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How to Wage War Against Anxiety | Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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Lord, we come before you and we ask that you would equip us. and
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to help us see, beyond just Our emotional stability.
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But Lord, we want to see how we can be more effective and
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fruitful for your kingdom. And so Lord.
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We just ask that the spirit of God would resting upon the
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ministry of the word in this moment.
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We are specifically that as a church as a family, you would
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offer peace and comfort to our hearts.
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Lord help us with this. We need you desperately or else.
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These familiar verses can skim over us, and not penetrate and
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destroy that, which seeks to destroy us.
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We humble ourselves, and we ask you to please be in our midst.
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In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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Someone wants beautifully, said that anxiety, is a crisis of
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Faith anxiety, is a crisis of faith that crippling worry.
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That mercilessly keeps you up at night and momentarily can even
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paralyze your frame in the middle of the day, is more than
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just a feeling. It's more than just a rush of
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emotion. If you see it through the lens
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of the word of God, what you sense in that moment, whether it
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is for a few seconds or it keeps you an estate.
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A paralysis for weeks. It's an all-out assault on your
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trust and your perception on the loving and caring God that you
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you love and you profess to believe in.
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See when Christ died for you and me, the inheritance.
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There is far greater than eternal life.
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The piece that we have is not just a peace with God
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positionally if you if you nurture that faith in Christ, if
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you protect it, rightly, there is something that can be
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secured. That will help you sail through
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this life in such a way that it can lullaby you to sleep. even
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in the midst of vicious storms, but for many Believers, the
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tension that is caused by anxiety.
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Is a far more familiar companion than this piece that you've
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heard most of your Christian Life.
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Only in sermons. It's Theory, it's coffee mug
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versus it's what you get from the Christian Store and you put
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on your living room wall. That's all it is, but it doesn't
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really penetrate. It's not tangible.
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It's not experiential. Peace is just theology, but it's
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not it's not something that you can testify about.
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And Believers, I'm telling you, that they range on the spectrum
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of the level of anxiety that they fear.
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You have some who are generally courageous and faith-filled.
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Just like David, David could stand before a giant.
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He can stand before. A sea of armies.
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By yet for years. He had one haunting concern and
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I was this man Saul. And then you have those who are
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like Martha. The sister of Mary and Jesus
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came over Martha's house, and she was, she was preparing and
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running back and forth, and she ends up complaining about her
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sister, who's just sitting there to receive the word of the Lord.
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And and Jesus looks her says Martha.
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You are anxious and troubled about many things, many things.
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And so, you have believers who are easily shaken or for the,
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for the smallest of things. Small is events, smallest of
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needs. I mean, anything between, what
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am I going to wear for my friend's wedding?
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To, how am I going to buy a house in this inflated Market?
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And then you have others who can say brother.
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I have no idea what you're talking about.
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I don't have an anxious bone in my body, and you have some of
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those Christians. That they don't deal with that
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Temptation. They don't deal with that
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burden. How true it is?
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That that is not the case for the majority.
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And so we have to believe something regardless of the
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severity of that anxiety, regardless of the severity of
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that worry or fear and it is this, that the inheritance that
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we have received in the Holy Spirit is not just so that we
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can have the power to overcome gross, sexual immorality, or to
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deal with murderous Rage or to tame relationship destroying
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greed. The spirit of God wants to even
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allow you to soar above. Of concerns in this life of all
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kinds of various degrees. And the Lord wants his children
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to be invited into a piece into a Tranquility into a contentment
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genuine. Joy that shuts down the things
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that try to paralyze us. And one way you, and I can even
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begin to move into that direction.
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Even even listen, even if you're a person and you're like, I know
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what you're about to say, maybe not, but I'm not a person who
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deals with this. Would you be equipped so that
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you can help your wife? Maybe?
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Or you're nervous college student, son or daughter?
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Has trying to pay off mountainous debt?
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Just be equipped today. So, this is for you, whether you
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struggle with it or not, understand that if we want to
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even begin to be motivated to go to war, with anxiety, to wage
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war against anxiety. Then we have to, we have to
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understand it the way you, and I would with any other sin that is
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threatening us. And that is to understand just
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how dangerous it is if we tolerate it.
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The reason why many people don't fight against in, at least one
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reason is because they don't see just how powerful it is and how
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destroying it can be to so many things and just like any other
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sin anxiety. If not Ward against, if not
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battled against, if not dealt with, by the power of God's word
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can be deadly. Proof many students feel the the
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pull of this from even going into the mission field and how
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much more dangerous can it be than that, but it could be
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dangerous to your fruitfulness. It can be dangerous to your
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testimony. It could be deadly to your
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perception of the Beauty and the faithfulness of God.
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You have to understand that it is the root of many behaviors.
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It is the encouragement of many other things that would taint
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our character. Here's proof.
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Meet me in Isaiah 57. Very briefly in verse 11.
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This is just one example in the scriptures.
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God speaks through his Prophet to a people who were who were in
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sin and he highlights one of the sins and he highlights the
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reason for this Nationwide flaw. And Isaiah, 57 11.
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What do we see? God speaking whom did you dread
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and fear so that you lied? And did not remember me, did not
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lay it to heart, have I not held my peace even for a long time
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and you do not fear me. You heard it last week.
