Flourished in Pressured Times

Pastor Allen Speegle

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Tribulation = pressure

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] AMP

Talk about the challenges of 2020.....

How Can We Flourish in Pressured Times?

1. Keep Yourself in the Love of God.

Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Eph 5:18-21 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

1. Remember Pressure “IS NOT” From God

James 1:13-17 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

tempted = pressured

Isa 54:15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.

Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

1. “ALWAYS” Follow God’s Instructions

2 Cor 4:17-18 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Matt 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

1. Live Looking and Moving Forward

DO NOT live in the past.

Phil 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before me.

Isa 43:18-19 "Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands. MESSAGE

LOOK to the future.

Jer 29:11 know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out — plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. MESSAGE

Matt 24:42 Watch therefore [give strict attention, be cautious and active], for you do not know in what kind of a day [whether a near or remote one] your Lord is coming. AMP

Active = move forward with speed, participate in energetic work

1. Don’t Forget How to Laugh.

Prov 17:22 A cheerful heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit makes one sick.

TLB

Prov 15:15 When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong; when he is cheerful, everything seems right! TLB

Psa 126:1-6 Then was our mouths filled with laughter....

Neh 8:10 For this day is holy to our Lord. And be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold. AMP