Hello, godly wives!

I know sometimes you feel like you don’t have the energy or drive to move another inch or take another step. We’ve all had this feeling at one point or another, and that’s why I’m sharing this sermon about ‘Pressing On.’

I hope that as you read it, you may feel empowered to keep going as you fulfill your roles and responsibilities as a woman of God. Most of all I pray that you’ll keep pressing on the Christian pathway so that at the end of the journey you will hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Before jumping into the sermon, let’s take a look at the biblical meaning of pressing on, examples of pressing on in the Bible, and what Apostle Paul really meant when he mentioned press on in Philippians 3:12-14.

What does the Bible mean by pressing on?

Pressing on in the Bible is about perseverance, resilience, not giving up, having faith, and looking forward to a future of hope. The apostle Paul spoke about pressing on in Philippians chapter three while explaining how he pressed on. 

Pressing on compares spiritual life to a race or journey that no doubt has hurdles and obstacles but ends with a prize. Hebrews 12:1-2 is one of the many verses that states what pressing on means in the Bible.

“…let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)

What are some examples of pressing in the Bible?

There are many verses and stories about pressing on in the Bible. Here is a brief list with just a few verses and stories.

Bible Verses About Press On

Some Bible verses that look at pressing on, perseverance, and resilience on the Christian pathway are “I press on towards the goal” (Philippians 3:14), “let us run with patient endurance” (Hebrews 12:1), “I have fought a good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), and “I therefore so run” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

Bible Stories About Press On

Bible stories about pressing on in the Bible include Abraham believing in the promise, Ruth refusing to turn back, Abigail going to meet David, the woman with the issue of blood pushing through the crowd to touch Jesus, and the paralyzed man who was carried on a bed to see Jesus.

What Does Press On Mean in Philippians 3:12?

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14 ESV)

Pressing on is about forgetting the past and moving forward in faith as we depend on Christ. To press on is about moving ahead emotionally, physically, and most importantly spiritually as we run the race of faith.

Pushing towards our goal means that we will fix our eyes on the prize that the Lord has in store for everyone who faithfully completes the race of faith.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV)

Press On Sermon

Every morning during the 1996 Olympic Games, the Jamaica Broadcasting Commission (JBC) played “Not an Easy Road” at the start of the day’s program for the coverage of the games. 

Jamaica is a small island, and the national Olympic team had to contend with athletes from around the globe in the few events they entered. Despite this fact, the local commentators were hopeful, and the Jamaican people anticipated that the athletes would be able to stand on the podium to receive a medal. 

Morning after morning JBC played the same song, and day after day the nation tuned into the Olympic games to cheer on the Jamaican team. 

“Not an easy road” is a great description of the Christian pathway. Things will not always be easy, doubt will arise, and challenges may come, but we have the assurance that at the end of our journey we will receive a prize for enduring in faith.

Five Simple Tips for Resilience to Help You Press On

Today we will look at five simple tips that will help you to be resilient as you press on on the Christian journey.

1. Press on after you have fallen
2. Press on, never doubting
3. Press on despite the odds
4. Press on and go the extra mile
5. Press on to claim your prize

Press on: After you fall

Pressing on after you fall is simply about being resilient and determined even when faced with challenges and roadblocks.

During a four-by-four relay Gregory “Greg” Haughton proved to the entire world what it means to press on even if you fall. A split second after receiving the baton, he fell. But he didn’t stay down. He held tight to the baton, rapidly flipped over, and continued to run as if nothing had happened. When he handed over the baton to his teammate, only two other athletes were in front of him. 

Haughton’s story is a reminder that it takes discipline, determination, and great drive to get up and get going after a fall. 

Bible Verse About Pressing On After You Fall (1 Corinthians 9:24-26)

Paul understood how important it is for us to move forward on the Christian pathway. He wrote about this in 1 Corinthians 9.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. ²⁵ Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶ So I do not run aimlessly. (1 Corinthians 9:24-26 ESV)

Haughton ran his leg of the race, handed over the baton, and the team went on to receive an Olympic bronze medal. I say to you today, press on even if you fall so that you too can receive the prize that the Lord has in store for you.

Press on: Never doubting

Pressing on while not doubting is all about being confident and stepping out in faith.

Sometimes illness and other circumstances cause us to lose our focus on our journey of faith. You may have made trip after trip to the doctor. Maybe you have waited day after day to feel better. Someone somewhere right now is hoping that this new set of medication will be the remedy to their illness once and for all.

Waiting and hoping without any results can be discouraging, but don’t give up. Many years ago a woman suffered greatly. She spent all she had going to doctors. She couldn’t go about life like everyone else. She was scorned and frowned upon because of her illness, but she pressed on and never doubted the healing power of Jesus Christ.

