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Today's Word: MAY 06, 2024
Before Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, they were happy, confident, and secure. They knew God loved them. They walked with God, talked with God, and enjoyed being in His presence. But when they disobeyed, the condemnation came, the accusing voice that brought fear and intimidation. The first thing they did was run and hide. They had to get out of God’s presence. They believed the lie that they wouldn’t be gladly welcomed anymore. God came and said, “Adam, where are you?” It wasn’t so much about his location; it was about his frame of mind, about the shame and guilt. Perhaps you have disobeyed what you know God says, you’re not where you want to be, and you don’t feel worthy or deserving of God’s goodness. Now, as with Adam, you’re hiding. God is saying, “Where are you? I long to be with you. I have forgiveness for your wrongs. I have washed away your sins. Come out of hiding, come out of unworthiness, come out of condemnation, and receive My glad welcome.”
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The Garden of Gethsemane is an olive garden in East Jerusalem. The word Gethsemane means “a place of pressing.” Here workers put olives into a press and squeezed out the valuable olive oil under great pressure. It’s not a coincidence that before Jesus went to the cross and rose from the dead, He had to go through the Garden of Gethsemane. That’s where He was so overwhelmed, so distressed knowing what He was about to face on the cross, that His sweat became like drops of blood. He said, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). He had this season of suffering that He had to endure and pass the test.
We celebrate the resurrection, but the real victory was won in Gethsemane. That’s where He refused to give up despite the coming betrayal, the unjust trial and beatings, the suffering on the cross, and the bearing of our sins. He was squeezed under great pressure, but He made this decision: “Father, not My will but Your will be done” (Matthew 26:39). He showed that real victory is not won in public; it’s won in private. It’s what you do in your Gethsemane, when you’re taking the treatment, when your child is off course, when your dream is delayed.
The apostle Paul says, “I want to know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings” (Philippians 3:10). You can’t have a resurrection without some suffering. You have to have a strong will, a made-up mind, a warrior mentality. “I will not give up and start complaining, blaming, doubting, or worrying. I know that on the other side of this suffering is the power of the resurrection.” On the other side, there’s healing, abundance, divine connections, new levels. The pressing and suffering is not permanent. It’s not how your story ends. Gethsemane is for a season. It’s designed for you to pass through so you can come into the power, the fullness, the abundance that God has in store.
But the enemy would love for us to get stuck in Gethsemane. “God, why? Why did this door close? Why is this taking so long?” You can’t reach your destiny without being pressured, squeezed, and having thoughts tell you that it’s never going to work out and God has forgotten about you. The fact that you feel the pressure is a sign that a resurrection is coming. You wouldn’t be in Gethsemane if you weren’t close to something amazing—doors opening that you never dreamed would open, business tracking you down, the right people showing up, healing from what looks impossible. You keep doing the right thing when it’s hard, and you’re about to see the power of the resurrection.
READ BLOG ENTRYDelays, detours, and disappointments come to us all. We worked hard, but our nets are empty. We did the right thing, but other people were unfair. Now we’ve caught nothing. That’s not the end of your story. Those are tests. Through faith and patience, you inherit the promises. You have the faith.
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