Don't Worry - God Is In Control!
“Don’t Worry – God Is In Control!”
Joyce Meyer
Hebrews 13:5 AMP… “…For He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support, [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]”
The word “worry” is derived from an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning to strangle or to choke.
§ how well named the emotion is….
§ worry has been demonstrated time & again – in persons who have lost their effectiveness due to anxiety & apprehension.
§ normal sensible concern – is a normal attribute of a mature person
§ But worry – frustrates ones best functioning!
Life is full of questions……Thankfully….
you and I don’t have to have all the answers
BUT….what are we supposed to do when the pressure is on…..
and we feel boxed in?
What are we to focus on when we are surrounded by trouble?
OH MY….how we can worry!
READING….. All the water in the world – However hard it tried.
Could never – never sink a ship – Unless it got inside
All the hardships of this world – Might wear you pretty thin
But they won’t hurt you one least bit
Unless you let them in.
Unless you let them in….. Unless you let them in…. Unless you let them in.
You May Ask….. Why does the devil attack us?
§ he does not like us!
§ we’re God’s prized possession
§ His chosen ones – His treasure
Sometimes he attacks us…. Because We Have Done Something Wrong!
§ We open a door – for the enemy to wreck havoc in our lives!
§ Eph 4:27 says…. “Leave no such room for him or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].
§ We must deal with it…..Ask the Father to show you – If You Have Done Anything to give the devil ground in your life?
§ If He shows you something….then repent – plead the blood
§ Close the gap… and go on.
Or….Satan attacks us – Because we have done something right!
§ our godly choices & actions – did damage to his kingdom!
§ we submitted to the Word of God….and he comes to immediately steal it! Lk 8
He attacks us – just because we are making progress!
§ Jn 10:10… “The thief comes only in to steal, kill, and destroy…”
§ comes to rob us
§ to steal things …… the Word – our peace – our joy.
§ GOOD NEWS IS…. rest of John 10:10
“I came that they may have and enjoy life
and have it in abundance (to the full – till it overflows!) amp
Life – and have it more abundantly (to the full – till it overflows!!!!)
Psalm 23:1… amp “The Lord is my shepherd….I shall not Lack.”
23:5… “You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over
The Lord is my shepherd – I shall not lack – my cup overflows!
If we yield to Him – He will give us victory over Satan
James 4:7…. “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
Realize Something – You are not the only Christian under attack!!!!
1 Peter 5:9 AMP 9Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.
Jesus said in Jn 16:33… AMP 33I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
We have to realize…. That God Is In The Fire With You!
§ God reassured many thru-out scripture that He was with them!
§ during famine – God told Isaac He would be with him.
- God reassured Joshua – that He was with him. Joshua 1:5 “…As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.”
- He was with Gideon…
- in the fire with Shadrach – Meshach - & Abednego
When we are attacked by the enemy & thrown into a “fiery trial” – God is with us….
§ when the heat is on – the things that have bound us are burned away!
§ there is power – in knowing – that God is with you.
We need to stop trying to figure everything out!
Worry & anxiety occur – when we spend today’s strength & energy
trying to get tomorrow’s answers!
Proverbs 3:5-6 AMP 5Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.
> Worry is the advance interest you pay on troubles that seldom come.
> Worry, like a rocking chair, will give you something to do, but it won’t get you
anywhere.
We are to believe what His Word says is true…..
AND – trust Him even when we don’t understand what is going on!
FAITH….is described this way in the Amplified Bible….. Colossians 1:4…
“….the leaning of our entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and
confidence in His power, wisdom and goodness.”
TRUST….requires us to have unanswered questions.
We need to get “comfortable – not knowing”
Stop “staring” at our circumstances…….. Stop trying to figure them out!
§ fix your eyes on Jesus – “the author & finisher of our faith”
§ we need to – meditate on His track record
§ He’s the same – yesterday – today – forever
Backed Into A Corner……first line of defense is to pray.
§ God knows our hearts – He’s mindful of what we are going thru.
§ PRAY opens the door for God to begin to work
§ Pray The Word!
Put the Lord in REMEMBRANCE:
§ Isaiah 62:6 says…. “…you who are His servants and by your prayers put the Lord in remembrance of His promises – keep not silence!”
§ remind Him respectfully
§ Jeremiah 1:12 says…. “for I am alert and active, watching over My Word to perform it!”
We need to focus on the unlimited supply – of the God we serve
The God of more than enough!
Just because you don’t see a way out – doesn’t mean there isn’t one!
“He will always provide the way out, the means of escape to a landing place, that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently!” 1 Cor 10:13
Don’t try to figure out – How God is going to work things out…..