The Blessing in the Pressing

The brokenness we experience in our pressing situations is purposed to release an oil that is strategically anointed for ministry.  Yes, the pressing was crushing.  But with the crushing pain--and even embarrassment, in some cases--comes a powerful release.  And the value of what is released far outweighs the value we attributed to that which was crushed.  The oil we carry is only released via excruciating circumstances.  There indeed lies a blessing in the pressing because it's THIS oil that is specially formulated--if you will--for the work of ministry.

Flowing from our own pain, it's infused with the very power of GOD that brought us to the other side of through.  For some, the pressing may be diseased affliction.  For others, it may be a failed marriage.  One person's pressing could be a serious financial crisis, while another's situation involves a period of incarceration.  The possibilities are endless because everyone experiences their own unique combination of crushing blows from which the power of GOD delivers us.  The same power that brought us deliverance is now the active ingredient in the oil produced by our lives' crushing experiences that is meant to bring deliverance to others.

Accepting The Paint

One thing I've come to understand about life as a believer is that Father's methods can raise a lot of questions.  We often have our own ideas and perceptions of how things should go; and each time we do, we're reminded that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours.  When we feel like we're at the end of our ropes, He's waiting for us to let them go so He can catch us.  When we feel like our backs are against the wall, He's waiting for us to stop fighting long enough to allow Him to lift up a standard against the enemy.  See, we struggle with letting go of life's ropes and putting down our fists when the fight seems to be the most intense; yet scripture continues to remind us that His strength is made perfect in weakness (as found in 2 Corinthians 12:9).

In contemplating the frailties of life, some days this journey plays out like a suspense thriller.  Finding myself in one vulnerable place after another is honestly quite stressful, and there are indeed times when my moody side just doesn't want to be bothered after having dealt with all the drama. (Can I get just ONE witness?!)  Yes, as grateful as I am to Yahweh for making ways, opening doors, snatching me out and catapulting me forward, the compounding stress that comes with waiting on Him takes a toll on me when TIME is of the essence.  If you didn't know, well now you know: living on eternity's timetable is NOT for the faint of heart because He who is from everlasting to everlasting is literally in no one's hurry.  He has His own appointed time for everything He sets His hands to do to be accomplished.  And regardless of how we may feel, there's absolutely NOTHING we can do about it.

The Pleasure of Purpose

I came across an anonymous quote once via social media that goes, "STRESS makes you believe that everything has to happen right now. FAITH reassures you that everything will happen in GOD's timing." As I pondered this thought, what came to me was Psalm 118:24. This familiar verse encourages us to recognize that this is the day that the LORD has made and further inspires our choice to rejoice and be glad in it.  Given this thought, we must not allow stress to ruin what should be enjoyed.  Regardless of the circumstances, the choice to rejoice is ours! And we ought not allow anything or anyone to make us feel like we cannot rejoice in our time of waiting.

Our Father is faithful to perform that which He has promised (Hebrews 10:23). And guess what? Whatever Yahweh promised will come forth in due time. Therefore, we can stop all the worrying about WHEN it's going to happen.  That time, energy and effort can be better spent making preparation for the promise's arrival and focusing on ensuring the atmosphere is saturated with joy.  You see, our waiting should not be overshadowed by feelings of uncertainty simply because what we desire to happen isn't transpiring now.  We are to instead rejoice, knowing that GOD will make it happen EXACTLY when He planned for it to manifest.

In situation after situation, life's experiences have consistently revealed that timing doesn't get any better than the impeccable timing of Yahweh.  He is the author of time, and everything that exists entered into time at His choosing.  As we place our faith in Him to perfect (or bring to maturity) that which concerns us, we are then able to rest in the reassurance that Father has everything under control.  Just as no amount of worrying is going to make a cake bake any faster than the time already appointed for it to remain in the oven, so it is with the various matters in our lives that Yahweh has undergoing the process of perfection.  When our focus can shift from how long we are waiting to ensuring the process of perfection is complete, time really won't even matter.

Removing The Influence

One of the greatest misconceptions we can have about salvation is that it automatically takes away everything that allured us into sin prior to confessing Messiah as Lord and receiving the gift of eternal life. What we soon find out is that what tempted us before is still pretty hot and tempting. Those feelings somehow managed to stay... The only difference is what we could once freely engage in doing now stirs up feelings of guilt.  You see, what the preacher forgot to mention, when we decided to receive Messiah's invitation to discipleship, is that it's not the goal of salvation to cause the lust of the flesh and eyes as well as the pride of life (as found in 1 John 2:16) to just disappear instantly or even over time.

Wouldn't it be super easy to live holy if all the evil within us just went away like that? Why, of course, it would! In fact, we would absolutely love it because pleasing Yahweh would be a piece of cake. But there's really no power or glory in deliverance merely removing the presence of sin. Once it's gone, there is then no more need for the power and glory. It is essentially given a pink slip because it's services would no longer be needed.

The more accurate understanding is that sin will ALWAYS be present. Therefore, the power and glory lies in removing THE INFLUENCE of its presence in our lives so we can see and take the way of escape Yahweh promises us in moments of temptation (1 Corinthians 2:13). Salvation will never remove the temptation, but it opens the door for us to receive the power of the Set Apart Spirit to dismantle the attack of the adversary against our freedom as believers. Deliverance is indeed successful when it becomes part of our culture as Kingdom citizens to discern the presence of temptation, resist its influence and make our escape from its presence.