I. Intro
A. All of us fall victim to anxiety.
B. Tears at the mind, keeps us up at night, consumes our thoughts, causes stress.
C. But are there any benefits of worry??? Depends on who you are.
D. Read 1 Pet. 5:6-8
1. Anxiety is a direct attack from Satan...cast your anxiety...devil prowls
E. Satan thinks worry is the most wonderful thing
1. Paralyzes Christians from being effective
2. Draws them to sins to distract them from their work
3. A study found that:
a.) 40% of worries are about things that never happen
b.) 30% are about past things or things that cannot be changed
c.) 22% were over petty, needless things
d.) only 8% were legitimate concerns.
F. All of us victims of this Satanic ploy.
By studying worry from Satan’s standpoint we may be better prepared to fight against it.
II. Beneficial Characteristics of Worry (from satan’s viewpoint) (Mat. 6:24-34) - Satan has studied this sermon well
A. Directly opposes God’s commands - v25,31,34
B. Demotes human worth - v26 - We are worth more than flowers and birds
C. Futile - v27, 32
1. God knows what we need
2. Like a rocking chair: keeps you busy, but doesn’t get you anywhere
3. Mark 16:3-4 - Women going to anoint the body of Jesus, worried about stone, but it was already moved
D. Causes people to rely on themselves - v30.
1. Phrase "O men of little faith" four times in Matthew
a. Mat. 6:30 - connection with anxiety
b. Mat. 8:26 - connection with fear (storm on the sea) - "Save us, Lord; we are perishing!"
c. Mat. 14:31 - connection with doubt (Peter
walking on water) "Lord, save me!"
d. Mat. 16:8 - connection with human reasoning
(missing the spiritual meaning of leaven of Pharisees)
2. "In reverse order, it is interesting to observe that human reasoning produces doubt, doubt produces fear, and fear produces anxiety"
3. Satan knows the way men think: promotes self-reliance
E. Heathenistic - v32 - brings people to their formal worldly state of mind, undermines trust in God
III. Satanic Benefits of Worry
A. Disregards God’s commandments
1. Mat. 6:25,31,34
2. Phil. 4:6 - "Be anxious for nothing"
3. 1 Pet. 5:7 - "Cast your cares (anxieties) on Him"
B. Deters from Christian duty
1. Eph. 5:15-16 - "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, for the days are evil."
2. What were you worrying about a year ago?
A year from now?
C. It impairs health
1. "Worrying herself sick" – this can literally happen.
2. Lack of sleep, ulcers, high blood pressure,etc.
a. Ever stayed up at night worrying about something?
3. Worry is a direct cause of stress in our lives. If you are stressed ask "why?"
4. 1 Cor. 6:20 - "You have been bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body"
D. Creates lack of trust, doubt prohibits prayers from being answered
1. James 1:5,6
2. Mark 11:24
E. Chokes the Word in your life
1. Luke 8:14
F. It robs joy, peace, and happiness - can’t benefit from God’s blessings
1. Dictionary of Word Origins - "Worry originally meant to "strangle.’ the sense "harass physically’(as in "dogs worrying sheep’) emerged in the 16th century, via an intermediate "seize by the throat’.
2. Can’t fulfill Phil. 4:4, 1 Thes. 5:17
3. Prov. 17:22
4. Worry robs us of the great things God has promised.
5. Peace: Lack of worry.
IV. We have the upper hand
A. We can fight back - and win.
1. Eph. 6:13-17 (read) - Shield of faith
2. 1 Pet. 5:9 - Prowling does not guarantee attack.
3. James 4:7 - "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
B. Set our minds to overcome worry
1. Person explaining why they are happy today and not the other day: "Today I pushed my thoughts around, and the other day I let my thoughts push me around"
2. Abraham Lincoln - "I have been about as happy as I have made my mind to be."
3. Wealth, possessions do not bring happiness.
4. Prov. 4:23 - "Watch over your heart with all diligence." Happiness is in our control. Internal, not externally influenced.
5. 2Cor 2:11
C. Form the right relationship with God
1. To control worry, we must have the right channels open
2. Phil 4:6-7 - "be anxious for nothing, but in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God"
a. shall "guard" - same word found in 2 Cor.11:32, military term, guard a city
3. Isa. 26:3
4. Psa 55:22
D. Live one day at a time
1. Does not neglect planning ahead but includes God: James 4:15 - "If the Lord wills"
E. Engage in purposeful work
1. Won’t have time to worry. A wise man once said he didn’t have time to worry. He was too busy during the day and too sleepy at night.
a. Ever been really busy? Chances are you weren’t worrying at the time.
2. Idle hands are the devil’s workshop. Idle minds, too!
3. Mat 6:33 - "Seek first the kingdom" and God will take care of us.
4. Poem by Elizabeth Cheyney:
Said the Robin to the Sparrow
I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about, and worry so?
Said the Sparrow to the Robin,
Friend, I think that it must be
They have no heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me.
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