Eight years ago, I began a long journey with, the LORD, learning the rhythms of rest and it was somewhere near the beginning that I first heard the phrase, “pressing in.” I really resonate with this term because it perfectly creates the picture of going after the heart of God. The truth of the matter is that God is present and he actively pursues us, but we also have a part to play. God created us for the purpose of relationship, but he doesn’t violate our freedom to choose.
Pressing in depicts an image of pursuit. God initiates intimacy and then he waits. Have you ever really thought about that before? As I was praying a week or so ago, he spoke that to my heart and I really heard it for the first time. It was quiet and gentle, but clear: “I wait for you. Look at me because I demonstrate faithfulness as I wait.” God is generous with his measureless love, but it doesn’t magically land in the heart, the heart must receive it.
Right around the time the LORD gave me the phrase, “pressing in,” he also gave me an open vision. It was one of the wildest moments I’ve ever had. I stood surrounded by hundreds of women worshipping God, and in the middle of it all he showed up and called me out.
As I stood there a geyser appeared before my eyes. There was water exploding up from the ground and I was captivated. It looked refreshing and all I wanted to do is drink from it. So I stepped forward to lean in, but immediately pulled back. I tried another angle and then another and as I leaned in for a fourth try the LORD spoke in my ear.
“You can’t get a drink without getting messed up!”
I stood up straight and just said, “What?”
“You heard me. And further more, I have met you where you are because I love you and you needed it that way, but this is a new season. I will not leave you, but if you want more, you will have to follow me into it.”
And then just like that I was back in the room with all those women, working at processing that whole experience.
You know what that was? It was an invitation for more. “Pressing in,” has become the picture of going after the “more” of God, the encapsulation of every spiritual discipline employed in practicing the presence of God.
But what does that mean? What does it look like? How do you develop a relationship with God? How do you choose to live with someone when you can’t see, touch, or hear him?
Over the years, through seasons of process, I’ve learned some habits that help create a flexible structure for the idea of “pressing in.” This is in no way exhaustive, but these have provided some substance which, for me, help establish steady footing.
Pressing In Starts with Trust
Learning to trust God is a life long lesson. I know for me I’ve had to change how I understood the word trust. Trust is active which means it is something you do. You can choose to trust, or not to trust. While emotions can certainly affect the decision-making process, in the end you still get to choose whether or not you are going to trust.
God relentlessly encourages trust because he knows everything. He is Sovereign and his promise is to lead you through-the good, the hard, and the messy. I don’t know about you, but I feel God is very aggressive about this issue in his word. I’m not sure how many times is says, “Trust the LORD,” but I know it’s a lot. Anything repeated more than three times is important, so when the repetition is in the neighborhood of hundred’s it’s time for pressing in.
I recently did a little study on Eve in the book of Genesis and as I studied the accounts of Creation and the Fall, I realized that the issue of trust was at the heart of that sin. The LORD gave them instructions but when the enemy challenged them with distorted lies Adam and Eve made the choice to trust someone else. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the core issue of sin is unbelief.
Pressing In Leads to Worship
God is a jealous God and will have none other before him. No one and nothing. The discipline of worshiping God is perhaps the most important choice we can make, because again, worship is an action. It’s how we love and exalt God. When we worship we set aside everything else and everything we are becomes about Him.
This is the starting place. You start by meeting with him and allowing him to reveal himself, which he does, faithfully and miraculously. God is clear about who he is and doesn’t withhold. In the book of Isaiah he actually says that he never would have told the people of Israel to look for him if he couldn’t be found! (Isaiah 45:19). If you want to understand what God does, then you need to know his heart.
Read the testimonies of Moses and David. Both these men demonstrated the passion of pressing in as they worshipped God. Another great place to look is the book of Psalms because they declare who God is, what he has done, and how he is present now. As you read, God will meet with you and reveal himself and when he does, worship will be your response. Worship is the product of being so perfectly loved that you want to respond back with the same.
There are outrageous things He does when we make intimacy the priority in our lives, because when He is first, when it’s His face we are fixed on, it makes it really hard for the enemy to lead. The scriptures say that God makes his dwelling place in the middle of our praise! He sits there and revels in it, and the enemy can’t come into the presence of God, which makes THIS the best place to be-always!
Pressing in Remembers His Promises
Pressing in remembers his promises. There is something profound that happens as you strengthen yourself in the LORD. As you rehearse his promises and remember his testimony it arouses encouragement and inspiration. His promises are active reminders, which speak of who he is and what he is capable of.
The entire message of the Bible is full of his timeless promises and as you learn to know the heart of God it becomes easier to understand his ways. Moses boldly asked God for more. This man, whom God had called, spoke to, and backed with favor and power, asked God to know him more. (Exodus 33:13) The promises of God are a gift and they always lead to the more of God.
The promises are a shield and defense. Imagine that! God’s promises are a powerful word of truth backed by all the honor of his name. Wrap yourself in them and uphold them against the liar and his toxic ways. The promises of God strengthen and fortify you like nothing else! Yuck will come, but it can’t take you out.
“So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.” Heb. 6:18-19
Promises give us a foundation to hope which leads us into the presence. When you are struggling, remember the promises and let them lead you into his sanctuary where he renews your mind and strength.
Pressing In Rests
Careful in your pursuit of the more of God that you don’t become obsessed with the doing. God has issued a sacred invitation to come, but not so you can perform. He says,
Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalm 46:10.
I remember one day as I read this verse, the LORD stirred my spirit as I read the last part. It is hard to “be still” when you feel like you have to be doing something. As I read the last part of that verse I realized that my job is to submit and yield to just being with Him. You see, God invites you to simple come. His concern is you. I believe that there is a supernatural movement that happens when God’s people quit striving and just press in.
You see, there is an amazing thing that happens as we rest in him. Resting and waiting are unbelievably important, and two of the most difficult things to discipline ourselves to do. We are designed to produce, so while “Rest” feels counterproductive, it really isn’t. Look at the trees in the field, they rest all winter so that they can produce again in the spring. The discipline of “rest” prepares the soul for exceptional growth.
God is serious about rest, so much so that he set a whole day of the week aside dedicated to it. You think he might know something we don’t?
Pressing In Calls for Courage
Pressing in requires self-control to simply stay. Staying and waiting in the presence of God takes practice.
Pressing in calls for courage to step in, doing the hard work of self-control and self-discipline. Courage is the fruit of trust. The decision to trust God, to follow Him into the deeper places even when you can’t see, opens the way for courage. You get to exercise the faith and courage muscles when you trust enough to follow God into the cloud! There is nothing passive about pressing in, so prepare your heart for the journey of your life as you go after the more of God.
When God reveals himself to you he gives you plenty of time to sort it out. You can’t rush it. Believe me, I’ve tried. Just like every other truth you’ve learned, God’s revelations also need a proving time. God speaks and then you get apply it. You will get ample opportunity to practice, so go ahead and press in. Be courageous and let yourself handle it, touch it, try it on, or even wrestle with it. It’s worth the effort.
Resist the urge to go do something for the LORD and just stay. Knowing happens in the place of quiet reveling. Learn to be okay with the still and quiet as you simply behold the majesty of God. Don’t rush it, don’t try to take shortcuts, just wait for him.
Breakthrough is always hard, but the only way through is to keep at it. I know it may feel weird. That’s okay, give yourself time to adjust, because the weirdness does wear off. God, Most High, invites you to come. Do not be afraid, because the best of Him is yet to come.
