Come Up Here And See

Recently I have been placed in a study group about “Worry”. As the three of us were having a conversation about this topic I said that we need to know what the definition of Worry is and then we need to know “What does God say about that”.

On any topic in our lives, we need to know what God says because that is Truth and then line up our thoughts as it reads in:

• Romans 12: 2 NASB And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

To know that truth we must study the Word, spend time in God’s presence talking with Him and listening to Him. One of the best scriptures that show us that it is our responsibility to know the Word of God and then the prosperous effect it will be on our lives is:

• Joshua 1: 8 NASB  This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you (Joshua) shall meditate on it day and night, so that you (Joshua) may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you (Joshua) will make your way prosperous, and then you (Joshua) will have success.

I believe that worry will come into our lives because we do not have a holy fear of the Lord, but we are fearing the enemy. In Luke 12: 4-7 Jesus is talking about not being afraid of those who can kill you but have no authority to cast into hell but to fear God who has that authority because following right after that statement Jesus tells us that we are more valuable than many sparrows so do not be afraid or be concerned or worried.

Dictionary.com describes worry as:

• verb (used without object), worried, worrying.

to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret.

• verb (used with object), worried, worrying.

to torment with cares, anxieties, etc.; trouble; plague.

to seize, especially by the throat, with the teeth and shake or mangle, as one animal does another.

• noun, plural worries.

a worried condition or feeling; uneasiness or anxiety, trouble.

 Oh, my goodness when we saw that the definition of worry is torment. Our eyes bulged and I think we were in shock. We knew that worry was uneasiness, anxiousness, fretting but torment. That shocked us because too many times we in ignorance will call ourselves worrywarts or that could have even been spoken or declared over us at a young age so sometimes we may even be laughing or giggling about it. You see when we do not know the actual definition then we are ignorant of the ways of the enemy.

When we heard torment, two of us had a vision that fear tells worry to go and torment that person. This brought to my mind a picture of a military. As in any military there are different levels of officers such as my nation’s Air Force. There are four levels of Generals meaning four stars.  Following the Generals are the Senior Officers who are the Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel and Major. The next level of officers is the Junior Officers which are Captains, Lieutenant, and 2^nd Lieutenant. Each level has more power and authority than the lower. This is how we saw fear sending worry to torment people.

But as Christ followers who have been bought and purchased by the precious blood of Jesus, we need to remember that the enemy is defeated by Jesus’s blood and His resurrection, but the enemy is still prowling like a lion looking for someone to devour. At the same time our battle is not against flesh and blood but against rulers of the darkness, so we need to be clothed in the armor of God.  

• Colossians 2: 15 AMP When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross.

• 1 Peter 5: 8 NASB Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

• Ephesians 6: 12-13 NASB ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

This takes me back full circle to what does God say about worry. I must always be aligning my thoughts to Him and to who He says that I am. When worry attacks me I must remind myself of truth that God is a good God and He is my provider of all that I need. Jesus is constantly encouraging us to believe in God and in Him as the Triumphant Son. Not only that but the Holy Spirit tells us what to do with worries or anxieties and that was to cast them on the Lord. I have this picture of tossing them away, saying to that torment that you are not welcome here, torment you cannot enter, and you are crushed by the blood of Jesus. The best part is that Jesus says that I give you heavenly peace, just receive that precious gift from me.

• Philippians 4:6-7 ESV Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

• 1 Peter 5:7 ESV Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

• John 14:27 AMPC Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]

Everyone has experienced torment attacks of worry at one time or another and over any circumstance and at any time of the day.

One of my testimonies of how worry can torment you to the point of not being able to sleep for months at a time has to do with my third pregnancy. My health has been attacked by seizures, grand mal attacks, especially through my pregnancies. By my third pregnancy my doctor told me that I had to be on medicine all the way through my pregnancy which was a tormented worry to me of my baby would be deformed. I could not sleep for the first three months.  At my time of being pregnant ultrasounds did not reveal who the baby was, everyone found out on the delivery day. However, God had told me that this baby was going to be my girl. We had a first name, but we needed a middle name. All our children have been named after mighty rivers in my nation based on John 7:38 “He who believes in me out of them will flow rivers of living water.”  I was searching for a river’s name for this child and could not find one. I had not slept because of the worry, torment, fear every night and in the third month the Lord said to me saying “Peace, her middle name is Peace, she will not be deformed, and Peace is the name of the one of the mightiest rivers in our nation.” After that I slept with no problems, I did not worry, and I had peace. The most amazing thing is that my daughter walks in peace with the Lord that is beautiful and draws others to her.

Holy Spirit I pray that You will continue to show us where we have allowed the enemy to attack us with worry and that it is torment. I pray that we would be activated to be obedient to You in learning and living the Word of God so that we know what to do when the enemy attacks us. Lord, reveal to each one how to cast our anxieties on You, and to pray with thanksgiving, trusting and believing that You hear and answer our prayers. I also ask for those who have come to believe that they are worrywarts and that is just who they are, and that nothing can be done about that. I pray that that curse would be broken off them and I plead the blood of Jesus over our minds, bodies, souls and spirits and we thank You for the healing that You provided for us. I thank you for choosing me to study this with Carolyn and Amber for me because my eyes have been opened and I am grateful, in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.