The Way of Escape: Overcoming Factor #4-6

Introduction

Last week, we considered the third overcoming factor in handling stress God’s way. Today, we will consider factor #4. Before we do, let’s do a quick run down of what we have learned so far.

We noted have noted 3 “overcoming factors” - to overcome stress before it overcomes you,

you must develop a pattern of seeing everything within the framework of God’s sovereignty.

you must choose to develop a patter of constantly giving thanks to God in everything and at all times.

you must seek to discover God’s purposes for each stressful situation.

In that last factor, we understood the importance of the boomerang effect found in Galatians 6:7 and other notable verses. We also considered the significance of developing a James 1:2-5 attitude.

Now, this morning, we move to the fourth overcoming factor as we seek to overcome stress before it overcomes us.

Overcoming Factor #4

To overcome stress before it overcomes you, you must seek to discover what God wants you to do in the midst of the stressful situation. As He tells us in His Word, real Biblical change in any area of life is always a two-factored process: it’s a matter of putting some things off and putting some things on.

Ephesians 4:31 KJV 1900

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

This verse tells us what unbiblical responses we must put away. These are the unbiblical responses to stress.

Ephesians 4:32 KJV 1900

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

This verse tells us the right Biblical responses to stress we must put on.

In other words, eliminating the wrong responses is not enough. These wrong responses must be replaced with the right responses - it’s displacement by replacement and de-habituation by re-habituation.

Philippians 4:6–9 KJV 1900

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

The wrong response is anxiety. The right responses are prayer, thinking and actions.

Colossians 3:8–14 KJV 1900

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

The wrong responses, which must be put off, are anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy (slander), and filthy communication (speech that is abusive and deceitful). In their place, we are to put on the Godly responses of compassion (bowels of mercies), kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, forgiveness, and love. We are challenged to focus on what should do and not just on what we shouldn’t do.

Instead of reacting (having a knee-jerk reaction), we should be acting to develop habits by which we bring every thought into captivity and making them obedient to Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV 1900

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Therefore, we must discipline ourselves to ask questions like, “What would God have me do - how should I respond?”

Doing so will have several results:

We will be obeying and renewing our minds with Scripture.

We and our responses to stress will be transformed.

We will discover, prove, and approve the good, perfect, and acceptable will of God.

As we face stressful situations, we should devote our attention to planning and doing good instead of thinking mainly about the horrific nature of the problem. In times like these, we should be proactive rather than active.

Overcoming Factor #5

Many people who were coming apart at the seams because they were unnecessarily putting themselves in stressful situations. Some were doing this by trying to do too many things, some were failing to schedule and plan, some by going places they didn’t need to be, some by associating with the wrong crowd, some by treating every need they encountered as thought God had commanded them to fulfill it personally, some were doing things out of fear it wouldn’t get done, some out of fear it wouldn’t get done well, some so that others would think well of them and then some enjoyed being busy and overloaded with busyness made them feel important.

If you feel pressured by the thought that you have too much to do, it would be helpful for you to practice some self-examination to discover the main reason for your stress. You should then seek to discover God’s perspective on why you put yourself in an unnecessarily stressful situation and should follow that by making the changes that God would have you make.

One thing is certain: God will never call on us to do more than we, by His grace, are able to do.

2 Corinthians 3:5–6 KJV 1900

5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

2 Corinthians 9:8 KJV 1900

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Philippians 4:13 KJV 1900

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Colossians 1:29 KJV 1900

29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Mark 14:8 KJV 1900

8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

These last words of Christ in defense of this woman indicate that our Lord didn’t expect her to do what she couldn’t do, only what she was able to do. God expects us to do what we can- no more and no less. This we must learn if we are going to overcome stress.

Our responsibility for interpersonal relationships stress comes from Romans 12:18

Romans 12:18 KJV 1900

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Romans 14:19 KJV 1900

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Pursuing the things that make peace is something we must do. It is what we can do. However, we cannot and should not seek to make the other person be at with peace with us. That is out of our control. We can only do what is in our control to do.

Similarly, if there are things that are not being done at work or church, then people must learn to prioritize and schedule and use their time wisely.

Ephesians 6:5–9 KJV 1900

5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. 9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

Colossians 3:23–25 KJV 1900

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

Working heartily unto the Lord sometimes requires saying yes to the things that we can and should do and no to the things that are not our primary responsibilities. Failure to plan our work according to priorities and to work our plan according to those priorities will certainly put us in an unnecessarily stressful situations.

Overcoming Factor #6

Many times we become annoyed, angry, and resentful because we think that some rights of ours is being denies. To overcome this propensity, we must discern which “rights” are being denied or neglected in this situation. Identify what you think you are being denied and then turn the matter over to God.

Philippians 4:19 KJV 1900

19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

God knows what things you have need of even before you ask.

Matthew 6:25–34 KJV 1900

25 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? 26 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? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 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? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 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.

Turning your rights over to God doesn’t mean you must become a doormat. It does mean that you seek to do what you do in a Biblical, God-honoring fashion; for Biblical, God-honoring reasons; out of Biblical, God-honoring motives. God’s promise is that they who fear Him and seek Him shall not lack any good thing.

Psalm 34:8–10 KJV 1900

8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9 O fear the Lord, ye his saints: For there is no want to them that fear him. 10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us that we are not our own. We have been brought with a price. We belong to Him.

If you are to overcome stress so that it doesn’t wreak havoc in your life and relationships, you must have well-grounded Biblical procedure that you will faithfully use whenever you face stress. Use it or be stressed out! Your choice.

Discussion Questions

How can a deeper understanding of God's sovereignty and a consistent practice of gratitude help us overcome stress?

How can we discern God's specific purpose for us in a stressful situation? What practical steps can we take to identify and fulfill that purpose?

What are the key biblical responses to stress that we should cultivate? How can we replace negative, stress-inducing behaviors with positive, God-honoring ones?

How can we evaluate our daily routines and habits to identify and eliminate sources of unnecessary stress? What specific strategies can we implement to simplify our lives and reduce stress?

How can a focus on our perceived rights contribute to stress and conflict in our relationships?

What does it mean to surrender our rights to God? How can we practically apply this principle in our daily lives?

How can we trust in God's provision, even when we feel deprived or disadvantaged?

How can we develop a personalized stress management plan based on the principles discussed in the text?

How can you share your experiences with overcoming stress with others, encouraging them to adopt a biblical perspective?

Who can you identify as a trusted friend or mentor to help you stay accountable to the principles outlined in the text?