Power-Under-Pressure

I was thinking about something this morning.

I came in to study where Paul was looking at

Second Corinthians four. For a moment today, this is not

what I'm preaching on. I might preach on this in

the future, but I wanted to share it with you

today as the snow gently falls on the Cedars of Charlotte,

North Carolina, on this spring forward Sunday, I'm telling you

the real Christians, the hardcore, holy ghost filled fire, baptized,

devil chasing, Bible totin Christians are going to be the

ones in church this morning.

I'm gonna be there with them. It's going to be electric.

So as I was preparing, God started speaking to me

on the subject of pressure.

Well got me thinking about it. Two things.

Another pastor sent me a text message and he said,

I'm praying for you. I cannot imagine the level of

pressure that you experience. I think he meant getting ready

to pre each weekend in our particular situation. And then

another thing was I was thinking about a friend of

mine who is a professional athlete.

And he's actually going to be.

Competing today and I was just chatting with him this morning.

I made him a little video and he likes to

refer back to a sermon that I preached in I

Think twenty fourteen I may be off, and the sermon

was called I'm Better under pressure, and so it got

me thinking about pressure.

Are you under pressure.

Today in your emotions and your finances and your relationships.

Do you feel a sense of spiritual pressure? Do you

feel pressure to make a decision although you don't know

all the information. Do you feel pressured by people to

compromise some of your values in order to succeed or

be popular.

Do you feel pressured, perhaps to.

Perform at a level that you don't feel you have

the resources for. They say that burnout is when the

level of requirement exceeds the level of resource available to you,

or the perceived level of resource available to you. That's

important because sometimes you have more available than you recognize,

but if you don't know it's there, you can't use it,

and so the pressure can mount in our lives. I

want to speak about that for a moment today, and

the passage that I love to refer to when we

talk about pressure his second Corinthians four. Paul was under pressure.

He was under pressure in his current situation. In his

present situation, you could say, if you wanted to preach

pretty he was under present tense pressure. Okay, so he's

describing something that happened in the past and correlating what

happened to him then to what the Corinthian Church might

go through in their present circumstance, their future.

He's preaching under pressure. He's being scrutinized.

There are many who are trying to sabotage him, and

he refers back to something that he went through. He

says in present tense, speaking about his sense of confidence

under pressure, power, under pressure. One great athlete, I believe,

a tennis player. You can google me and check me

if I'm wrong. Michelle from Japan. Michelle Griffin from Japan.

What's up in Japan? I know it's not snowing in

Japan today. It's snowing in Charlotte a little bit. But

Paul said, excuse me. The tennis player, the unnamed unknown

source tennis player said that pressure is a privilege. Let's

look at this. We're talking about pressure for a moment

today and I only have a short time, so I

may preach.

This at a later time.

Because God was revealing some things to me about pressure.

Everybody say pressure right there in the comments. Just put pressure.

Put the word pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure to

get it right, Pressure to live up to a standard,

Pressure to do better even though you feel like you're

doing the best that you can. Pressure to provide for

your family financially and emotionally, and those two can run

counter to one another. Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure

to be a better Christian, even though you think some

crazy thoughts. Pressure pressure. Put it in the comments. Come on,

put it with a heart. Pressure pressure. Put it in Florida.

Put the word pressure right there in the comments. I'm waiting,

Cynthia from Concord's coming at eleven.

I'm waiting Philippines. Put the word pressure.

We're on a little delay here, but I'm waiting for

the word pressure. I'm gonna put some pressure on you

to respond in the comments. Thank you for sharing this link.

We're sharing about pressure today, pressure, pressure, pressure. Tammy says

it makes diamonds and pearls along with irritants that'll preach.

Carolyn says pressure. Tom says pressure. Mark Williams refers to

the book The Inner Game of Tennis, which I really love,

and he says pressure. Brandy from Ronoke says.

Pressure pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure.

This is your wake up call today on Spring Forward

weekend here in the United States of America, Charlotte, North Carolina.

We're talking about pressure. Actually, we're talking about pressure under pressure.

Paul says, we have this treasure. Okay, second Corinthians four seven.

Let me preach this now. This is powerful.

God.

God is giving me something even as I talk to

you on Facebook.

We have this treasure. Remember the woman said that pressure

makes diamonds.

Right, So he says, we have this treasure, and the

pressure is what creates or reveals the treasure.

Pressure reveals treasure.

