Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippians 4:6-7 (Message Bible)
I would venture to say that most Christians cannot boast of living a worry-free life. We worry about our families, our finances, our jobs, our bodies, and our future. It seems that worry is a part of everyday life, even for Christians, and this should not be. In the New Testament, Jesus continually tells us to not be anxious or worried. To live a worry-free life is part of our inheritance; it is part of what Jesus paid for at the cross. He took our worries, our fears, and our anxieties and gave us His peace. But just like anything else that was purchased for us, we have to receive it and stand against anything that opposes it. What do I mean by that? I mean resist worrying. Instead pray. Cast your cares upon the Lord for He cares for you. What would be the point of casting your care upon the Lord, if you were also going to continue to carry it yourself?
I believe that we are living far beneath our means as far as our covenant rights go. We live in worry and fear when we were given peace. We live in sickness and disease when we were given wholeness and healing. We live in confusion when we were given soundness of mind. We have a blood bought right to live in peace, wholeness, health, security, wealth, and so much more, so then why aren’t we? Because we are settling for everything the enemy is sending our way and not fighting for what belongs to us, legally, through the blood of Jesus.
Yes, it is all ours. However, it will not come without a fight! The good news is that Jesus already defeated our enemy. Our only fight is the good fight of faith. Our only fight is standing on what God’s word already says. Our only fight is to believe what the word says and refuse to let anything else stay in our lives. We win that fight with our words. We say what God says. We continually speak what the word says about our situation. We don’t give into sickness, lack, confusion and worry. Our fight is to choose peace! (remember yesterday?)
The Bible plainly tells us not to worry about any of these things for our Father in heaven knows we have need of all these things BUT seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to us. When you are tempted to worry, seek first His Kingdom instead. When you are in pain, tell it to go, and seek first His Kingdom. When lack appears to be in your life, refuse it and then seek first His Kingdom.
Psalms 121:3 tells us that God will not allow our foot to be moved and He will not slumber. That means that the word from God we are standing on – He will not allow us to be pushed off it and He will not go to sleep on us. No, He is always alert and watching over us. If the God of the universe, Jehovah, is awake watching over you, why should you lie awake at night and worry? One definition of worry is to become fatigued. Isn’t that the truth? The only thing worry accomplishes is to wear you out, and that is exactly why the enemy wants you to worry. If you are exhausted, you simply can’t fight, you can’t even stand. Don’t worry. God is awake and watching over you and that, my friend, is more than enough.
But, Kim, you don’t understand what I am facing today! Perhaps, that is true. However, I know the One who does, and He is more than able to deliver you! As we talked about choosing peace yesterday, do you know what will enable you to choose peace quicker? What will allow you to govern your life with peace? Knowing your rights. Knowing what is in your arsenal, what is available to you…
I heard a preacher tell this story once. I think he said it was true, but even if it is a modern day parable, it is worth repeating to make this point. I will paraphrase, but basically a man had saved enough money to buy one was passage on a ship to America. He boarded the ship and only had a small bag and a ration of cheese and bread for the trip. He ran out of food after several days and was quite hungry. The ship’s steward noticed him outside the dining room and asked if he was waiting on a dinner companion. The man told him he had not purchased a meal ticket. The steward replied- the meals are included with the price of the ticket!
Friends, Jesus purchased all that we will ever need, ask for and desire at the cross. When we accept Him and make Him Lord of our life, we enter into covenant with Him. We then have covenant rights. However, so many of us relate to the cross as eternal life – and, if that was all it was, that would have been enough! But, Jesus purchased so much more! The word salvation not only means eternal life, but abundant life, healing, and peace! When situations arise against you – it is VITAL that you know your covenant rights and enforce them!
Years ago, before I had a computer, I would sit down with my Bible, a Strong’s Concordance, and a note pad. I would go through the topical index and look up every scripture I could on finances, or healing, or a particular topic. I would write out those verses and then I would look up the words in the Strong’s so that I could completely understand what God needed me to know. I would type them out and place them all over my home. I kept the word before my eyes, I meditated on it and declared it daily. Doing this, (and I continue to this day, only now I have a computer) keeps me abreast of my rights and privileges . Doing this is the foundation for keeping my peace. If you do not know your rights in God, you cannot have peace. It’s only when we know the authority that backs us, that we can stand, confidently and remain in peace during troubles. Remember, it’s the Word of God we are standing on…..when we are standing on His word, He will not allow us to be moved!
When we know our covenant rights, when we understand that He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we were healed – Isaiah 53 – when we KNOW our rights, we know our God. We trust Him, and we can truly cast our cares on Him.
Today, instead of thinking on all of those things the enemy is trying to put in your mind, resist him, and rest – knowing God is right there and He will not allow you to be moved. Cast your cares and trust Him.
Kim Potter
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