aren’t in their situation. It’s true, isn’t it?
But what does that say about us? It says that we scarcely resemble our compassionate Christ at all.
A sad commentary indeed. But here’s the thing. We don’t have to settle for mediocre Christianity anymore. We don’t have to merely go through the motions of playing a part, playing church instead of truly worshiping God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength. We don’t have to be self-centered, caring only for ourselves. These things should bring us up short, seeing how far from the mark we are.
I’m desperately pressing in, frantically believing God for more of His presence and power. More love, more compassion for the hurting, more fire of the Spirit and more of everything He has for me. I want to have something passionate to live for, a reason to get up in the morning and be excited about, and that focus must be to seek a new and real revelation of Jesus.
Come with me, won’t you? Let go of dead, fake Christianity and seek the real thing.
Because of His great love,
Nancy
