Assemblies of God Empowered Magazine PRESSING INTO THE KINGDOM | Page 5

teaching or educating and engaging in acts of kindness. Without question we must do these things. However, apart from 1) an impassioned pursuit of prayer, 2) confrontation with the demonic, 3) expectation of the miraculous, and 4) a burning heart for evangelism, the kingdom of God makes little penetration in the world. “Pressing in” is accomplished first in prayer warfare, coupled with a will to surrender one’s life and self-interests, in order to gain God’s kingdom goals”. When a kingdom expands there are many fronts to “press in” on. In no way does the Bible stir us toward striving and religiosity; we are directed to God upon whom we can depend for strength and guidance. We are encouraged to boldly approach His throne, which is specifically set up to dispense grace to His kingdom people (Heb 4:16). Let us lift up our eyes and behold Christ as our heavenly intercessor sitting on His throne of grace. Our God is not a bland religious icon before whom we mumble pleading prayers hoping that He will be roused from a benign sleeping posture. Our God is awake, living, all knowing and all powerful. His breakthrough power pulls us into His intercessory heart of prayer. We may have no idea of how to pray, but as the Holy Spirit lifts and enables us, we know what to pray, and this causes deep urges from within our spirits to pursue Him and the interests of His kingdom. Hear the call to prayer! Be drawn into the Father’s presence! Live in pursuit of God’s kingdom! Have a hatred for the works of darkness and destroy the works of the devil! Boldly broadcast the bright light of the gospel into every dark place and when miracles are needed, expect them! The apostle Paul writes; “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, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you”. Philippians 3:12-16 KJV Assemblies of God, let’s keep pressing in together! Edition #2 / 2014 5