Hard Pressed!

As people of faith our present circumstance does not predict the outcome of our faith. In fact it is our faith that will move us from places of spiritual confinement into the freedom of greater revelation and true liberation from our enemies and/or difficult situations. In the book of Acts Peter found himself in a very difficult and restrictive place while preaching the gospel of Christ.

Acts 12:3-11 3When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish leaders, he arrested Peter during the Passover celebration 4and imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of sixteen soldiers. Herod’s intention was to deliver Peter to the Jews for execution after the Passover. 5But earnest prayer was going up to God from the church for his safety all the time he was in prison.
6The night before he was to be executed, he was asleep, double-chained between two soldiers with others standing guard before the prison gate, 7when suddenly there was a light in the cell and an angel of the Lord stood beside Peter! The angel slapped him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists! 8Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your shoes.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me!” the angel ordered.
9So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a dream or vision and didn’t believe it was really happening. 10They passed the first and second cell blocks and came to the Iron Gate to the street, and this opened to them of its own accord! So they passed through and walked along together for a block, and then the angel left him.
11Peter finally realized what had happened! “It’s really true!” he said to himself. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jews were hoping to do to me!”

And we thought we were having a bad day! Peter was imprisoned by 16 guard’s put in shackles and was waiting to be executed for preaching the word of God. His situation seemed hopeless. He was hard pressed and his situation in the natural would seem that all was lost and his ministry and life had come to an end. But, for the people of faith called according to Gods purposes it is not over until the angels sing and the Lord takes us out of this world. We have a mission as the people of God and natural circumstances and situations cannot hold us back from fulfilling our purpose in Him. No matter how hard our situation is or no matter how far the devil may have us backed against the wall the Hand of God is ready and waiting to bring deliverance to us. With God nothing is too hard or impossible. Whatever lie the devil has told you he is defeated in Jesus Name. No weapon formed against the people of God will prosper! We are victorious in every arena of life and what God has called us to no one can stop but ourselves. Faith in God and His word is the key to our victory. Faith will cause us to be a people of praise and prayer in dire situations.

Acts 16:25 25And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26And 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.

Praise will shake loose whatever turmoil may surround us and free us from the oppression. It may be that you feel there is no way out of your present situation and feel confined or restricted in some way. Whether it is due to finances, sickness, job loss, a lack of vision and understanding, depression, whatever it may be we have a promise of scripture from the Lord to see us through to the other side. I want to encourage you in your situation to lay hold of the word of God for as it concerns you and pray and praise your way through it! God wants His people to experience the victory! Put your hope and trust in the Lord and He will guide you!

Psalms 18
18 This song of David was written at a time when the Lord had delivered him from his many enemies, including Saul.
Lord, how I love you! For you have done such tremendous things for me.
2The Lord is my fort where I can enter and be safe; no one can follow me in and slay me. He is a rugged mountain where I hide; he is my Savior, a rock where none can reach me, and a tower of safety. He is my shield. He is like the strong horn of a mighty fighting bull. 3All I need to do is cry to him—oh, praise the Lord—and I am saved from all my enemies!
4Death bound me with chains, and the floods of ungodliness mounted a massive attack against me. 5Trapped and helpless, I struggled against the ropes that drew me on to death.
6In my distress I screamed to the Lord for his help. And he heard me from heaven; my cry reached his ears. 7Then the earth rocked and reeled, and mountains shook and trembled. How they quaked! For he was angry. 8Fierce flames leaped from his mouth, setting fire to the earth; smoke blew from his nostrils. 9He bent the heavens down and came to my defense; thick darkness was beneath his feet. 10Mounted on a mighty angel, he sped swiftly to my aid with wings of wind. 11He enshrouded himself with darkness, veiling his approach with dense clouds dark as murky waters. 12Suddenly the brilliance of his presence broke through the clouds with lightning and a mighty storm of hail.
13The Lord thundered in the heavens; the God above all gods has spoken—oh, the hailstones; oh, the fire! 14He flashed his fearful arrows of lightning and routed all my enemies. See how they run! 15Then at your command, O Lord, the sea receded from the shore. At the blast of your breath the depths were laid bare.
16He reached down from heaven and took me and drew me out of my great trials. He rescued me from deep waters. 17He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me—I who was helpless in their hands.
18On the day when I was weakest, they attacked. But the Lord held me steady. 19He led me to a place of safety, for he delights in me.
20The Lord rewarded me for doing right and being pure. 21For I have followed his commands and have not sinned by turning back from following him. 22I kept close watch on all his laws; I did not refuse a single one. 23I did my best to keep them all, holding myself back from doing wrong. 24And so the Lord has paid me with his blessings, for I have done what is right, and I am pure of heart. This he knows, for he watches my every step.
25Lord, how merciful you are to those who are merciful. And you do not punish those who run from evil. 26You give blessings to the pure but pain to those who leave your paths. 27You deliver the humble but condemn the proud and haughty ones. 28You have turned on my light! The Lord my God has made my darkness turn to light. 29Now in your strength I can scale any wall, attack any troop.
30What a God he is! How perfect in every way! All his promises prove true. He is a shield for everyone who hides behind him. 31For who is God except our Lord? Who but he is as a rock?
32He fills me with strength and protects me wherever I go. 33He gives me the surefootedness of a mountain goat upon the crags. He leads me safely along the top of the cliffs. 34He prepares me for battle and gives me strength to draw an iron bow!
35You have given me your salvation as my shield. Your right hand, O Lord, supports me; your gentleness has made me great. 36You have made wide steps beneath my feet so that I need never slip. 37I chased my enemies; I caught up with them and did not turn back until all were conquered. 38I pinned them to the ground; all were helpless before me. I placed my feet upon their necks. 39For you have armed me with strong armor for the battle. My enemies quail before me and fall defeated at my feet. 40You made them turn and run; I destroyed all who hated me. 41They shouted for help, but no one dared to rescue them; they cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer them. 42So I crushed them fine as dust and cast them to the wind. I threw them away like sweepings from the floor. 43-45You gave me victory in every battle. The nations came and served me. Even those I didn’t know before come now and bow before me. Foreigners who have never seen me submit instantly. They come trembling from their strongholds.
46God is alive! Praise him who is the great rock of protection. 47He is the God who pays back those who harm me and subdues the nations before me.
48He rescues me from my enemies; he holds me safely out of their reach and saves me from these powerful opponents. 49For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations. 50Many times you have miraculously rescued me, the king you appointed. You have been loving and kind to me and will be to my descendants.

Remember what the Lord has done for you and know who He is. He is creator of Heaven and Earth. He hung the stars and knows them each by name. He placed the moon in the sky and causes the sun to rise and set. He gives strength to the weary. He has not forsaken you and He has not left you! We serve a mighty God who works miracles for us. He worked one when He called you and saved you and He will continue to work miracles for those who trust in Him! Without faith it is impossible to please Him. Your faith will please the Lord and get His attention moving you out of desperate situations and into the blessing of the Lord.