Press or be Pressed
Philippians 3: 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
A wine press – squeeze every single inch or juice from the grape.
• The purpose the grape thinks it has been created for is shattered as it’s picked and squeezed and trembled on.
David said - Psalm 38:1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your wrath, Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!
2 For Your arrows pierce me deeply, And Your hand presses me down.
I. The World will press you
Samson and Delilah - Judges 16: 15 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.”
16 And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death,
17 that he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.”
II. Sometimes we must Press
Issue of blood – Luke 8: 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.
45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”
When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”
46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.”
III. Press can be uncomfortable
In basketball – Full court press
• Pressure from every side.
When my pants get the “hanger wrinkle” – They must be pressed.
• Wrinkles are scares and the master will press out all the imperfections.
IV. Press can lead to more
Luke 6: 37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
• He will take what appears to be nothing, and make something!
Are you Pressing or being Pressed?
