In today we desire things right away “a microwave mentality”.  This is not a generational issue but a societal issue. The older generation may complain about this being a millennials issue but have an older person wait in a drive-through to long and see their reaction.   

Any athlete including fencers, we get the hang of a sport and we do pretty well for a while. Then there is a wall we hit where it seems like we lose every match.  We may want to quite at this point but if we press in and persevere. We will obtain new skills and will become stronger in our sport. 

So it is hard to endure or persevere through the process of God’s plan for our lives. We want those plans to be accomplished yesterday. God gives us concepts, businesses, or ministry ideas and we run after it hard for a week or maybe even a month, the that wall stops us, and we end up on a shelf.  

We justified the plan being on the shelf by says “if it was God it would of happen sooner”.  God is out to develop our character, not just a ministry or business.  God can speak and be able to create anything so it not about the idea but our character. 

How long will you carry God’s plans or desires? I was reading in Nehemiah where he carried (prayed for) the remnant in Jerusalem and the condition of the city for months.  In chapter one is where Nehemiah gets the news about Jerusalem and the people.  

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem.

Nehemiah‬ ‭1:1-2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Nehemiah heard about the destruction of Jerusalem and the people were in great trouble. Nehemiah was disturbed and began to fast and pray for the people.  He confessed of the sins of the people even tho he did not commit them himself. Nehemiah pressed into God for the people.  

Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah saw the king anywhere from 3 to 4 times a day whenever the king desired a dring a cupbearer would sip from the cup first to make sure it was not poisoned. Nehemiah’s character and training, he was always intervening for the king and people, so it made it easier to intercede for the people of Jerusalem. Nehemiah never thought of bringing the situation to the King, knowing if he did without permission he possibly losing his life. 

In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.

Nehemiah 2:1-4 ESV

We see in these verses first it was in the month of Nisan which is four months from the time he first heard about Jerusalem and the people. Nehemiah has been carrying this burden, and just keep press on with his duties and also intercession. God was developing his character and heart for the people, that he would do anything to help them.

Second, we see that Nehemiah taking a cup to King Artaxerxes and Nehemiah states “I had not been sad in his presence”. For months he was before the king and never shared or expressed his burden. Once God had developed the needed character and heart in Nehemiah God gave him the opportunity to share with the King. The king became the provision for what God wanted to do in Jerusalem, but it took one person to Press In!

The Press is On are you going to press in or back down, you only have these two options with the situation you are in. You never know when you are going to break through and your provision will come. This is what happens to one woman when she pressed in to touch Jesus.

And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.

Matthew 9:20-22 ESV

This woman battled and prayed for twenty years, and when to many doctors to get no relief. Then one day she heard about a possible provision and against all social norms she knew she was going to have to press in. She literally press through the crowd of people around Jesus, she just had to touch her source provision.

We need to keep pressing no matter what, we don’t know where or from whom our provision will come through, it could be a king or the King of kings. Once you have pressed in and your character can support the plan, business, or ministry then the provision will come. Once you recognize you have an audience with our provision be ready to share what you have been carrying.

APPLICATION

• What is God asking you to Press In to? (Plans, Busines, or Ministry)
• Ask God to develop the needed character to fulfill the press.
• Recognize your provision and share.