A pressure point (tender spot) derives from the meridian points in traditional Chinese medicine and in the field of martial arts, and refers to an area on the human body that may produce significant pain or other effects when manipulated in a specific manner. Exaggerated accounts of pressure-point fighting appeared in Chinese fiction and became known by the name of “Death Touch” in western popular culture in the 1960s. While it is undisputed that there are sensitive points on the human body where even comparatively weak pressure may induce significant pain or serious injury, the association of this type of pressure with notions of death is controversial.
There are several types of pressure points – each is applied differently and each creates a different effect. “Pain points”, for example, use tendons, ligaments, and muscles; the goal is to temporarily immobilize the target, or at the very least, to distract them. “Reflex points” produce involuntary movements, for example, causing the hand to release its grip, the knees to buckle, the target to gag, or even to be knocked unconscious. (Wikipedia)
Remember the definition of retreat? One of the purposes of pulling back from a battle we are not winning is to re-examine the strategy our enemy, the devil, has formed against us. Knowledge of how he is armed and his battle plans helps to position us to counteract and overcome his forces.
We must acknowledge that the enemy knows our weaknesses. He knows just where to apply the pressure to bring about pain. His goal is to immobilize, distract, cause involuntary movements or knock us unconscious if he can! His desire is to make us feel as if we cannot survive his manipulation in our lives. So it makes sense that we must first acknowledge that we have weaknesses and be willing to identify them. This can be very hard. I don’t like to admit weakness. I don’t like to admit that someone can push my buttons and cause me pain. I don’t like to see how I respond almost involuntarily to the pressure applied to a sensitive area. But I do.
Once identified, I must find out what the word of God says about my weaknesses. I must determine to fix my focus on His power to save, help, and deliver me. I must take my position and stand in faith. Taking myself through this evaluation of the enemies accuracy in hitting my pressure points, I realize that every attack he makes is an attempt to get me out of my faith stance; to cause me to be immobilized by the pain inflicted or distracted by doubt – the opposites of faith. Once I understand this underlying motivation, I am more prepared for the onslaughts ahead. My focus is no longer what the enemy is doing, but rather to feed my faith even more in the hard times.
I love that God gives me simple lessons many times. Simple is good. As I look back on the years of studying and learning, it’s like one of those connect-the-dots pictures. One thing leads to another and the numbers and the lines begin to reveal what was initially hidden. As I was meditating on the importance of standing in faith to be victorious over the enemy, God connected the next dot:
Faith works by love. Galatians 5:6
If the enemy’s tactic is to affect my faith stance, he must, at the very foundation of his motives, be after my love walk first. He applies pressure to the sensitive areas to provoke me to respond in a way that is not initiated from the God-love that resides in me. Any faith stand I think I am taking is a feeble one if it is not based in His love towards others – even those the devil uses to inflict this pressure.
It’s all about His love.
This is a lesson I taught several weeks ago at Tuesday morning bible study. God brought it back to me as I was facing my inward struggles in my quiet time at the recent retreat: I live on the defensive. I have moved beyond blaming anyone else for the things that have hurt me in the past; forgiveness has been given. But my defensiveness was formed by my past experiences and I have several very sensitive areas. When pressure is applied to any of these areas, I often respond in a way that is less than the love God requires.
Learning to stand up for myself wasn’t easy. It took many, many years. However, standing up for myself when necessary should be a confident expression made through love. Love is not touchy or fretful or resentful… 1 Corinthians 13:5 It should be full of faith in God as my Defender. Trusting Him to defend me frees me to love. Living in His love and letting it flow through me guarantees the victory in the battles. Faith works – accomplishes the goal – by love. Because Love has already won.
Our Passionate Purpose 