Trusting God: Letting Go of Worry and Anxiety
Summary
### Summary
Today's message centers on the profound and timeless instruction from Philippians 4:4-7 and Luke 12:22-26, urging us to relinquish our anxieties and trust in God's provision. We are reminded to rejoice in the Lord always and to let our gentleness be evident to all, for the Lord is near. The core of the message is the call to not be anxious about anything but to present our requests to God through prayer and thanksgiving. This act of surrender brings the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
In our humanity, we often struggle to let go of our burdens, much like Jesus did when He carried the cross to Calvary. Yet, God provides help, sometimes through others, to carry our burdens when they become too heavy. The Greek word "merino," used for both anxiety and worry, highlights the common struggle we face. Jesus' teaching in Luke 12 emphasizes that life is more than food and the body more than clothes, urging us to trust in God's care, as He provides for the ravens and values us much more.
The message also addresses the practical aspects of worry, particularly financial concerns, and the escalating challenges we face in today's world. It underscores the importance of focusing on what we have rather than what we lack, and the need to become mature disciples who depend directly on Jesus rather than solely on human shepherds. We are called to stand against the perversions of the world, cut off negative influences, and hand over complete control of our situations to God.
In conclusion, the message is a call to action: to trust in God's promises, to let go of our worries, and to live out our faith through deeds that reflect our trust in Him. It is a reminder that our security lies in God's unwavering promises and that we are to shine our light, use our gifts, and encourage one another in faith.
### Key Takeaways
1. Rejoice and Trust in God's Nearness: We are called to rejoice in the Lord always and to let our gentleness be evident to all, for the Lord is near. This nearness of God is a source of comfort and strength, reminding us that we are never alone in our struggles. By presenting our requests to God with thanksgiving, we invite His peace to guard our hearts and minds, transcending all understanding. [01:04]
2. Hand Over Your Burdens to God: Just as Jesus needed help carrying the cross, we too need to hand over our burdens to God and sometimes accept help from others. Our humanity often makes it difficult to let go, but God is faithful to lift our burdens and provide support through His people. This act of surrender is crucial in experiencing God's sustaining grace. [02:25]
3. Focus on God's Provision, Not Worry: Jesus teaches us not to worry about our lives, what we will eat or wear, as God provides for the ravens and values us much more. Worrying cannot add a single hour to our lives, and instead, we are to trust in God's provision and care, knowing that He is aware of our needs and will meet them. [05:33]
4. Cut Off Negative Influences: To maintain our faith and trust in God, we must cut off negative and distracting sources, particularly the media and gossip. These influences can undermine our faith and lead us away from God's promises. Instead, we should surround ourselves with people of faith who encourage and uplift us. [18:01]
5. Hand Over Complete Control to God: We are encouraged to hand over complete control of our situations to God, trusting Him with our worries and anxieties. This act of surrender can bring profound peace and even physical healing, as seen in the testimony of a man whose blood pressure normalized after he learned to hand over his worries to God. [31:48]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:04] - Rejoice in the Lord Always
[02:25] - Handing Over Burdens
[03:46] - Do Not Worry
[04:47] - Jesus' Teaching on Worry
[05:33] - Trust in God's Provision
[06:07] - The Struggle of Responsibility
[07:25] - Financial Concerns
[08:24] - Historical Antichrists
[09:48] - Escalation of Hard Times
[10:22] - Anxiety and Depression
[11:51] - God's Sustaining Power
[12:26] - Impact of Worry on Health
[13:03] - Fear of Rejection
[14:31] - Unnecessary Worries
[15:17] - God's Promises
[16:54] - Taking Thoughts Captive
[18:01] - Cutting Off Negative Influences
[19:52] - Using Your Gifts
[21:52] - Focus on What You Have
[23:59] - Becoming a Mature Disciple
[25:56] - Standing Against Worldly Perversions
[28:35] - Avoiding Gossip
[29:38] - Handing Over Control to God
[31:48] - Testimony of Surrender
[32:39] - Sheep in Wolves' Clothing
[34:50] - Deeds of Faith
[36:37] - Simple Gospel: Listen and Obey
[37:26] - Call to Respond
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Philippians 4:4-7: "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."
