All of us at some point worry about
a problem that does not exist. Today we will talk about how to whack our
worries with the word!
Think about how dangerous
worrying can be. Statistics attribute more than 100 diseases to worrying. It can
take away not only our physical strength but also our spiritual strength.
Worry says God is either dead or does
not care about our situation. These words are from the prince of the air who
doesn’t want us to succeed. When we worry we automatically cease to trust. Worry
is like a rocking chair- it keeps you busy but doesn’t get you anywhere.
We are worried about everything-
clothes, health, relationships, marriages, spiritual life, etc. We need to learn
how to deal with it.
Q. What does the Word say about worrying?
Job 14:1 says that Mortals,
born of woman, are of few days and full of trouble. That is not very
encouraging. But later in John 16:33
it says, “I have told you these things,
so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take
heart! I have overcome the world.” This is a great hope we have. God wants
to say one word when it comes to worry- DON’T
Matt 6:25- 34- “Therefore I
tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about
your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more
than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store
away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more
valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow.
They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his
splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of
the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he
not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What
shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the
pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need
them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will
be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow
will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Worry displays the lack of faith in God to cater to your needs. We have
a God who knows what we have faced in our lives and even what we will face
tomorrow.
Proverbs 15:3-
Psalms 37: 23-24
By this we know that we have a
God who sees what we are going through. Hebrews
4:15 says that we don’t have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with
us. Jesus has been tempted in each and every way that we have been tempted.
He also cares for us. 1 Peter 5:7- “because he cares for you”
This is a great assurance.
In Matthew 6 we saw a command to
obey—to seek his kingdom. How do we do that? We are counselled to pray.
Q. Why do we pray?
1.
Prayer leads us into the presence of God. We
acknowledge God for who he is- our
saviour who loves us. Let us declare who God is.
2.
We also adore
him- worship him. We leave our worries to get lost in his presence. When we
have our eyes fixed on Jesus, we automatically see that he grows bigger in our
hearts, making the problems seem smaller in our minds. When we confront
trouble, the greatest resource for us is the ability to step into his presence
where the worries and troubles cannot follow. Job 1:20-21- “At this, Job
got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in
worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
This how we praise God.
3. Supplication related to prayer which is
earnest requests for the things that move us. James 5:16- “Therefore
confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be
healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” Pray with
passion- pray for others more than we do for ourselves. Hebrews 5: 7- “During the
days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent
cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard
because of his reverent submission.”
4. As
we pray we surrender in reverent
submission. Romans 15:30- “urge you,
brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit,
to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.” Col 4:12- “Epaphras, who is
one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling
in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and
fully assured.”
We see that all these people are praying
for one another.
Q. What are requests in prayers?
A detailed prayer about something specific- is a request. He has
promised to hear and to answer. Jer 33:3-
“‘Call to me and I will answer you and
tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’” God is saying
that he will tell us unsearchable things. We only need to ask.
Q. What should our attitude be when we pray?
Attitude when we pray- thanksgiving. Why? Because God promises
to answer our prayer. It may not be immediate but he hears it and it is
answered in the right time.
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