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The fear of the Lord is the great conqueror overall fears,
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but that was last week. Notice with me what God says.
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I'm indicting my people because they are lying.
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There are habitual dishonesty and instead of just pointing out
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the sin. He goes to the motive for the
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sin. The reason for the sin and it is
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in the first part, whom did you dread and fear?
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What, what caused you to do this?
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What caused you to be, to be short in this area of your life
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fear, your fear, encourage you to lie?
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And when you zoom out in this chapter and you realize what's
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actually going on, this fear that in, just lead the people
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into lying this fear, let him into idolatry.
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To put their trust in something else.
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Other than God to medicate their anxiety by a means in which God
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condemns. And so we have to understand
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here, that there is on a macro level and a micro level, a great
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threat. When we allow anxiety to live in
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our hearts. I mean, think about David for
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those who were there on Fridays, think about David.
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This man. Again, who can stand before a
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goliaths. Well, Nations around.
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Here, you are in a valley by yourself and yet with faith in
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God, you overcame and that same man.
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When he left Israel, because Saul was after him comes into
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the land of the Is he realizes? He's on the radar?
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And what does he do? Because of his fear?
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He collapses to the floor. Let's saliva down his beard and
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acts like he lost his mind. That's the same guy who stood
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before Goliath. And here he is, acting like a
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crazy man because he is fearful and he did not have a trust in
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God. And so before an unbelieving
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world. This is the guy that spoke in
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the name of God. This is the guy that writes
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songs about God. This is the guy who in the name
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of God, overcame our Greatest Warrior.
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And fear can lead you, and I to crazy behavior.
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Crazy decisions. Even ones that would dishonor.
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God, we're not careful, but I don't want us to spend all our
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time together to dissect, the woes that our worries can
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create. I want us to instead, look at
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how we can equip ourselves to wage war against anxiety.
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To subdue it because it seeks my brother and my sister to abuse
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you to arrest you. And so we have to do what we
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need to do. According to God's word to equip
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ourselves and others. You're still an Isaiah, right?
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So Mimi in Isaiah 26, to get an idea of it and verse 3, Isaiah
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26:3, you keep him in. Perfect.
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Peace. Not just peace.
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Perfect. Peace.
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Do you think God means it or is he being poetic here?
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He means it and perfect. Peace, whose mind is stayed on
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you because he trusts in you. What is what is being said?
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Here? Here's the Insight.
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Perfect piece is acquired. It is attained.
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It is trained in the arena of your mind.
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That is where we experience it. That is where we secure it.
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But it is also the same place in which Havoc ensues, and chaos is
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created and confusion cripples us.
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It's in the mind. That's where we need to be
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focused. That's what we need to turn our
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attention. That's where God tells us to be
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equipped and trained. If we want to know how we can
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run this race in such a way in which anxiety, and it's arrows,
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just bounce off of us if we really want to be Bulletproof.
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Go to the mind. Meaning, the way we equip
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ourselves, as with truth. That's how we pull down
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strongholds. That's how we detect things.
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That are not true. It's in the mind.
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What do you let into the mind? What do you entertain in the
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mind? What do you rehearse in the
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mind? What do you meditate in your
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mind? How do you calculate in your
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mind? How do you filter things with
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your mind? It's the mind.
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It's the mind. And so, truth is our weapon.
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This is what needs to be actively engaged with and so I
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present to you for weapons. For Thought processes, throw
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fourth mental exercises, that will help us overcome this.
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And the first one is found in the Book of Matthew chapter 6.
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And what I'm afraid is a familiar verse.
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So familiar that we don't understand the implications of
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it, but let's meditate today and see how we can be helped by the
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words of Jesus in Matthew 6:33 to 34.
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Hear the words of Jesus Christ. But seek first, the kingdom of
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God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be added
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to you. Therefore, do not be anxious
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about tomorrow. For tomorrow will be anxious for
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itself sufficient for the day, is its own trouble?
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Number one. Remind yourself.
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That you are carrying a burden that is not yours to carry.
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For Jesus to command his people do not be anxious about
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tomorrow. Implies that you spending time
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and energy trying to understand the unknown, trying to see how
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your Provisions can be met is not your responsibility.
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It's not your job. It's not something that he's
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called you to do Galatians, 6 tells us that each believer has
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its own burdens to Bear. You have your own load, every
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single one of us has been given a set of assignments and
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giftings and his assignments to know what we need to do on a
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daily basis with faithfulness and wholeheartedness, we all
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have responsibilities and they're clearly laid out in the
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word of God, but at the same time with ambitious, believers
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who really want to obey God, I'm talking about good-hearted
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Christians, they Are often tempted to lay more burden, on
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themselves than God asked you to do.
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And one of those worries, one of those worries is again, trying
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to today figure out understand calculate plan.
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How you can determine the unknown now for tomorrow?
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That's not your job. It's not your responsibility.
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You're wasting your time. Jesus, at the same time.
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Is that advocating for loose? Let's eat and drink for
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tomorrow. We die.
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He's not saying, don't pray for Lea plan.
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He's not saying do not be wise and consider your future.
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He's not saying that. What are you saying is you need
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to be extremely careful because there's a fine line between that
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and being. So consumed with things that you
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are not in control of that. It can be detrimental to your
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purpose on Earth. Why is Jesus saying this here?
