Satans Best Weapons Series

Satan’s best weapons are Worry, Fear and Doubt. Some of us have one or more of these. If you don’t have any of them then you are probably in heaven:) For "Part I" we will be talking about worry.

As I was reading in the NIV Study Bible a side bar for worry in Matthew Chapter 6 says this

“Is it wrong to worry”?

“This is an invitation to rest in the arms of a loving Father. As humans, we will at times cross the line and violate this principle when we allow ourselves to constantly focus on ourselves instead of God.”

OUCH!!!! That one hit home. Through the past 13 years many of you have been following our Daily Devotional. You have read about a lot of my quirks, anxieties, neurosis and on and on. I am great at worrying. If I don’t have something to worry about I will find something. I say that in joking but I am serious about this sad state of faith. I want to say something now that will pertain to all of you.

“God will allow you to go through something, maybe your entire life, that is troubling so you can depend upon Him and not yourself. I have prayed many times for my anxiety and fears to be gone. If they were gone would I pray or seek God like treasure to find help? Probably not. So I would rather suffer afflictions and be closer to God than not have anything in this life as a burden and be far from God. So if you have a burden then use this as a time to really DEPEND upon God,

Depend - to place reliance or trust – Merriam Webster Online

Many times my reliance and trust is in me NOT God. Most of the times my writing reflects my deep desire with some type of struggle. I think God has allowed me the life of a country western singer (without the voice). Their best songs are when they are getting divorced, they’ve lost a job, their dog died and on and on. God has allowed strange things to happen to me for compassion. I no longer think that “That can’t happen to me”. The more we have adversity in our lives the more we have compassion for others. Adversity breeds a humble heart because adversity breaks you down to your core. When you are at the bottom of the pit with your heart exposed THAT is the best place God can and will do His work to build you into a new creation. No one likes a spiritual God loving person on the outside and an arrogant person on the inside.

So how do we stop this merry go round of worry?

Matthew 6:25-27 ““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 important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 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. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Let’s get down to basics. Jesus CANNOT lie; it is impossible for Him to lie. So when He tells us something we can believe that. Jesus tells us some important truths.

1. Do not worry about your life

2. Do not worry about food

3. Do not worry about your body

4. We are more important than anything else in creation and God takes care of them, how much more so will He take care of us

5. Worrying CANNOT add a single hour to your life.

So does this stop me from worrying? NO. That is because I trust more in myself than I do God. So how do I trust God more? How can I lean on His promises? First of all you and I need to pray for strength and an increase in faith to believe in what Jesus says instead of believing what Satan is trying to do. Worry is a great tool of Satan. If Satan can keep you worrying then you will not be a very effective witness. BUT you will be an effective witness when you can pray and feel the power of God starting to release you from this heavy burden of worry. If you are a worrier then please pray this prayer with me.

“Lord I am tired of worrying. Worrying has cost me friendships and has not allowed me to be joyful. Please forgive me for thinking more about myself than I have of you. But Lord you know my heart and thank you for forgiving me. Please help me to live a life that does not doubt you, a life that thinks of others more than myself and a life that is radical for you. I pray that right now Jesus you would be transforming my heart and mind to be more like you. Please stop the attacks of the evil one in this area of worry and help me to be free Jesus. I want to have joy and not despair. I want to feel free when I live and not feel shackled as if something bad is always going to happen. Lord please make this the day that I am set free of this burden. Please help me to feel and know the love that you have for me. Thank you Jesus for always loving me even when I have been distant.” Amen.