What is our initial reaction to bad news? Is it terror? Is it anxiety, worry, stress? If we call ourselves Christians and we say we fully trust in the Lord, then when the world bangs on our door, should we, for even a second, worry about what is on the other side?
Last Sunday, I listened to a Kenneth E. Hagin sermon about worry. For those of you who don’t know, Hagin was born with a deformed heart and was diagnosed at a young age with an incurable blood disease. Doctors never believed he would live long and at the age of fifteen became paralyzed. While on “the bed of sickness” (as Hagin always called it) he began to read the Word, marinating in its truth and becoming hungry for everything God promised. Right before his seventeenth birthday, Hagin decided that God’s promises could and would be applied to his own life, including supernatural healing. He then told the Lord worry was a sin and he would never again allow worry to rule his life. Boom, Hagin was healed!
This week that sermon has been sticking with me like glue. We so often say we believe in the Word and we have faith that God is our healer, provider, guide, motivator, protector, etc. etc. etc., yet we, time after time, turn to the world for healing, guidance, direction, protection, motivation. So, I guess what I’m wondering is, when we look to the world first, are we disrespecting our faith? And when we disrespect our faith, are we taking a step away from the presence of the Lord?
We have life insurance, car insurance, hail insurance, fire insurance, health insurance, insurance for everything. We are literally constantly making sure we are prepared for something bad to happen to us. Is that faith? In no way am I saying to get rid of your insurance, but think about it, to prepare for the worst, isn’t that contradicting our faith to expect the best?
In a Smith Wigglesworth book I read years ago, Wigglesworth said something that still comes to mind from time to time. Although I don’t remember the exact words, the gist of it was this: “Those who have true faith in God won’t need to lock their doors at night and they won’t need a dog guarding their house, for they will know God is their ultimate protector”. By this Wigglesworth is saying there isn’t anything in the physical that the spiritual can’t handle. No doctor can heal you like the Lord of lords, no weapon can protect you like the King of kings, no person can deliver you like Jesus Christ.
So, why do we, as believers and Christ followers, continually worry and fear what is ahead of us? If we fully, really and truly, are who God says we are, then do we honestly have anything to worry about?
When sickness comes knocking, do we first run to a hospital and put our lives in the hands of man, or do we look to heaven and ask the Great Physician what we should do?
When the bank says we owe a certain amount, should we turn to our family and neighbors or do we fall to our knees and believe that God provides?
When the storms of life come, do we allow worry and fear to envelop us or do we relax and know our God has a plan?
If living like Jesus is our “goal”, shouldn’t we be living like Him on a daily basis, not only with actions but with thoughts as well?
Would Jesus ever run to man for answers before first consulting God? No.
Would Jesus ever look to man for healing or provision before primarily looking to heaven? No.
Would Jesus ever doubt that no matter what He was facing He would defeat? Clearly not.
Jesus knew what was within him so He had no need to worry about what was around Him.
I guess I’m just trying to understand why Christians, me included, continually allow feelings to dictate our actions and reactions when feelings have nothing to do with the facts in the Word. If we want to be better, we have to believe bigger.
When you know what happens at the end of a novel you don’t worry about what is in the middle. Well, God has already promised us long life (Psalm 91:16), financial blessing (Proverbs 13:22), health (1 Peter 2:24), peace (John 14:27) and prosperity (Jeremiah 29:11), so why are we worrying?
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
-John 14:13-14
A Woman Standing 
Timely! I had to walk this recently and it wasn’t easy. We live in the country without close neighbors and lost our dog last fall. I’m also partially deaf. Hubby had to work out of town for 2 weeks last month and I was kind of freaking. Finally reminded myself I have a big enough God, One who knows all and sees all, I’ve walked around this house and pleaded the blood of Jesus over it….. It’s time to Believe! I can’t say I slept well the first couple nights but eventually did – and was so much more at peace! It’s hard to let go and let God.
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Thank you for sharing this, Sheila! You are right, God is big enough to cause all our worries to evaporate if we just keep standing and continue believing! Thanks again ❤
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