Just A Thought – June 25, 2019
June 25, 2019Just A Thought – June 26, 2019
June 26, 2019
When it comes to letting worry take over your thoughts and overwhelm you, remember what Romans 8:37 states: you are more than a conqueror through Christ. That in itself is fantastic news, but when you factor in verse 35, you understand there is nothing that should overwhelm you to the point of worry. Verse 35 addresses the areas of worry to which we’re susceptible, and it covers pretty much everything that goes on in our world today. “35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Note when you’re grounded in Jesus, you can’t be separated from God’s LOVE. Because His love will always lead you to no worry.
TRUTH: The more we ground ourselves in the truth of God’s love for us and everything Jesus has done for us, the more we won’t give in to worry. God’s love and peace will crush worry, anxiety, and fear in your life. His ability in you far outweighs what the world throws at you. That’s why you can take a stand against worry, against panic attacks and win. You are not subject to fear or worry child of God. You are full of His power. You have a sound, steadfast peaceful mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
God wants you to walk and live in peace, free from worry. Peace on the inside radiating on the outside bringing calmness to your thoughts and actions. Granted we’re susceptible to anything that rocks our boat, and we may not always exhibit calmness. We see it in the account of Mary and Martha entertaining Jesus and the disciples in Luke 10. Martha welcomed Jesus into her house and immediately went about preparing for her guests. Mary, however, just wanted to sit and take in all that Jesus shared.
Now Martha could have stressed less and received more but I see her working herself into a dither because her sister wasn’t helping her. Martha was not at peace. She let her emotions take over and grumped, holding on to resentment and worry. Jesus called her out and told her she was worried and bothered about so many things. Yet, He didn’t leave her in a shattered state but told her how to overcome worry, resentment. There was only one necessary thing: Sit and receive at His feet.
How many times do we run off grumping about the unfairness of life, recounting our worries, stating our fears, when we could have simply sat and received from God’s Word and been in peace?
Obviously peace and worry are opposites. When you choose to worry, you’ve put your attention on the worry. You can interrupt worry by choosing to put your mind and attention on the Word. That is why we give you verses, to encourage you. Building the arsenal of the Word in your heart and mind gives you the power to overcome and conquer worry.
Don’t allow the enemy to lie to you. That’s what he does when he throws those worried thoughts your way. He doesn’t want you trusting the Lord. He doesn’t want to see you delivered and set free from his destructive work. He wants to see you struggling, in greater fear and worried sick. He doesn’t care about you, but Jesus does. Jesus has provided your deliverance—through Him.
APPLICATION: Worry, fear, stress, or anxiety doesn’t need to keep you down. You are well equipped with the Word to vanquish it from your life. That means when it comes knocking, you don’t answer the door. You don’t let the worried thoughts into your mind and thinking. YOU have control, and you are God’s child, well equipped with His power, love, and peace, and are operating with a sound, undisturbed, peaceful mind.
Understand as you continue on this journey overcoming worry, there is NO condemnation if you slip up and fall back into old habits. It’s a continual learning process. The more you put the principles of the Word into your heart and mind, the more you’ll have times of less worry until worry becomes a thing of the past.
Don’t let your mind meditate on what is upsetting to you. Sit at Jesus’ feet, dig into the Word, and receive peace over what worries you (Isaiah 6:3 ESV). Receive His wisdom in what affects your life, and be confident as His child that you are strong and courageous in everything.
You ARE more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37), and that means you have not only the ability but power to turn things around. You aren’t mean to stay behind the Eight Ball. You are meant to WIN every time. You can run through a troupe and leap over a wall because of God’s power and grace in your life (2 Samuel 22:30 NASB).
Understand the enemy won’t relent but neither will you. When you gain victory over worry in an area of your life, know you are able to gain further victory over other areas. You ARE an overcomer, and overcomers overcome and conquer!
It’s up to you to conquer or be conqueror, and you already know how it is when you’re conquered by worried thoughts. Choose to conquer. Choose to change your focus and thoughts to what Jesus says about you and your situation. The Word and the power of the Word is in your mouth to change your world. You are not a worrier but a conquering warrior because the Greater One lives BIG in you! (1 John 4:4)
Romans 8:35, 37 NASB – “35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 37But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”
Make It Practical: Nothing in this world, distress, worry or fear, or danger can separate me from God’s Love because I am IN Christ. In everything I am more than a conqueror through Jesus who loves me.
Luke 10:38-42 NASB – “38Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Make It Personal: No matter what distractions come at me and try to get me bothered and worried, I will choose first to get in the Word and let the Word get in me.
2 Timothy 1:7 KJV – “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” [That’s a mind free of worry; a mind trusting God].
Make It Personal: I have power, walk in God’s love, and have a sound, unworried mind because the spirit of fear is not from God, and I don’t have to receive it.
2 Samuel 22:30 NASB – “For by You I can run upon a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall.”
Make It Practical: I am enabled by God’s grace and power to overcome any and everything that is contrary to my life in Jesus. I am an overcomer.
1 John 4:4 NASB – “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”
Make It Practical: Yes, Jesus is IN me and I am IN Him. Greater is He that is IN me than he that is in the world. I am a conqueror
Isaiah 6:3 ESV – “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Make It Personal: As I trust Jesus and keep my mind focused on Him and His power in me through the Word, He keeps me in perfect peace. In Jesus I have perfect peace.
John 14:27 NASB – “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
Make It Personal: I will not let troubles trouble my heart and thinking, nor will I give in to fear because I have already received the Peace of God, and I am walking in His Peace today.
Colossians 3:15 NASB – “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
Make It Personal: I am letting the Peace of Jesus rule my heart and my thinking, keeping me in peace no matter what comes happens in my life each day. Peace rules.
ASK YOURSELF
What revelation did you receive from Romans 8:35-37? How is that changing your life?
What did you learn from the account of Mary and Martha? Who do you identify with?
How will you engage time in the Word when worry starts to creep in?
What changes have you made in dealing with worry?
How are you putting Isaiah 6:3 into practice?
How are you changing your perception of yourself to match 1 John 4:4?
