Pressed but not Crashe
Pressed but not Crash
By Evangeline Esaaba Folson
We are troubled on every side yet not distressed; we are perplexed but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed. Another translation of 2 Corinthians 4:8 says, We are pressed on everyside, yet not crushed, perplexed, yet not to despair.
There is a song that says:
I am trading my sorrows
I’m trading my shame
I’m laying them down
For the joy of the Lord
Yes Lord, yes Lord
Yes, yes Lord
Yes Lord, Yes Lord
Yes, yes Lord, Amen
I’m pressed but not crushed
Persecuted but not abandoned
Cast down but not destroyed
I’m Blessed beyond a curse
For His promise will endure
That His joy gonna be my strength
Though sorrow may last for a night
His joy comes in the morning
I’m trading my sorrows…
In spite of the fact that you are under pressure from various challenges remember that, God works all things together for the good of them that love God, who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)
What makes Christians robust and resilient in the face of challenges?
- God said He will uphold us
Isaiah 41:10
2 Corinthians 2:14
- God said He is with us
Joshua 1:9
Matthew 28:20
- God can do all things
Jeremiah 32:27
Ephesians 3:20
God said He will uphold us
To “Uphold” according to the Oxford English Mini-Dictionary means to conform or support. Meaning, God promises to help, encourage or approve what we do in the times when we are faced with difficult challenges.
Isaiah 41:10 says
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right-hand of my righteousness.
Because of the promise in the verse above, God will not allow us to be crushed or destroyed when we pressed or weighed down with stress and various trials.
2 Corinthians 2:14 says
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savior of His knowledge by us in every place.
In the verse above God promises to cause us to “triumph” always meaning He will help us to be victorious always or overcome challenges successfully always.
Therefore, even when we are perplexed or persecuted He will help us and prevent us from getting crushed or destroyed.
God said He is with us
Joshua 1:9
Have not I command thee? Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed: For the Lord thy God is with thee whither soever thou goest.
God promised Joshua that will be with Him wherever he went. This also implies that God will help and encourage him always.
When we find ourselves in trouble, the first thing to do is to remember God is with us and we need to call on Him through prayer. God has promised to answer when we pray or call (Jeremiah 33:3, Philippians 4:6-7)
This does not mean that everything will fall into place as soon as we pray, sometimes we might even be ‘pressed’ or ‘perplexed’ more but we must stay in faith because God will eventually work all things for our good.
Matthew 28:20b
…and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen
God says He will be with us always until the end of the world.
Persecution should be expected once we are determined to preach the gospel and seek to live to please God in all we do. But God is with us and He will not forsake or desert us.
God can do all things
Jeremiah 32:27
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?
The verse above clearly states that God can do all things because there is nothing too hard for Him to do.
God can prevent you from being crushed, getting into despair or being destroyed once you trust and believe in His word. There is however one thing that we have to note as Christians, in the things of God, “majority” does not always carry the vote as is done according to worldly standards. In following the will or direction of God, you might have to follow a very lonely road. Most people might not believe or support you.
There are examples in the bible:
When Moses sent the 12 spies to survey the Land of Canaan 10 believed they could not conquer Canaan. Only two, Joshua and Caleb believed they could conquer by God’s grace. The two believed in the will of God. Canaan was conquered eventually after some years under Joshua’s leadership. There were giants in the land of Canaan and the city was well protected with strong and high walls. But God did it.
Read the story from Numbers 13, Joshua 6
Jesus suffered on the cross alone. His disciples could not help Him. Matthew 26:38-75, Ephesian 3:20
Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
God can do much, much more than we can ask or think. He can fulfill even our wildest imaginations; if it falls in line with His will for our lives.
Do not be intimidated by persecution and distress. Press on as a good soldier of the cross and the Lord will sustain you. He will not allow you to be destroyed. Trust in God and do right things always. Learn to trade your sorrows for the joy of the Lord.
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