Finding Freedom From WORRY
Good morning MGCC!
And welcome to week 2 of our series…
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. – Galatians 5:1
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free… So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
– John 8:31,32, 36
NOW – last week we talked about finding freedom from FEAR. To Find Freedom from fear…
• Fear God above all
You don’t have to be afraid, even when there is something to be afraid of, because Jesus is greater than what you fear, and because Jesus with You.Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. – Matthew 10:28
• Evaluate your fear,
• Attack your fear with God’s truth, and
• Remember Always That Whatever Fear Is Surrounding You, God Is Surrounding It
UNDRSTAND MGCC – our God does not want us to be bound by fear… NOR DOES HE – want us to be bound up by worry.
QUESTION - would you like to find some freedom from those worries. Would like to live a life where you are anxious for nothing… IF SO – you are at the right spot at the right because today’s conversation is about finding FREEDOM FROM WORRY.
NOW – as always I want to pray us into the conversation this morning…
HOWEVER – before we do that, I need to make a brief announcement…
PRAYER
“Finding Freedom from WORRY.
UNDERSTAND MGCC
WORRY – is a thief, a thief who steals…
• your thoughts
• your peace
• your joy
• your confidence
• your courage
NOW – for many years a woman couldn’t sleep at night because she was so worried that her home would be broken into.
I MEAN – it was just this uneasy thought that dominated her mind day in and day out for years.
WELL - one night her husband heard a noise in the house, so he went downstairs to investigate. When he got there, he found a burglar.
AND SO - the husband said to the him, “Hey, could you come upstairs and meet my wife. She has been waiting 10 years to meet you.”
POINT - a thief will steal from you once, but WORRY can steal from you for decades.
OKAY – raise your hand if you have ever struggled with WORRY… Like, has WORRY ever stolen, your…
(thoughts, peace, confidence courage or your joy)?
Raise your hand if you have any WORRY now.
SO – we are not alone in this struggle, are we?
ALRIGHT – let’s do this “Finding Freedom From WORRY.”
AND - here is how I want to attack this conversation…
BY - unpacking 2 statements
1. The problem of WORRY
2. The path to FREEDOM
HOWEVER – before we dive into our study this morning…
I feel that I need to be clear about 2 things…
#1 – I realize that this conversation has limits…
LIKE – I know that one Sunday morning message is not going to solve all the issues we face in regards to worry.
I MEAN – perhaps for some in this room, worry has been ‘the issue’ that you have been facing for years….
AND - what is needed is to see a doctor or a counselor.
AND LISTEN – there is no shame in that, and doing so does not make you a second class Christian. (I’ve been)
SO – yeah I know, this conversation does have limits…
#2 NEVERTHELESS – even with that being said, I still believe
• that because we are sharing truths from God’s word (which is living and active…)
• and because it is God’s desire that we (His children) not live our lives tossed to and fro by the waves of WORRY
• that something supernatural, powerful and life-impacting can happen.
GET IT?
OKAY MGCC – buckle up, and let’s do this!
AND LISTEN – I can think of no better way to begin than to read what I think are the 3 most powerful passages in the entire Bible about anxiety.
SO LEAN IN MGCC – this is the very word of God.
NOW - Jesus in Matthew 6, is teaching on the mountain side by the sea of Galilee, and He says…Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, - Matthew 6:26
QUESTION – what are you worried about?
I MEAN – this covers it all, right?
Jesus says do not worry about your life.
NOT JUST – don’t worry about your bills, about your kids, about your health, about your marriage, your relationships
NO – He says don’t worry about your life.
LIKE – let’s get it all out there.
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?
Jesus says…
Look at the birds of the air;
UNDERSTAND MGCC - God is always trying to get us to look at things other than ourselves… to look up
Look at the birds of the air;
they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them
(‘your’ not their heavenly Father, because they do not have a personal relationship, they are not made in His image)
Are you not much more valuable than they?
Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
AND BTW – that is what worry does it just spins us around and around and around… and we do not really get anywhere but dizzy… and nauseous
Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
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—you of little faith?
