Living With Anxiety And Winning Part 2

The rain forests looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our many of us worry all the time, causing stress and eroding our spiritual yet Jesus told us to seek first his kingdom and let him handle our daily needs. If we truly do this, our anxieties will be gone a new outlook or redirected focus, stay with us from the church in Chicago. This is running to win with Dr. Sir was clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line after Luther you're taking us again into Matthew chapter 6 is focus on God's agenda is a way to combat you know Dave, this is a marvelous passage of Scripture where Jesus talks about worry about the fact that we are very valuable to him that if God takes care of sparrows. He'll take care of us many years ago I preached this message in a church in Canada. My mother was present, and later on she said you know I struggled with that message because I know that it's biblical. You have to understand that my mother came through the horrors of World War I.

So she said it's very difficult when you're in the midst of stress and war and death.

Not to worry.

Well yes she was right.

But Jesus is encouraging us to continue to trust him in new ways, and by the way my mother certainly did.

I believe that this message will be a tremendous blessing to you and we'd like you to have this resource so that you can listen to it again and again you may need it really often, so here's what you do for a gift of any amount you can go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. I believe that this message on worry from the lips of Jesus will help us navigate the stresses of life. Listen carefully to our heavenly father has an entirely different agenda's agenda for his Izzy's agenda is not to keep us from trial's agenda is to walk with us through those trials that we might be shaped like his son is agenda is to develop within us patience and hope and endurance is agenda is to cut out from us, all those things upon which we depend so that we might learn a whole new dependence upon him, and that's why Spurgeon said all blessed acts of sorrow that cuts a pathway to my God. By chopping down the tall trees of human comfort. It is, is it is the trees of comfort being chopped down that is that pathway to God and that's what he's interested. Your earthly father no matter how good, no matter how predictable primarily was concerned about this life. Your heavenly father is concerned about eternity and therefore has another agenda and that's why his ways are so mysterious and often times hidden from us and that's why we have to trust him even though we do not know in advance what it is that he's going to do we still have to believe that what he does is right, we still have to believe that he loves us, even in the face of some contrary evidence. That's the word you get to know your father at the first word to underline but may give you a second word to underline and that's the little word faith in verse 30 verse 30 notice it says if that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, all you of little faith. That's the word to underline father and faith. It is been estimated that only about 9% or less of all the things that we worry about ever come to pass all of the things that we have in our minds that we think might take place. All of the diseases that we think we might get all of the accidents that we somehow anticipate all of the human relationships.

All of the fears that we even write about and these fears are very very serious. As you know, oftentimes I received a letter this week from a woman who wanted prayer because she's being stalked by someone and I can understand that this dear lady needs the strength and the prayers of the body of Christ. She can't handle this alone.

This is this is very debilitating.

But in the midst of all this, and this is hard for us to get our minds around.

But in the midst of all this we have to be convinced that even there even bear God walks with us on walks with us and it Jesus could be nailed to the cross under God's supervision and with his presence in the very same way believers sometimes have harsh harsh realities that are forced upon them, but blessed is the person who believes that even their God walks with me when I pass through the fire when you pass through the fire.

I will be with you and the waters they shall not overwhelm you.

Why, because I shall never leave the nor forsake thee.

The Scripture says therefore I will not fear what man they shall do unto me. Wow why because man can do it unless God permits it, and if it is permitted by God. I can accept it as coming from my heavenly father. Even though it is something that is naturally speaking terrifying because God is God is God.

Jesus said do not fear those who are able to kill the body, and after that there they pretty well done what they can do much you can do for them if they can't do much to you after that fear him, rather who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. While Jesus is saying there that that what we need to do is to understand that that if we really do fear God and trust him. We really don't have to fear anything else. Now that's easy to be said and I understand that I'm speaking here very idealistically because in our frailty.

We are afraid but with the people of God and the promises of God and the power of the spirit of God and the work of God in our hearts. Jesus can say to us. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. How do we overcome anxiety.

First of all, you underline the word father you get to know your father.

Secondly, you underline that word faith and then third, you underline the little word first first notice in verse 32 for the pagans run after all these things in your heavenly Father knows what you need but seek first there is the word his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own, doesn't it. By the way, why should you borrow tomorrow's troubles. Why should you cross bridges that you don't have to cross until Tuesday morning. Each day has enough trouble of its own. And if you're worried today what you should do is to say, oh God please give me more trouble today so that I don't have to borrow troubles that aren't here yet but I'm so short on trouble, that I'm actually dipping into next month already doesn't. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

You know these modern cars that some of us drive. They have a little gadget on them that says check engine that is been very, very confusing to me throughout the years because I say to myself, check engine engines a big thing.

What you check what you check years ago cars you used to know. Maybe it was the spark. Hugs.

