Banner of Praises Ministries
Rev. Dr. Levi Howard Wright, Pastor & Founder
“If You Pray Don’t Worry... If You Worry Why Pray”
Matthew 6:25-34
25 "I tell you, do not worry. Don’t worry about your life and what you will eat or drink. And don’t worry about your body and what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than eating? Aren’t there more important things for the body than clothes?
26 "Look at the birds of the air. They don’t plant or gather crops. They don’t put away crops in storerooms. But your Father who is in heaven feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than they are?
27 "Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying?
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the wild flowers grow. They don’t work or make clothing.
29 But here is what I tell you. Not even Solomon in all of his glory was dressed like one of those flowers.
30 "If that is how God dresses the wild grass, won’t he dress you even better? After all, the grass is here only today. Tomorrow it is thrown into the fire. Your faith is so small!
31 "So don’t worry. Don’t say, ’What will we eat?’ Or, ’What will we drink?’ Or, ’What will we wear?’ 32 People who are ungodly run after all of those things. Your Father who is in heaven knows that you need them.
33 "But put God’s kingdom first. Do what he wants you to do. Then all of those things will also be given to you.
34 "So don’t worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
“If You Pray Don’t Worry... If You’re Going To Worry Why Pray”
Introduction
One of the greatest needs of mankind is the need to be delivered from Worry and Anxiety. Anxiety, stress, and worry are not suppose to conquer the Christian Believer. Jesus Christ gave us a brand new way of looking at life that is designed to overcome the habit of Worry.
First... Jesus told His followers they should look at nature to see how God (our Heavenly Father) takes care of the birds, flowers, and grass.
Secondly... He said that if God can take care of nature.... then He can certainly meet our needs.
Finally.... Jesus Christ taught His followers to have a Divine Perspective on Life.
He promised that those who seek God and put His Kingdom first will have their needs met.
Therefore.... If You’re Going To Pray..... Don’t Worry...... If You’re Going To Worry Why Pray!
1. Do not worry about necessities (v.25).
2. Do not worry about your life and your body (v.25).
3. Do not worry about food and shelter (v.26).
4. Do not worry about your stature (v.27).
5. Do not worry about your clothing (v.28-30).
6. Do not worry about food, drink, clothing (v.31-32).
7. Do not worry: seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (v.33).
Therefore.... If You’re Going To Pray..... Don’t Worry...... about tomorrow:..... live one day at a time (v.34). If You’re Going To Worry Why Pray!
1. The believer is not to worry about necessities, about food and drink, about body and clothing.
The words “take no thought” mean do not worry; do not be anxious; do not be overly concerned and caring (cp. Phil. 4:6).
The counsel is so needed it is given three times (Matthew 6:25, 31, 34).
Jesus is not suggesting that a man not prepare for life—that he be lazy and thoughtless with a no-care attitude.
Jesus is talking about being preoccupied with the material possessions of life. Many fall into the trap of centering their mind and thoughts, energy and efforts on the necessities and luxuries of life.
A believer is not to be wrapped up and entangled in the affairs of this world (2 Tim. 2:4)
He is not to “seek ye first” the things of the world, but he is to “seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” then God will see to it that he receives all these things (Matthew 6:33).
2. Jesus is talking about being..... so wrapped up in securing things that we become anxious, disturbed, and sleepless. Being focused upon the things of the world keeps a person from walking in the fulness and enjoyment of life. Worry and anxiety can cause serious health problems ranging from sleepless nights and headaches to ulcers, high blood pressure, and heart attacks.
3. Jesus is talking about being.... so consumed with getting that we think little of God. Fear of not having enough and spending all of our time trying to get more and more causes disbelief. A person who works to gain more and more security never knows God. He never knows God’s love and care. He never learns that God looks after those who truly trust him.
4. Jesus is talking about being.... so entangled with the affairs of this earth that we forget eternity. We just forget to take care of our lives and bodies beyond this life (Luke 12:20; cp. Psalm 49:10-20; 2 Tim. 2:4).
Jesus made it clear. We are not to worry. We are to be consumed with God and not things.
We are to seek God first and serve Him and our fellow man first. Then the necessities, and in some cases the luxuries, will be given us (Matthew 6:33).
“If You Pray Don’t Worry......... If You’re Going To Worry Why Pray”
Philippians. 4:6 says ....... Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
When you worry..... peace comes through prayer.
“If You Pray Don’t Worry......... If You’re Going To Worry Why Pray”
Notice with me three significant points.
1. Paul encourage us to not worry about nothing.
☞ The believers are not to worry or fret about a single thing.
☞ The word “nothing” (meden) means not even one thing.
Humanly speaking, the Philippians had every reason to worry and be anxious.
☞ They were suffering severe persecution (Phil. 1:18-19).
☞ They were facing a disturbance in the church, some disunity and quarreling (Phil. 1:27, 42).
☞ They had some carnal members within their fellowship, some members who were prideful, super-spiritual, and self-centered (Phil. 2:3-4; Phil. 3:12).
☞ They were facing some false teachers who had joined their fellowship, and the teachers were fierce in attacking the cross of Christ (Phil. 3:2-3, 18-19).
☞ Some of the believers were having to struggle for the necessities of life: food, clothing, and shelter (Phil. 4:19).
There was little else that could confront these dear believers.
☞ They were facing about every trial and temptation imaginable, the kind of trouble that arouses anxiety and worry.
Humanly, a person is going to fret, worry and suffer anxiety...
