How To Live Worry Free

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully (1 Peter 5:6-7).

Worry is always based on fear. Worry solves no problems. Worry is a waste of time! Someone has said worry is always based on a lie; deal with the lie and the fear will die. And of course the acronym for FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. Satan is the master of counterfeit.

Worry is a sin! It’s the sin of unbelief. When we worry, we choose to believe the voice of circumstance over the voice of the Word. My worry breaks the Father’s heart. He told us not to worry about the things of life. He said that if He takes care of birds and flowers, which have a short life span, He will most certainly take care of us. Fear not little flock, for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32).

The solution to the problem you face is already available. My former pastor, Bob Yandian, would say: If Jesus is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, then the answer to your problem existed before the problem ever came into being!

Here’s how I deal with worry. Years ago, the Father gave me Philippians 4:6, J.B. Phillips translation, as the answer to my worry. Don’t worry over anything whatever. Tell God every detail of your need in sincere and thankful prayer.

Instead of worrying, I am to tell the Father the exact details of what bothers me, the good, the bad, the ugly, etc. Tell it all. I really pour out my heart.

But, I don’t stop there! Pouring out my heart is only half of the process. Then, I pray the prayer of faith. The prayer of faith is the key to overcoming worry! I tell him exactly what I want him to do, and I ask him to do it based on His Word.

With the prayer of faith, I believe I receive the answer the moment I pray. Then I must speak and act like I believe I receive the answer to my prayer, even if the problem seems to get worse! Faith takes the place of what I don’t have until it manifests! If I’m walking by faith, then I have the title deed so to speak that guarantees that the answer is mine. And it’s only a matter of time before it shows up. The only thing between me and the answer is TIME! So I praise and thank the Father during that time until the manifestation comes.

This works every time, and covers every problem. Worry evaporates when the prayer of faith is prayed! Don’t worry! Pray the prayer of faith over everything in your life!

Our Personal Struggles Are Won Or Lost In Our Mind!

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:1-2).

Spiritual battles are won or lost in the battlefield of the mind. Spiritual warfare is not out in the atmosphere somewhere. It’s between your ears! Satan knows that whatever rules your thoughts will eventually manifest in your life. Things that you meditate on get down into your underlying thoughts, into your spirit, and from there they rule your life.

 

We are encouraged to think on things above because thoughts rule conduct. We’re to imitate God. The only way to do that is to think like God. We have the mind of Christ. He’s given us the ability to think like Him!

 

Most believers allow their thoughts to meander all over the place. Throughout the day by thought association events, people, smells, and a thousand things we come in contact with tag thoughts from the past in a millisecond. These thoughts mushroom if not controlled and can stir up the old man and can create much doubt and fear. Don’t let the negative mental  parade in your mind continue!

I learned years ago that thoughts must be purposely challenged and redirected. The mind has a mind of its own! It will lead you where you don’t want to go if you allow it to be in charge. Take the reigns of your mind today by forcing yourself to turn away from the negatives that creep into your thoughts.

The only way thoughts can be changed is for them to be replaced. Years ago (before electronic gadgets) I wrote Philippians 4:8 on a notecard and kept it with me. Ever so often I would pull it out and read true, honest, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, praiseworthy. If my current thought life did not agree with these words, then I made myself think on a scripture. I would choose a scripture a day and write it down, seeking to memorize it. Then, when I found my thoughts racing down the wrong path, I would bring them to a halt by forcing myself to think on a scripture.

It worked! And instead of my natural mind and my fickle emotions ruling me, I learned that the Holy Spirit through my spirit could rule me. When He’s in charge then love, joy, and peace rule your life.

 

You begin to live in sync with heaven, and every day becomes an adventure with the Father. Yes, tests and trials still come, but with every challenge you have an inward content knowing that all things work together for good to them who love God, and are living in His purposes! Keep your mind and you’ll win every battle!

Today, don’t just seek things above as the beginning verse states, but force your thoughts to think things above! This will clean your life up, keep the enemy away, and draw you close to the Father and Jesus moment by moment!

   

God Wants To Be Close To Us

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly (Matthew 6:6). (I’m intentionally using the King James Version today for emphasis on the word closet.)

 

The Father wants us to share our heart with Him. He wants to be our burden bearer. Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you  (1 Peter 5:7). Heart fellowship was the reason He created us. It’s the reason He redeemed us.

Jesus said that when we pray, we’re to go into our most private room. He called it a closet. This is a place of closeness. The Greek word here could be translated bedchamber, or bedroom. This is a place where a husband and wife share intimate moments. Life comes from that sharing.

 

The Father wants to be close to us. He wants us to share our secret thoughts with Him. Life will come out of those moments.

 

I want to encourage you to take time to develop closeness with the Father in your closet, your bedchamber. Find a place that is undisturbed, and just begin to talk to Him about the concerns of your life. Notice again Philippians 4:6 (JB Phillips Translation): Don’t worry over anything whatever; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer, and the peace of God which transcends human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus.

