Squeezed!

When you squeeze an orange, you anticipate a sweet, vitamin C filled liquid to emerge. When a lemon is squeezed the initial juice secreted is bitter and produces the universal pucker face look when tasted. It is only after the right amount of sugar, water and ice is added does the bitter lemon juice become a desirable drink. Sometimes, the orange and the lemon appear healthy and manage an external image of perfection but upon being squeezed the liquid is putrid and rotten. Such is the case with humans. We find out what’s inside when we get squeezed through stress, trials and tribulations.

Matthew 7:20 (NKJV) Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Before COVID-19 hit the United States, Churches were filled with many people who put on the image of Bible believing, Jesus loving, born again Christians. Then we got squeezed. For some, the sweet love of Christ and the real fruit of the Spirit emerged. For others, the putrid rotten fruit of selfishness, rudeness and hoarding came forth. None of us are perfect and no one could have foreseen these trials but we can do better than this. It is through the trials and tribulations of this life that the world of unbelievers can witness what true faith and hope truly are.

Romans 5:3-5 (NKJV) 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

As humans, we tend to seek a way around difficulties. We avoid traffic jams, highway construction sites, root canals and painful situations. God does not, however, take us around trials but He takes us through them. When you go through trials by leaning upon and abiding in Him then certain attributes come forth. This squeezing produces perseverance, character and hope. Romans 5:5 teaches that the love of God was poured into our hearts by His Spirit so when we are squeezed then the living water love of God comes forth. During this trying time, submit to His process. You may now realize your affiliation with Christ was one of a country club church membership and only an image you maintained. If so, it is not too late to seek Him, humble yourself and ask for His love to fill you and save you. You may have realized through the squeezing trials of today that your faith is weak and may be bitter unlike the lemon. Ask God to remove your bitterness, fears and resentments and add his sweet living water love into your heart.

You may be in a place of double-mindedness and realize the stress of these trials has left you shaky. The uncertainty of trying to serve the master of sexual sin and the Lord have left you shame and guilt filled. Before, there were brief interludes into the fantasy world of pornography where you believed you had control. The stress and uncertainty of today, however, have now accelerated its progression and frequency. The delusion of believing you were in control of the fantasy world has vanished and been replaced with despair and hopelessness. You realize your inability to cope with the stress of life before had only trained you to escape and medicate your discomfort. If you find yourself in this place, it is not too late because our God is the God of true hope and His hope doesn’t disappoint.

We all wonder what our world will look like a year from now. Before COVID-19, we weren’t doing a very effective job of addressing sexual sin within the church. How will we address it a year from now when we have lost scores of men, women and children to the clutches of sexual idolatry? Here is a novel idea. Why don’t we address the issue now and not wait until it has destroyed individuals and families? Let’s start with being honest, providing support, accountability and promoting effective spiritual warfare. This period in our history is an opportunity to take back land the Enemy has taken. Let’s show the world how when we get squeezed the mighty and powerful God of Abraham and Isaac shows up and shows out.

If you or your church is interested in addressing the issue of sexual idolatry within the church, please contact us at (901) 430-3412 or visit our website perfecthope.org for more information. We provide video training and workshops to empower the church with biblically based tools which can be practically applied.

Jonathan Jones, President and Founder perfecthope.org@gmail.com