YEAR OF THE WIND - Pressure Systems
IN A YEAR OF THE WIND
- YOU CAN CHOSE TO FOLLOW HIS PRESENCE
- OR TO FOLLOW THE PRESSURE.
John 7:1 - 13 NLT
1 After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death.
2 But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters,
3 and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles!
4 You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!”
5 For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.
6 Jesus replied, “Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime.
7 The world can’t hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil.
8 You go on. I’m not going[a] to this festival, because my time has not yet come.”
9 After saying these things, Jesus remained in Galilee.
10 But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view.
11 The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him.
12 There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, “He’s a good man,” but others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.
13 But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.”
Jesus had a lot of pressure: FROM PHARISEES
His fulfilling his purpose threatened their political power.
The Pharisees were always scrutinizing him - they would see Him supernaturally heal someone… and still create drama and talking points…
- It is one thing to have pressure from the enemy…
- It is another thing to have pressure from those you love…
His brothers did not believe… so they were trying to get him to perform…
ANYTIME YOU STOP
IT WILL CAUSE YOU TO OPERATE UNDER
- Purpose always comes with pressure…
- Privilege always comes with pressure…
- PARENTING comes with pressure
- PASTORING comes with pressure
- WORKING YOUR JOB comes with pressure
…You are not called to follow the pressure.
Do not judge someone else’s pressure...
2 Corinthians 4:8 - 10 NLT
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.
9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
SUFFERING -
- SHARES WITH JESUS IN DEATH
- IT IS SO THAT LIFE IS SEEN THROUGH US…
PAUL SAID I HAVE FOUR TYPES OF PRESSURE:
- Problems ~ I need to work through this and get through this…
- Perplexion ~ I have to prove I am smart enough to figure this out….
- Persecution ~ I am hunted by others
- Pushed ~ when people try to get me to perform a certain way…
Psychology calls this - Imposter Syndrome.
We have an inability to see our strengths, accomplishments and possibilities… many of us secretly feel like we are a fraud…
Sometimes we feel like we have so much less to offer than people expect!
So that even when people compliment us, we feel awkward and deflect it ~ we feel like they are complimenting us because they do not see us for who we really are…
If they saw us as we see ourselves, we would not get applause; we would be dismissed.
Fear keeps us in performance mode…
When you do it to prove it… you lose the power and the joy behind it…
You cannot be led by the Spirit and trying to
SOME OF YOU ARE HURTING IN WAYS YOU DO NOT HAVE TO… BECAUSE YOU ARE PUTTING YOURSELF INTO A POSTION YOU WERE NOT MADE TO FIT IN… by comparing your life to someone else’s.
1 John 5:19 - 21
19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
NLT - verse 21 - “Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.”
AMPC - verse 21 - “Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods)—[from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life]. Amen (so let it be).”
THE PROBLEM IS THAT UNDER PRESSURE:
- YOU ARE TRYING TO PROVE YOURSELF TO IDOLS WHO ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.
Did Jesus go to Judea? Yes, but not because he was pushed.
God WILL NEVER BE PUSH you INTO YOUR PURPOSE.
- YOU WILL BE PULLED BY THE WIND… (inner witness)
- God does not drive cattle - He leads sheep.
- Cattle move by fear - sheep move by trust.
THE PRESSURE YOU FEEL:
- to be special
- to be different
- to be unique
…does not come from God. It comes from culture and the world’s system…
YOU DO NOT NEED TO FEEL THE PRESSURE TO BE SPECIAL, BECAUSE YOU ALREADY ARE.
QUESTIONS THAT YOU NEED TO ASK WHEN YOU FEEL PRESSURE…
1) IS THIS FOR
Clout = like influence, it is power,
(it is when people put some RESPEK ON YOUR NAME)…
Kairos = Gods timing, Gods plan, Gods way.
Romans 8:14
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
When you are PERFORMING under PRESSURE:
ASK YOURSELF: “WHY AM I DOING THIS? IS IT FOR CLOUT OR FOR KAIROS?”
2) IS THIS
Am I being led from who I know I am or am I trying to prove who I am by doing it??
SECRET: God cannot bless who you pretend you are…
Romans 8:14 - 16
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
BONDAGE IS THE PRESSURE OF TRYING TO PROVE YOUR WORTH, YOUR IDENTITY BASED ON THE FEAR OF BEING FOUND OUT TO BE A FRAUD.
Luke 12:11 - 12 MSG
When they drag you into their meeting places, or into police courts and before judges, don’t worry about defending yourselves—what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there. The Holy Spirit will give you the right words when the time comes.
3) IS THIS
THE PRESSURE TO PERFORM IS THE GOAL TO GET CLAPS!
This is doing the praise-craving thing.
John 12:42 - 44
Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”
THEY WERE LIVING FOR THE PRAISE AND NOT FROM PRAISE!
LIVING FROM PRAISE IS DIFFERENT…It means we praise FIRST before we DO!
Acts 16:23 - 26
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
THAT IS WHY THE ENEMY WANTS TO GET YOU INTO ISOLATION…
PRAYER ~ gets us to see things like God sees it.
PRAISE ~ releases our faith in the moment.
The pressure that was converted into power was because THEY PRAISED FIRST!!!
- Praise converts pressure into power!
IT IS TOO MUCH PRESSURE TO PLEASE PEOPLE -
OUR FOCUS IS TO PLEASE YOU, FATHER!