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00:00:01 Located in the western Pacific Ocean, 00:00:05 the Mariana Trench is the deepest known location on earth. 00:00:10 To help you get an idea of its depth, 00:00:14 imagine that you could stack 00:00:16 the Empire State Building 00:00:17 in the trench. 00:00:19 It would take 25 such buildings to go 00:00:23 from the bottom of the trench before you would reach sea level. 00:00:28 It is also one of the deadliest places on earth. 00:00:32 Why is that? 00:00:33 In a word—pressure. 00:00:36 The crushing pressure, water pressure, 00:00:38 on the floor of the trench is more than eight tons per square inch. 00:00:43 Now, to give you some idea, 00:00:45 that would be the equivalent 00:00:46 of having about 50 jumbo jets 00:00:50 on top of you. 00:00:53 Surely no life could live in that trench. 00:00:57 At least that’s what scientists thought. 00:01:00 But they were wrong. 00:01:02 When they finally developed a submersible 00:01:04 that would take them down into the trench, 00:01:07 they found life teeming 00:01:11 —and not just surviving but thriving. 00:01:15 Now, how is that possible? 00:01:18 It’s possible, friends, because Jehovah, our Creator, 00:01:23 knows how to deal with pressure. 00:01:26 Jehovah knows how to deal with pressure. 00:01:30 And this is a fact that should be comforting to all of us. 00:01:34 Why? 00:01:35 Because the pressure 00:01:37 in this system of things is increasing 00:01:40 —strain, stress, anxiety— 00:01:43 for all people at all levels. 00:01:45 And the Bible tells us 00:01:47 that these pressures are likely to increase in the near future. 00:01:50 But the good news is 00:01:52 that Jehovah does more than just equip his servants to survive. 00:01:57 He can actually make one thrive. 00:02:01 Here’s an example. 00:02:03 Try this on for pressure. 00:02:07 You’re surrounded by men who hate you. 00:02:10 In addition to hunting you down with a view to taking your life, 00:02:14 they’ve spread slander and lies about you everywhere. 00:02:18 Your name has become a reproach. 00:02:21 When people see you coming, they turn and run the other way 00:02:26 because they feel that your time is short 00:02:28 and they don’t want to be caught in the crosshairs. 00:02:33 Wherever you look, it seems like terror is waiting for you. 00:02:37 And as a result of these problems, you’re struggling with depression. 00:02:42 Your own sins are staring you in the face. 00:02:44 The whole experience has taken a toll on your health. 00:02:47 You can’t sleep. 00:02:48 Your stamina is shot. 00:02:50 Your body is wasting away. 00:02:54 Now, that was David’s situation, 00:02:57 and you can read about it at Psalm 31:10-13. 00:03:03 The pressure was real —no question about it. 00:03:06 David’s feelings were real —no question about that. 00:03:11 But something else was very real. 00:03:14 And that was Jehovah. 00:03:17 And so Jehovah was where David would turn to. 00:03:22 Let’s turn to his words in Psalm 31. 00:03:28 Psalm 31—and note his humble prayer 00:03:32 beginning in verse 14. 00:03:35 He said: “But I trust in you, O Jehovah, 00:03:38 “I declare: ‘You are my God.’ 00:03:42 “My days are in your hand. 00:03:44 “Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those persecuting me. 00:03:48 “Make your face shine upon your servant. 00:03:51 Save me by your loyal love.” 00:03:56 David’s life experiences 00:03:58 had taught him the value of turning to God 00:04:01 and pouring out his heart in times of trial. 00:04:04 And he absolutely knew that prayer, 00:04:09 coupled with implicit trust and patience, 00:04:13 would always bring Jehovah’s blessing. 00:04:16 And you see, friends, the key to not just surviving 00:04:21 but thriving under extreme pressure 00:04:24 is to have the internal pressure 00:04:27 equal to the external. 00:04:30 And when this is true, 00:04:32 there is no amount of pressure that can crush you. 00:04:36 So in a spiritual sense, 00:04:39 David received the internal fortitude or, as some say, 00:04:43 “the intestinal fortitude,” 00:04:45 meaning “the courage and the strength 00:04:48 that would make him equal to the pressure weighing in on him.” 00:04:52 And how do we know that he received that? 00:04:55 Well, let’s go back to Psalm 31 for just a moment. 00:04:59 If you look in verse 21, notice now 00:05:03 the change. 00:05:05 He says: “May Jehovah be praised, 00:05:08 “for in a wonderful way, he has shown his loyal love to me 00:05:12 in a besieged city.” 00:05:15 And then in verse 23: 00:05:17 “Love Jehovah, all you who are loyal to him! 00:05:20 Jehovah protects the faithful.” 00:05:22 And finally in verse 24: 00:05:25 “Be courageous, and may your heart be strong, 00:05:28 all you who are waiting for Jehovah.” 