☞ when he is either about to lose or lacks food, clothing, or shelter.
☞ when he is persecuted, ridiculed, abused, or threatened.
☞ when he is surrounded by quarrels, disturbance, carnality, or false teaching.
In the midst of such circumstances, the only way a person can keep from worrying is to receive an injection of supernatural power. This is the very point that the Scripture makes.
There is an answer to worry and anxiety, a supernatural answer and it’s the peace of God.
“If You Pray Don’t Worry......... If You’re Going To Worry Why Pray”
When You Pray Don’t Worry.... God Will Give You Peace.....
☞ God will enable you to conquer worry and anxiety.
☞ God will overcome the trials in your life.... no matter how terrible and pressuring they may be.
☞ God will infuse you with peace —with the very peace of God Himself— a peace so great and so wonderful that it will carry you right through the trial.
Of course, this does not mean that you are not to be concerned about the problems of life.
☞ Concern drives us to arise and tackle the problems of life with an indomitable courage and diligence.
☞ Concern drives us to tackle and conquer all that we can handle.
Anxiety and worry cause all kinds of problems......
☞ fear to act... depression... discouragement...
distrust and unbelief..unwise and harmful decisions .... physical sickness and infirmities .... emotional problems..... spiritual backsliding
Just take a moment and think about a few of the problems that we worry about..... and how anxiety and worry cause a person to act and suffer.
We all know people who suffer greatly because of anxiety and worry; they simply lack the peace of God.
Yet, the Scripture declares...... to be anxious for nothing..... not even for a single thing.
✞“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles [unbelievers] seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:31-33).
✞“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).
✞“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).
✞“Casting all your care upon the Lord for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
“If You Pray Don’t Worry......... The remedy for Anxiety and Worry is Prayer.
The four words used for prayer show exactly how prayer is the answer to Anxiety andWworry.
☞ The word “prayer” (proseuche) refers to the special times of prayer that we share in periods of devotion and worship.
➾We are to have set times for prayer, times that we especially set aside for devotion and worship.
☞ The word “supplication” (deesis) refers to the prayers that focus upon special needs.
➾ We feel a deep, intense need, therefore, we go before God and supplicate, that is, pour out our soul to God.
➾ Need—great need—confronts us, and the only possible help and deliverance is God.
➾ Therefore, we come and lay our need before Him as a child: crying, pleading and begging for His help, comfort, deliverance, and peace.
☞ The word “thanksgiving” (eucharistia) means that we thank and praise God for all that He is and for all that He has done for us.
☞ The word “requests” (aitemata) means specific and definite requests.
➾Our praying is not to be general, but specific.
➾ We are to lay before God exactly what is needed and we are not to fear that we are being too detailed with God or bothering God.
➾ Neither are we to hold back from asking because we fear He will not answer something so specific. Too often believers fear not receiving the answer to a specific request, fear that it will show how weak they are spiritually if the request is not granted.
Note what Scripture says: “In everything” pray like this—use all four ways of praying and use them in praying for everything. This means two things.
a. We are to walk in God—live, move, and have our being in Him—and we do this by prayer.
➾ We live and move in God through prayer.
We pray “in everything”—all day long as we walk and move about our daily affairs.
☞ We pray in times that are specifically set aside for devotion and worship.
☞ We supplicate—struggle in prayer—when facing times of deep and intense need.
☞ We offer thanksgiving (and praise) all day long as we walk and move about.
☞ We offer our requests—specific requests—to God. We ask Him to do definite things as we walk throughout the day.
b. We are to pray about every thing no matter how small and insignificant it may seem.
➾ God is interested in the details of our lives, in the most minute details.
➾ He wants us acknowledging Him in all our ways or steps because He wants to care and look after every single step.
➾ As we walk in prayer and fellowship with God, God is infusing us with His presence and peace.
➾ No matter what the conflict or trial, we are continuing to share with God and God is continuing to infuse us with His peace.
➾ Through prayer He is giving us the peace to conquer and walk through the trial.
➾Our relationship with God and His peace is unbroken
“If You Pray Don’t Worry......... What can take away the peace of God from us? .....Absolutely nothing!.
✞ “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7).
✞ “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
✞ “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1).
✞ “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17).
“If You Pray Don’t Worry......... If You’re Going To Worry Why Pray”
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).
“Casting all your care upon the Lord; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
“If You Pray Don’t Worry......... If You’re Going To Worry Why Pray”
For several years a woman had been having trouble getting to sleep at night because she feared burglars. One night her husband heard a noise in the house, so he went downstairs to investigate. When he got there, he did find a burglar. "Good evening," said the man of the house. "I am pleased to see you. Come upstairs and meet my wife. She has been waiting 10 years to meet you."
“If You Pray Don’t Worry......... If You’re Going To Worry Why Pray”
Worry pulls tomorrow’s cloud over today’s sunshine.
“If You Pray Don’t Worry......... If You’re Going To Worry Why Pray”
Worry is wasting today’s time to clutter up tomorrow’s opportunities with yesterday’s troubles.
“If You Pray Don’t Worry......... If You’re Going To Worry Why Pray”
Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.
“If You Pray Don’t Worry......... If You’re Going To Worry Why Pray”
An average person’s anxiety and worry is focused on :
☞ 40% -- things that will never happen
☞ 30% -- things about the past that can’t be changed
☞ 12% -- things about criticism by others, mostly untrue
☞ 10% -- about health, which gets worse with stress
☞ 8% -- about real problems that will be faced
Amen.....Amen.....Amen.....
