How many of you think are worried or anxious people?
Worrying seem like something normal and typical that everyone carries around, including most Christians.
However, constantly worrying gradually destroys your life, destroys your relationships and also your relationship with God.
Worrying may seem like something small, but it grows and turns into anxiety and anxiety grows and becomes the emotional disease of the century that is depression.
We need to kill and remove worrying from our lives before it destroys our life and faith in God.
God sent me here today to bring a word that will help you, will strengthen you and you will make you live better, without carrying the burden and the weight of worry and anxiety.
Let’s read the word of God:
“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 NIV
”DO NOT WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all He has done.“
Philippians 4:6 NLT
Let me ask you again: How many of you worry? At least about one or two things, raise your hands? Those of you that raised your hands, let me remind you that you are committing SIN! It’s the most committed sin among Christians.
We make excuses after excuses for our worries but we do not realise that GOD command us: DO NOT WORRY OR BE ANXIOUS FOR ANYTHING!
Why? Because worry is a very serious sin!
When you worry you are telling God: I don’t trust you! You are telling God: I don’t really believe You are good! You are telling God: I doubt You! You are not a caring father!
If the Bible tells us not to do something, and we still do it, we are sinning.
The Bible says: Do not kill, do not steal, do not lie, do not covet, but the Bible also says: Do Not Worry, Don’t be anxious about anything.
We don’t kill, we don’t steal, but many people are still worried and anxious!
What do people worry about? The most common worries are:
Money and finances (how will I pay all my bills and debts?), Health and Safety of loved ones and our Jobs and Career.
People worry about their future, if you’re single – you worry about getting married, the ones that are married worry about how to escape from their marriage. Relationships problems, body image, and the number one worry: death, many people are afraid of dying.
First there is a big difference between worrying and having concerns. Concern is not a sin, concern will energise you to take precaution. Concern is valid and the Bible talks about of being concerned.
Worrying is the FEAR of uncertain future outcomes that could be troubling.
Concern is RECOGNISING and fearing an uncertain future outcome that could be troubling.
Worry is emotional whereas concern is not. I can be concerned about my mother or son becoming ill without being emotionally affected by it.
Biblical example of concern
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it”
Luke 14:28
It’s okay to have concerns because it drives you to do something. Concern is good when it helps you to act. But when this concern become a worry then it becomes sin.
What is worrying?
It’s when you are constantly thinking about something, many times you’re not able to sleep, you’re not able to entrust someone with your worry, there is fear, there is anxiety and therefore it becomes your main concern and this preoccupation starts to affect your life, your marriage, and your relationship with people and also with God.
Worrying is when you lose your energy, you’re so scared of the future that it paralyses you.
Worry is when you cannot place things in God’s hand. Worry is when you try to have things under your own control.
Concern: it makes you take control of what is within your reach.
Worry: it makes you want to try to control what out of your reach.
It’s okay to be concerned about the things you have to do, but it’s a sin to be worried about what you cannot do.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry”
Matthew 6:25 NIV
Jesus gave a word to all his disciples and said: DO NOT WORRY!
This is not a suggestion, this is a command!
I discovered something about God: when the issue is a command it’s always for our own good. When God issues a command, it’s not to make you unhappy, it’s not to restrict you, it is for your own good.
Worrying is bad for your health.
Doctors did research about worrying and they came to one conclusion: people do not die because they work too much, they die from over worrying. Many people are sick because of excess worrying.
The solution is this: Learn to meditate more on God and medicate less on your worries.
People take so many pills, so much medication to overcome worry and anxiety. Medication is not a cure, meditation is the cure!
We read Matthew 6:25 and Jesus said Do not worry! Verse 25 is explaining verse 24 because verse 25 start with: “therefore” – that means because. Let’s then read the previous Verse.
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Matthew 6:24 NIV
Jesus is saying: No one can serve two masters! He is not saying it is difficult, he is not saying it can be hard. He is saying: it is impossible! You cannot serve two masters, you have to choose one. You have to change your life and serve only God.
How do you know if you are serving only one God? If you’re serving two masters you are insecure and always worried.
“You will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
You will obey one or you will obey other, you cannot serve God and money.
In some other translations it says: You cannot serve God and Mammon. The word Mammon is the name of a pagan god, the Syrian god of money.
How many people put money in God’s place! Money always comes before God, some even leave God’s house because of money, abandon meetings because of money, abandon God’s calling and their ministry because of money.
