There was a time in my life after some time in college, I decided to travel by hitchhiking. This was in the early 70’s. It was still fairly acceptable to hitchhike, and since I was in the pre-marriage stage, foot loose and fancy free, away I went. I covered the states in the central part of the country from southern Louisiana to northern Minnesota. Back then I associated with small lively church meetings and home meetings. I was in a church meeting in Louisiana in a small very crowded church in the summer, and I remember the church house was not air conditioned. Someone learned that I could play the guitar, so I was elected to play the guitar for the lively songs they were singing. I remember the sweat pouring off of me, my shirt being wet with sweat, and my hands on the guitar were slick with sweat. It was hot, but we had a good time in the Lord praising God and singing one song after the other. I had some good experiences in those travels. I remember up near Chautauqua, Kansas, a family I stayed with for a short period of time, had a horse. I enjoyed riding along the rural roads. One day after we were headed back to the barn, I decided to turn around and head away from the barn again. Nope! Mr. Horsey was not going to have that! He was wanting to keep going back to the barn and make history of this ride, but I wanted to go the other way. We were at an intersection where two dirt roads crossed. His stubbornness met my stubbornness. I was trying to make him go one way and he would prance and half-way buck around wanting to go back to the barn. The action from his hooves had that road at that intersection plowed up like a garden. It went on for quite some time. Finally, my persistence won out. I got him to go away from the barn again, and after we went away for a little while, I turned him around and we came on back to the barn. I didn’t have to go anywhere in particular; it was just a matter of principle. I had to establish myself as the boss.
That is the way life is at times. We just have to be very persistent and ride that horse until we get him to do what we want him to do. Concerning the kingdom of God, Jesus said the violent take it by force (Matthew 11:12). For us to obtain and operate in the things and the power of God, it is not just handed to us on a silver platter. We must go for it and persist until we obtain it. We must press through some things. It might not be comfortable and easy, but if we press through, the rewards are great. Set your heart on getting all God has for you, and go for it!