Kindly tell someone around you to press further. Tell yourself ‘I will press further’. A word of advice, admonition, instruction, command, etc.
By way of introduction and definition of terms, press can be defined as ‘to push against something; to act upon, with steady applied weight or force; to move by weight or force in a certain direction or in a certain position’. Other words for press are push, thrust, squeeze, etc.
Further can be defined as ‘to or by a greater distance; farther; over a greater expanse; for a long way; to a greater degree or extent; to a more advance point’, etc.
Press further can therefore mean ‘to squeeze, push or thrust against something firmly in order to move farther, or in order to cover a greater distance or get to an advance point.
Press further will mean that the person/object pressing further had initially pressed/pushed to where they presently are; but they needed to exert more pressure, more force or more of their weight to get them to a more distant location or a more advance point.
The bible teaches us as God’s children to continue to press further in life despite successes achieved or challenges encountered in life. These are two things that can make someone to remain in a particular spot: the euphoria of achievements or the discouragement from disappointments. That is however not the will of God for us lives.
Prov. 4: 18 – But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Ex. 14: 15-16 – the sequence of instruction: move forward; before lifting up the rod to divide the sea. They should not be crying.
There is someone listening to me now, there is an obstacle ahead of you, press further though. Continue to move on. The obstacle will give way. The ‘sea’ will divide. There will be a way out for you.
Prayer: Father, whenever I come across an obstacle on my path in life; please make a way of escape for me.
Jos. 1: 1-2 – at the death of Moses, the people wept for 30 days in the plains of Moab. God however inspired Joshua to press further to the Promised Land. The journey has not ended, it is time to move on.
I loved the way God still talked about Moses even in death – Moses, my servant is dead. He was and is mine. I did not reject him. I know about it. I allowed it. But it is however time to press further.
Someone listening to me, something hugely disappointing has happened to you; God wants you to forget about that disappointment as your Promised Land is still ahead of you.
Isaiah 43: 18-19 (Amplified Bible (AMP) “Do not remember the former things, Or ponder the things of the past. Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing. Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.
As humans, we like to hold unto the past. It is a familiar experience for us. Something that our brain has documented and replayed again and again.
That was why the Israelites, even though God led them out of bondage in Egypt and were making their way to the Promised Land, but because of the hardships on the way, they were over considering the melon, cucumber and garlic the used to eat in bondage.
God is asking you to remember your past no more; neither should you consider it. Why? Because God is set to do a new thing for you. Something that will spring up very soon. There are now signs even for you to perceive it. It shall be a miracle: it will be likened to making a way in the wilderness and having a stream in the desert.
May God do so for you in Jesus name.
Jos. 3: 1-3 – spectacular miracle. I think it involved greater faith than crossing the Red Sea. Why? God said the water will divide when the feet of the priests bearing the Ark of Covenant must have stepped into the overflowing waters of River Jordan. So, it was! The Israelites walked on dry ground and marched on to Canaan land.
There is someone listening tome now, God is set to do a very spectacular miracle in your life; all it takes is for you to believe and press further. Put your feet in the overflowing water, it will part for you in Jesus name.
In 2 Kings 2: 1-15, as God was preparing to take Elijah to paradise, Elisha, and other sons of the prophets in different locations got a wind of it. Elijah was trying to do a private exit, so he kept telling Elisha that God has sent him on errands of which he would like to go alone, Elisha however insisted that “as God lives and Elijah lives, he would follow him”.
Elijah did this three times, when he realised that Elisha would not back down; he asked what Elisha wanted. Elisha demanded the double portion of the spirit of Elijah, which he eventually got because he pressed further.
Other sons of the prophet had the same knowledge and opportunity that Elisha had, but they failed to use it. Some even came close by standing on this side of the bank of River Jordan and probably saw what happened at the other side. Elisha came back and became their master.
You are been discouraged by the same person(s) or even maybe institution that should have encouraged you. Do not give up. Press further.
Your resilience and your pressing further will be worth it in the end. You shall become a ‘master of the rest’ in Jesus name.
Prayer: Father, help me not to give up when faced with discouragement.
In 2 Kings 5: 1-14, the bible tells us of a notable man in Syria. He was powerful and famous; even been used by God, but he was a leper. He however did not settle for his fate; he was looking for a cure.
His determination to find a cure made him to trust the testimony of his slave girl and travelled to Samaria in Israel to see Prophet Elisha. On getting to Samaria, Elisha asked that Naaman should go and wash in River Jordan seven times.
Naaman was very angry because Elisha did not even come out to say hello; he did not give him a more dignifying treatment by laying hands on him; and he did not ask him to go and wash in cleaner rivers like those in Syria. So, he decided to go back home in anger.
His servants were however able to pacify him to comply to Elisha’s instruction; and alas, he was made clean!
Your obedience to press further will pay off. You may have tried once or few times to no avail; try again. You will certainly succeed if you do no give up.
The ‘but’ in your life is been taken care of now.
Today is your Gilgal. It was at Gilgal that God rolled the reproach of hundreds of years from the Israelites. God is washing your reproach of many years away right now.
Prayer: Father, surround my life with people who will encourage me to press further in life.
Almost the same thing happened to Bartimaeus as well in Mark 10: 46-52. Jesus was passing through the city of Jericho, Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside begging for alms. When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing, he began to shout, ‘Jesus Son of David, have mercy on me’.
He could not see, so he did not know when he should begin shouting; so, he shouted all through. Many rebuked him to shut up; but he shouted even more. Jesus heard him; stopped and sked that they should bring him.
The people that had rebuked him before became his hope bearers. They told him ‘Be of good comfort, cheer up; arise; He calleth thee’.
Can I tell someone today, ‘Be of good comfort, cheer up, arise, your case has come up for Jesus attention. Heaven is attending to your case right now.
To another person, God says, ‘Go in peace, your faith has made you whole’.
To someone else, God says He will give you a voice that cannot be drowned or resisted.
Prayer: Father, grant me victory over forces that are intimidating my destiny.
In Mark 5: 22-34, as Jesus was going to Jairus house to heal his daughter, many people followed and were pressing on him from all sides. A woman who had been suffering from haemorrhage for 12 years was among the crowd. she had suffered in the hands of many physicians.
She had spent all she had without getting better, instead she got worse.
Despite her condition and her possible frail strength, she was determined that if she could only touch the helm of Jesus garment, she would be made whole. The problem was however how to reach Jesus with the kind of crowd around Him: people who are stronger and many in number. She however pressed further and further until she reached, and touch Jesus clothe. She was healed immediately. Jesus proclaim her wholeness.
Has something made you become weak? Has energy left you because of an issue? You can regain that strength and energy in Christ. Only press further.
What is the issue bothering you? Could it be relationship (spouse, children, parents, siblings, friends, or brethren)? Health? Career? Academic? Money?
Have you suffered because of the issue?
Have you been exploited because of that issue?
Guess where your cure lies? Pressing further. I admonish you to press further and may God make you whole today in Jesus name. Amen!
Prayer: Father, deal with any issue that might want to weaken me from pressing further in life.
Prayers
Father, inspire in me the willingness to press further
Father, grant me to power to press further.
Father, grant me the grace to press further.
Father, send me the necessary help to press further.
Sermon delivered on April 19, 2020.