Bible Story About Never Doubting (Matthew 9:20-22 ESV)

Matthew chapter nine looks at the story of the woman with the issue of blood and how she received healing because of her faith and resilience.

And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, ²¹ for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” ²² Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. (Matthew 9:20-22 ESV)

It wasn’t the touch that healed the woman with the issue of blood. It was her faith! She had no doubt that coming in contact with Jesus would cure her of her illness. 

Maybe it’s illness, or maybe it’s another challenge that you have been struggling with for years. Whatever it is, you can be sure of one thing. When you come in contact with Jesus, you will never be the same.

Press on, never doubting. Reach out and touch the Lord today, and He will come through for you.

Press on: Despite all odds

Pressing on despite the odds means that we should be resilient and persevere even when things seem humanly impossible.

On the morning that I was supposed to sit CXC Math, my calculator was nowhere to be found. To make matters worse, I am terribly terrible at math. Doing CXC Math without a scientific calculator meant that the odds were stacked against me. But I didn’t give up. I got ready for school, went to the exam, and calculated my math problems to the best of my ability. Most of my answers were incomplete because I didn’t have a scientific calculator. I pressed on despite the odds, full well knowing that even with a calculator I would never get a 1 or a 2 as my grade because mathematics was never an area of strength for me.

Bible Story About Pressing on Despite All Odds (1 Samuel 25)

A similar story is found in 1 Samuel 25. Abigail was not a warrior, but she left home determined to meet David and his men, who were armed for battle.

David was on his way to kill Nabal and his entire household, but Abigail quickly came up with a plan, got some provisions, and pressed on to meet David despite the odds. Because of Abigail’s kindness, the life of her husband and her entire household was spared.

Like Abigail, we have to press on despite the odds. Sometimes calamities come knocking at our doors, and we just have to face them. School may be hard, but keep pressing on. Your family might be in grave danger, but keep pressing on. I urge you with the words of this popular chorus, “Press along saints, press along in God’s own way. Persecution we must bear trials and crosses in our way. The hotter the battle, the sweeter the victory.”

Press on: Go the Extra Mile

Pressing on and going the extra mile is a reminder that doing the bare minimum isn’t always enough. Sometimes we will have to go above and beyond and push ourselves to keep moving forward.

Sometimes ministry is a tedious task. There are days when you give your all and it seems like you aren’t trying. There are instances when you do everything in your power but get no results. Sometimes you pray and witness for years, but your efforts seem useless.

You may start to feel like there’s no point in going on. You may tell yourself that it doesn’t make sense to keep encouraging someone to get baptized after ten or twelve long years. (I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for a number of family members and friends to finally give their lives to the Lord.)

Don’t let the discouragements you face now stop you from being hopeful. Just tell yourself that you are going to push through and go the extra mile. Philippians 3:13-14 is a reminder to …forget what lies behind [you] and strain forward to what lies ahead, press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Bible Story About Going The Extra Mile (Luke 5:17-20)

There is a powerful story in Luke chapter five about some men who were willing to go the extra mile. 

On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. ¹⁸ And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, ¹⁹ but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. ²⁰ And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” (Luke 5:17-20)

The men could have told the paralytic man that Jesus was in town and left it at that, but they didn’t. They could have left him at the door or somewhere else in the crowd, but they didn’t. They were determined to push forward and go the extra mile to ensure that Jesus healed the paralyzed man. 

Let us be determined to go the extra mile. Don’t focus on the challenges. Don’t watch the size of the crowd. Keep pressing on, go the extra mile, and you will accomplish what you set out to do. 

Press on: Claim Your Prize

In the 1992 Olympic Games Dion Hemmings placed 7th in the four hundred meter hurdles and failed to make it to the medal podium. It was a disappointment for her and the Jamaican people, but she didn’t give up. In 1996 Dion Hemmings returned to the Olympics and proved that even though it’s not an easy road, she will press on and claim her prize. Hemmings not only managed to win the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles but also ran her personal best, created a new Olympic record, and became the first Jamaican female to win an Olympic title. 

Bible Verse About Pressing on to Claim Your Prize (Philippians 3:12-14)

Jesus himself is waiting to give you a prize. He promised that He has gone to prepare a place for you, and He will come again to give you a reward if you “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Appeal

Will you make a pledge to press on today?

Will you:

✓ Press on after you have fallen

✓ Press on, never doubting

✓ Press on despite the odds

✓ Press on and go the extra mile

✓ Press on to claim your prize

Final Thought

I hope that these five simple tips on how to be resilient will help you to press on as you run the race of faith. Press on: after you have fallen, never doubting, despite the odds, go the extra mile, and as you persevere to claim your prize.

“Press on, never doubting, your Captain is near, with grace to supply, and with comfort to cheer…”

Press on! Forget what is behind you. 

Press on! Look forward to what lies ahead.

Keep pressing on towards the prize, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to you.