00:05:34 So, you see, David 00:05:38 received an answer to his prayer 00:05:41 —his prayer coupled with his faith 00:05:45 and his patience. 00:05:47 He was waiting on Jehovah. 00:05:49 And Jehovah helped him not only to survive but to thrive. 00:05:54 And he added joy to David 00:05:57 because David went on to find joy and happiness 00:06:01 in his responsibilities and privileges. 00:06:05 So, what do we learn? 00:06:07 (1) David was able to face the pressure 00:06:11 because he had an unshakable faith in Jehovah, 00:06:15 (2) David’s relationship with Jehovah 00:06:19 brought him the patience to wait on God, 00:06:23 and (3) when a loyal servant of God 00:06:26 humbly turns to Jehovah for help, 00:06:29 it is Jehovah’s own loyal love 00:06:32 that has the effect of equalizing the pressure. 00:06:37 And, you know, there’s something else. 00:06:40 David’s experience in the trench reached further than he ever knew. 00:06:46 Jonah, while in the belly of the great fish, 00:06:50 cited words from Psalm 31. 00:06:54 Jeremiah, who had many trialsome times in his life, 00:06:59 often echoed phrases from Psalm 31. 00:07:03 And Jesus Christ himself, the very Son of God— 00:07:08 His final words from the stake 00:07:10 were a quotation from Psalm 31:5. 00:07:14 So Jesus must have meditated on this many times. 00:07:17 And so, friends, like David, Jonah, Jeremiah, 00:07:21 Jesus, and many, many others 00:07:24 —they all trusted in Jehovah, 00:07:26 and Jehovah never failed to make them equal to the pressure. 00:07:31 He’ll do the same for you. 00:07:34 And so in conclusion, 00:07:36 you see, it really doesn’t matter 00:07:39 how great the pressure is. 00:07:42 It only matters where the pressure lies. 00:07:45 Do not let it come between you 00:07:49 and Jehovah and your worship and service. 00:07:53 Don’t let it come between you, 00:07:55 because then the external pressure 00:07:58 will only continue to move you closer 00:08:02 to your heavenly Father. 00:08:05 The life that flourishes in the Mariana Trench gives 00:08:09 a positive example, a beautiful example, 00:08:12 of Jehovah’s limitless ability to help his creation 00:08:15 deal with pressure. 00:08:17 Prayer, trust, and patience 00:08:19 will always be rewarded by Jehovah. 00:08:23 Relief will come. 00:08:26 So remain close to your heavenly Father, 00:08:28 and you will not just survive 00:08:32 the pressure in the trench 00:08:34 but you will thrive spiritually.
00:00:01 Located in the western Pacific Ocean, 00:00:05 the Mariana Trench is the deepest known location on earth. 00:00:10 To help you get an idea of its depth, 00:00:14 imagine that you could stack 00:00:16 the Empire State Building 00:00:17 in the trench. 00:00:19 It would take 25 such buildings to go 00:00:23 from the bottom of the trench before you would reach sea level. 00:00:28 It is also one of the deadliest places on earth. 00:00:32 Why is that? 00:00:33 In a word—pressure. 00:00:36 The crushing pressure, water pressure, 00:00:38 on the floor of the trench is more than eight tons per square inch. 00:00:43 Now, to give you some idea, 00:00:45 that would be the equivalent 00:00:46 of having about 50 jumbo jets 00:00:50 on top of you. 00:00:53 Surely no life could live in that trench. 00:00:57 At least that’s what scientists thought. 00:01:00 But they were wrong. 00:01:02 When they finally developed a submersible 00:01:04 that would take them down into the trench, 00:01:07 they found life teeming 00:01:11 —and not just surviving but thriving. 00:01:15 Now, how is that possible? 00:01:18 It’s possible, friends, because Jehovah, our Creator, 00:01:23 knows how to deal with pressure. 00:01:26 Jehovah knows how to deal with pressure. 00:01:30 And this is a fact that should be comforting to all of us. 00:01:34 Why? 00:01:35 Because the pressure 00:01:37 in this system of things is increasing 00:01:40 —strain, stress, anxiety— 00:01:43 for all people at all levels. 00:01:45 And the Bible tells us 00:01:47 that these pressures are likely to increase in the near future. 00:01:50 But the good news is 00:01:52 that Jehovah does more than just equip his servants to survive. 00:01:57 He can actually make one thrive. 00:02:01 Here’s an example. 00:02:03 Try this on for pressure. 00:02:07 You’re surrounded by men who hate you. 00:02:10 In addition to hunting you down with a view to taking your life, 00:02:14 they’ve spread slander and lies about you everywhere. 00:02:18 Your name has become a reproach. 00:02:21 When people see you coming, they turn and run the other way 00:02:26 because they feel that your time is short 00:02:28 and they don’t want to be caught in the crosshairs. 00:02:33 Wherever you look, it seems like terror is waiting for you. 00:02:37 And as a result of these problems, you’re struggling with depression. 