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans
(those who do not know God
run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
OKAY – so Jesus is like… “why are you worrying about stuff that your Heavenly Father is already working out for you.
But seek first 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. – Matthew 6:25-34
AND THEN PAUL – from a prison cells writes these powerful words about worry…
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy —think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. – Philippians 4:4-9
AND PETER – wrote the following to believers who he says in chapter 1 were scattered.
IN OTHER WORDS…
THESE - are refugees.
THESE - are Christians who have—because of suffering and because of persecution—had to leave their homes, their country, their stuff.
QUESTION – if on Tuesday you had to leave the country, with only the stuff you can pack into a suitcase and you have no idea of where you are going or how you would survive.
HOW – would you feel?
OKAY - so this is the audience that is receiving the following teaching on worry.
AND – Peter says to them beginning 1 Peter 5:6…
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
AGAIN – they had a lot of reasons for worry…
OKAY – the very next verse is so powerful, especially when it is seen in it’s context of Peter writing to persecuted believers telling them to cast all of their worry on God.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
- 1 Peter 5:8
UNDERSTAND – one of our enemy’s main weapons to devour us is to roar into your life sending in the winds and waves of WORRY.
AND LISTEN – let me be very clear…
BECAUSE OF JESUS - the devil is declawed and on a leash but he can still roar, and we best not get too close…
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. – 1 Peter 5:9
UNDERSTAND - Peter is like… “Hey you are not alone in this…”
LOOK – and someone and tell them... “you are not alone”
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. – 1 Peter 5:10
HEY – didn’t I tell you that these were incredible passages.
LIKE – they are so powerful, so awesome, so relevant…
I MEAN – I could probably just read them over and over again for 30 minutes… pray and then go home.
I. The Problem Of Worry
MGCC – worry, is a problem that every person who has walked this planet, has had to deal with at one time or another. AND LISTEN – to really understand what the bible teaches about worry, it is helpful to know a little bit about the Greek word that both Jesus, Peter and Paul used.
It’s the word… Merimnao (mer em na o) – It appears 19 times in 17 verses SO – when Jesus says in Matthew 6 as we read just a few moments ago says…
Do not worry about your life… Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life… Why do you worry about clothes… - Matthew 6:,25,27,28
He is using the word merimnao.
AND WHEN - Jesus speaks to Martha who is so upset and so distracted and just so busy as Mary was sitting at his feet…
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, - Luke 10:41
AGAIN - the same word ‘merimnao.’
AND – it is the same word that Paul uses in 1 Corinthians chapter 7 when he says,
I want you to be without care… - 1 Corinthians 7:32
So - merimnao – is usually translated as worry, care and anxiety…
AND – given that I now want you to see where this word comes from…
Merimnao is a compound word (it comes from 2 Greek words stuck together)…
AND WHEN - I tell you what they are you will get a full understanding of what worry in the Bible is describing.
Worry = ‘Merimnao’ – merizo (to divide, to separate, to cut into pieces, to tear apart) - nous (the mind)
SO - merimnao means (to divide – to separate – to tear apart) the mind…
WHICH – is really a great description of worry.
YOU SEE - worry is when your mind is divided (torn apart) between legitimate thoughts and destructive thoughts
WORRY - takes your mind in two different directions
AND YOU KNOW - I believe that these verses on worry (like with fear last week) speak louder today than perhaps at any other time before…
AND – that was even before the year 2020 came onto the scene bringing with – COVID 19, riots, civil unrest, racial tension, economic shutdowns and division.
Let me explain…
- 40 million American’s suffer from some form of anxiety disorder.
- That is 18% of all American adults (the population of, MD, VA, NC, SC, GA)
- In 2015 Boston University reported that anxiety has surpassed all other disorders in our country, including depression.
RECENTLY - A world mental health survey was taken of 14 countries… and it found that Americans…
• were the most anxious people in all of the 14 countries studied
• and that we have more clinically significant levels of anxiety than people living in Nigeria, Lebanon, and the Ukraine
AND IF – you know anything about those countries you know that they are troubled spots. AND MGCC - what that tells us…
IS THAT - Americans are the undisputed champions of anxiety and worry. I MEAN – if anxiety and worry were Olympic events we would win gold every time.