Maybe it was the carburetor you had some kind of an idea and those of us who don't know which end to pick up a screwdriver with were not sure. Anyway, but at least you know you heard about things like this in a motor without check and will good good where you begin a car one time that had a lot of things wrong with it. Fact that it's a certain make that I won't mention, but it was that it was just just a disaster but at one time it was working better and I noticed it always had the check engine sign on. So I took it to the garage and they checked it out and I said you know we can't really find anything wrong with your car.

We think that it's a short in the check engine sign now. The fact is that you and I can can drive a car that says check engine light. We can ignore that sign, but eventually it will catch up to us.

There's probably something wrong if there is a short in the sign here's the point when we worry that is like a check engine that is like a warning light that there's some part of our life that is not been wholly given to God in some area of our life. We are not seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. There are other agendas that have piled up, and as a result of what God is trying to say to us is you need to understand here folks is saying to you and to me that when I say seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. I am talking now need for you to yield three worry and anxiety. To me, because you're focused on me in my righteousness. That's why during our prayer times whenever our mind wanders to issues of anxiety. You have to give those issues to God before you can continue praying.

That's what I do.

You just keep giving them to God because because that the thing to which your mind wanders is the thing that is the very thing to which you must pay attention and give that to God is. That's a burden that's on your shoulders. So what Jesus is saying is this, that you have to understand worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows it only increases the sorrows of today.

So what you need to do is to get all of those anxieties off your back off your mind off your soul so that you can concentrate on God and the battle is is fierce expires. I want you to do in the next few moments is to think of the three anxieties that most plague you because were going to give them to God were just going to take care of them right here so that you can leave free today. Okay, what are the three anxieties that plagued you the most. You can write them down or you can think about them as I speak because were going to give them to the Lord, why not. But in order to do that.

I want to point out two things. First, to help you to understand our relationship to Christ.

There is that story about the woman who was carrying a suitcase block after block and she was so weary and finally a bus came along that she was so glad to get onto the bus and that she paid her prayer and then she stood in the middle of the bus and she kept holding her suitcase up and somebody said I wanted to put your suitcase down and she said well I'm just glad that the bus is carrying me. I can't expected to carry my suitcase to we think about that little bit folks, that's us.

If you're a believer in Jesus Christ you're on the bus you're on the bus. The suitcase here on your way home to heaven here on the bus the whole thing is going anyway. Why should you, why should you carry a burden that God is already bearing because of his relationship to the world and his relationship to you as a father child and he just just put down the suitcase put it down so yeah but you don't understand there's so many possibilities in the situation and it could go the wrong way and I know I know but put it down.

Remember, worry is not to change it and also is God able to bear the shoulders so does he have strong enough shoulders to bear the weight of your anxiety answer, of course, is yes. How do I know my dear friends, the Scripture says regarding Christ that the governments of the world shall be upon initial he's been during this world on his shoulders for many years, long before you, and I showed up but he'll keep bearing it long after were gone. I mean I mean is God.

He's eternal. He is able to bear the burdens that concern you.

Yes, he is able to do that and he's on the bus you're on the bus. It's on its way to heaven put down the suitcase.

Next I have to talk to you about commitment and faith. If God should will it this afternoon. I'm going to be boarding the United airlines plane. Assuming that the expressway is free from here to O'Hare and flying to Washington DC. What if we're in the air. Half an hour and I ring the bell and I speak to a flight attendant so you know I'm concerned about the United airlines pilots and I would really like you to check on them to see whether not there wake she might look at me, you know, years ago, when their security wasn't a problem. You could actually going to the cockpit, but they don't allow that nowadays, but I say look, why don't you just check so she doesn't comes back and says well guess what there wake fine. 15 minutes later I buzzer again and say you know I wish that you would check to see whether or not those United airlines pilots are awake. All she does it a second time and when I asked the third time she is so angry that she's about to tell me to go outside and get a breath of fresh air and she says to make you really trust these United Airline pilot studio so all you know is not that I don't trust them is just that is just that I have this concern about whether or not they're falling asleep, you know, she takes it as an insult. You know that we do that to God all the time all the time we give God a problem and then we take it back on her shoulders. Recently it hasn't done anything about.

I wonder if he's awake at whatever he's forgotten about. We keep insulting him because we always are expecting God to to to do exactly what we want and if he doesn't do it by tomorrow were single or was God in that sense and is God really awake I mean is he asleep or what what what is it and and you see what I'm going to do this afternoon is I am going to entrust myself to pilots.

I have never met and probably never will meet, and in fact another problem I'm going to have O'Hare today as I have to entrust my entire self I can't say we know United airlines are only worth about an arm and a leg I'm to leave the rest here. Now it's the whole thing and once that jet is in the air I'm trusting. I'm trusting that to relax all the way to Washington DC. What am I saying in a moment were going to have a prayer together, in which I'm going to ask you to consciously directly to give those three anxieties to God by name. The Scripture says, casting all of your care upon him for he cares for you.

