OVERWHELMED: WINNING THE WAR AGAINST WORRY LESSON 6 - REMINDERS

Image credit from Pinterest pin by Angela Stevens 

If you want to study along with our Sunday study group, and get the most from it, you will need to get the book "Overwhelmed:  Winning the War Against Worry" by Perry Noble.  You can get it from Amazon by clicking the title of the book link that is above or clicking on the image of the book at the end of the blog.  Join us as we learn to win the war against worry.

Introduction:

Last week in Lesson 5 we talked about letting go of control because, other than where we choose to put our focus we don’t have control over much anyway..  We have to decide if we are going to bow to the situation or to God who really is in control.   We mentioned that the weapons that the enemy uses to bring on stress and anxiety are fear, intimidation and manipulation.   We said that we have to continue focusing on God even when there is no evidence that He will deliver us  just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3:16-18 (NKJV)16  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.17  If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18  But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."

We said that sometimes we don’t see Jesus and His deliverance until our situation looks as if there is no way out and that’s when we find out that He is right there with us just like with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.   He didn't show up until they were thrown into the furnace which was seven times hotter than usual..  

We ended by talking about how the way we react and respond to stress and anxiety can be a powerful witness and testimony to non-believers in that we don’t just throw up our hands and say that we give up.  If we show that all the stuff we have been talking about in our relationship with God and how we believe that He won’t leave us, and that He won’t give us more than we can bare, isn't just talk but is reality.  We may never know how that impacts others.

We are going to start this week’s discussion with Chapter 13 “Sticky Notes” which are what many people use to remind them to do things or to make notes on on things they don’t want to forget.  I use a program on my computer to do the same thing as sticky notes.  So what we are talking about today are things that God has given us to remind us of His love when we are going through those overwhelming times.

I want to start start today’s study with this comment:

No matter how devout a Christian you are, how Holy Ghost filled, “fire baptized” you are, or how much you read and know the Bible, there will be times that you will struggle to believe in God’s love!!  

When we started this study we said that in order to get the most out of what God wants us to get we have to be honest with ourselves and each other and if we are honest, we have to admit there have been times we have doubted God’s love.  During times of stress anxiety or worry we may think things like;. “Is this my fault?  Did I not have enough faith?  Does God still deliver from this kind of thing anymore?  These thoughts come when we allow our minds to wander back to our past and the things that we did that we know were outside the will of God and in disobedience.  They come when our circumstances seem out of control.  They come when it seems that we can’t stop committing the same sin over and over again.

We have to be reminded that the Bible says that He will never leave us or forsake us.    We sometimes have to even be reminded who we are.  Mikey talked about "Identity Theft" last Tuesday.  Sometimes we are the victims of identity theft.   When the enemy through fear, intimidation, and manipulation causes us to forget who we are our identity as children of God has been stolen.  Just as Daniel Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego never forgot who they were we have to remember who we are and that God does love us.  We are going to talk about the reminders that Pastor Noble discusses in our book.

1.  There is one theme that he says runs through the entire book of Daniel what is it?

It’s that what we focus on will determine our direction.  If we focus on stressful circumstances we will always be overwhelmed but if we focus on Christ we will overcome.   He says that in the first four books of Daniel that God is serious about getting our attention and he believes that comes across most clearly not in reading about Daniel. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, but in Nebuchadnezzar.  I didn't get it either until I read on.

2.  How does he make his point?

First of all the only person mentioned in the first 4 chapters of Daniel is Nebuchadnezzar.  Daniel is not mentioned in chapter 3 and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego aren’t mention in the entire book after chapter 3.  

Pastor Noble puts forth the argument that God loves Nebuchadnezzar just as he loved Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and us and that he gave him reminders of his love.  We know that he had a purpose for Nebuchadnezzar not just as another character in the book of Daniel. He used Nebuchadnezzar to fulfill the prophecy that Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed and that the nation would be taken into exile.   We also know that Nebuchadnezzar was getting to know God’s power and what He could do because 1)  After Daniel told and then interpreted his dream  Daniel 2:46-47 (NKJV) 46  Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him.47  The king answered Daniel, and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret."  and 2) after he saw what happened when he had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego thrown into the furnace.  Daniel 3:28-29 (NKJV)28  Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 29  Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this."

This is not to say that Nebuchadnezzar was acknowledging the God of the Hebrews and the only true God.  At least not yet.  

Well before I get too far out there let’s get back to our study.

Pastor Noble give us 4 reminders, in his next four chapters that God does love us.  There are many more but we are going to focus on the ones he give us in his book.  

3.  What are those 4 reminders?

Creation, The People We Meet, The Circumstances We Go Through, and Jesus.  

4.  What other reminders can you think of that God gives us so that we know that He loves us?

Reminder #1 Creation

The creation itself should remind us of how all powerful God is.  It is also evidence that He does, in fact, exist. The very fact that he created the universe and then allowed us to be masters over the earth should remind us that there is somebody out there who is bigger than we are.  He says Nebuchadnezzar should have been reminded of this because his kingdom was so vast that he would have had the opportunity to view so much of creation and it's awesome beauty.

Image credit: Created by PJL – Sunset in Zadar at Zadarski kanal in Croatia / Adriatic Sea. found on Wikimedia Commons. Used with permission under Creative Commons. No modifications made.