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Is Jesus saying this so that we can have a better night's sleep.
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That's a very small fraction. The reason why Jesus is saying
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this here is because of what he said in verse 33, but seek
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first, the kingdom of God. You know what?
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He's trying to say you my child need a reserve that strength
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that limited energy that you have the mindfulness for what
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you're really on Earth for. And that is to be a servant of
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mine that is to make disciples that is to spread the gospel.
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That is to help people spread the gospel.
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That's where I need. All your energy to be.
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And what's What's So Scary About This is that he is teaching that
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even the very small concerns in life can actually affect the
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very purpose in which you've been placed on the earth.
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He wants to protect what you have to offer for his kingdom.
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And so he wants to assure you. That is your job, and mine is to
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add these things to you, as you set yourself to pursue that
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priority. Spurgeon.
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Gave a wonderful illustration of a man who was helping his
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friend, clear his furniture and he arrives at his friends door
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with a heavy heavy backpack on his shoulders.
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And as he begins to lift one couch, and one bed frame very
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early on, he begins to complain. He begins to complain of just
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how heavy everything is and how this is such a difficult task.
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And he goes on to say, if that was your friend visiting you and
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helping you would you not, would you not give him the Council of
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just taking off your backpack, man?
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Maybe you just let go of that. It will be much, much, lighter
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much easier. And he says that to say that in
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the same way. We cannot do God's work when we
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are weighed down by our own burdens and worries.
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He goes on to say in another place anxiety, does not empty
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tomorrow of its Sorrows anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its
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Sorrows. All it does is empty today of
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its strength. Jesus early on says, it doesn't
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add a single hour to your span of life, does it?
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But it does add things nonetheless.
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It adds exhaustion, it adds distraction and he can even add
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disease if you love it that much.
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And this unease can be so strong some of, you know, it can be so
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strong that it can literally drain you of everything while
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you do absolutely nothing. Just sit in your room with
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anxiety and it can Pummel you. So we have to be careful these
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attacks on the mind are not just about our health as important as
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that is. It is an affront.
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It is an obstacle to what should matter in our lives.
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And that's to be a disciple of Jesus.
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Is Christ and to be actively serving him?
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And so, here's what I recommend that you do based on the words
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of Jesus. Take this.
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Doesn't apply to you put it in your Arsenal and help a brother
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out in the future. When your, when your nerves are
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are shaking and when your eyes are wide open when they should
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be sound asleep, ask yourself the following question and your
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understanding of the will of God.
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Is this my responsibility or is it gods?
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Have you ever asked, God, have you asked yourself?
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Have you ever have you ever discerned it?
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And then, once you come to a closer answer, solidify it by
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the follow-up question. Is this in my control or not?
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And that question being answered is so much more Liberty than you
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can imagine. If we do not know how to draw
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those lines, I'm telling you, you will invite unnecessary
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turmoil into your life and it applies in so many ways, it even
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applies in our efforts for the kingdom of God.
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I can't tell you how many people that I've met that toss and turn
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when it comes to serving the lord even in their service to
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the Lord. And this question, this set of
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questions is still applicable. For example.
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Is it my responsibility to preach the gospel to my loved
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ones? Answer?
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Yes, is it my responsibility to see them?
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Come to repentance? Answer?
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No. Is it my responsibility to serve
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the church that God has called me to serve with all that is
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within me with persistence, and with love and with joy, answer.
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Yes. Is it?
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My responsibility for people to thank me.
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Praise me, Pat me on the back. Appreciate me answer.
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No, no Be Free by realizing. There are things that God has
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called me to observe. And there are things that are
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out of bounds and, and they don't involve my participation.
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In fact, God says, don't go there because you will burden
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yourself more. More than you need to burden
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yourself. And that is so.
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So, so important because rest comes from that.
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Rest comes from understanding my responsibility and understanding
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what belongs to God's wisdom and power alone.
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May I add another thing to white people worried about the future
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because that is the context worrying about tomorrow,
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worrying, about what's going to happen worrying, about how
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things are going to unfold. One reason why it is so
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prevalent If we're honest for honest is because we seek to
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have control and we can't get it when we don't know how things
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are going to happen, right? It disturbs us.
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This is beyond my ability. This is beyond my resources.
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This is beyond my knowledge and I don't like not being in
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control. It frustrates me and it's true.
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Somebody said, I wish I said it but somebody figured it out.
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Worry is frustration at our inability to be God.
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May I say that again, worry is our frustration at our inability
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to be God? We are among those who fret
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about the future. I suggest that such overthinking
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reveals something much more serious about ourselves because
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anxiety, you know, what it is. It is a manifestation of a
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fractured aspect of our belief system.
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And what is that? Our perception of, who is really
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Sovereign over our tomorrow's. The scriptures are absolutely
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filled. I hope you know it, you've heard
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this word being pounded from the pulpit for so long.
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The scriptures from cover to cover are riddled with examples
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and commands and promises and Psalms of God being so
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providential. Being so aware being so in
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control. So, in control that you can even
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have a trust in his sovereignty, over over a cold, over a
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sickness over a broken broken foot.
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Because it's everywhere, it's everywhere.
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And why I'm bringing that up in particular is because I remember
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reading this verse years ago. And when I realized it was one
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of my first initial Awakenings to the idea of just how in
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control God is, as his children seek to give all that they have
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to serving him who more surrendered in the Apostle Paul.
