Help For The Worried

A Season of Hope
Help For The Worried

1Peter 5:6,7…Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you…

Isaiah 61:1,3…The Spirit of the LORD God is upon me, because the LORD has anointed and qualified me…to grant (consolation and joy) to those who mourn in Zion – to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes (“beauty for ashes”)…

God wants to take care of us, but in order to let Him, we must stop taking the care. Many people want God to take care of them while they are worrying or trying to figure out an answer instead of waiting for God’s direction. They are actually wallowing around in their “ashes,” but still want God to give them beauty. In order for God to give us the beauty, we must give Him the “ashes.”

Hebrews 4:3…For we who have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on God) do enter that rest…

We enter into the Lord’s rest through believing. Worry is the opposite of faith. Worry steals our peace, physically wears us out, and can even make us sick. If we are worrying, we are not trusting God, and we are not entering God’s rest.

What a great trade! You give God ashes, and He gives you beauty. You give Him all your worries and concerns, and He gives you protection, stability, a place of refuge, and fullness of joy – the privilege of being cared for by Him.

1. Dwell in the Secret Place

Psalm 91:1…He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty (Whose power no foe can withstand)…

The secret place is the place of rest in God, a place of peace and comfort in Him. This secret place is a “spiritual place” where worry vanishes and peace reigns. It is the place of God’s presence. When we spend time praying and seeking God (in His Word) dwelling in His presence, we are in the secret place…

The word dwell means “to make one’s home; reside; live.” When you and I dwell in Christ – in the secret place – we do not just visit there occasionally, we take up permanent residence there…

In the NT, one of the Greek words translated dwell is the same Greek word translated abide in John 15:7…If you live in Me (abide vitally united to Me) and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you…

What exactly does it mean to abide under the shadow of the Almighty? A shadow implies “shade,” a place of protection from the hot sun or from the heat of the world! A shadow, as we know, always has a border. If we intend to stay under the shadow of God’s wings, there are definite borders within which we must stay!
Remember God and sin don’t mix. So you cannot dwell in the secret place with unrepented sin…

This next point is very poignant…
2. Just Stop It

Philippians 4:6,7…Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus…

Matthew 6:25…Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life greater (in quality) than food, and the body (far and above and more excellent) than clothing?...

Jesus has commanded us to stop worrying, period!

Proverbs 12:25…Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down…

Sometimes the bad things happening all around us everyday can begin to get to us even to the point where we begin to expect bad things to happen and an uneasiness can set in…

Proverbs 15:15…All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil (by anxious thoughts and forebodings), but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast (regardless of circumstances…

Don’t curse your own future days. Satan wants us to believe that nothing is ever going to turn out right for us, that we will always be misunderstood and unappreciated, that nobody will ever like us or want to be around us, that nobody will ever care anything about us…humiliated about the past; helpless about the present; hopeless about the future…

Don’t believe the lies of the enemy…
Trust in 2 Corinthians 3:18…And all of us, as with unveiled face, (because we) continued to behold (in the Word of God) as in a mirror the glory of the LORD, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; (for this comes) from the LORD (Who is) the Spirit…
Despite what the past, present, and future look like with our natural eye, in Christ we are moving from Glory to Glory, righteousness, peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit!

3. Live in the Now

1John 3:2…Beloved, we are (even hear and) now God’s children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be (hereafter), but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall (as God’s children) resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He (really) is…

Sometimes we end up missing the moment of today because we are too concerned about tomorrow…
Isn’t that concern for tomorrow what gets you wrapped up in worry?

2Corinthians 6:2…Behold, NOW is the day of salvation…
Hebrews 4:7…Today, if you would hear His voice and when you hear it, do not harden your hearts…

Part of your worry problem might simply be a frazzled lifestyle…
Please learn how to do
One Thing at a time
And live One Day at a time

Matthew 6:34…Do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble…

We live in such an instant society that we want somebody just to wave a magic wand over us and make everything all better. But things just don’t happen that way. Change comes one day at a time…

Romans 5:3,4…We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, HOPE…

How many times have you frustrated yourself and gotten all upset needlessly over situations?
After the trial, that experience even brought you hope!

Again Joyce Meyer said…It is so important to “hang in there” with God. Don’t quit and give up, because you gain experience and spiritual strength every round you go through. Each time you become a little stronger than you were the last time. Sooner or later, if you don’t give up, you will be more than the devil can handle!

Psalm 22:9-11…You are He Who took me out of the womb; You made me hope and trust when I was on my mother’s breast. I was cast upon You from my very birth; from my mother’s womb You have been my God. Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is none to help…

Psalm 37:8…Cease from anger and forsake wrath; fret not yourself – it tends only to evildoing…

On more than one occasion that simple phrase OH WELL has really helped me to let go and let God!

Psalm 91:1,2…He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty (Whose power no foe can withstand). I will say of the LORD. He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I (confidently) trust!

Our Refuge and Fortress
A refuge is different from a fortress. A refuge is a secret place of concealment I which the enemy cannot find us. If we are hidden in God, then Satan cannot locate us. We can see what is going on, but the devil cannot see us. He doesn’t know where we are because we are hidden from his sight under the shadow of the Almighty.
A fortress, on the other hand, is a visible place of defense. The enemy knows we are there, but he cannot get to us, because we are inaccessible to him – as in the old Western movies in which the soldiers built a strong wooden fort as protection against their enemies…

I love both of those analogies of our relationship with our God…but I think fortress sounds more fun…I picture myself on the fortress wall sticking my tongue out at the devil saying nanananana…

I think this next scripture pretty much sums up this entire series…
Isaiah 26:3…You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind (both its inclination and its character) is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and HOPES confidently in You…

I will not worry I will not doubt, God knows the problem and He will work it out.
God knew the circumstances before they began, and He holds this precious baby in His hand.
I know my God is able to provide all we require, so I shall continue lifting praises higher and higher.
God is so loving, gracious and kind, and He places within me such perfect "Peace of mind".
I shall not get discouraged nor give in to doubt, I trust inGod and I know He'll work it out.
Nothing at all is impossible for God, so why I used to worry about things now seems so very odd.
God not only provided for my eternal salvation, but kept beckoning me in till I grasped the revelation.
Then upon acceptance He began changing me inside, the work done by Him least I be guilty of pride.
He forgave me of sin and taught me to trust, teaching me daily surrender is an absolute must.
As long as I remember to surrender each day, He keeps all my actions and reactions totally at bay.
No I will not worry I'll trust in my Heavenly Father, to do any different would make life so much harder.
By Barbara Philbrook