“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

— Philippians 3:14 (KJV)

We’re going to press in as we’re leaning into the shift, and it’s PRESS. The shift is coming. The shift is not just coming to you and for me, but it’s for our community, our church.

Church, are you ready for the shift that is to press in? Lean in to that shift in the name of Jesus. Determine, I’m not going to look back, but if I do look back, I’m going to look back and say, thank you God for bringing me through, because my future is set.

It is set, and I am standing in the picture. So come on this morning, press on, press on, as we press into the shift.

P — Pursue God.

R — Resist. What are you resisting? You’re going to resist fear and familiarity, and I’ll explain that to you as we proceed this morning. We’re going to resist fear and familiarity.

E — Endure the process. Who said the road would be easy? Who said that you wouldn’t have trials and tribulations? So endure the process.

S — Stay in your position. You may be knocked down, but get up. You get back in your position.

And then the last letter:

S — Step forward. As the song said, step forward in faith, which will lead to victory.

So press, press, press.

Now, when you look at the Scripture, the Scripture is filled with so many wonderful examples of individuals who resisted fear, endured the process, stayed in their position, and stepped forward in faith because they trusted in God.

And one such person jumps to my mind right away. There are so many examples, but I saw it immediately — Ruth. She pursued the Almighty God of her mother-in-law.

She resisted fear by stepping out into unknown territory. She endured the process of working in the field. She stayed in position. She stepped out in faith in marriage that we knew secured her future and our future as well.

So pursue God as the first letter. Pursue God. Go after Him intentionally with perseverance. You cannot just pursue Him lackadaisically for this shift. This shift requires you to be intentional in your pursuit — not just passively believing, but intentional in your pursuit.

And as our focus Scripture says, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

I press toward the mark. What are you pressing for? You’re pressing toward that shift.

And then Jeremiah 29:13 says, “Seek Me,” says the Lord, “and when you seek Me, you will find Me,” when you seek Him with your whole heart.

So you’re not pressing in lackadaisically. You’re not pressing in only because it was a theme that was given to us. We’re pressing in because we want to get close to Jesus Christ.

Shift does not happen just casually. It happens to those of us who are committed — committed to walking in the shift, committed to pressing toward that shift.

God responds to pursuit. You go after Him, and He responds. He responds because He sees the earnestness in your heart as you go after Him.

Pressing begins when we refuse complacency and intentionally choose God’s presence, intentionally choose His purpose, and intentionally choose His promises. Come on.

Are you intentional this morning in pursuing after God? Just like Ruth did. Read the book of Ruth — four chapters. It’s a powerful narrative of a beautiful love story that not only talks about human love, but the love that God had for us by sending in Jesus, who came in this lineage, that today we can call Him our Kinsman Redeemer.

She locked into her community — the community of her mother-in-law — who showed her the way, showed her the truth. And she was intentional. She said, “I will not leave you. Wherever you go, I’m going.”

No, I’m not an Israelite. No, I’m not. But I’m coming to plug up in your community because I see the hand of God.

So God responds to those who pursue Him. You want God to respond? Go after Him.

And then the next letter is R — Resist. Resist fear and familiarity. This is what becomes hard for some of us.

Every shift challenges what feels safe. We want to stay where it’s safe, where it’s familiar.

Like Orpah in chapter 1, verse 14 — she chose to be safe in what she knew, what was familiar to her. She stayed in her comfort zone.

Saints, I’m telling you, we are to step out of our comfort zone, step out of what is familiar to us, what seems comfortable, so we can press into the shift.

Don’t be like Orpah and stay where you are. Let Ruth say, “Wherever you go, Lord, I will go.” God, I’m chasing after You. God, I’m going after You.

That’s what Ruth did. She said, “I may not understand where I’m going, but I’m trusting the living God.”

Isaiah 43:18–19 tells us very clearly, “Forget the former things. See, I am doing something new.”

And then 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.

So she put aside fear. She put aside familiarity. Fear and comfort are enemies of transition — enemies of the shift.

If you cling to what was, you’re going to miss what is coming.

Pressing means letting go — letting go of old seasons, old pasts, old mindsets.

Nobody said it was going to be easy. Endure the process.

God doesn’t just snap His fingers. You’ve got to seek Him. You’ve got to pray. You’ve got to open the Word and read it.

Shifts are always preceded by pressure.

Pressure is not punishment. God loves us. He nudges us. He presses us because He knows what He’s producing in us.

Don’t resist the pressure. Stay faithful while God is forming you.

Ruth stayed in the position she was instructed to stay in. She followed instruction. She stayed faithful.

And because she stayed in position, God honored her obedience.

Step forward in faith. Step forward into your victory.

Revelation demands a response. Faith moves before results appear.

So in closing, pressing is a bridge between promise and fulfillment.

The shift you’re praying for may be on the other side of your persistence.

Don’t retreat. Don’t relax. Don’t resist.

Press. The shift is responding to your pressure.

Hallelujah. In Jesus’ name.

Thank you, Lord, for this time together. I pray your people are blessed by what they heard this morning.

In Jesus’ name we pray, with thanksgiving, amen.