I’m going to leave you today with Psalm 139: 1-18. The Father has used this passage to reveal to me how tenderly He thinks of me. Allow it to minister to you:

 

Psalm 139:1-18 (God’s Word Translation)

O Lord, you have examined me, and you know me. You alone know when I sit down and when I get up. You read my thoughts from far away. You watch me when I travel and when I rest. You are familiar with all my ways. Even before there is a single word on my tongue, you know all about it, Lord. You are all around me—in front of me and in back of me. You lay your hand on me. Such knowledge is beyond my grasp. It is so high I cannot reach it. Where can I go to get away from your Spirit? Where can I run to get away from you? If I go up to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in hell, you are there. If I climb upward on the rays of the morning sun or land on the most distant shore of the sea where the sun sets, even there your hand would guide me and your right hand would hold on to me. If I say, "Let the darkness hide me and let the light around me turn into night," even the darkness is not too dark for you. Night is as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. You alone created my inner being. You knitted me together inside my mother. I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made. Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this. My bones were not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, when I was being skillfully woven in an underground workshop. Your eyes saw me when I was only a fetus. Every day of my life was recorded in your book before one of them had taken place. How precious are your thoughts concerning me, O God! How vast in number they are! If I try to count them, there would be more of them than there are grains of sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.

Walking With My Father God

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the Lord (Psalm 104:33-34)

My Father reigns supreme over all. When I’m lonely or confused I go to Him and pour my heart out. He knows exactly how I feel and infuses me with courage and strength.

When unrelenting fear comes, I go to Him and He brushes the fear away and points me to my faith in Him. He replaces the fear with a knowing that things will work out well for me. He always causes me to triumph in Christ.

 

When I’m faced with financial loss or lack, I go to Him and He provides wisdom for the next step. He assures me that He is my supply, and urges me to look away from the foreboding circumstance and keep my focus on Him.

 

When the enemy attacks with sickness, my Father urges me to stand my ground on His word and never cower or back down. He and His Word are one. He sent His Word and it heals me, and delivers me from my destructions.

  

When a friend turns his back on me and forsakes the relationship we’ve had, My Father takes me in His arms and comforts me. He shows me that though others may fail me and bring disappointment, He is a safe place for my emotions and my thoughts.

My Father has proved His love for me over and over again. When I get involved with something that would eventually bring me pain, harm, or hurt, He pulls me aside and talks to me about it. And then He shows me the proper way to deal with the issue.

 

He shows me when my motives are wrong, and allows me to pour my heart out to Him about it. He never threatens or loses patience with me. He calmly listens, then I can He His soft voice beckon me to obedience.

He always leads me towards peace. He is the tenderest person I have ever met. I feel safer with Him than with any person I have ever known. I often wonder what it will be like to actually meet Him for the first time face to face. In my mind, I see myself just melting to the ground in awe of Him. Then I see Him pick me up and hold me to Himself as He brushes away insecurity and self-consciousness. I see Him infusing me with His own nature through and through, finally releasing my soul from every trace of debris from my past. He looks away and points into the future. There I see the ages to come, where in eternity I experience what it means for mortality to be swallowed up by life.

  

So that for all future time He could show the very great riches of his grace by being kind to us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:7 – NCV).

But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, what eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed (1 Corinthians 2:9 – Amplified).

 

 

Some Insight Into Jesus' Words "Take My Yoke Upon You"

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest  ( relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.  For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good — not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne (Matt 11:28-30 - Amplified)

  

We are yoked with Jesus! When I’m in Ethiopia traveling south from Addis, I see oxen yoked together plowing in a field. Or we’re passing through a small town and I see donkeys yoked together pulling a cart. The yoke connects the oxen or donkeys by the neck and evenly distributes the load they are pulling.

  

The main deal is that the yoke will only work well if the oxen or the donkeys that are yoked walk in step with each other. If one stops, it hinders the other and they don’t get very far.

 

To be yoked with Jesus means that He is helping me with my load. If I fail to walk in sync with Him then I causing undue stress and I’m not taking advantage of the help He’s offering. He has much more power and ability than I do, so He brings to the yoke process the majority of strength. If I’ll just walk with Him by being a doer of the Word, then He carries the load and I have a carefree stroll walking along beside Him.

  

If I was yoked to a person weak and smaller than me, then I would be helping them carry their load! But every day, Jesus wants to be yoked with me as I work, as I relate to family, as I deal with finances, as I deal with children, as I minister. This produces a rest for me because someone else is helping with most of the task I’m involved with all day long! And the someone yoked to me is so much bigger than me!

 

Don’t resist the yoke that Jesus offers you today! His yoke is easy, and He will lighten the load. Act on His Word, speak the Word, fellowship with Him in prayer, and enjoy the stroll!