"Praying Or Pressing?"

"And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.  And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?  And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me."  Luke 8:43-46

This woman did not pray for her healing.  She did not petition Jesus like many others had.  Instead she pressed through the crowd and came behind Him and touched Him.  There is a difference in praying and pressing.  We tend to confuse prayer for pressing.

When we pray, we make our petitions, our requests, our needs, desires and wants known to the Lord.  But pressing involves getting to a different level with the Lord.  Prayers are answered-- ask and ye shall receive.  But when we press, we receive more than an answer, we receive virtue from the Lord-- not just an answer but an "impartation".

Many people are content to only have an answer.  As long as they got what they wanted, as long as the Lord met the need, that was fine-- that was all they were after.

But we need to be people who will not only ask but press.  We need more than just answers, we need His virtue to flow into us.  This virtue that flows from the Lord is defined as power, strength, miraculous power, ability.  When His virtue flows into us, we are changed.  We are empowered physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc.  We receive miracles.  We gain added strength.  We are made whole.  We are enabled to do what we could not do, go where we could not go, be what we could not be otherwise, endure what we could not once endure, overcome what we could not previously overcome, be bolder than we ever have, be more productive, be more loving, gracious, kind, compassionate, tender-hearted, faithful, bear more fruit, resist temptations, and be strengthened in faith. 

When His virtue flows into us, it is His very nature, character, power and ability that flows into us.  We are no longer weak from our "infirmities".  We are no longer bound by those things that held us captive for years.  His virtue healed this woman, and of more than just a physical disease.  It still does the same today, and will if we will do more than just pray, but press.

Have a great day.  Are you praying or pressing?