-by Elder Chuck Rupert-
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
While seeking the Lord, I heard Him say, “Talk to my people about pressing into Me.” Over the last few weeks the Lord has spoken to me over and over, that we must press more fervently into Him. Pondering this, He continued to speak, “My children come to me in faith believing for many things. Many will press in prayer and intercession, until they reach a certain level of resistance. All too often their faith grows weary when things are not happening as they had hoped or desired, and they quit pressing; thinking that I am saying no, not now, or that they have prayed amiss. Giving up quickly, they lose the fortitude and fervency to push through. In doing so, they lose the benefit of pressing into Me. My people are always praying for breakthrough, but what about breaking through to really reach me?”
Within ourselves, each one of us holds a deep desire to see breakthrough. It is in us, as we are meant to finish and see the end of things. God has placed that anointing and pursuit within us when He created us and fashioned us before the foundation of time. When we reach a level of faith in our walk with God that we simply know deep down in our hearts that God can and will perform His Word, we come to the edge of what I call “our faith zone.”
Just before the breakthrough, things will get very desperate and we can begin to grow weary. We are at the edge of our faith zone, standing just before the breakthrough. It is right at that point, if we are not seeking the face of the Lord, pressing into Him intimately, quickly doubt, worry, fear, and unbelief will try to invade our thoughts. If we allow our gaze to be broken, our pursuit to be interrupted, we will lose our adrenaline rush of faith. We reason within ourselves, and our soul starts dictating to our spirits the natural situations and circumstances that will quickly cause us to trip and stumble. It is during these times that we must press into Him. Even if we fall or stumble in our faith, we cannot simply get up and limp to the finish line. We must run to Him, run to the finish line!
The majority of people give up right here at the stumbling block of discouragement. They miss the opportunity to press into Him, and miss the blessing of knowing Him as our Finisher of faith! Discouragement comes when we begin looking for the answer and not the face of Jesus. I can usually gauge where people are at in their faith walk and relationship with the Father, when I hear them asking, “When is God going to breakthrough? I have been declaring, standing, decreeing, believing, and praying! When, Lord, when? I can’t take much more!!”
In our own personal lives, my wife and I must press daily to see the face of Christ, hear the plans and desires of His heart, and remain focused on His promises. Without a daily pursuit of Him we could easily fall into deep discouragement because of circumstances and life’s troubles. Fear could overtake us in a brief moment. We must not allow distractions and present circumstances to draw us away from seeking Him for our daily infilling and instructions for living. He must be our bread, our drink, our sustenance. He must be all that we live for. If we will seek His face and determine to listen to His voice, we will hear the distinct voice of the Holy Spirit training us to run the race of endurance. Matt: 11:12 “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it!”
There is a word taken from Mark 3:9. This is where the people were pressing Jesus for miracles. It is the Greek word, epipipto, meaning to ‘embrace with affection’, ‘settle with violence’, ‘fall into, on or upon.’
When we become discouraged, we must with the help of the Holy Spirit, resist falling into familiar ways of fear and press!! The pressing must be a violent pressing through. It’s a breaking through into a higher level of believing and living in God. It’s similar to athletic training.
Hebrews 12 refers to our life in Christ as running a race. It’s a race of passionate pursuit of Jesus!! We must be willing to overcome all challenges and distractions that may trap us and keep us from participating in the race. The word ‘endurance’ is used here. Endurance is ‘the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions; stamina.’ Despite when weariness comes upon us, we must push through. Athletes always train knowing their own personal stamina and strength. I am no trainer, but I know that strength comes from repetitive exercises and increased resistance and proper rest and nutrition. Endurance increases as we push through the different levels of resistance.
The object of our pursuit is Jesus! When we realize what He endured for us, then we will see what we have to endure is light in comparison. So when we become discouraged, disillusioned or weary in our walk, remember the life of Christ. Remember the brutal scourging and the violent murder on the cross; He suffered radical disfigurement in every part of his body. It is through this that he perfected our faith and finished the work for us.
‘For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.’ Hebrews 12:3
Not to minimize the suffering of my fellow saints, for there are many who are martyred for the sake of the kingdom. A good majority of Christians do battle with their own weaknesses and sins; and most of it is repetitive sin. Many go around in circles fighting the same battles over and over. God will chasten us as He is our Father, so that the sin nature will be destroyed and His Righteous nature will become ours.
‘Now, no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.’ Hebrews 12:11
So, I encourage all to press through those discouraging times, by examining yourself. Examine yourself to see if there is any weight or sin that is holding you back from getting closer to the presence of God.
‘Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord’ Hebrews 12:12-14
I encourage you to be a worshipper with arms upraised to Heaven. Stand on the Word. You must remain accountable to others who more mature in the faith and run with them as they follow Christ. Have a heart of repentance and humility. This is correct spiritual alignment. This scripture says that when you do these things, you will encounter the Presence of God!
It is time to PRESS!
