Pressing for the Prize Vol. I: Spiritual Strategies And Disciplines for Personal Victories

By Dr. Marie Hawkins

Pressing for the Prize Radio Ministries Vol. I is a compilation of consistently applied disciplines proven for victory from God’s Word. Birthed in the majestic, snow capped mountains of Anchorage, Alaska, Pressing for the Prize Radio Ministries, challenged, encouraged, inspired and equipped the listener through the Word of God, to walk in faith and keep pressing to Jesus. The path leading to victory was paved with principles that lead us into His Presence and gave way to courage to change through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, as we walked by faith in the Word of God.

That press was deposited into my spirit as God prepared me for the assignment of Pressing for the Prize Radio Ministries. The press became a way of life for me and moved me through the trials of suffering, persecution, and afflictions by the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. I had to work through flaws and weaknesses then and even now, yet through God’s grace, I continue to be violent in my surrender to His way and victorious in my living for Christ. From the days of John, the Baptist, the Kingdom of God has suffered violence.I have learned that those that are violent in their faith, discipline, obedience, and surrender to God’s purpose and plan for their life, will take it by force. The principles, disciplines, and strategies outlined in God’s Word, work when we consistently and violently apply them to our daily living. I pray that you will be strengthened, encouraged, inspired and challenged to finish your course, as you recognize that “Greater” is within you; speaking, guiding and delivering you every day. Jesus, is working it all out in your favor. So, Don’t Give Up…Don’t Give Out…or Don’t Give In…Keep Your Eyes Upon Jesus…The Author and Finisher of your Faith and keep pressing to Jesus. I believe that you can! The struggle for believers is real, but victory "In Christ" is sure. Keep Pressing!

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Nov 3, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543917062

Book preview

Pressing for the Prize Vol. I

Spiritual Strategies And Disciplines for Personal Victories

Dr. Marie Hawkins

Print ISBN: 978-154391-705-5

eBook ISBN: 978-1-54391-706-2

© 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This book is dedicated to those that I love more than anything. Jesus, my Lord, Savior and King who set my life ablaze with His love and changed me forever through His Presence and His Word; Bishop Charles Hawkins, loving and encouraging husband, visionary and leader, who has made life richer and fuller for me in every season of my life. My children, Q, April and Alex, each favored with the Father’s love and purpose on their lives, each of you fill my life with love and joy; your latter is greater. Amber, joy unspeakable in my life, Thelma Polk, whose presence in this world taught me wisdom and unconditional love and my spiritual family Gayle Pierce, your belief, commitment and support throughout the years has helped to birth this book and, the Body of Christ, that I long to see trained and equipped to advance the Kingdom of God.

It Is So

Alaska was my spiritual birthing place and I was captivated while surrounded by its beautiful, majestic landscape. The presence of snow-capped mountains, towering in the backdrop looked as though they touched the clouds, each one etched in its own unique design displaying God’s magnificent craftsmanship. They were beautiful and surrounded me as God surrounded me. (Ps. 125:2) and, were instrumental in teaching me to overcome the many obstacles encountered on this assignment while pressing into my purpose. The beauty of His holiness captivated me in times spent with Him, as the long winters proved to be the most intimate, yet provoking and challenging times of my spiritual life. As the soft, pure, white snow and the contrasting darkness surrounded me, the Lord unfolded the assignment to me, as He worked on and in me, while perfecting that concerning me. I was hidden in plain sight, while in His Presence and surrounded by His glory, and unbeknownst to me and those around me, this was the key strategy in my transformation and consecration as God developed me for His pleasure. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit were my personally assigned tutors and mentors as He spoke to the greatness of God within me and I embraced and received each instruction from His Word. When looking back over the years, the many dangers, toils and snares that the Lord brought me through are evident as they penetrated my natural and spiritual family, my health and my God given purpose, yet, the Holy Spirit guided me beyond everything as I traveled through all these distractions categorized as enemies of my soul! I found myself in the fire far too many times to count, but, these were times of dying to myself and learning to live in and to Christ. God’s ways were foreign to me and seemed so far out of reach, but I would come to learn of Him in ways I never imagined. I had no idea of the weight this assignment carried, yet my passion for Him sustained me throughout this journey, even though it was very challenging. I was focused and hungry for His Presence, only wanting to be with Jesus, who was the prize for me. It was my personal desire for Him, that allowed Him to shape and mold my character, despite the displeasure created by the influence of my soul. Just as the rugged mountains command us to take note and learn to maneuver upon and through them, the Holy Spirit was transforming my life, as I learned to live in His Spirit instead of my soul. Time and time again this exchange of soul for spirit, found me hanging over precipices, facing endless opportunities to die to my flesh, through the many afflictions allowed to draw me closer to the Father.

