WORRY... ANXIETY... FEAR... DEPRESSION...

When we worry we torment ourselves with thoughts of uncertainty and concern, interfering with God’s peace of mind, causing anxiety, fearful distress and uneasiness. Worry and anxiety are the greatest tools of the powers of darkness for they are birthed in a lack of trust... a lack of faith... unbelief, and invariably lead to depression. Much of our worry stems from misplaced love... coveting the things of this world. Worry and anxiety express the belief that we really are responsible for the provisions of life, for our work, for our ministry, and express the unbelief that God will really provide for our needs. Notice that God only promises to provide for our needs... food... shelter... clothes, not our wants: People with broken “wanters” will have a problem with God’s provisioning. “Godliness with contentment is great gain”... the gain is joy. Seven times scripture states "Do not worry." Twice scripture states “Let not your heart be troubled.” Four times scripture states “Do not fret.” And once “Be anxious for nothing”: When we ignore these commands of our Lord we disengage from His control switching back to Self-Control, we grieve the Holy Spirit and quench the flow of “Living Water”, and we invite depression. We put on the “Spirit of Heaviness” replacing our “Garment of Praise.” Depression is a spirit and must be resisted with praise and worship, for “The joy of the Lord is our strength.” The issue is not to strive for stronger faith, but rather to rest in The Faithful One... and practice the virtue, the discipline, of contentment, “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

Endnote: Worry, anxiety, fear, and depression are simply “fiery darts” in the form of thoughts emanating from the powers of darkness that “exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” As saints, we find contentment through disciplined obedience to God’s word, “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”, living the Spirit filled, Spirit led, Spirit controlled life. “Contentment” here is a state of grace, including, but not limited to satisfaction, gratification, fulfillment, happiness, pleasure, cheerfulness, ease, comfort, well-being, peace, equanimity, serenity, tranquility. Contentment releases the Joy of the Lord into our life, which strengthens us for the difficulties we will encounter on The Way home to God.

PUT ON THE GARMENT OF PRAISE…

(1 Tim. 6:6; Matt. 6:25; Jn. 14:1,27; Ps. 37:8;Phil. 4:6; Is. 61:3; Neh. 8:10; 2 Cor. 10:5)

“LOOKING UNTO JESUS”

“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us”: We all have besetting sin(s), it’s the sin we hate to love:  To think otherwise is to be in Self-denial, allowing Self, our carnal fleshly nature, to deny the truth of God’s word. Besetting sin comes in many colors:

*Slothfulness: Spiritual apathy/laziness, neglecting what God has spoken.

*Worry/Anxiety: Habitual refusal to trust God.

*Coveting:  Greater desire for the things of this life then passion for Godliness.

*Pride: Self-esteem and Self-reliance breeding dependence on Self rather than God.

*Gluttony: Habitual over-indulgence, over-consumption of anything, a loss of control to Self.

*Fear: An absence of God’s perfect love, fearing anything more then we fear God.

*Unforgiveness: Refusing to forgive the injustice and offences of others.

*Idolatry: To admire, reverence, desire, or love something or someone more than God.

And the list goes on. Besetting sin, as with all sin, is rooted in unbelief… doubt as to the truthfulness of God and His word. Doubt started in the Garden of Eden when the serpent said, “Has God indeed (really) said”, casting doubt to encourage rebellion against God. Besetting sin ensnares us and can tower like a mountain between a child of God and their Daddy.

Saints, we all have a death to die, a race to run, and a crown to receive. Therefore let us strip off and throw aside our besetting sins “looking unto Jesus” the supreme mode and perfect embodiment of faith. He modeled perfect faith – absolute dependence upon and implicit trust in God -- in His life, death, and resurrection, leading us in our walk of faith by example. Our absolute dependence upon and implicit trust in God will release the power out flowing from His resurrection, enabling power to overcome our besetting sins. And in this we should rejoice...

“IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NO SIN, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES...”

(Heb. 12:1-4; Acts 3:15; Rev. 3:14; 1 Cor. 15:20; Rom. 8:29; 1 Jn. 4:18; Matt. 10:28; Col. 1:16-18; Phil. 3:10; 1 Jn. 1:8)

RESIST THE DEVIL

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you ... You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.” (James 4:7; Heb. 12:4, NKJV) These same passages in the Amplified Bible read: “So be subject to God. Resist the devil, stand firm against him, and he will flee from you ... You have not yet struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your own blood.”

The context of James is the “desires for pleasure that war in our members”, the things we covet and lust after, using the term “adulterers and adulteresses” – an Old Testament  metaphor for those who break their vow to love and serve God – to describe New Testament saints who love and befriend the world. “Friendship with the world is enmity with God”: An illicit affair with worldliness will result in estrangement and hostility with God. “The (Holy) Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously” for our heart. As we “draw near to God” in submission He will “draw near to you (us)” and the devil will flee.

The context of Hebrews is sin, in particular besetting sin that so readily, deftly, and cleverly clings to and entangles saints as they “ run with endurance the race (of life) that is set before us (them).” All sin emanates from a divided heart, a heart that is not totally submitted to God, a heart that wants the world’s pleasures. Saints are to look to Jesus, the Source and Finisher of their faith, for inspiration in their struggle against sin, considering what He endured to redeem us from sin. And, God loves us too much to leave us the way we are… so we can expect His love demonstrated in “chastening” – instruction, in “rebuke” – verbal reproval, and in “scourging” – flogging! God, our loving Father, disciplines us like beloved sons and daughters. This is help that sometimes hurts!

SALIENT POINTS:

* The sin we ignore is insidious, creeping in as values and attitudes that conform to the world’s perspective. The Apostle Paul commanded “Do not be conformed to this world.” Saints are not to accept the world’s way of living, the pattern of thought, words, and actions emanating from an age/culture whose god is satan.

* The “war” is really a battle with Self”, our carnal fleshly nature who wants to maintain control of our heart, aligning our mind with the world’s values and attitudes, while seeking the pleasures of earth-life in this world. We must agree with God about the sinfulness of our desires and turn heart control over to Him.

* Submission to God in every temptation and struggle with sin precedes and establishes our basis of resistance. Satan does not flee from us, He flees from God within us.

* ”Resisting” the devil is defined in Ephesians chapter six, “The Whole Armor of God” passage,  where the same Greek word translated “resist”, anthistemi, is translated “stand” and “withstand” four times in reference to the devil: Anthistemi means to vigorously oppose, bravely resist, standing face to face against an adversary… standing your ground.

* The command to “Be strong in the Lord” is immediately followed with the command to “Put on the whole armor of God”, equipment essential to resisting satan. The seven elements of God’s armor are Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation, the Word of God, and Prayer.

* These battles with Self and satan will be agonizing and hard fought. And, let us not forget the disciplining of our loving Daddy will, at times, be necessary to encourage us in the right direction. Jesus said “The Way” will be “difficult” at times: We may lose some of our own blood.

* The Holy Spirit abides in our heart, “to will and to do for His (God’s) good pleasure”, striving to acquire the same love for Him on our part which He bears for us. Amazing!

*Victory over sin… Self… satan comes through submission to the Lordship of Jesus and resisting, Standing Firm “in the power of His might.”

*Victory over the world comes as we are transformed by a renewed mind, as we “set our mind on things above”, living the “perfect will of God.”

SUBMIT * RESIST * STANDFAST

(James 4:1-10; Heb. 12:1-11; Eph. 6:10-18; Rom.12:1-2; Col. 3:2; Phil. 2:13; Matt. 7:14)