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And at the same time who more aware, perhaps of the obvious
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Sovereign working of the They're in our lives.
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Can I show you one example, it's something that we often miss.
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It's in Galatians in chapter 4. And look what Paul says, when he
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tries to make an appeal through his brothers, guys.
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You have to understand. I'm here for you.
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The reason why I'm preaching this truth to you is because I
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love you. Did you forget who I was Paul
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says, did you forget how we met? Did you forget our history?
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You think I'm writing these strong words to you?
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Because I don't love, you know, I do love you.
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It's so he's rehearsing. The relational history and he
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goes off to share the moment, what it was that caused them to
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even meet and for them to receive the Gospel to begin with
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in verse 12 of Galatians. 4 Brothers.
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I entreat you become as I am for.
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I also have become as you are. You did me?
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No wrong. Now, look at verse 13, you know,
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it was because of a bodily ailment that I preach the gospel
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to you at first. I love that.
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Do you see it? What is he?
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What is he pointing to? What is he?
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What is he crediting on the human level?
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He is saying if it wasn't for that sickness, that debilitated
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me, that kept me in the region of galatia.
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I wouldn't have been here long enough and we wouldn't have met
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and the gospel wouldn't have come to you through my lips.
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It was because of a bodily ailment that all of, this is
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even in reality that there are churches in galatia because I
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was sick. Consider that consider how
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awesome that is consider that in God's wisdom.
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He allowed this to happen for a greater purpose.
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I don't know about you. I hate being sick, one of the
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reasons because I feel extra week, and I feel like I can't
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focus as much when I read and all these different things, but
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I look at a verse like this and I realized that something that
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even put Paul in his place. This Energizer.
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I mean, you couldn't keep this guy in one place for too long
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unless he was disciples. Ring or raising up a church.
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He was always on the go demons. Couldn't keep up with a guy.
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And yet, one at one point. He was so overcome by some
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physical resistance that he had to stay in galatia, and it was,
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the means by which the gospel came.
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God has so much more control than you can imagine.
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Even in the moment. You don't realize how why is
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this happening for missionary? That could have been
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frustrating. Lord.
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I'm trying to get somewhere here.
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Would you not heal me at this moment?
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And here's God in heaven, knowing that because of this
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bodily ailments some Galatians are going to hear the gospel.
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Many churches will be raised up. We can stop here and rejoice.
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What is it? I be concerned about what is it
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to be worried about every delay. Every disappointment.
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Even your own body being Afflicted.
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God is sovereign. Be encouraged to know that
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oftentimes our anxieties are us putting what God is only able to
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do on our own shoulders. So ask God is this yours or
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mine? And even if it is your
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responsibility, there is a healthy way of being anxious.
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Sometimes there is a healthy fear.
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God has instilled that in many of us, but that's not what I'm
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talking. I'm not talking about the fear
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of you losing your job because you've been going to work late
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every day and you're saying, I better get to work early.
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That's a good fear. Keep that fear.
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I'm talking about the fear of the things that you don't have
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control of. Today has enough problems on its
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own, but the second, the second weapon is found in 1st, Peter, 5
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and verse 6 and 7. And that is to do this.
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In your anxiety, with your anxiety, with your fear, be
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honest before God, and behold him.
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Be honest before, God and Behold Him.
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Notice? What Peter says in First Peter
27:12
five six and seven, humble yourselves, therefore, under the
27:17
mighty hand of God. So that at the proper time, he
27:21
may exalt you. Casting all your anxieties on
27:25
him because he cares for you. Now.
27:28
I got to be honest for the longest time.
27:30
I read those two verses and interpreted them separate from
27:33
each other. I don't know if you fall into
27:34
that same category. But Peter intentionally by this
27:40
spirit is mentioning the need for the Christians to Humble
27:45
themselves and to cast their anxieties on the Lord.
27:49
That's the same thought. That's the same breath.
27:53
They're not two separate applications.
27:55
They're one in the same. So we might have not made the
27:59
connection between humbling ourselves and casting our
28:02
anxieties on him. But the Holy Spirit does.
28:04
And here's what it reveals that if there's anxiety living inside
28:08
of me. It is an indication that there
28:11
is humility lacking in me. Don't mean to cause more anxiety
28:17
with that thought, but it's liberating, if there is anxiety
28:22
living in me, right? That is an indication that there
28:27
is a level of humility lacking in me.
28:31
How can I be the case? Well, consider the primary
28:34
audience that Peter speaking to Christians?
28:36
Yes, suffering, Christians though, that Christians were
28:40
actually paying a price to be a Christian.
28:42
Not. Oh, I can't believe we have to
28:43
go to church this early on Sunday morning.
28:45
That's not suffering, like real suffering enough suffering for
28:49
Peter to write, and encourage them though.
28:52
Not explicit. It is suffering.
28:54
Nonetheless. They could be losing their jobs,
28:56
relational issues. They have to move places.
28:59
Who knows what it is? Are real.
29:01
Cost a real price to actually follow this Messiah and Peter.
29:06
Oh, Pastor. Peter wants to encourage this
29:08
group of Christians, and she know what Pastor Peter does to
29:12
these fretful and worried Christians who are suffering
29:15
persecution, first thing. He says here, humble yourselves.
