Power Of Pressing ON!

Key Scripture: "But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me."

Power Point:

  You may never have heard of a mangle iron.   In the “olden days” they were used to press clothes. In my home they were only used to press sheets and pillow cases. When I got to the ripe old age of about twelve or thirteen my mom decided that I could be a big help if I could press the bedding. A mangle iron consists of two rollers filled with HOT heat. It allows you to put your pillowcase between those rollers and supposedly every wrinkle is pressed out. I discovered that they called it a mangle iron for a reason. My fingers could certainly attest to the fact that it was properly named.  I tried.  I really did try but I seemed to press more wrinkles IN then I pressed out. I promise that it was not deliberate but I just couldn’t seem to get the hang of it. (At least I don’t think it was deliberate.)  Anyway my mom figured out that it took a lot less time and effort for her to do it herself. Thank you Jesus.  My fingers really appreciated it!

     The apostle Paul knew a bit about mangling too. I think he called it “pressing”. If anyone was mangled, it was Paul. He was stoned, beaten, nearly drowned and a lot more. Don’t you love his attitude in Philippians 3?

He says, “I press on!” What was he pressing for? He was pressing toward the high calling Jesus had for him. To get there he had to press through some pretty major obstacles didn’t he? He tells us that we should follow his example.

Paul says that pressing on is the main thing he does. He puts it this way:

I press on toward my high calling.

Sorry, I just have to breathe that one in for a moment. God has extended to us a divine invitation to be whole, healed and delivered and to be His friend, His family and His partner to bring heaven to earth. Ahh.

We can say:

I press on for more wisdom.

I press on for more power

I press on for more boldness and courage and strength.

I press on for more revelation and insight

I press on to lay hold of and get within my grasp the thing for which Jesus has laid hold of me.

I press on to forget what lies behind and to strain forward to those things ahead. 

I press forward to unity with Him and with others.

I press forward to peace.

I press forward to gentleness and kindness.

I press forward to being worry free.

I press forward to what I hear and see in Him and from Him.

I press forward to being content to being abased and content to abounding.

I press forward to fullness.

I press forward to humility.

I press forward to honoring others more than myself.

I press forward to looking out for other’s interests.

I press forward to being like Jesus.

I press forward to being obedient.

I press forward to KNOW him.

I press forward to be found in Him and like Him.

I press forward to living out the resurrection life He died to give me.

I press on toward His heaven on my earth.

I press on to the mindset that continually presses on.

     God uses situations in our lives to press out the wrinkles. He does that so that He can present us perfectly, without fault, and without wrinkle when Jesus comes again. Press ON! Beloved, and Press IN! Press on, and on, and on….

Power Thought:

If you keep pressing on He’ll keep pressing out the wrinkles. That's a promise!