Just because we can plan certain things such as a vacation, birthday party, graduation, baby shower, or a wedding, we think we have everything under control because our plans usually go as expected. However, we tend to forget that the only reason we can do all these things is because we are allowed to. This explains why, at times, even when we try harder to accomplish certain things, we can’t seem to achieve them. This also proves that there is a higher power in control of our lives. So, I believe that times like these are the best opportunities for us to war in the Spirit through prayer and fasting to discover God’s intentions. Or we can choose to force things to happen. And the moment we realize we can’t manipulate everything, we find ourselves in a trend called “worry,” which neither speeds things up nor fixes them.
For instance, some people claim that they cannot hear from God and they desire a godly life. Yet the first thing they bring to the table before God in prayer is worry. But Apostle Paul says, paraphrasing: we must come in God’s presence with joy and thanksgiving, even when we make our requests known. (Philippians 4:6)
For a long time, I used to believe that when I am in the presence of God, I have to pretend that I didn’t make any mistakes and that my problems don’t exist. But that is not what Philippians 4:6 says either. And later, I had this belief that I must tell God about my problems and mistakes first, before I say anything else; otherwise, God will see me as a hypocrite, knowing that something is wrong and I go straight to praise and worship. There is no verse in the Bible that supports this, so I was completely off. Thus, I would have these long prayers, and I would tell God what happened, how it happened, and whose fault I think it was. Sometimes I get so caught up in the details that I don’t even remember to thank God for allowing me to see another day in the first place. It seemed like if I don’t tell God about it, then He won’t know what’s going on, as if He is no longer Omnipresent and Omniscient.
As I get older and learn more about the nature of God, I realize that Philippians 4:6-8 makes a lot of sense. It says in verse 6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” We come before God with thanksgiving first because He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Also, we come before Him with thanksgiving despite our circumstances because we know He is the Only one who knows everything in every situation. We do not present our requests to God because God needs information from us to move. In Psalm 139: 2-4, the psalmist David says, “You know when I sit down and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.” Personally, I believe God wants us to come to Him and present our requests as an expression of love and as a father-and-son/daughter relationship. In His presence is fullness of Joy; this explains why Paul encouraged the Philippians to come before God with thanksgiving.
Another example to consider is Nehemiah. It could have been a dreadful situation for Nehemiah if the Lord’s favor was not upon him. King Artaxerxes asked Nehemiah why his face looked so sad when he was not ill, so the king realized that it was sadness of the heart. And Nehemiah was very much afraid because he had never been sad in the presence of the king before (Nehemiah 2:1-2). We need to remember that back then, it was forbidden to be sad in the presence of kings. The King’s presence ought to be so pleasant that one could not dare to be sad, as this would be considered an insult. So, Nehemiah’s sadness and worry could have cost him his job or even his life. If this is true for ancient kings, how much more do we need to be joyful in the presence of the True King, Jesus, who is our loving Savior? He deserves our worship, not our worries.
We have to consider the fact that when our soul is heavy and tormented, and we start worrying, it’s like we add an extra burden to our already tormented soul. Also, the moment we present before God with a basket full of worries instead of thanksgiving, it defeats the purpose of presenting our problems before Him in the first place. If we believe that He is all-powerful, then our worries say otherwise. At times, the problems are on repeat in our minds so much so that we can’t even make the difference between praying and worrying. Therefore, we find it difficult to come before God with thanksgiving. It will always feel uncomfortable for us to do it if we don’t practice it.
Furthermore, there is a lesson I have learned from King David. I desire to practice it until I get good at it. I have noticed that King David would often ask God these questions: “Shall I pursue? Shall I overtake them? Or shall I go up against? And God never got tired answering King David and guiding his path. Another thing I have realized is that the moment King David receives an answer from God, he goes forward unafraid, knowing that his enemies are already taken care of.
Have you ever asked yourself this question: What is it about David that he always gets his questions answered, especially in dangerous situations?
I understand that this is something that we all desire, and it’s not that David was different than anybody else on planet earth. I believe it is because David learned to war in the spirit rather than worry in the flesh. That doesn’t mean he was never afraid. In the psalms he wrote, we can say that David was afraid of his enemies who were too strong for him, and he would ask God to rescue him from his foes (Psalm 18:17). Also, David taught us that once we receive a word from God concerning a situation, worry is unnecessary.
A quite different example that may even seem like a contrast that reveals King David’s ability to war in the spirit rather than worry in the flesh was when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife. He got her pregnant, and had her husband killed. And when he realized the enormity of his sins and how much his sins displeased God, the Bible says that David fasted and pleaded that God would let the baby live. So, David remained still before God until he got a word from Him. As you already know how the story ended, God did not allow the baby to live. And even when God’s response to his situation was not what he wanted, I noticed something remarkable in the text. I noticed a strength that David had that he could only gain by warring in the spirit. The Bible says that when David found out that the baby died, he stood up, washed and anointed himself, changed his clothes, went to the house of Yahweh and worshiped Him, went home, asked his servants for food, and ate. His reaction confused even his servants (2 Samuel 12: 20-22). You would think that before he got the answer from God, that’s when he should have been stronger; and after he got the shocking news, that’s when we would expect him to fall apart. But it was just the opposite. David didn’t perceive God as this unfair God who wouldn’t forgive him for what he did, but he knew that God is still good and faithful even when things didn’t go his way. David also knew that God is just and his decision is final, which brings him peace. David had so much peace that he got up, wiped his tears, worshiped God, and ate even during a painful situation.
You see, warring in spirit will help us avoid a lot of unnecessary worries in the flesh, and I can testify to that as well. There is a huge difference when you know something, the cause of it, or even the faith of what the outcome will be versus when you don’t. Once you know what God says about your situation and that His word to you cannot be revoked, it brings you into a restful state no matter what you may see in the natural. Therefore, whatever He says He will do, He will do it; and vice versa. This takes a lot of pressure off our backs. However, to know what He says, we must be in position, which means we must ask Him to give us the ability to remain in His presence even in hard times. This will not only prove our commitment to Him but also that He can trust us in chaotic situations.
So how do we fix worry?
Apostle Paul told the Philippians that “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Whatever you learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9). So here, Apostle Paul encourages the saints to change their thinking from what disturbs their peace to what is right, pure, lovely, praiseworthy, excellent, and admirable. So, our peace depends greatly on what we decide to focus on. If all we do is think about the problem, the outcome will be anxiety and fear instead of peace. Isaiah 23:6 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You.” That’s why Jesus always asks us to rest in Him. Rest here doesn’t mean we get to sleep all day long in the name of Jesus and accomplish nothing. But it means that we need to bring our soul into a posture of stillness before Him (meaning don’t dwell on what disturbs your peace). Hence, Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.”
To conclude, I believe if you really acknowledge God in a situation and solely depend on His answer, not your opinions and worries, God will certainly come through for you. It may not be when you want Him to, but He will let you know what He wants or what He has decided on the matter. He will make sure you have enough information to go through it. He will give you the strength to make your next move in the situation while helping you to maintain your inner peace no matter how terrible it may seem. After all, Jesus wanted His disciples to know that it is His peace that He gave them. He does not give them as the world gives. So, they must not let their hearts be troubled, and they must not be afraid. (John 14:27)
Therefore, know that God can sustain you in the fire, and He will make sure you come out of it not even smelling like flame. If you are still in doubt, ask the young Hebrew men who were thrown into the blazing furnace. (Daniel 3:16-28)
SCRIPTURES
“This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” Isaiah 30:15
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11: 28-30
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