It is when you get up against the wall that

you discover the resource of stress that you had.

Not previously accessed.

It is when it seems there is no way that

you lift your eyes to and beyond the hills and

see that your help comes from a higher dimension.

It is in the process.

Of cutting the gem that you see how much it

can shine. Pressure reveals treasure. I am preaching Matthew Wolf,

Greg Kirshner pressure pressure. Greg talks about pressure creates calloused hands,

pressure on the guitar strings, or well, that's how I

take it, because I'm a frustrated retired guitar player.

Pressure reveals and releases treasure.

You're ready, but we have this treasure in charge of

clay to show that this all surpassing power is from

God and not from us IWO Corinthians four seven. Paul says,

pressure shows you where your power comes from. Pressure causes

you to look beyond yourself. We eat the surface to

the one who has all power and authority in his

hands in this good aren't you excited? Hey, we're going

to be preaching today from seven mile miracle. We're on

mile to salvation. But I want to give you a

little prevotion. You like that little prevotion on the subject

of pressure under pressure, Pressure shows you what you're made of,

and since you're made in the image of God, pressure

can be a great gift to remind you.

Of the source of your strength, the strength of your life.

Amen, I'm not there yet, I'm just warming up.

We are hard pressed.

There's the word I'm reading from the NIV, the newer NIV.

I think the twenty eleven translation. We are hard pressed

on every side. It's not just one area of my life.

I could deal with one area if it was just

pressure in my marriage. Okay, I can work on my marriage.

But now I think about my kids. I think about

my marriage, well, I think about my friends, while I

think about my mom, while I think about my job, well,

I think about It's really more than four sides. It's

coming from from so many different places. It's coming from within,

it's coming from without, It's coming from my haters, it's

coming from my friends.

There's pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure.

Paul was under pressure, more pressure than we can probably imagine.

No matter how bad our situation is, we probably can't

relate to Paul's level of experienced or perceived pressure, but

we can relate to the principles that he espouses. In

Second Corinthians, we are hard pressed on every side, but

not crushed.

Perplexed.

I'm not sure why I'm going through this, what to

do about it? Can't seem to see a way out

right now. Well, I'm not in despare Christine, not into

spare Amy. I'm persecuted. Not everybody likes me. Maybe sometimes

I don't deserve to be liked by everyone. You ever

thought about that? Sometimes the persecution is my own fault.

Sometimes it might, it might have nothing to do with me.

But regardless, I'm not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed.

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus.

Remember that before he died, he went to a garden

called gethsemone. Bible students, I can't wait for your response

because we have a little delay, but you can put

it in the comments. What does get semone literally mean?

Many of you have studied this before and you know

that gets semony where Jesus prayed and his sweat became

like drops of blood. Gets semony means olive press, the

place of the press, and when he prayed, not my

will but yours be done. The pressure on the son

of God.

Listen to this.

Resulted in the surrender that produced the saving power by

which you and I are sustained. The power of pressure.

It's not always a bad thing to feel like I

don't know if I can do this. Take this cup

from me if it is possible. And when Paul refers

back to the death of Jesus, I believe he wants

us to know that we will never experience greater pressure

than the Son of God. And the one who persevered

under pressure, who went forward under pressure, who.

Died for us.

Under pressure, is within us and greater is he that

is in you than he that is in the world, Christie.

And greater is he that is in you than he

that is in the world, Liquida. And greater is he

that is in you that is in the world, Trishaw.

So it is in the place of pressure that treasure

is revealed, that power is released. We always carry around

in our body, that's our physical senses, the death of Jesus,

so we're not afraid to suffer. Sometimes we understand that

while we are still in this body, we will not

be fully liberated.

From the constraints of our humanity. And we're okay with that.

Because we know that the life of Jesus will also

be revealed in our body. The pressure produces the power.

I'm skipping to verse sixteen. Therefore we do not lose heart.

We don't get weak when the pressure comes. We don't

get weak at wartime. We're built for battle. We're better

under pressure. We are outwardly wasting away. This is sixteen,

so I think Corinthians four and sixteen. Yet inwardly we

are being renewed day by day.

It is a diamond mind. What I'm going through right now.

Is going to reveal to me and to the world

the glory of God, and it will be worth it.

Pressure under pressure, pressure under pressure, pressure, pre sure. I

like to play with words. Can I have some fun?

