Hakuna Mutata

Introduction

In 1994 Walt Disney came out with a film that has been a hallmark for families everywhere for nearly 30 years, entitled “The Lion King.” I don’t have time to give you the entire synopsis of the story but let me summarize it for you. The Story is about a cub lion named Simba, who is ambitious to be the next King over the Pride Lands, after his father Mufasa. Yet there is another lion who wants to take Simba’s place. This Lion is named Scar. Scar comes up with an evil plan with the other antagonists, who are hyenas. He plots and kills Mufasa and tells Simba that it is his fault. He tells Simba to run away and never return. Simba ran away and found himself in the desert surrounded by buzzards who was just waiting for him to die.

Let me park my bus and tell someone you better be careful of Buzzards. Buzzards who are literally there to watch you die, to watch you suffer, to watch you overcome with pain and grief. He was surrounded by buzzards and at that moment we find 2 of my favorite characters, Timon and Pumbaa. Timon and Pumbaa saves Simba and they begin to notice that he was overcome with grief. When asked what was wrong with him, he began to tell them, they gave him two words which says “Hakuna Mutata.” In the movie, it is stated that Hakuna Mutata means no worries, and I have to tell you that 'Hakuna matata' is actually a phrase in the East African language of Swahili that literally means “no trouble” or “no problems.” Beloved, I began to think about these words and I don’t know, maybe I’m just crazy but God told me to tell you to take those words and carry them with you for the rest of your life, because God says you’ve entered into a Seasoned of No Worries.

Background

Our text opens with Joshua having taken the reins of leading the Children of Isreal. According to the text Moses has died. It is now Joshua’s job to lead the Children of Isreal into the Promise Land. Joshua for all these years had been an assistant to Moses. He served Moses until he was elevated to leader. He walked with Moses as a servant and God elevated him to leader.

May I submit to you that the quickest way to be elevated is to serve? We live in a society where everyone wants to have titles and positions but don't want to serve. Can I submit to you that God is not worried about another Pastor, God is not worried about another Deacon, he not worried about another Mother, he needs a servant. Matthew 9:37 “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;”

Joshua has to do the job that was originally given for Moses, but when the time came for the Children of Israel to enter into the Promise Land, they came back with a divided report. You had 10 people that said they couldn’t overtake the Land that God promised them, because they said that they were as grasshoppers, they were not able take the land.

Brothers and Sisters let me help you out real quick, You better be careful about people that carry can’t in their mouths. We can’t do this, we can’t do that, we’re not able to do this, we’re not able to do that. This is what is called lack of faith. Everything that comes out their mouths is can’t. I can’t run with folk that has “can’t” in their mouths because Paul said it best in Philippians 4:13 when he said “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” If you are going to be can’t carrier, then you don’t need to be around me, I need folk who has faith. I need folk like the 4 boys who had so much faith that they carried their paralyzed friend up on a roof, tore the roof off the house and lowered him down in front of Jesus because they just believed that their friend could be healed. You ought to tell your neighbor, I am part of the “I can” crowd. I am a part of the “I can” family. I CAN make it through this situation, I CAN be healed, I CAN be saved, I CAN be delivered, I CAN be set free, I CAN forgive, I CAN have joy, I CAN have peace, I CAN have love. LOOK AT SOMEBODY AND SAY I CAN!!!! Moses was supposed to lead the people into the Promise land but because of their unfaithfulness God did not allow that generation to inherit the Promise Land and they wandered in the Wilderness 40 years.

God gets to this moment and it’s Joshua’s assignment to lead the children across the Jordan river into the Promise land, but God gives a word to Joshua, which is found in the text read in your hearing. God speaks to Joshua. This is important because God reiterate what he says to Joshua, through Moses in Deuteronomy 31:7–8 “And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” This is important because until now God spoke to and through Moses, but now God is speaking to Joshua.

Can I say to you that I believe that our issue is that we keep seeking to hear God through someone else, but I want to know, when was the last time God spoke to you

Body

When you have Hakuna Mutata (No Worries) you understand that you can overcome your obstacles

God tells Joshua, that you are going to have obstacles in your life. You’re going to face some hardships and some struggles but don’t worry about it no one will be able to stand before you. He tells him in the every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, THAT have I given to you. A lot of you have a that in your life, THAT can be a bad doctor’s report, THAT can be a broken family, THAT can be issues in your own self, but look at what God tells Joshua, EVERY WHERE you step on, THAT he has given it to you.

Let me reword it to help you, he said every thing that you put your foot on, I’m giving you victory over it.

When you have Hakuna Mutata (No Worries) you have no problem obeying God because it leads to good success.

He tells Joshua, to keep my law and don’t turn from it. The issue in our lives is that we believe that the way to success is through our own will and power. Can I submit to you that we do not have the power to bring good success? I don’t care how many degrees you have, it was God that gave you the knowledge to complete the degree, it was God that opened the door for the job, It was God that made the way for you live where you are, Zechariah 4:6 says “Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, Saith the Lord of hosts.” Jesus said in John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” If you truly want good success, you have to keep this commandments.

When you have Hakuna Mutata (No Worries), you understand that God is with you everywhere you go.

God literally tells Joshua, every where you go. Every place you find yourself I am going to be with you. This is something I believe that we miss in our lives. Why stress over problems if you know the problem-solver is with you.

Conclusion

I am reminded of what Jesus said in Matt 6:25-34

Matthew 6:25–34 KJV 1900

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.