Worry About Nothing
Pastor Tony Butler
Philippians 4:6,7
"Be
anxious for nothing"
In this verse,, we see two primary things,
first, we are commanded by God not to worry.
It is not a request, but an exhortation.
We have a tendency not to view worry in that way, but it is still
true. The reason it is sinful is because
of the light that God has given us in His Word concerning His loving care for
us, and His sovereign power that “works all things together for good to them
who are the called according to His eternal purpose.” Instead of being fearful, we are called to be
thankful, realizing by faith that God is in complete control, and is using the
occasion to work in our life showing forth His faithfulness and power. Worry takes the focus off God, looks at the
circumstances, and concentrates on human inability. It does not originate from God; rather it
begins with an attitude of unbelief, which grants the enemy of our souls a
place to begin building a stronghold. (“God has not given us the spirit of
fear” II Timothy 1:7 - “Give no place to
the devil.” Ephesians 4:27)
Satan will send spirits to work fear in order to
paralyze and render the believer ineffective.
They will tempt the saint to focus on the problem, and be
self-absorbed. They magnify themselves
to the point that the believer begins to see himself as a grass hopper, and his
circumstance as a giant that cannot be defeated. Once we give Satan a place, he begins to
build a stronghold or fortress. The longer
we sty afraid, the greater the power we give to the enemy. What is the attitude that God would have us
to have about the circumstances and enemies that tempt us to worry? I believe it is found in God’s words to
Israel in Deuteronomy 20:1-4: “When you
go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses, and chariots, and a
people more than you, be not afraid of them: for the LORD your God is with you,
Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
It shall be, when you are come hear unto the battle, that the priest
shall approach and speak unto the people.
He shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, you approach this day unto battle
against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble,
neither be you terrified because of them.
The LORD your God is He that goes with you, to fight for you against
your enemies, to save you.” God is a
God of salvation; there is nothing too hard for Him.
The second thing we see is God’s alternative to
worry, which is prayer. Worry
anticipates the circumstance, but prayer anticipates God. Prayer brings us into the throne room
Presence of God, where we can secure a holy calm that transcends reason or
explanation. The fruit of prayer is
peace and faith to the soul, whereas the fruit of worry is bondage and
unbelief. Hebrews 10:19-22: “Therefore, brothers, since we have
confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the Blood of Jesus, by a new and
living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His Body; and since we have a great Priest over the house
of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of
faith.
If you have given place to the enemy through
worry, which is fear, there is something you can do about it. You can take back what the enemy has stolen,
and enter into faith and rest. The
following is a prayer that you can pray that must be meant from the heart. Take your place as a child of God, and
operate in the authority He has given you.
May God bless you as you resist the devil and stand in the power of His
might.
II Corinthians 10:3-5: “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war
after the flesh: for the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of
strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ.
Heavenly Father, I submit to You in
the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I
confess that I have disobeyed Your command, and have given Satan ground in my
life. I have entertained spirits of
fear. I now ask You to forgive me, and
cleanse me by the precious Blood of Jesus Christ. I renounce every place of fear that I have
given to the enemy of my soul. I take my
place in the heavenlies as a child of God with the authority of the risen
Christ Jesus. I come against any spirits
of fear that have been assigned to me. I
bind them in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and command them to leave me,
and go directly to the pit of hell. I
loose to myself love, power, and a healthy mind at rest in You. I ask You, loving Father, to fill every place
that was given to fear with Your Holy Spirit.
In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I give You thanks. Amen.