You Need Not Worry:
Sister Carol from Wednesday Night: 1/4/2006
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
The Lord is our shepherd. He is in control.
John 10:10,11 "10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."
He cares for us, as a shepherd his sheep. He is willing to lay down his life for us.
The Devil is the source of [all] worry and fear (doubt).
Thru Christ we have Power, Faith, and love.
We can ask and have... We may be going to through circumstances and facing problems; but know that Christ is working things out for our best. He only wants the best for us. Jesus is working it out for our good.
In Matthew 24 Jesus speaks of Wars and rumours of wars, pestilences, and earthquakes, etc. All these [things] are the beginning of sorrows. The Devil is making a final attack to destroy others (and God's children)...
His tactic to to bring worry and fear upon us (you) in life.
Worry and stress is not (missed this line not sure how it was worded) in the plan of the believer living for God (not in God's kingdom or so). Worry and stress contribute to heart failure, high pressure, etc.
Romans 14:17 "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
We know that the fruits of the Spirit are Love, Joy, and Peace....
The Joy of the LORD is our strength (ref. Neh. 8:10). The devil knows if he can get to us with worry and fear, then he can get our strength. Devil will try to get us to worry and fear.
He is the source of worry and fear. Christ is our source of strength.
2 Timothy 1:6,7 "6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
Fear does not come from God; it hinders the flow of the Spirit. Worry, fear and doubt strive on one another.
Jesus made a call to Peter for him to walk on the water. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he walked on the water. When he looked on the boisterous wind, etc. He feared. When did Peter fail? When He took his eyes off Jesus and looked on the circumstances; [he feared and began to fail.]
Power, Love, and a Sound mind are a gift from God[; Which was what Paul asked Timothy to stir up].
Isaiah 26:3 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."
Faith and Worry are opposites. Let us keep our minds on Jesus.
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)
[Fear is not in love, and should have no place in our life. We need not worry about tomorrow.]
If we trust and believe in him and ask in Christ's name; he rewards us with victory [and overcoming].