Would it be all right? Can I have a little

Can I have a little bit of fun? I was

digging in this today, just thinking about pressure. Remember we're

talking about pressure under pressure. And I saw a diamond,

I saw a facet. I like to see turn it.

I like to take a concept like pressure and turn

it and see if I can get it to catch

the light. And I thought, pre sure, pre sure, you

got to remove an S to make it right. But

pre dash sure, like I preached in the series, work

your window precision, not only aiming at something, but deciding

in advance what you want to aim at. Pre decision precision. Anyway,

pre sure, Paul said. When I got in trouble, I

was all right because I was pre sure of my triumph.

Again again, you're ready to shout. I want to see

some praise hands. Before I got in trouble, I was

pre sure that God will cause me to triumph. Listen,

our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us.

It's working for me.

It's working for me, the pressure is revealing the treasure.

It's not for nothing, and it's revealing. It's going to reveal.

This light and momentary trouble is achieving an eternal glory that.

Far outweighs them all. So I'm not looking.

To this side or that side, or this circumstance or

that situation for assurance.

I'm pre sure.

Come on, somebody, pre sure, pre sure, pre sure Minnesota,

pre Sure. God sent me on Facebook Live today. I

just I was writing this message. This isn't my message

I'm preaching this morning. I hope you join me this

morning because I got something really, really, really powerful on

the subject of salvation. And it may relate to this

a little that We're going live at nine thirty eleven

thirty Eastern time, five o'clock on Facebook Live and on

the Elevation app. But I was writing this down, I thought,

I want to share this right now. I'll preach it

maybe later. I may preach it to our staff this week.

I may preach it to our church sometime. But thinking

about I'm pre sure under pressure, I know that this

is going to produce I know that the pain is

producing power.

I know that no matter what I go through or

no matter what I'm up.

Against, let me get a sip of my dietmamdue this

spring forward Sunday. Come on, I got to jump on

the devil. Say it, somebody say it, say it, say it,

say it, say it. I am pre sure, not pre

sure of the reason that I'm going through this. I

don't know the reason yet, but I am pre sure.

I know.

I am convinced that the sufferings at this present time

are not worthy to be compared with the glory that

will be revealed in us.

I am pre sure.

Of the resurrection, and that's why I can trust God.

On the cross. I am pre.

Sure that all things work together for the good of

those who love Him and called according to his purpose.

I am pre sure that he knows the plans.

He has for me, their plans to prosper me, not

to harm me, to give me hope and a future.

I am sure, prey sure.

I already know. Somebody type that in all caps. Share

this message with a friend. This is powerful. This is powerful.

I feel it in my spirit, I feel it in

my heart.

I feel it. I don't know if you can feel

it on your phone, on your screen.

I feel that the power of God being released to

you right now as you deal with the pressure of

everyday life. Doesn't have to be a big thing, doesn't

have to be a presentation for Mark Zuckerberg, doesn't have

to be a high level account that you have to

that you have to present results for to.

The Board of trustees on Tuesday. It could be the

little things.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes it's the little things

that get in our soul causes to lose our confidence.

But if you are pre sure under pressure, come.

On, somebody type I already know, I already know. I

don't know how God is going to use this, but

I'm pre sure. I know he will. I know he will.

I know he will. The same God that delivered me

from the Paul of the Line and the Paul the

Bear will deliver me from this uncircumcised felicity. David, you

SOUNDCOCKI no, I'm confident. I don't come against you with

a javelin, with a sword. Even this slingshot is not

my weaponry. I walk by faith, not by sight. So

I all ready no, I am pre sure under pressure,

my God, who I'm telling you?

Man?

So I wrote some things down. How many of you

would love to hear a whole sermon on this. Paul said,

we don't lose heart. We are pre sure under pressure.

Melville says this is hard to apply. I know it is.

I'm not saying it's easy. Neither did Paul.

In fact, I'm not even speaking of my own authority.

Because some of you are up under pressure right now.

I can't imagine. And I don't want to sound as

if I'm not compassionate. I just want to encourage you

to know that this is not the end. This is

not the end for you. Even when cancer killed one

of my church members last week, I had the confidence

to know this is not the end. It's not the end.

The tumor was not the end. Thanks be to God,

who always causes us to try. Even in death. Jesus

is victorious. I am pre sure. That's right, Samantha. You

got to be pre sure in the pit, pre sure

of the promise.

No going in.