29:21
That doesn't sound very pastoral.
29:22
Does it humble yourselves? Huh?
29:25
Are you sure? Yeah.
29:26
Yeah. Humble yourselves.
29:30
How can that be the case? Well, in essence, Peter saying
29:34
that the reason for your anxiety?
29:37
Is that because you have not submitted under the revelation
29:39
of God's Mighty hand. That's what it is.
29:45
Because when he says here, humble yourselves under God's
29:47
Mighty hand, that may sound intimidating, and that may sound
29:50
a little insensitive that may sound like or else.
29:52
God is going to punish you, but it's wonderfully comforting.
29:57
When he's bringing up God's Mighty hand, he's not speaking
30:00
about his hand of discipline. He's speaking about his hand of
30:03
power, his hand to deliver his hand, to rescue his hand, to
30:07
provide his hand to protect. What he what he's saying is you
30:12
have stepped outside of the umbrella of the Revelation that
30:17
God's invisible fingers are at work in the situation.
30:23
That no matter how chaotic or how severe, how painful it is.
30:26
It didn't leave the grip of his omnipotence.
30:31
It's not Beyond his control but you have walked outside of that,
30:37
you are now under some other concept and so you've not
30:41
humbled yourself there. You have not come to the point
30:43
of relishing and being safe in that shadow of truth.
30:49
And how is it then do we humble ourselves?
30:51
Will he says it the way you humble yourself?
30:54
The evidence of your humility is that you take it and you cast it
30:58
at his feet. To cast means to literally throw
31:01
away, like something that you don't want and you throw in the
31:04
opposite direction, do that spiritually, take it all and
31:09
come before him and lay it there.
31:11
And that is that reflex is an indication.
31:14
You have an understanding that God's Mighty hand is involved
31:18
here. You'd be amazed to know how many
31:21
professing Christians are extremely anxious, but have zero
31:25
prayer life. Zero, praise life.
31:30
It's incredible. I'm being honest here.
31:32
And that's why this verse is given to us.
31:34
Now. You know, what's so incredible
31:36
about this, the motive to do this is beautiful.
31:41
It's so it's so comforting. If Peter would have said, cast
31:45
all your anxieties on him because he's able to help you.
31:48
I that's good for me, man. That's good.
31:51
You're able to help me Lord. I'm coming to you all the time,
31:53
but that's not what he says, cast.
31:56
All your anxieties on him because he cares for you.
32:01
He cares for you, not just because he has a mighty hand.
32:04
But because he genuinely cares for you, you as an individual
32:09
not you as my bride. And the corporate sense though
32:13
that it's true, but you individually.
32:15
He actually cares and somebody who cares for somebody else,
32:19
genuinely finds joy in relieving any kind of pain or burden on
32:25
somebody else's life to know that they can alleviate you
32:28
brings them true satisfaction. Action.
32:31
And God is the same. And so our anxieties though.
32:35
They may be daily. Do not overwhelm him.
32:38
They don't cause him to say, you know, I have so much other
32:41
anxieties of worry about, I might not get to your problem
32:43
right away. That doesn't happen.
32:46
He does not sci-fi when you visit them again with the same
32:49
problem that you came with last week.
32:53
He cares. He genuinely cares.
32:57
As a doctor would when somebody comes with a with a disease that
33:01
has been eating your body away for even months.
33:04
He cares. To come to your rescue and to
33:09
help and to even just listen. And so what I do when I look at
33:12
this, as I view any anxiety attack any visitation of fear as
33:17
an opportunity to declare To declare to myself, to declare to
33:21
God. And even declared two, others
33:23
of, who is really the one that is in control.
33:27
Take Goliath's sword like David did and cut the head of the
33:31
enemy with the weapon. He try to use against you.
33:34
That makes sense. Yes, David slung his Stone and
33:38
it hit Glides in the head but read on, he gets on Goliath back
33:42
and the very same sword. That Goliath threatened Israel
33:45
with was used to decapitate his own head.
33:48
And that's a picture of Satan coming to us with his weapons.
33:51
Will take his weapons and use it back against him.
33:53
You want anxiety? Come against me.
33:54
I'm going to use that as a reason to praise God.
33:57
And go before him. Someone might say, but I tried
34:01
my brother. I tried, I've tried it.
34:03
Sounds good. It's all my coffee mug.
34:06
I got something from the Christian storage.
34:07
There on my wall cast, all your anxiety on him.
34:12
Because he cares for you, and I've expressed my Fierce to him
34:15
even, and I've, I've even declared my faith that he's in
34:19
control by guess what? I still have the shortness of
34:21
breath. And I still have non-stop
34:26
thoughts that literally distract me from daily activities.
34:31
Can I help you further? Don't just come.
34:36
Don't just come to drop off your needs and then walk away.
34:39
Stay there long enough to be hold them until you understand,
34:42
who it is? That really cares for you.
34:46
Stay there long enough. To behold them and to understand
34:51
who it is that I am entrusting my worries, too.
34:56
Humble yourselves under God's Mighty hand.
35:00
Do you understand how Mighty it is?
35:04
Do you have a reservoir of Truth in you?
