REFUSE TO WORRY!

Worry is a powerful destructive force that can easily keep us from fulfilling our God-given destiny. It is therefore very important that you and I learn to resist the temptation to worry. The Bible says in Isaiah 26:3 that God will keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is stayed on Him. Friend, do you see that when we worry we are doing exactly the opposite? Instead of focusing on God and on His power, we are fixing our minds on what the enemy is telling us, and on our problems. We can't stop Satan from pointing out our problems. He will always remind us of them, and encourage our worrisome thoughts. You can be sure that he is the one who whispers, “What if that pain in your side is really cancer?” or “What if you lose your biggest client at work - what will you do then?” He asks, “What if your child never gets out of the trouble he's in,” or “What if that relationship you're in does not work out?” But if you and I make the mistake of dwelling on those whispered “what if's,” we'll be anxious, upset and worried in no time. And that is exactly what Satan wants! His aim is to keep us in a negative and defeated frame of mind, and prevent us from enjoying the abundant life Jesus came to offer. Instead, we need to fix our minds on God, and replace our worry with faith. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:6-7, “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God and in due time He will exalt you. Cast the whole of your cares, all of your worries, all of your concerns, all of your anxieties, once and for all on Him, for He watchfully and affectionately cares for you.” (Ampli-fied Bible). Notice that for God to take care of us, we must be willing to do what verse 6 says: “humble ourselves.” In other words, we have to stop trying to handle everything on our own and come to the realisation that we need His strength and His power. We should be willing to say, “God, I can't do this by myself; I need your help.” A proud person does just the opposite. He or she says, “I don't need any help - not even from God. I am confident in my own ability. I can handle this alone.” But the truth is, if you make the mistake of trying to do everything in your own strength and reasoning, God will politely step out of the way and allow you to try! Unless we humble ourselves and let go of our stubborn self-will, we will not see the mighty hand of God at work in our lives. He is more than willing to take care of us. More than willing to work in our negative situation. More than willing to bring our dreams to pass and give us abundant life. But He intends to work on His Own terms, not on ours. We have to learn to let God be God, surrender our pride and cast our cares on Him - because He is a whole lot wiser than your or me! Notice that the word “cast” is not a passive word, or a weak, half-hearted one. To “cast” something means to hurl it, or throw it with force. Half-heartedly offering our cares and worries to the Lord is not enough - instead we must cast them off with a strong will and extreme determination. Sometimes you and I might have to get a little bit violent, and show the enemy that we are more determined than he is! That we refuse to dwell on his lies or to carry the burden. You might need to say, “Enough is enough! I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. I refuse to carry this heavy burden any longer - especially when I know God desires to take it. I am going to give Him all my concerns, all my cares. I know He will take care of my worries - and of me.” Once we cast our worries on God, our focus should be on Him, not on our problems. You see, with God, all things are possible! There is nothing He cannot do. Our God is the God Who stopped the sun for Joshua, and closed the mouths of hungry lions for Daniel. He's the God Who parted the Red Sea for the children of Israel - and this same God is able to act with supernatural power in your life and in mine! He is called Jehovah-Jireh: the Lord our Provider. He is El Shaddai - the God Who is more than enough! And He is the great I AM - not the great “I was” or “I'm going to be.” I am so grateful that we serve a mighty “right-now” God! I have discovered something else about casting my cares on the Lord. I have learned that when I make a conscious decision to give my worries or anxieties to God, it helps me to have a set time and place for that “handing over.” Then, when the enemy comes back and tempts me to worry, I can say, “No, devil, last Saturday afternoon in my living room I gave that burden to the Lord… and He's taking care of it. I refuse to dwell on your lies.” Then, when the enemy brings you those thoughts of worry and anxiety and fear, they can simply be a reminder to you to thank God that His answer is on the way. You see, once you've turned something over to the Lord and you are presented with an opportunity to worry, you can just say, “Thank You Father, that You are at work in my life, and that You have this situation under control. I am focusing on You, God, and not on my worries. I trust You and I praise You for the victory that You are bringing me.” Did you know that worship beats worry every time? Start everyday by acknowled-ging that God is your strength. Admit that you don't know what to do. Cast your burdens on Him and believe that He is able to overcome every obstacle that you face. When you learn to be a worshipper and not a worrier, you’ll begin to experience the abundant life that Jesus came to give! [Living the Joy-filled Life, Joel Osteen, 2005].