The Spirit of Faith Newsletter
March 1984 / April 1984

Main Article "Thou Shalt Not... Worry!" Thou shalt not worry? Is that a commandment? NO, it's not one of the Ten Commandments - but it is a command from God's Word! 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." Notice this is not a suggestion. It does not say, "Brethren, if you want to, why don't you cast your care upon Him..." No! It commands us to cast our cares upon Him! What is "care" in this verse? The Greek word used is "merimna" which means, "distraction, worry, care, solicitude." We are to cast our worry upon the Lord! In other words, don't worry about things, let the Lord handle them for you! What is worry in the spiritual sense? It is meditation on the word of the devil! Those things that he is trying to use to distract you (part of that word's definition) from the Word of God and living by faith. Here's something else that will shock you! You can't operate in faith and worry about something at the same time! Worry and faith just can't function together. Fear is at the root of worry, and fear is the opposite of faith!

We've looked at 1 Peter 5:7; let's look at verse eight. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." It is not a coincidence that this scripture follows the one on worry! This scripture does not say that satan is going about devouring everyone and anyone he wants. No! It says that he is seeking whom he may - those that are open to be devoured! Satan is not a lion, he just roars as one! Who is open for satan to devour? Those that give place to him! (Eph. 4:27) One way of giving place to satan in your thought life is through worry!

"Be careful for nothing!" (Philippians 4:6) The Greek says, "Don't worry about anything!" Some Christians would not dare swear, drink, spit or chew... especially in church! Yet, those same Christians will sit in every service and allow satan to buffet their minds with worry! They can't get anything out of the ministry of the Word because they are distracted by their own problems. And they will remain their problems - until they make a quality decision to cast them on the Lord and live free of worry! Mark 4:19 lists the cares (merimna) of this world as one of the five things satan tries to use to get the seed of God's Word out of your heart. Worry is a destroyer! Don't take it lightly in your thought life. Thou shalt not worry!

Items of Interest in This Issue

Invitation to the Word of Faith Satellite Seminar at Taylors Grove Church... A Spirit of Faith Seminar in Lexington, NC... Itinerary