35:07
Do you know, from cover to cover God's ways with his servants, in
35:11
the old gods ways? And his servant with the
35:13
servants in the new? Do you have something to work
35:15
with? So that when you come before
35:17
God, you're not, just honoring a prescription with a Halo
35:20
understanding, but you really believe you're the same God,
35:23
that help David. You're the same God, that help
35:26
Josie. You're the same God that led
35:28
Paul. You're the same God, that helped
35:30
Peter. You're the same God that was
35:31
with the early church, your the same God.
35:35
Stay there rehearse. It.
35:39
Read it. Preach to your heart.
35:44
Cast your anxieties on him. Yes, but don't just press the
35:47
right buttons and hope for something they come out.
35:50
Stay there and and humble yourself under the revelation of
35:53
his might and his power. And the peace.
35:58
That you will experience will come but the piece that you will
36:02
have access to is in direct proportion.
36:05
Listen to the knowledge of his ways.
36:08
Does that make sense? And I'll tell you what?
36:10
I told those Bible college students, if your understanding
36:14
of God's word is limited to the curriculum that you've been
36:17
given in your classes. You will not make it.
36:22
You will not make it. You versions verse of the day is
36:27
not going to help you my brother.
36:30
It's not. It's not, you need to get in and
36:36
you need to create a revelation in your heart, a reservoir
36:40
Revelation through a daily, understanding of God's word and
36:44
a rehearsing in a meditation upon his ways or else.
36:50
You're sunk, you're sunk. You're sunk.
36:56
Be honest before God. But many times you're gonna have
37:01
to stay there a bit longer to be Hold'em.
37:04
And you'd be amazed to know that when you get God's word in you
37:07
and a certain fear comes, 10 versus will come to attack that
37:11
fear. When this worry, this threat
37:15
persecution emails phone calls. When they come five verses here,
37:22
10 stories there, two truths here.
37:27
Let's go to the third Point. Shall we?
37:31
And that is found a Proverbs 12:25.
37:34
Don't only come before God in humility.
37:38
Yes, humility is an anxiety. Killer, but not only in our
37:43
confession to God. What do I mean by that?
37:46
There is a wisdom found in mutual confession.
37:50
As we bare our souls in the presence of those that we trust.
37:54
What do I get that from? Look at the book of wisdom says
37:57
in 12:25 anxiety, in a man's heart, weighs him down, but a
38:02
good word makes him glad. Anxiety, weighs him down, you
38:07
know what that means, depression, you know, that means
38:11
coming to church like this. You know what?
38:14
That means that while you're here, listening to the sermon
38:16
you're thinking about thoughts that are worrying.
38:19
You. Anxiety ways of men down limits
38:24
him paralyzes him holds him back.
38:28
But a good word. A good word.
38:31
Not a word. A good word makes him.
38:34
Glad let me tell you what. It doesn't mean.
38:36
It doesn't mean preach to yourself.
38:38
That's good that will help preach to yourself.
38:41
That's not what it's saying. Now.
38:42
This might shock you but bear with me here.
38:44
It's not even saying come to the Bible though.
38:47
You should and you must primarily because you have some
38:51
people that would say, you know, I'm good.
38:54
I have my prayer life and I have I have my devotionals.
38:58
I have YouVersion verse of the day.
39:00
I'm good. But what the same book that we
39:04
love and we receive our primary help from the same book.
39:08
The same word tells you, you need the words of others.
39:15
You believe that because this verse is often used to exhort
39:19
people be be a source of encouragement to others.
39:22
But can we look at the other side from the other angle?
39:25
And that is this, I myself need a good word.
39:29
I myself need an external voice to pour into me at times.
39:36
And that's going to require something, doesn't it?
39:40
Humility? Humility.
39:45
Being willing to unveil your heart and to communicate your
39:49
concerns. To somebody who actually walks
39:53
with God. So that in that moment.
39:54
They can speak God's promises. God's counsel God's wisdom and
39:58
dismantled the Distortion that you are struggling with that,
40:02
maybe knowing at you. Do not underestimate the value
40:07
of this. Do not underestimate it.
40:12
I feel so bad for those who think they're so spiritual, they
40:15
can walk this walk by themselves.
40:17
That does not impress me at all. And it shouldn't you.
40:20
That's actually dangerous. It's dangerous on so many
40:24
levels. And to those who might say,
40:27
well, I can't do this by myself. Can I say to you lovingly?
40:30
You have no idea what you're up against.
40:33
You have no idea what you're up against, because as much as
40:37
there is a call to her courage ourselves in the Lord.
40:40
Can I tell you that? It can be so overwhelming at
40:42
times, that that, that there may not even be the strength to pick
40:46
yourself up. And that is why God gives us
40:50
members and God gives us brothers and God gives us
40:53
outside help. As a means to be able to pick us
40:58
up. For those who are here Friday,
41:01
this will be familiar for those who don't come Friday or listen
41:04
to the Friday Bible study. There is a turning point in
41:08
David's life that plunge them into one of the greatest
41:11
compromises in history, and it might actually ruin your Sunday
41:15
school version of what David was like, David at one point in his
41:19
life spent a year and four months among the Philistines
41:24
that was wrong because nobody, who came into the promised land
41:27
as an Israel, had the right to go out.
41:29
Unless God explicitly said, you can go out.
41:32
David. David spent a year and four
41:35
months in the world. How how do you go there?