Surrender ushered me into my assignment of Pressing for the Prize Radio Ministries. My husband was asked to host a program on KATB, in Anchorage, Alaska and suggested that I do it. I had never given any thought to radio ministry and was focused upon my personal spiritual development and pouring into the women in our congregation. This would prove to be the plan of God for that season in my life. A simple strategy of principles from God’s Word, consistently and sometimes, violently applied to my life, developed into disciplines that proved to be a formula for spiritual victory in my life, and in the lives of listeners tuning in daily. I stayed the path that God hewn out of the mountains for my climb in Anchorage, Alaska and PFTP aired in June 1999 and claimed the airwaves for the Lord for 15 years in Alaska (KATB) and the lower 48 (Wilkins Communications). He released rivers of living waters through this powerful, yet simple message as we taught the uncompromised Word of God and encouraged every listener, "Don’t Give Up, Don’t Give Out and Don’t Give In…Keep Pressing to Jesus! God strategically flooded the airways with His Word 8 times per week, to challenge, encourage and inspire the listener to walk by faith and trust His methods regardless of their situations. We spoke to the greatness of God inside of every Believer and it was evident that this wouldn’t be a flesh fight but a spiritual one of purpose and impact, one to the death for souls.

I wasn’t close to perfect, but God wasn’t looking for perfect, He was looking for an available and willing vessel to use and He chose me. He is looking for available and willing vessels that love Him with all their heart, mind and soul. This book is not for everyone, it has been inspired by the Holy Spirit for those that desire to know Jesus more deeply and personally experience the fullness of Christ, while being equipped for servanthood. This book is for the believer that wants to walk in Christ and experience Him. My heart became strengthened and fixed on Jesus, as my faith increased, and God transformed my life. I didn’t get to this point by being concerned about how it looked, felt or by what I or others thought about it, I just kept pressing my way to Jesus. If this is your prayer, I pray that He will nourish you throughout the pages of this book. Journey with me as we speak to the strength and greatness of God within you. These are some of the compilations of the many strategy sessions and talks with the Father that resulted in PFTP radio broadcasts. I decree and declare that these words are spirit and life to you, as you read and experience the passion and fire of knowing Jesus in His fullness. I decree and declare, that you receive understanding as you are encouraged, enlightened, empowered and equipped to walk by faith in your God given authority and power. Eat, enjoy and above all, apply what is written and know that Jesus will make all things new concerning you. Remember that no matter what you are going through, faced with or what is coming against you Don’t Give Up, Don’t Give Out and Don’t Give In…Keep Your Eyes Upon Jesus And Keep Pressing for The Prize.

Table of Contents

Access Granted

The Practice of Prayer

The Practice of Seeking God’s Face

The Practice of Abiding

The Father’s Touch

God’s Strategy of Discipline

Types of Disciplines

Bearing Fruit

The Practice of Surrender In the Secret Place

The Strategy of God ‘s Word

The Purpose of God’s Word

The Person of the Word

Nourished by The Word

Coming of Full Age

Walking in the Word

Through the Eyes of Faith

From Soul to Spirit

A Heart Undivided

Characteristics of the Soul

Can Emotions Be Trusted?

Battle of the Wills

The Death Walk

Out of The Darkness into His Marvelous Light

Chosen to Suffer

Running Into My Father’s Arms

Afflictions of the Righteous

Receive Your Reward

Speaking to the Greatness of God Inside of You

Throne Room Strategies

Access Granted

Access is defined as being cleared for entrance and Jesus Christ is our clearance to enter the Throne Room. Here is another example of us working out our soul salvation, as we initiate prayer with our Father. (Eph. 2:18, Eph. 3:12, Heb. 4:10) Jesus, offered Himself up and made one sacrifice for our sins for all time and through His own blood, obtained our eternal redemption. His work is a finished work and He now sits on the right hand of the Father interceding for the Believer (Heb.7:27; Hebrews 9:12, Heb. 10:12; Hebrews 7:25), far above all rule and authority, power and dominion and every name that is named, and above every title [that can be given] not only in this age, but also in the age to come. Our past, present and future is covered by the blood, sacrifice and authority of Jesus Christ, as He has put all things under His feet. (Psalm 45:6; 47:8; 103:19, Isaiah 66:1, Matt. 5:34, Hebrews 8:1, Ephesians 1:21)

