WORRY NULLIFIES YOYR PRAYER !

WORRY NULLIFIES YOUR PRAYERS !: I pastored for about eight years. Occasionally during that time, problems arose, and I would be tempted to worry about them. When I would find myself becoming anxious about something, I would start talking to myself. "Now, Bobby," I would say, "you know better than this. You are beginning to fret. Don't do it. It's not right. Because (Philippians 4:6) says "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." And you have done that ! Many times during the night I would awaken and the devil would bring to my mind a picture of certain conditions which existed in the assembly. I would be tempted to worry, but instead of worrying, I'd start laughing right out loud and said, "I don't have that problem. Praise the Lord, I'm carefree. I don't have it, devil. You can show me a picture of it if you want, but I don't have it. The Lord has it." It's amazing what God can do with your problems when He has them ! And you are resting on the Word of God ! But as long as you hold onto them -- as long as you try to figure them out for Him and try to help Him work them out -- He doesn't have any of them. You have them all. When the winds of adversity of life blows, we can do exactly as the Word of God says. We do not have to fret or worry; we can cast our burdens on the Lord. If you haven't done it yet, there is no better time than now to turn loose of your problems and sleep peacefully tonight. Our part is to do the Word of God, and not just be hearers ! If the devil tries to bring a picture of them before you or a thought concerning them you should tell him what is written. Put them out of your mind immediately and say, "No, I don't have that, devil. I don't have a care, I have turned them over to the Lord and He has them." Oh, Mr. devil, greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world !" He'll work on it while you are sleeping. He never slumbers or sleeps (Psalms 121:4). Your body needs sleep, but He doesn't. ". . . He giveth his beloved sleep" (Psalms 127:2). You are His beloved because you are accepted in the Beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:6). Therefore, you can sleep peacefully. If we really believe the Bible and practice God's Word, we never should worry or have any anxiety about anything. If we really believe what Jesus said -- "If you shall ask any thing in my name [In My Word] I will do it" (John 14:14) -- we wouldn't worry even if our house burned down while we were away. We wouldn't worry or fret about it. We would say, "Praise God, we'll get a better one. This is the attitude God wants us to have. Purpose in your mind, and get it in your heart today to practice God's Word; to practice faith in God, because faith in God only comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).