41:40
How does that even happen? It all started with something
41:44
that he said in his heart. I'm going to read it to you and
41:49
first Samuel 27:1, just pay attention.
41:52
They'll turn their just listen, first, Samuel 27:1.
41:56
This is the turning point. This is what led this faithful
41:58
man to turn his back on the Promise Land and go and live
42:02
among the enemies of God. Then David said, in his heart.
42:10
Now I Shall Perish One Day by the hand of Saul.
42:14
There is nothing better for me than that.
42:16
I should escape to the land of the Philistines.
42:19
Then saw Will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders
42:23
of Israel and I shall Escape out of his hand.
42:28
David said in his heart. There is great wisdom and saying
42:34
things in your heart and keeping it, there may suggest that you
42:37
have some people who have nothing in their heart that just
42:40
everything comes out. Keep things in your heart, keep
42:43
things between you and the Lord like Mary contemplate things in
42:47
your own bosom. But there is also a wisdom from
42:51
time to time to take things out of your heart.
42:54
And my question is David, you songwriter.
42:57
Where is the cry before God with this concern?
43:00
Where's the psalm? Where's that?
43:02
Where's the prayer life? Where's the, where's the
43:04
outbursts of desperation? Not their secondary.
43:07
Where is you communicating this with somebody else?
43:12
What about your Godly wife, Abigail?
43:15
Yeah, I know. Jonathan is not very close and
43:17
he's helped you. But wasn't there, a revelation
43:18
of how he strengthen your hand of Lord, how somebody else can
43:22
actually redirect your thoughts. Where is that confession?
43:25
Where is that? It's not there.
43:27
And because he confined within himself, and he meditated and he
43:30
believes something long enough. It literally let him his family
43:34
and 600 others into the world. This poor soul knows what it's
43:43
like to call somebody and say this and this and that and just
43:47
receive a flood of wisdom in such a way that also floods your
43:51
heart with. Peace.
43:54
You need that. And so, the third weapon here
43:57
is, stay close to those who possess a tongue of healing and
44:03
wisdom. Stay under Elders, who walk with
44:09
God. Walk with those who don't just
44:11
make you laugh. But who actually can provide
44:14
some guidance and speak into the situation such a way that rays
44:19
of light penetrate those dark clouds in your soul.
44:23
Because if you and I isolate, not just physically, but even
44:26
internally for too long with issues like this, we can walk in
44:30
a direction that could have been dealt with from the from the
44:33
bud. If you had just unveiled, your
44:35
heart and said, I'm not just going to humble myself before
44:38
God. I'm going to humble myself
44:39
before my brother. This is eating at me, James 5,
44:42
right? Confess your sins to one
44:44
another. And what do we limit that to
44:45
you? Watch pornography last week and
44:47
your next small group? Tell everybody that you watch
44:49
pornography. That's good.
44:51
Here's the problem. Do we consider anxiety as Sin?
44:56
We don't consider that in our categories of confession Dewey.
45:00
This is killing me. This has been weeks.
45:04
It's been days of keeps me up and I can't read my Bible.
45:06
I can't pray. I'm not even, I'm not even
45:08
Desiring to be in the ministry because because this is just
45:11
consuming confess it. Let healing come.
45:17
Stay close to those. Who possess a tongue of wisdom
45:19
tongue of healing tongue of love.
45:22
Let's come to the last one. Distinguish anxiety with a
45:27
torrent of Thanksgiving. You heard this recently, but
45:32
sometimes there's benefit and repetition Philippians 4.
45:37
Verse 6. Do not be anxious about
45:45
anything. You know why?
45:46
We're ending it with this. Because I understand that fears
45:51
and worries, and concerns despair, despondency can be very
45:55
specific and sometimes with one message.
45:57
You can't cover it all. That's very, very true.
46:01
And I know it's complicated to because there's chemical
46:04
imbalances and there's this and that I'm just giving you God's
46:08
prescription on the issue, but I end with Philippians 4:6 because
46:12
I love how Paul introduces this. Do not be anxious about
46:15
anything. So no matter what, it is,
46:17
whatever the category future, you got bad news today
46:22
persecution. It doesn't matter what it is.
46:24
Do not be anxious about anything and here's the prescription
46:27
about anything that you are anxious about.
46:31
But in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving,
46:37
let your requests be made known to God.
46:40
You were there. Weren't you not too long ago
46:42
when we talked about the power of gratitude, but let me remind
46:46
you. Oftentimes, this scripture is
46:48
pointed to as a reference when counseling, somebody or
46:51
counseling our own Souls about things that we're anxious about
46:55
go. Pray, go see God, go tell him
46:56
your problems go make your needs known great, but that's half of
47:00
it. Because the scripture here,
47:02
doesn't tell me just going. Make your demands known the
47:05
scripture. The same you tell me.
47:06
Come and just cry before. God, that that's not what its
47:08
saying. There is an attitude in which
47:10
I'm coming before the Lord and it is an attitude of praise.
47:15
Think about that. Think about how much such a
47:17
wonderful promise. Like this has not been known in
47:21
the results because we have not honored.
47:23
The entire instruction. We've come to pray, we come to
47:26
supplicate, we come to do all this and then we forgot an
47:29
integral part. And that is, did you did you
47:31
thank him though. Could you come with
47:33
Thanksgiving? Because that's what he's saying,
47:36
come with Thanksgiving. And I'm going to tell you
47:38
something. That is not going to come
47:40
automatically. There's no way.