How many people are unfaithful in their tithes and offerings because they are serving mammon. For not having enough confidence in God they worry that if they give their tithe and offering they’ll be in need.
Money cannot give you safety, only God can give you security. How many rich people, who work, they give up so many things to gather wealth and are still unhappy and one day they die and leave all their wealth behind.
If you serve other things , you will be full of worry and you will not find security.
That’s why Jesus said verse 24 : No one can serve two masters , and verse 25 it says “therefore”, or for this reason:
25 “Therefore I tell you, DO NOT WORRY about your life !”
Did you understand the connection?
If you don’t fully serve God you will serve something else, and you won’t find peace.
Our Saviour, God , Master and Leader Jesus said that WORRYING IS A SIN! Are you worried about things?
When we are worried, when we are distressed, “without words” we are saying to God: I do not trust You.
When you get worried and anxious, you are suspicious of God, you are not trusting that He will not take care of you!
True Christians who understand that God is His father are able to live a life without worry or anxiety.
When you have a correct vision of God as your Heavenly Father who takes care of you, you will no longer be worried!
Let’s read verse 26
”Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?“
Matthew 6:26 NLT
Jesus used the picture of a bird , that you can see them singing everyday and everywhere.
How many of you have seen a worried bird, crying and saying: what am I going to eat?
When the Bible says: Don’t Worry, the Bible is not saying Just chill and be Lazy!
Birds are not lazy, they get up every morning and work!
Grown birds don’t stay in their nest with their mouths open saying: give me worms, God! They don’t do that!
If you are lazy, you should worry.
Be like a bird, work hard but trust God and never worry about your needs!
God is telling you today : Why are you worried about your family, your future, your children? Look at the Birds !
If He takes care of the birds that not valuable how much more will He take care of you! That’s why He says: Do not worry, I will take care of you!
So, Do not worry, God will take care of you.
Maybe you’ll tell me: Pastor, and what about my feelings?
Pastor and what about my mother who is sick and my unemployment? What about my children who are sick? What about my children who are far away? What about my sister who has cancer, what about my pain? I’ve been betrayed, I’m suffering, I’m sad, I’m full of worry, I’m overwhelmed.
Let’s see what Jesus said about your problems and pains:
”Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?“
Matthew 6:27 NKJV
Can you, through your anxiety, change your child’s situation? Can you, through your anxiety, heal the people in your family who are sick?
Can you, through anxiety, change something in your life? No, you cannot change anything!
Why do you get worried and anxious?
But I tell you something: When you are worried, you are destroying your faith, your worries are destroying your marriage, you worries are saying: I do not trust You, God.
That’s why worry and anxiety is a sin, because it destroys you, your family and your spiritual life!
How many anxious and worried people do not live well with their spouses? they keep arguing because they are so anxious!
Maybe you’ll say: but pastor, you don’t know the size of my problem. How can I not be anxious?
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.” Philippians 4:6 NLT
What can you do to avoid getting anxious? Pray and trust in God!
Trusting in God destroys worry and anxiety.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Some people do the opposite: Why PRAY if I can WORRY instead?
Thank Him for all He has done ! Ungrateful people are worried people!
Thank God and also thank those who helped you!
Gratitude brings joy and contentment and destroys anxiety.
In every situation , Pray, give your problems to God and thank Him even before you receive your solution!
This is faith! You Pray, You Believe and Thank Him Before you receive the miracle !
“ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 NLT
Only when you pray, trust, thank, throw away worry and anxiety from your life, will you experience the peace of God! His peace can guard your heart and mind!
Do you know what is most people’s problem? The vast majority of anxious people do not pray and do not meditate on the word of God!
Prayer keeps your heart in peace and the Word of God will increase your faith to believe in greater things!
You have carried your problems and lived in worries because you have not gone to Jesus’ presence and given Him your heavy burdens!
Let’s read the last verse and here is how you can find rest for your soul.
”Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”“
Matthew 11:28-30 NLT
Jesus is telling you: Stop carrying this heavy burden!
Stop carrying your family on your back, stop worrying about your children, take this pain out of your heart, forgive the people who offended you, take this anxiety and worry and give it to Jesus.
Repent from the sin of worrying and being anxious, ask Him for forgiveness! Say to God: Help me trust you.
Jesus is saying: Come to me, all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry, I will give you rest! Pray, hand over your heavy burdens and trust Me!
Take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light!
Give your heavy yoke to Jesus, and take His yoke, that is light and easy to carry!