NOW – I did an informal survey on Facebook this week asking people what are three things that people are worried about today… Here are some of their responses
People are worried about…
Their finances – their children – their safety - the unknown future, political turmoil – sickness – job loss - inflation – governmental influence on church policy – being attacked over (race, religion, political differences and anything that sets us apart)
YES – worry is real, worry is out there…
AND UNDERSTAND – worry is a problem for at least 3 reasons…
WORRY - is unhealthy, unproductive and unbecoming
SO - let’s take a moment to drill down on each of those
A) Worry Is Unhealthy
UNDERSTAND – worry often produces such unhealthy things as…
Nervousness, fear, irritability, sleeplessness,
and just the general sense of feeling overwhelmed.
Worry can overwhelm our emotions.
It can alter the serotonin and dopamine systems in the brain.
It can cause disturbing and obsessive thoughts.
It can cause agitation and anger and annoyance.
It can make you feel moody, terrified, panicked, lonely, sad, and depressed.
AND WORRY - can have physical symptoms, too, LIKE…
• aches and pains
• and stiffness and breathing difficulties
• and chest pains and concentration problems
• and digestive issues and insomnia and low energy
• and forgetfulness
• circulation problems and hormone imbalance and hypertension and migraines
• and weight gain and weight loss and body odor
• and hair loss and ringing in the ears,
• and increased sensitivity to sound and smell,
• and even it can literally leave a bad taste in the mouth.
AND SO - you start thinking through these things, and it’s like one of those commercials where... you know, ninety percent of it is side effects, right?
LIKE – it’s just…one thing after another connected to it.
AND SO - it’s…it’s a challenge that all of us have in one degree or another.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control says that about half the deaths that take place before age sixty-five are related to stressful lifestyles. The Harvard Business Review says, “Anywhere from sixty to ninety percent of medical visits are stress related.”
MGCC - worry is unhealthy, and
B) Worry Is Unproductive
NOW - I really like how Jesus put it in Matthew 6…
Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? - Matthew 6:27
LIKE – what good has worry ever done for you?
I MEAN – is it getting you anywhere good or productive?
UNDERSTAND - Jesus’ point is that worrying won’t change anything. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
I MEAN - Think for a minute about the things we worry about.
• Politics - who of you by worrying can change the outcome of an election?
• Finances - who of you by worrying can put a single dollar in your pocket?
• Relationships – who of you by worrying can change another person?
• Physical health – who of you by worrying has made yourself healthier?
NOW ACTUALLY - it’s not true to say that worrying won’t change anything. It will. It will make things worse.
Cause health problems. Marriage problems. Affect your family. That’s why Jesus says don’t do it, it’s unproductive.
Worry as I said earlier is like spinning around in a circle…
A lot of movement but you haven’t gone anywhere.
And now you’re just dizzy.
Disoriented – and not able to do anything, so unproductive.
Dr Joseph Galway did some research and he found that
85% of the things we worry about never happen
AND OF - the 15 % that did happen 79% of the people found that they were able to handle the difficulty better than they thought OR - the difficulty taught them lessons worth learning…
SO – he concluded that 97% of what we worry about is just a fearful mind punishing you with exaggerations and misconceptions.
Corrie ten Boom who during WW II hide Jews from the Nazi’s and then later was captured and placed in a concentration camp (talk about causes for worry) wrote…
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” – Corrie Ten Boom
MGCC – worry it is a problem…
it’s unhealthy, it’s unproductive and it is..
C) Worry Is Unbecoming
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. – Matthew 6:31,32
NOW UNDERSTAND MGCC– it makes sense for those who do not know God to be anxious and run after these things.
I MEAN…
WHEN – people beleive that they are just dangling in some inexplicable universe… with no design, no plan, no God.