47:43
The last thing on your mind when you are anxious and coming
47:46
before God with your needs is praise.
47:49
So you have to listen. This is where faith comes in and
47:52
Truth Trump's over feelings. You have to go in there into the
47:56
presence of God with the intentional plan to thank him
48:02
and not just with intention but with specifics.
48:08
Go specifically and begin to thank him.
48:14
You know, I've often said if you're going to pray, generally,
48:16
you're going to get general answers. if your prayer life is
48:20
General, you're going to get general answers, and I don't
48:25
want to pray in such a way where when the answer comes out
48:28
confuse it with coincidence. I want to pray in such a way
48:31
that when the answer comes. I know, it's God.
48:34
That's God. George Mueller's biography shows
48:40
how important is to pray, specifically, it just gives God
48:43
all the glory. But can I add to that?
48:47
Don't thank God, generally, thank him.
48:49
Specifically, as you begin to dissect, all the things that
48:54
you're thankful for watch. How is just one jolt after the
48:58
other. Because Thanksgiving, is the
49:00
sound that awakens the eyes of the heart to see that God is
49:03
behind everything. I thank you for.
49:08
I, thank you for today. That's a great.
49:10
That's a great prayer. But what do you mean by that?
49:12
Sometimes we can pray that and that can be enough, but
49:14
sometimes we need more than that.
49:18
And begin to list in your heart, begin to list from your lips,
49:21
the things that you're thankful for and I'm telling you that
49:24
Thanksgiving is often overlooked as a force against fear.
49:30
But it is profound when it is applied regularly.
49:37
I want to give you one final example of that.
49:40
Through Matthew Henry. You've probably read his
49:42
commentary Matthew Henry had his wallet stolen once.
49:47
Guess what? He did.
49:49
He drew on the praise. Here's what Matthew Henry said.
49:54
Lord, I Thank you. That I have never been robbed
49:59
before. That, although they took my
50:02
money, they spared my life. That although, they took
50:07
everything it wasn't very much. And that it was I who was robbed
50:13
and not, I who robbed. Even hearing how being thankful
50:20
specifically is powerful, isn't it?
50:24
And so, I charge you today to extinguish anxiety with a
50:28
torrent of Thanksgiving. And I can't think of anything
50:33
that will be quicker for the peace of God to flood your
50:37
heart, when you come with that duo of bringing your needs
50:41
before and but also leaving that place, making sure that you've
50:44
thanked him. When you bring these things
50:49
together, as you've heard among many other truths in the
50:51
scripture, but these four truths, I can guarantee you
50:54
according to the authority of the scripture.
50:56
You will have great success in your war against anxiety.
51:00
Will it be immediate? Maybe not.
51:02
But as you build these muscles, and as you put your faith in
51:05
them, and as you apply them, I hope to hear testimonies from
51:08
this. Place of how God has given much
51:10
victory over this thing. And God will indeed be bias in
51:14
with us. Let's pray.
51:38
Lord. In light of this.
51:39
We thank you. We thank you.
51:43
God. We thank you.
51:47
Thank you, that we are where we are today because of your grace.
51:51
Thank you. That we are in this church
51:53
because of your grace. Thank you, Lord, that we have
51:56
Liberty to still sing and hear the word of God without fear.
51:59
Thank you. Thank you for our families.
52:02
Thank you for our mothers. Thank you for the mothers of
52:06
this house. Thank you for the woman who have
52:09
dedicated so much for this ministry for your glory.
52:14
Lord. We thank you that we have ears
52:16
to hear this message today. We thank you that we have eyes
52:20
to see. Thank you, Lord, that we have
52:23
the ability to stand and to be able to worship you.
52:26
Thank you, that we have a voice to worship you.
52:29
Thank you, that we have the ability to just be here
52:32
together. We just ask that these truths
52:36
would be remembered help us. Lord, as we heard earlier, help
52:39
us, praise you help us pray to you.
52:42
Lord help us believe that no matter what circumstance that we
52:45
are in. We have still the ability to
52:48
say, thank you and Lord as simple as Elementary as that is
52:52
where we need the faith to believe that it has power.
52:56
It has power help us. See what belongs to us.
52:59
What belongs to you help us understand the value of of
53:02
another brother in our lives. Help us understand.
53:05
Lord, that in moments of anxiety.
53:08
That's also an indication that perhaps we have.
53:12
To see your Sovereign hand in the situation.
53:15
And so we humble ourselves before you.
53:18
And so, Lord, even now as we pray, if there's anybody in
53:21
here, father, who is tormented by this tension who is overcome
53:26
by this turmoil Lord met in this moment.
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We just humble ourselves, say, you are in control, father, you
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are control of my body, you're in control of my health, you're
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in control of my babies and their future.
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You're a control of all these things that I think I am
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Sovereign over lord. I commit to you.
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I do my part and I let you do yours.
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May this be the Turning Point O. God may this be the moment that
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they can look back on and say that's why I left my burdens
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once and for all Lord, we worship you.
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We give you all the glory. And thanks for your word, and we
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bless it now. In Jesus name.
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Amen. Stand and Worship the Lord
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together. Stand and Worship the Lord
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together.