2. Luke 12:22-26: "Then Jesus said to his disciples: 'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?'"
### Observation Questions
1. According to Philippians 4:4-7, what are we instructed to do instead of being anxious? How does this lead to peace? [01:04]
2. In Luke 12:22-26, what examples does Jesus use to illustrate why we should not worry? [05:33]
3. What does the Greek word "merino" mean, and how is it used in both Philippians and Luke? [03:46]
4. How did Jesus' experience of carrying the cross relate to the message of handing over our burdens to God? [02:25]
### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean to "rejoice in the Lord always," and how can this practice impact our daily lives? [01:04]
2. How can the act of presenting our requests to God with thanksgiving change our perspective on our worries and anxieties? [01:04]
3. Why does Jesus emphasize that life is more than food and the body more than clothes in Luke 12:22-26? How does this teaching challenge our modern-day concerns? [05:33]
4. How can cutting off negative influences, such as media and gossip, help us maintain our faith and trust in God? [18:01]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you felt anxious. How could you have applied Philippians 4:6-7 to that situation? What steps can you take to practice this in the future? [01:04]
2. Jesus teaches us not to worry about our basic needs in Luke 12:22-26. What are some practical ways you can remind yourself of God's provision in your daily life? [05:33]
3. Think about a burden you are currently carrying. How can you hand this over to God, and who in your community can you ask for support? [02:25]
4. Identify one negative influence in your life that undermines your faith. What steps can you take this week to cut off this influence? [18:01]
5. Consider the testimony of the man whose blood pressure normalized after handing over his worries to God. How can you incorporate a similar practice of surrender in your life? [31:48]
6. How can you focus more on what you have rather than what you lack? List three things you are grateful for and how you can use them to glorify God. [21:52]
7. What specific actions can you take to become a mature disciple who depends directly on Jesus rather than solely on human shepherds? [23:59]
Devotional
Day 1: Rejoice in God's Nearness
Description: We are called to rejoice in the Lord always and to let our gentleness be evident to all, for the Lord is near. This nearness of God is a source of comfort and strength, reminding us that we are never alone in our struggles. By presenting our requests to God with thanksgiving, we invite His peace to guard our hearts and minds, transcending all understanding. [01:04]
Bible passage: "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them." (Psalm 145:18-19, ESV)
Reflection: How can you make a conscious effort today to rejoice in God's presence, even in the midst of your daily challenges?
Day 2: Surrender Your Burdens to God
Description: Just as Jesus needed help carrying the cross, we too need to hand over our burdens to God and sometimes accept help from others. Our humanity often makes it difficult to let go, but God is faithful to lift our burdens and provide support through His people. This act of surrender is crucial in experiencing God's sustaining grace. [02:25]
Bible passage: "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." (Psalm 55:22, ESV)
Reflection: What is one burden you are carrying today that you can hand over to God? How can you seek support from your faith community in this process?
Day 3: Trust in God's Provision
Description: Jesus teaches us not to worry about our lives, what we will eat or wear, as God provides for the ravens and values us much more. Worrying cannot add a single hour to our lives, and instead, we are to trust in God's provision and care, knowing that He is aware of our needs and will meet them. [05:33]
Bible passage: "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" (Matthew 6:25, ESV)
Reflection: In what specific area of your life do you need to trust God's provision more? How can you remind yourself of His faithfulness today?
Day 4: Cut Off Negative Influences
Description: To maintain our faith and trust in God, we must cut off negative and distracting sources, particularly the media and gossip. These influences can undermine our faith and lead us away from God's promises. Instead, we should surround ourselves with people of faith who encourage and uplift us. [18:01]
Bible passage: "Do not be deceived: 'Bad company ruins good morals.' Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame." (1 Corinthians 15:33-34, ESV)
Reflection: What negative influences in your life do you need to cut off to strengthen your faith? How can you replace them with positive, faith-building relationships?
