Defeating Worry through Prayer
By Dan Qurollo
Burke County
The last several months have demonstrated the reality that we live in troublesome times. We have witnessed firsthand the reality of the sinfulness of mankind and the shocking actions that many have taken. The times in which we live have manifested themselves in a variety of responses for believers. While some have become more courageous, others have become more fearful.
Worry is a reality that I think every believer battles to different degrees. Its commonality among people has caused some to disregard its sinfulness before God. Worry cripples us spiritually, not enabling us to grow in a manner that is pleasing to God. Philippians 4:6-7 indicates that one of the means by which worry is defeated is through prayer.
Paul issued two commands in Philippians 4:6: “be careful for nothing” and “let your requests be made known.” The first command implies action that is already occurring and needs to stop. They were full of care, and Paul commanded them to stop. Worry is the fleshly response to situations, the outcome of which I cannot control. Regardless of how we attempt to justify worry, we must realize that worry is inevitable when I fail to look to God in prayer.
According to Philippians 4:6, the solution to worry is prayer. Using different terms that have only a slight distinction, Paul commands believers to continuously pray while maintaining a thankfulness for each situation God is doing in my life.
The result of such prayer is promised in verse 7: “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” God has promised those who stop worrying and continuously pray that His peace will guard our hearts and minds. Such peace exceeds our ability to comprehend.
Maybe you are worried about something you are facing. Since worry is the opposite of faith, allow me to ask a few questions in closing.
- Is God worthy of my trust? This establishes the faithfulness of God. Until we establish the faithfulness of God in our own minds, we will naturally place our confidence upon that which we believe is reliable.
- Is God capable? This establishes the competence of God. Until we establish the competence of God in our own minds, we will naturally place our confidence in that which we believe is sufficient.
- Who am I in Christ? This establishes the relationship with God. Until we establish our identity as believers who belong to Him and embrace the implications of security that such a position demands, we will naturally place our confidence in that which we believe is secure.
This list is not intended to be exhaustive, but I believe it captures much of the essence of why we worry. The moment I disregard God’s faithfulness, God’s competence, and my position in Him I will inevitably be filled with fear. Prayer is the means through which worry can be defeated.
You can read more from Dan Qurollo HERE.
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Dan Qurollo is pastor of Morganton Baptist Church. You can visit them online at www.morgantonbaptist.net, on Facebook, or on Youtube.
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