He cares about you number of hair in your head number of drops of water you drink this morning.

The number that will drink tomorrow old known to God.

Jesus said, your heavenly Father knows that you have need of these things and if there are times of deprivation in times of illness in times when he doesn't intervene. He walks with us through that as he did the crucifixion of Christ, he is there is there is there is there is there and worry doesn't change a thing. What can you lose what can you lose tough finally give it over to God. Listen to me carefully. Some of you students need to give God your careers.

Some of you businessmen have to give God your marriages and your finances. Some of you parents bless you. You have to give God your kids yet to give God your kids to just simply say, God, they're yours.

I no longer am going to bear all of the anxiety connected with it all be concerned. Yes, absolutely. But the anxiety is gone because God listens some of you women bless you. You have to give your husbands to God I don't you agree with me when I say good riddance you been trying to convert them all these years and to change amended hasn't helped. Has it. You've not done it. Have you just admitted you've not done it when I just give them over to God. But God deal with them. Stop playing God in his life and to simply say father from now on. From now on. These anxieties highlight how you say well yeah, sure, sure, tomorrow morning, they're gonna be back. Note you do if there back tomorrow morning you take them again and you say father I affirm the fact that these anxieties do not rest upon my shoulders. I reaffirm the fact that they've been given over to you to memorize a verse of Scripture. I am going to focus on a him I'm going to sing a hymn because I'm gonna take your promise that you give peace to those whose mind is focused on you and in the name Jesus.

I stand against all of these anxieties that want to rob me of all of my joy and to turn my life into.

That's the way you handle it in the beginning is right now right now at this moment, would you bow your heads in prayer father forgive us for having borne so many burdens that you did not, that you did not create us to bear.

We know father that there are antibodies to fight colds, but there are no antibodies to fight anxiety is not your intention that we bear these burdens.

We think of people for years, having worried now.

Father, we know that Satan would like to keep them so bound. We ask in the name of Jesus that you shall set your people free. We pray that people who have never even thought of what it would be like to give their anxieties to God might have the freedom to do so. We pray father that people may walk out of here saying at last unaddressed old Lord as best as we know how and where so frail. We want to give ourselves to you unreservedly cast every anxiety upon him, and now it's your turn friends. Those three anxieties you name them to God and say from now on in Christ's name that they are yours and you give them to him. Father where there are battles being fought with her is guilt that's tied in with the anxiety we pray that there might be cleansing so that there might be forgiveness and freedom that last.

People who live their lives, fearful that someone is going to find out about their past. We pray father that too shall be given to you. We pray father that your people shall experience the peace about which your word speaks because of last they have yielded to you.

How many of you would say today Pastor Luther as best as I know how I've given my anxieties to God because your hands going on. They view Satan's best as you know how you've given your anxieties to godfather seal.

These decisions, we pray. We pray that tomorrow and the day after that there may be a change in people's lives because we come to know you better and can trust you more and leave all of our anxieties at your loving feet do that for your people and for those who do not know you. A Savior we ask in Christ's name that they show even now believe on Jesus, that they might to know you as father pray in Christ's name. Amen. What my friend, this is Pastor Luther I feel inspired and burden to continue the prayer that I just prayed a moment ago because I'm speaking to some of you who are facing the issues of the pandemic inflation sickness anxiety about your future.

Of course we look around the world and there isn't much to encourage us. Is there some of you are struggling because of natural disasters giving our anxieties to God is a continual project, so to speak. It doesn't just happen once and then it's over. But we do it continually.

Let me pray for you.

Father, I want to thank you so much for the promises of Jesus, but at the same time we are so reminded of our own anxieties, our own lack of faith, would you lift up all who are listening right now. Would you enable them Lord to cast their care upon you to transfer it from their shoulders to your shoulders. We all want to do that we want to walk with a sense of joy and confidence that the future is not left up to fate, but it is left up to you. Our father and our God bring deliverance we pray. And for those who are so overwhelmed. Enable them Lord to separate themselves from those thoughts and say Lord, they are yours and will thank you and will give you praise in Jesus name, amen. Now, my friend. I need to ask you a question.

Have you been blessed as a result of this message.

There are other people in your life that perhaps have not herded and they also would be blessed and you might want to listen to it again and again. Maybe you are part of it, but not all of it for a gift of any amount we are making this resource available to you in permanent form. Here's what you do go to RTW offeror.com or call us right now at 1-888-218-9337 ask for the message about worry, and I believe that you will be blessed and let me emphasize that again. Go to the phone right now and call 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 in the upper room before the crucifixion, Jesus taught his disciples and us how to have a heart like his next time don't miss a series on what happens when Jesus has your heart running to win is all about helping you understand God's roadmap for your race of life. Thanks for listening for pastor Erwin Luzerne this is Dave running to win is sponsored by the Moody church