READ: Matthew 6, 2 Timothy 1:7, and 1 John 4:18
Today I want to share with you my personal testimony from nearly 20 years ago. I do not recall all that was going on in my life at that time, but what I do know is that I had not been properly born again, I was living in sin, and my life was a total wreck.
It was one summer night I saw myself asleep outside on the porch of the four-family apartment building I lived in. I was laying on steps on my back and taken into a vision or dream right from the porch. My two hands and arms were crossed over my eyes. In the middle of the night there appeared to me Jesus Christ. I could not look upon His face yet His arms and the robe He wore was a pure shining white color that I had not seen before, illuminated in yellow. I could not behold Him at all with uncovered eyes.
I found myself peeking through my hands and arms and even still His presence was so bright, so glorious, so holy that it was almost blinding in brightness. Then the Lord spoke these two words to me “Don’t Worry”.
Yes! In the midst of my sin, in the midst of what I thought was a hopeless and dead end situation the Lord God of Heaven came and spoke to me. I heard His voice so loud and so clear. Those words and His appearance are still very precious to me today.
If my life depended upon it, I could not point anyone (at that time) to scriptures that spoke of worry and fear. It was far from my imagination. I had no clue that God was bringing me to a greater reality of life in Him. What I know now could’ve helped me back then, but I just didn’t have it. I didn’t know Matthew Chapter 6 nor did I know 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” And I definitely didn’t know, 1 John 4:18 “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.”
Yet those two words alone “Don’t Worry” became a guide for me as I made my way to Jesus. Some of us have so much of the Word of God at our fingertips, yet it is going to waste because we don’t put it to proper use.
You see God has a strategic way of reaching each one of us right where we are. He is strategic in how He talks to us and what He tells us.
If I may be so bold to say, the coronavirus pandemic has in some ways revealed the true nature of where men’s hearts have been all along. Many Saints haven’t been trusting God like they profess. Many haven’t been praying and seeking Him like they should.
Worry and fear (two blood cousins) have all out lynched the people of God and some act like they don’t know what do in times like this. The Lord is soon to come and the spiritual battle has not ended. Our faith in God has gotten too lean. Faith and trust in the Lord is to produce much good fruit in the life of a Saint of God. Faith is to be that ever-bearing fruit in our lives and not worry and fear. Worry and fear chokes out the good that has been placed in us and alters our thinking ultimately contaminating our reasoning.
In times like these we must do as God told me while I was still a sinner, “Don’t Worry”. I know it seems like a hard task but it is not hard if we keep ourselves in the presence of God. The more a person listens to the world, the more they will find themselves being crippled by worry and fear. The more they will feel hopeless and defeated. The more we immerse ourselves in the Word of God on a daily basis, the more we are strengthened. His sweet peace comes upon us and we are able to obtain the mind of God in the midst of world chaos.
How many more episodes of the same sitcom must a person have to watch to discover the plot and conclusion is still the same? How much more local, national and international news does a person have to consume to realize that the goal of the media and of the ones who controls images is not to encourage a person to seek God and to trust in Him? How much more prayer, fasting and devotion time does a person have to skip to realize their spiritual condition is being weakened daily?
When God told me “Don’t Worry”, He didn’t follow up by saying I wouldn’t be tempted to worry or fear. Truth is I have been tempted many times over to worry and yes there were times I did the opposite of what God told me to do. There were times when I thought I was helping God out or helping myself by trying to orchestrate things in such a way to look as if I was showing faith. All along it was worry. Worry is a sin that has been so easily overlooked; under preached; and underrated in the church.
What is going to happen to the people of God if the stay-at-home orders aren’t lifted soon enough for us? Are you going to breakdown? What is going to happen if the final response to this pandemic is not what we expected from our leaders making it less than favorable for the Saints of God? Are you going to worry and fear or are you going to start now by putting your full trust, faith, belief, and confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ and in His mighty power?
When you’re fully walking in the will of God, seeking Him day and night, there is nothing you have to fear and nothing you have to worry about [period]. Whenever God speaks to you it behooves you to listen, take note and to remember what God has said. However you respond to the temptations of worry and fear now will greatly determine how you respond at the next trial.
All of your spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, social and financial needs will be met as you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. In Jesus Name.
Make sure that the greater reality you have in your foremost view is heaven. You must be ready for the coming of the Lord, for He is coming back for a pure people. Your life must be clean before Him for that is the greater reality!
EXCELLENT
We are being deceived by the enemy. keep on listening to the Holy Ghost and let God use you.
Great story! Sits right with my soul. Exactly the word we need.