Worrying & Fear (Afraid)

Why Do You Worry?

In Matthew Chapter 6 Jesus is doing a continuation of his teachings he started in Chapter 5 during his sermon on the Mount. He has completed his teachings on giving, the lord’s prayer and fasting. He kicks off this teaching or rather closes the previous section of teaching by saying Matthew 6:24

Matthew 6:24 KJV 1900

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Serve:

dŏulĕuō - dool-yoo-o -to be a slave to or be in bondage towards

to be a slave to or towards something or someone is to yield oneself to the power or authority of. You are subject to the systems and parameters of that governing authority.

Jesus is now dealing with the believer’s struggle with worry. Not just generic worry from a low level of concern but a more intense level of worry, the worry that brings on anxiety. Also though not just any anxiety, but the anxieties of life. He says

Matthew 6:25–31 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?

Here’s the thing about what more in 2024 means. It does not lead out in more for us rather than more from us. What we are getting ready to embark on is a year where we are endeavoring to draw closer to God. Not just from a informational place but from a fellowship and aligning stance. God is shifting us to hear clearer see without obscurity and feel a shift in the spirit realm like we (us here) have never done before. To do that we are not asking him for more yet we are offering more to him. In our doing that, we will have moments where certain things look scarce or threatened! So because of that naturally we as humans will be prone to be worrying about the disruption of our norm. Yet we are discouraged by the word from worrying, so in order to disconnect ourselves from this natural deterrence.

So what do we worry about?

Our needs (food, clothing, shelter)

Our relationships

Our impact/influence

But scripture tells us over and over to not do this especially if we have Jesus!

Colossians 3:15–16 NASB 2020

Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Peace

Psalm 55:22 NASB 2020

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

Philippians 4:6–7 NASB 2020

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 94:19 NASB 2020

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your comfort delights my soul.

Proverbs 12:25 NASB 2020

Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad.

Why Are You Afraid?

Matthew 8:23–27 NASB 2020

When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. And behold, a violent storm developed on the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”