WHEN – they believe that they are really nothing more than products of random chance
WHEN – they do not know why they are here or where they are going, that has to be scary… like no wonder they worry are and spin around in circles running after these things.
HOWEVER – for a Jesus-follower to ran around the same way, to have the same kind of worries, is unbecoming because it is saying to the God who feeds the birds of the air and clothes the grass of fields and who holds the entire universe together – I don’t trust you.
AND – not only that… but our spinning around in worry…
SAYS - to a watching world that our God is either not real or not great…
BECAUSE – our lives are just as fearful and worried filled as theirs are.
YOU KNOW - I have 5 children and I have never once seen them worry about whether or not they are going to have food to eat or a place to sleep.
SO WORRY - really is a problem…
IT’S - unhealthy, unproductive and unbecoming.
AND IT – steals and devours (like a roaring lion)…
• your thoughts
• your peace
• your joy
• your courage
• your confidence
BUT HEY – there is some really good news.
YOU SEE – there is a path out of Worry
II. The Path To Freedom
NOW - Paul in that great teaching on worry in Philippians 4 says…
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus… - Philippians 4:6,7
The peace of God
OKAY – here’s the deal every Jesus follower has peace with God… AND - we received that when we waved the white flag and surrendered our lives to Jesus.
BUT LISTEN…
NOT – every Jesus-follower has the ‘peace of God.’
NOT – every Jesus-follower has that transcendent tranquil feeling of calm and confidence…
“Ahh everything is going to be okay. God is still the master of the universe and He is still on his throne.
UNDERSTAND - the peace of God is that confidence that Peter talked about in 1 Peter 5:10
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
And the peace of God is that confidence that Jesus talk about in Matthew 6…
Confidence that our Heavenly Father already knows what we need and that when we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness that all these things will be added as well
It’s this confidence that Paul has that the ‘peace of God’ will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
MAN – I love that picture… OF - God’s peace being a guarded stationed as a check point in our hearts and minds.
AND LISTEN - everything thought must pass through Him first. “Can I see you ID… What is your purpose for wanting to enter Steve Malone’s mind”
QUESTION – would anyone here like to walk on the path to freedom from worry? OKAY – in the next few minutes I want to tell you how to do this.
UNDERSTAND MGCC – when the waves and winds of worry begin to crash up against your life…
The very first thing you need to do is…
A) Celebrate God’s Greatness And Goodness
PAUL SAYS - that we are to rejoice in the Lord and to rejoice in Him always. PETER SAYS – that we are to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. JESUS SAYS – seek first His Kingdom
LISTEN, LISTEN… the key to walking the path to freedom from worry, is not to start with your worry, but to start with the greatness and the goodness of your God.
LISTEN – celebrating God’s greatness and goodness puts whatever is causing you to worry into it’s proper perspective.
UNDERSTAND – our God is not intimidated by the wind and waves…. He is not intimidated by whatever is causing us to worry.
SO – you start with God.
AND MGCC – we when we begin to consistently do this we will begin to live our lives not telling God how big our problems are, but telling our problems how big God is.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer – Philippians 4:6
Do be anxious but pray
Don’t do this but instead do this
The word that is translated pray is also the word for worship
SO – do worry, instead worship
Understand worry and worship cannot coexist in the same heart and mind.
SO – you celebrate God’s greatness and God’s goodness and this puts your worry in perspective…
YEAH – I think, the God who…
• simply said let there be light and it was so
• created everything out of nothing
• who breathes out stars and spoke billions of galaxies into existence
• who feeds the birds and clothes the grass of the field
will take care of me
SO MGCC - when you are tempted to worry – worship
When you’re burdened – bow.
When the worry seems so large – flip the lens
OKAY – to walk the path of freedom from worry…
First, as in before anything else…
Celebrate God’s goodness and greatness.
B) - Ask God For Help
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. – Philippians 4:6
You ask God for help.
You make requests, but you don’t make demands.
You humble yourself before God and you ask for help.
