Winning Over Worry
Winning Over Worry
Philippians 4.6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Worry has a close friend named fear. And fear has another friend named anxiety. Anxiety always follows any fear or worry we have.
Winning Over Worry
Are you a worrier? What do you worry about? Do you worry that you won't be able to pay your bills? Do you worry about your children when they're out of your sight? Do you feel anxiety about your marriage? Do you worry about your health? Maybe you just worry because it is a habit.
What is worry?
Worry is to be uneasy in the mind, to feel anxiety about something, to fret. Interestingly, it comes from an Old English word that means "to strangle."
Winning Over Worry
“The Types of Worry”
2020 has been one of those “stressed filled” years. Health scares, economy scares, social unrest and political turmoil. And let’s throw in a bunch of named tropical storms and hurricanes!
The word worry comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning "to choke" or "to strangle." That's an apt description of what worry does to us.
And it not only has physical consequences, it has spiritual ones as well. In the end, worry won't stretch our savings account or keep cancer or job loss at bay. But it will sour our mood and eventually stifle our relationship with God. Giving up the debilitating influence of worry is one big step toward a life well-lived.
Winning Over Worry
“Replace Worry With Worship”
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?”
Matthew 6:25
1. God is the source of everything you need to live.
He is the Good Shepherd who feeds, leads, and meets your needs. You don’t have to look anywhere else. You don’t have to look to Wall Street. You don’t have to look to the government. You don’t have to look to your spouse, your individual retirement account, your Social Security, or your job.
Winning Over Worry
“What If?”
One of the things that adds to our worry, stress and anxiety is the “what if” game.
What if the economy falls apart?
What if I lose my job?
What if someone I love gets cancer?
What if I never, ever get married?
What if I marry a jerk?
What if I marry a jerk, and they have kids that look like the jerk, and it’s an eternal reminder I’ve married a jerk?
And the fears just go on and on –
What if …? What if …? What if …?
Fear is placing our faith in the worst-case scenario.
“7 daily steps to help build faith and trust”
It seems not a day goes by without something more to add to our stress.
Last week it was the threat of a hurricane. What will it be this week?
The enemy wants to take that stress and make it something that will keep us away from the Father and steal/kill/destroy the joy of living this life that God has given us.
Quick question:
What seems to be the greatest source of your worry, stress/anxiety right now?
We live in a high stress environment. Pandemic, recession and now, not one… but two storms in the Gulf!
Yes, it’s 2020!
There are seasons in life where there is smooth sailing and then there are times like we’re living in today.
The Scriptures give us great insight for these days.
-
Realize, worry is a choice we make.
There is no work of the enemy or natural disaster that can “make” us worry… we choose to worry.
“Remember God’s Faithfulness”
This morning we continue our topical study on worry, stress and anxiety.
Key verse:
Phil.4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.