Day 5: Hand Over Complete Control to God
Description: We are encouraged to hand over complete control of our situations to God, trusting Him with our worries and anxieties. This act of surrender can bring profound peace and even physical healing, as seen in the testimony of a man whose blood pressure normalized after he learned to hand over his worries to God. [31:48]
Bible passage: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to God? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Quotes
1. "And that is not always easy. But we are called, God's calling us to do that because in these times that we live in now, things are going to be very hard and we will carry a lot of burdens. And sometimes we will feel the burden is actually too much for us. And in those times, it's important to be able to hand them over to the Lord. But because we are so concerned, sometimes we hand them over and take them back and hand them over and take them back." [01:04] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "And then God brought someone in. And caused them to take that cross off him and carry his cross for him. And when your humanity fails you, and when you no longer can hold on, God will lift that cross off you. And he might cause someone into your life that will carry it for you. But we cannot always do everything ourselves, no matter how hard we try." [02:25] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "So, in Revelation 6 verse 6, it says, a day's wage for a loaf of bread. And I'm just paraphrasing now. He says it's going to get tough, man. It's going to get real tough, and I can't go, I'd love to talk about the end times, but I'll tell you this. The Antichrist, in 1 John 2 verse 19, it says this is the last hour. He said there were many Antichrists. So, who were the many Antichrists?" [07:58] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You know, worry becomes anxiety. Anxiety is another word for depression, actually. I once had to deal with a lady, she used to phone me and say, Pastor, I've got anxiety. I need help, I've got anxiety. She had already had shock, and I don't know what all, and so on. What happens is, you have a couple of hard knocks. Now, the normal body pulls down. You have it, and it pulls down that peak fear, whatever it is, pulls it down." [10:22] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "He wants to lift you out of that. He wants to show you how to carry you. He wants to show you how He, He kept for 40 years, one million people or more, clothed and fed, supernaturally. He's showing you that in, in spite of, in spite of this, He Himself will carry that cross. He will lift that burden out. He will hold you up in the water when they throw you in the swimming pool." [11:51] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Our security should be in the promises that God made in His Bible. He wrote it down. When you write something down, they can take it to court and prosecute you with what you wrote. He's prepared to stand by His promises. And His promises are, I will never leave you nor forsake you. But God, I messed up. I will never leave you nor forsake you. I love that one." [15:17] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Focus on what you have rather than what you don't have. We've got so much a month. We've got a motor car and we have a place where we can go to sleep. That's more than Jesus had. He said, I don't even have a house now. I said, well, he didn't have a mortgage either. That's great. He gives such a good example in the Bible. He talks about the five loaves and the two fish. That's all they had. But for goodness sake, they used what they had." [21:52] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "We have to start becoming disciples of Jesus Christ. John said, they said, John, look, all you guys are going there, they're following Jesus, man. We've only got a few of them. He said, I must get less and he must get more. Good that they're going to him. We want to wean people as fast as we can. From the mother sheep to the shepherd himself." [25:56] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "We need to stand up for what is right against the voice of the perverted world. The world is becoming perverted more and more. And we are sitting and saying, you know what? Did you hear that speech at the opening ceremony? This man was so horrible. It was horrible. But it's becoming the same as it was in Sodom and Gomorrah. Where cross-dressers and gays and all that, man, come on, let's unite them all, man. We're all people." [26:49] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "The last thing that I want to talk about is to hand over complete control of the situation to God. Hand it over to Him. I used to go to Paul Petersburg once a week and have a little group there that I used to talk to about the Lord and that. And one of them was a guy called Norman Balcombe. He's long past gone to be with Jesus. But at that stage, I suppose I was around about 40 and he was in his 70s, just over 70." [29:38] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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