AND LISTEN – God wants you to ask Him for help…
NOW - Jesus told several parables that underscore the truth that God wants us to come to Him in prayer and ask for help… Here is one found in Luke 11…
Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’
And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’
I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” - Luke 11:5-13
MGCC – to walk the path of freedom from worry
Ask God for help not as a last resort, but as a first response to worry.
C) Leave Your Anxiety With Him
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
- 1 Peter 5:7
NOW – maybe when you hear the word cast your mind goes to fishing.
HOWEVER – that is not a very good image, right?
I MEAN – when you cast in fishing what do you do?
Well, you reel it back in, and there it is again.
BUT LISTEN - that’s not…that’s not what we want to do with our worry.
NOW - this word translated cast is used one other time in Scripture, and it’s better translated (or perhaps more helpfully, I should say, translated) as transfer.
THAT’S - probably more accurate for us. Transfer.
LIKE - “transfer your weight”—that’s the idea here.
That you’re carrying some weight.
It may be heavy or it may not be that heavy;
But you’ve just carried it for a long time.
AND SO – these cares are really weighing you down, consuming you up.
NOW - the world’s approach to anxiety is: “Well, you’ve just got to let it go —set that free.”
BUT - you know better. You can’t just let it go. If you let it go, it’s going to…it’s all going to fall apart.
LIKE – this weight has got to go somewhere.
SO - God says, “You don’t have to let it go. Just transfer it over. You’ve been carrying this weight.
Just let me have that weight, I’ll carry it for you.
Cast your worry on Me because I care about you.
UNDERSTAND – some of you need to stop reeling that worry back in and leave it with the one who cares for you.
• Celebrate God’s Greatness and Goodness
• Ask God for help
• Leave your anxiety with Him
D) Meditate On Good Things
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy —think about such things. – Philippians 4:8
BOTTOM LINE – if you want the peace of God don’t meditate on the mess, on the problem, on the WORRY.
INSTEAD - meditate on good things.
AND LISTEN – here’s the deal…
IF YOU - know how to worry, then you already have the necessary skills to meditate on good things.
AND MGCC - the very best thing to meditate on, is Scripture
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
– Romans 8:18
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom should I be afraid? - Psalm 27:1
I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1,2
SO YOU
Mediate on Scripture or you meditate on the good things that God has brought into your life over the years.
You know like count you blessings and name them one by one.
• Celebrate God’s Greatness and Goodness
• Ask God for help
• Leave your anxiety with Him
• Meditate on good things
E) Start Doing What You Know
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. – Philippians 4:9
UNDERSTAND WHEN - our enemy the roaring lion unleashes the waves and wind of worry against your life and mine…
He has a very clear objective.
To paralyze us, to keep us spinning around in circles… trapped in and consumed by our worry – unable to move forward.
SO THAT – our worry becomes what defines us.
BUT – Paul’s says…
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. – Philippians 4:9
UNDERSTAND – movement and simply doing what you know (especially in the face of worry) is powerful.
AND LISTEN – we see this all over the pages of Scripture.
• MOSES - I know your worried about going back to Egypt, but pick up your staff and get going and I will be with
• JOSHUA - I know you’re worried about crossing the Jordan and taking the promise, but get moving I am fixing to part that water
• GIDEON - I know you’re worried about the enemies who are oppressing your people, but get out that winepress there is something I need you to do
• ELIJAH - I know you are worried about King Ahab and His wicked Queen Jezebel, but it’s time to get out of get out the cave, because I am not done with you yet
• ESTHER – I know you are worried about approaching the king, but I have put you hear for such a time as this.
UNDERSTAND – to the walk the path of freedom from worry and have the peace of God that transcends all understanding… Just start doing what you know.
• Love somebody
• Help somebody
• Serve somebody
• Forgive somebody
• Be there for somebody
• Share your faith with somebody
The Path To Freedom From Worry
• Celebrate God’s Greatness and Goodness
• Ask God for help
• Leave your anxiety with Him
• Meditate on good things
• Start doing what you know
QUESTION - do you see what the first letter of each of those statements spell? CALMS
The path to freedom from worry calms your storms, bringing the Peace of God into your life
LET'S PRAY