00:02:42 Your own sins are staring you in the face. 00:02:44 The whole experience has taken a toll on your health. 00:02:47 You can’t sleep. 00:02:48 Your stamina is shot. 00:02:50 Your body is wasting away. 00:02:54 Now, that was David’s situation, 00:02:57 and you can read about it at Psalm 31:10-13. 00:03:03 The pressure was real —no question about it. 00:03:06 David’s feelings were real —no question about that. 00:03:11 But something else was very real. 00:03:14 And that was Jehovah. 00:03:17 And so Jehovah was where David would turn to. 00:03:22 Let’s turn to his words in Psalm 31. 00:03:28 Psalm 31—and note his humble prayer 00:03:32 beginning in verse 14. 00:03:35 He said: “But I trust in you, O Jehovah, 00:03:38 “I declare: ‘You are my God.’ 00:03:42 “My days are in your hand. 00:03:44 “Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those persecuting me. 00:03:48 “Make your face shine upon your servant. 00:03:51 Save me by your loyal love.” 00:03:56 David’s life experiences 00:03:58 had taught him the value of turning to God 00:04:01 and pouring out his heart in times of trial. 00:04:04 And he absolutely knew that prayer, 00:04:09 coupled with implicit trust and patience, 00:04:13 would always bring Jehovah’s blessing. 00:04:16 And you see, friends, the key to not just surviving 00:04:21 but thriving under extreme pressure 00:04:24 is to have the internal pressure 00:04:27 equal to the external. 00:04:30 And when this is true, 00:04:32 there is no amount of pressure that can crush you. 00:04:36 So in a spiritual sense, 00:04:39 David received the internal fortitude or, as some say, 00:04:43 “the intestinal fortitude,” 00:04:45 meaning “the courage and the strength 00:04:48 that would make him equal to the pressure weighing in on him.” 00:04:52 And how do we know that he received that? 00:04:55 Well, let’s go back to Psalm 31 for just a moment. 00:04:59 If you look in verse 21, notice now 00:05:03 the change. 00:05:05 He says: “May Jehovah be praised, 00:05:08 “for in a wonderful way, he has shown his loyal love to me 00:05:12 in a besieged city.” 00:05:15 And then in verse 23: 00:05:17 “Love Jehovah, all you who are loyal to him! 00:05:20 Jehovah protects the faithful.” 00:05:22 And finally in verse 24: 00:05:25 “Be courageous, and may your heart be strong, 00:05:28 all you who are waiting for Jehovah.” 00:05:34 So, you see, David 00:05:38 received an answer to his prayer 00:05:41 —his prayer coupled with his faith 00:05:45 and his patience. 00:05:47 He was waiting on Jehovah. 00:05:49 And Jehovah helped him not only to survive but to thrive. 00:05:54 And he added joy to David 00:05:57 because David went on to find joy and happiness 00:06:01 in his responsibilities and privileges. 00:06:05 So, what do we learn? 00:06:07 (1) David was able to face the pressure 00:06:11 because he had an unshakable faith in Jehovah, 00:06:15 (2) David’s relationship with Jehovah 00:06:19 brought him the patience to wait on God, 00:06:23 and (3) when a loyal servant of God 00:06:26 humbly turns to Jehovah for help, 00:06:29 it is Jehovah’s own loyal love 00:06:32 that has the effect of equalizing the pressure. 00:06:37 And, you know, there’s something else. 00:06:40 David’s experience in the trench reached further than he ever knew. 00:06:46 Jonah, while in the belly of the great fish, 00:06:50 cited words from Psalm 31. 00:06:54 Jeremiah, who had many trialsome times in his life, 00:06:59 often echoed phrases from Psalm 31. 00:07:03 And Jesus Christ himself, the very Son of God— 00:07:08 His final words from the stake 00:07:10 were a quotation from Psalm 31:5. 00:07:14 So Jesus must have meditated on this many times. 00:07:17 And so, friends, like David, Jonah, Jeremiah, 00:07:21 Jesus, and many, many others 00:07:24 —they all trusted in Jehovah, 00:07:26 and Jehovah never failed to make them equal to the pressure. 00:07:31 He’ll do the same for you. 00:07:34 And so in conclusion, 00:07:36 you see, it really doesn’t matter 00:07:39 how great the pressure is. 00:07:42 It only matters where the pressure lies. 00:07:45 Do not let it come between you 00:07:49 and Jehovah and your worship and service. 00:07:53 Don’t let it come between you, 00:07:55 because then the external pressure 00:07:58 will only continue to move you closer 00:08:02 to your heavenly Father. 00:08:05 The life that flourishes in the Mariana Trench gives 00:08:09 a positive example, a beautiful example, 00:08:12 of Jehovah’s limitless ability to help his creation 00:08:15 deal with pressure. 00:08:17 Prayer, trust, and patience 00:08:19 will always be rewarded by Jehovah. 00:08:23 Relief will come. 00:08:26 So remain close to your heavenly Father, 00:08:28 and you will not just survive 00:08:32 the pressure in the trench 00:08:34 but you will thrive spiritually.