Jesus experienced every infirmity and weakness that we do and operates as a merciful and faithful High Priest in the things related to God as He made atonement and propitiation (payment) for our sins. His humanity suffered, being tempted, tested and tried, and through that suffering learned obedience. Jesus understands what we are going through and has not only gone through it, but conquered it without sinning. (Heb. 2:17-18; 4:15; 5:8) Because of the blood of Jesus, God has promised us mercy and awaits our arrival to the throne of grace, even though we may be approaching for our failure, He only sees the blood of His Son. (Hebrews 10:19-20) The Holy Spirit, makes it possible to boldly yet humbly enter with confidence by our faith of Him (Eph. 3:12 and call upon God in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16; 3:12) It is through the blood of Jesus that we draw near with sincere and honest hearts beloved. (Heb. 10:22, Psalm 89:14, 2 Chronicles 30:9, Psalms 103:80). Flowing to every believer from the Throne is God’s power, authority, grace, mercy, holiness, justice, majesty and honor. Heaven is His throne, symbolizing His Kingdom and authority. It is described as holy and forever and ever. His sovereignty rules over all from His throne established in the heavens. Isaiah 6:1-3 describes God’s throne as magnificent and dazzling, high and lifted causing us to look up to our glorious Father. Daniel 2:44 describes it as a "kingdom that shall never be destroyed standing forever.

The Accuser of the Brethren. Many never make it to the Throne Room because of the hissing voice of the enemy as he hurls insults and accusations designed to cause us to give up and fall into deep despair and depression. Satan is an accuser of the brethren kategoros (#2723), the one that brings complaint against us and speaks openly against us before God. (Job 2:1-5) His objective is to discredit us and bring charges against us. Satan deals legally with us as we give him evidence to bring charges against us. He is always trying to make us hide in sin and condemnation, but, we must remember that Jesus is light and in Him there is no darkness, so why not expose it yourself? None of us are perfect, but we must be willing to see ourselves as we truly are and come into agreement with our Father through confession. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, beloved, nothing has the power to remove us from His hand and everything that comes for us must first pass through Jesus. Don’t listen to the enemy, run to the safe room of God’s Throne.

Then I heard a loud voice in Heaven saying: "The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have now come. The accuser of our brothers and sisters who accuses them day and night before our God, has been thrown down." (Rev. 12:10)

The blood of Jesus Christ pleads on our behalf as the Father beholds us, (Ephesians 2:13, Revelation 1:5) and because of His blood, there will never be a night so dark that light doesn’t shine into it, or a moment that the enemy catches our Lord off guard. Our Father accepts us as we are and flowing from His throne [Mercy Seat], is the love and help needed under any circumstance.

He withholds judgement and makes all grace abound to us, as He promises to be merciful to our unrighteousness, iniquities and sins and remembers them no more" as we confess and repent of them. (Hebrews 10:19, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Hebrews 8:12) He causes His face and the glory of His light to shine upon our faces as He showers His care and unconditional love upon us, regardless of what we have done. What a blessed people we are to have the Sovereign King, who always has time for us and draws us to receive His tender loving care, incomparable wisdom and healing. His mercy and grace flow freely and is available to all that are drawn to the Throne Room.

God loves each of us as if there were only one of us- Augustine

The Practice of Prayer

The practice of prayer grew into a personal thirst and hunger for His Presence and led to seeking Him, which became the common thread that ran through every facet of my life. It was the foundation of intimacy with the Father, where I discovered who I was in Christ and began to understand His purposes for my life. I experienced four Throne Room strategies, Prayer, Seeking His Face, Abiding and Surrendering in the Secret Place, that proved to be critical in my regeneration (creation) and transformation (change) in Christ.

When each one becomes a constant in our spiritual diet and are applied consistently, we will experience a personal relationship with our Father and the reality of Jesus Christ will manifest in our lives. Each discipline impacts and develops us differently as prayer is the starting point that allows