You can't go into the battles of life wondering if

God is with you. Paul said, we are struck down

but not destroyed. We are persecuted but not abandoned. I'm

not alone, You're not alone. I got to go into

the situation, not wondering will God be with me? But

he said be strong and courageous. I feel a strong,

annoying right now, like if it was twenty thirty thousand

people in the room. I don't even know why. I

don't know who this is for, but I know the

spirit of God. I have an ear for it. And

the things that I'm saying to you right now are

not things that I've prepared to say. I was about

to go get dressed and get ready to walk out

and preach, and I started thinking about pressure, the pressure

that you might be under.

You could list it.

You could say the pressure of a custody battle, the

pressure of a court hearing, the pressure of bankruptcy, Hey,

the pressure of success. Sometimes when we say pressure, we

think about losing it all. But how about when you

have it, but you wonder do I have what it

takes to keep it?

That's pressure.

It's not just failure, it's not just success. If Paul

was under pressure, we will be too. If the Son

of God was under pressure. There are going to be

times in your life where you go to gethsemone and

you ask God to take the cup, but maybe you

have to drink it and The only way out is

through God releases power through pressure, and what God is

speaking right now is for you, whatever drama you may

be dealing with.

See I go into the situation like Joshua.

Every place I set my foot, even if there are enemies,

I know that I am empowered.

In the presence of enemies. David said, there's a table.

So when I go through the valley, I know my

shepherd is with me, His rod and staff comfort me.

I am pre sure of his protection. I am pre

sure of his provision even under pressure. I believe the

oil will flow. And I believe God tapped me on

my soul at this very moment and gave me this

word for somebody who has been under such pressure that

you don't think you can take it. I feel like

somebody is even watching this who considered ending their life

and had a plan to do it, and God interrupted

your plan with this post. And I'm going to hear

a testimony from you of how you were. You picked

up your phone and you saw this notification of this

video or someone shared it with you, and the pressure

was so great you were emotionally overwhelmed. You felt isolated relationally,

and wondered if God had forsaken you, but you've heard

the promise that Paul relayed from the Holy Spirit in

psych Corinthians.

For I'm heart pressed, but I'm not crushed. This is

not the end. This is not the end of you.

No matter what it is, it is not the end.

Christ is in you. Can you feel the spirit of God.

I don't know if you have a strong Wi Fi connection,

but I feel a strong spiritual connection right now. And

the annoying of God is on me so strongly. To

tell you is producing great power. But patience is required.

You got to stay afirm. You can't quit now. Is

too much pressure for you to bear on your own.

Is to show you that the strength of your supply

is not in your skill set. The strength of your

supply is not in your charisma. The strength of your

supply is not in your bank account. The strength of

your supply is the spirit of God. And He's in you,

and he's with you, and he promised never to leave

you nor forsake you. He's your comforter. God is your

very present heal in the time of trouble, or we

could say under pressure, I'm pretty sure I already know

the outcome. Is I overcome. If I live, I serve Christ.

If I die, I get a great reward from Christ.

If I suffer, the power of God will be released

in my life in a great way.

I don't know what I'm going to go through, neither

to you. I don't know exactly how would have turned out.

They might leave, It might not work out the way

I want. It doesn't always I want it to. I

believe for it too. Shad right me shack in a

bed and to go.

Just came to mind.

Hey, the God we serve is able to deliver us

from the fire, and he will.

We have faith that he will.

We're not just accepting bad things as our lot in

life and calling that faith. We believe he will. I

believe he will. But I want you to know nebukan Azer.

I want you to know diabetes. I want you to know.

That even if he does it, we won't bow under pressure.

The Hebrew boys were under Babylonian pressure, but they wouldn't bow,

and you can't either. With the Spirit of God inside

of you, you can do this. Without him, you could

do nothing. Through him, you can do all things. I

hope y'all love this as much as I do today.

This word that God has given us, I.

Got to get ready to preach.

Now.

I'm already going to be a little bit behind schedule,

but it was important to me to obey the Holy Spirit.

And we live in a day where I can speak

to you up under pressure and right there in your

pocket on your phone. We can connect like this, and

I pray that the power of God would be released

to you today, the promises of God would be revealed

to you today in the process of your life.

I'm pretty sure I already know God is for me.

Doesn't feel like it. Life is against me. God is

for me. If He is for me, who can be

against me?

I already know neither life, nor death, nor anything else

in all creation will be able to separate me from

the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus my Lord.