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I was watching “The Bible” movie again for the umpteenth time when the Lord started talking to me about Gethsemane. As I studied this final evening in the garden prior to Jesus’ crucifixion, the Lord began to show me some things. For starters, I found that I had actually researched the name Gethsemane before. Not surprisingly, since God is a “patterns God”, that simply means that God had already established this pattern. Then, realizing that Jesus is our template – our pattern – I believe that the Lord downloaded part of what He underwent in the garden that night as yet another pattern: a key strategy for REVIVAL!
Gethsemane itself means “Oil Press”. The etymology of Gethsemane consists of two elements. The first part comes from the word (gat), meaning press. The second part comes from the root (smn) and may mean olive oil or eight – either of which works for me! You see, olive oil is produced under pressure. Similarly, pressing in during prayer produces the new thing which would be the number eight – new beginnings!
My people have forsaken prayer!
I believe that Jesus is our template for this life and that He is our model for our existence. Few would argue with this fact. However, I believe this particular passage of scripture not only tells of Jesus’ crucifixion and the hours immediately preceding it…not only does it tell us how we should act, react and respond under pressure…but I believe there is another message, a deeper message as well, even a hidden message. I believe that God is speaking to us in this hour about prayer.
A few days ago the Lord said to me, “My people have forsaken prayer!” He went on to say that we need to return to it, that we need to return to our first love. He also said, “All great revivals have been birthed in prayer!” I believe that His heart is this: in order to produce the results that we want to see, we have to return to the Oil Press of prayer. We need to return to the garden of Gethsemane.
You see, Jesus went to this garden in order to save mankind. The sin of the world was so heavy upon Him as he prayed that it actually caused Him to sweat blood. Luke 22:41 says that Jesus prayed that the cup would pass from Him (paraphrased), but it wasn’t until He went back to praying more intently, in Luke 22:44, that scripture says it actually happened:
“And being in agony [deeply distressed and anguished; almost to the point of death], He prayed more intently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down on the ground.”
More pressure = Richer Oil
In researching the oil press, it seems that the virgin oil, the “first cutting”, is obtained by crushing the olives and soaking them in hot water, allowing the virgin oil to float to the top, where it is skimmed off by hand. The deeper oil, the second press, is where the oil obtains a darker, reddish brown color – very similar to blood in appearance. One does not obtain this blood color oil – the deeper, richer oil – without an intense amount of pressure for a protracted amount of time.his speaks volumes to me! The first crushing is almost superficial. This crushing during learning how to walk this Kingdom walk while being soaked in the hot water of the refiner’s fire, produces oil – for our own benefit! Likewise, any prayer that we have prayed so far for revival has issued forth only this first layer of oil. It is not until we go back into our prayer closets, into our war rooms and really pray MORE INTENTLY, applying even greater amounts of pressure on heaven, that we will see the deeper, richer oils of revival for which we so long.
Pressure creates the blood of grapes.
But wait, there’s more! If a little bit of pressure and crushing along with some hot water creates oil, then a lot of pressure – intense pressure – will produce a darker oil, one with more substance, one that resembles blood….even the blood of grapes (see Genesis 49:11). You see, the first part of the word (gat) by itself in Hebrew (gimel, tav) can also mean WINEPRESS. The second part, (smn) means oils or eight. This literally translates into “winepress of oils” or “winepress of eight”. Again, either one works for the body in this hour – new wine, new oils and deeper, richer oil and wine for new beginnings and REVIVAL!
But it will only happen when we press in, praying even more in earnest, more intently for revival to come. Most of us are so busy that it is a challenge just to get into the prayer closet, let alone pray it through. However, the old acronym for BUSY, “Buried Under Satan’s Yoke” still applies! It is a favorite tactic of the enemy to keep us so busy that we cannot find time for the things that REALLY matter! We need to get UN-Busy with the things of the world and then get busy in the closet – our prayer closet.
Pray for strategies to come forth from heaven to get blueprints and directions to proceed. It is no accident that the Lord had me watching this movie of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane for the umpteenth time. He has a plan that He wants to go forth about the Oil Press of Prayer. He wants us to press in like never before, battle the enemy on our knees, and come out victoriously on the other side! He wants sustained revival even more than we do. Let’s give it to Him!
Here’s to the new wine and oil of REVIVAL!
Edie Bayer
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