5.  Have you ever taken the time to just look at the beauty of God's creation?

When Ruth and I visited Hawaii a few years ago the folk’s house we were staying at had a view out of their kitchen window from which you could see the sunset over the Pacific Ocean.  It was awe inspiring. On another occasion I had an opportunity to drive from a little town in Arizona named Payson which is in the mountains, to Las Vegas and we drove through some canyons the view of which would cause your jaw to drop.  Looking up at some cloud formations will give you that same feeling. Let's read what the writer of Psalm 19 says. Psalm 19:1-6 (NKJV)1  To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.  2  Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.  3  There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard.4  Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, 5  Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.  6  Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

God has made Himself obvious through His creation.  

6.  What does Paul say about people who refuse to recognize Almighty God?

Romans 1:20 (NKJV) 20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

Pastor Noble then goes on kind of a tangent pointing out that the evidence that the universe including the earth was the result of a grand design not a Big Bang. To think that that the intricacy of life and the universe  all happened in a haphazard way requires more faith than to believe that God Created it.  

I am part of a social media site named Quora.  It is a site where people ask questions and others answer.  It’s quite interesting and you get all kinds of questions about all kinds of things.  There are lots of very smart  people on the site some of which you would know as experts in their fields.  One of the questions that has gotten lots of response for several months is this one

“Why do so many scientists preclude the existence of a single Abrahamic God, or for that matter, a pantheon of gods, when they are unable to explain the Big Bang and the creation of the universe.”  

You would be amazed at many of the comments.  I was involved in the conversation for a while and the main premise of my argument was Romans 1:18-20 which we just read.   Well if you have ever had a discussion  about God with an atheist you can understand how heated and wild that discussion got.  Most of those responding to the question, by the way were atheists.  We don’t have time today to get into this.  You may want to read a blog post that I did back in April titled “Which side are you on in the religion versus science debate?” Here's the Link.

Let’s get back to our discussion.  Pastor Noble’s argument is very good and humorous as well so if you haven’t read it you should.  He uses as his example the cupcakes that he loves from a store in South Carolina.  He describes the cupcakes which are quite  a deal and his description makes you want to go out and either find some like them or try to figure out how to make them.  His point is that somebody had to think about what ingredients the cupcakes should have and how they should be look, etc.   The making of the cupcakes was intentional not accidental and not the result of somebody throwing a stick of dynamite into a bakery and amazingly out came these cupcakes.  Well that the same as thinking that as part of some sort of big bang eventually came the grass, trees, mountains sun, etc. one cell appeared then that cell became two, etc.  You have to read it for yourself.  The point is that the creation was not accidental it is intentional and it’s Creator is God Almighty and He loves us.

When situations arise that cause us stress, anxiety, and worry remember Lamentations 3:22-23 (HCSB) 22 Because of the LORD’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end.²³  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!

Here are some things, about the creation that  Pastor Noble says should remind us of how big God is, His faithfulness, and that He loves us:

• The next time you see a sunrise,remind yourself, God is faithful.
• The next time you see  snow-covered mountains with their peaks pointing toward the sky, remind yourself, God is faithful.
• The next time you see flowers that have burst into bloom because winter couldn’t stop them from developing in the hidden places, remind yourself, God is faithful.
• The next time you hold a soft-skinned baby in your arms, remind yourself, God is faithful.

7.  What are some other things about God's creation that when we see them remind us that God is faithful?

Creation a reminder that our God is much bigger than we can even imagine and that He can handle anything that we are going through we need to really remember this if we are ever going to be able to overcome being overwhelmed.

Reminder #2:  The People We Meet

8.  Have you ever had something similar to the thing that happened to Pastor Noble when the father of a girl he was trying to date, nine years earlier,  was instrumental in helping him six years later when he was starting NewSpring Church?

His point was that God uses what we may consider chance meetings or encounters to benefit us later.  He says that we have never met anybody by accident. The Bible says that our steps ordered by the Lord.  Psalm 37:23 (NKJV)23  The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.  

Think about some relationships that you had when you were in school.  Not those where you stayed in close contact with them but people that you haven’t seen for years or have never seen ever again, that made an impact on you and your life, either from something they said, an introduction to someone else or an example you follow today.

The way I plan my workday and workweek are the result of something that a man named Steve Pillar who was my supervisor at Bank of America over 40 years ago.  My love for studying the scripture is because I met a group of guys in San Jose over 30 years ago.  I don’t even remember their names but the result of me meeting and studying with them is why I am doing what I do today and using the spiritual gift of teaching that Holy Spirit gave me.  

When you doubt whether God cares about you and loves you think about the people that he has placed in your life over the years.  If I just sit and think back about some of the difficult and stressful times I’ll remember somebody doing something, or sayin something or giving me something, seemingly out of the blue that helped get me through.  That wasn't just a coincidence.  I bet you can remember some of those times and things too!!

Pastor Noble says that the fact that God put Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego into Nebuchadnezzar’s life and the way they responded to the overwhelming circumstances that they faced was a major reason that Nebuchadnezzar was able to get a true picture of the Lord’s character and caused him to say what he did in Daniel 2:46 and 47 and 3:28 and 29 which we read earlier.

Reminder #3:  The Circumstances We Go Through

Our circumstances change and they change us.  We've been talking about not focusing on the situations that our circumstances put us in.  For example moving from one city to another is a change in location or circumstance and that can put us in a situation of where it is more expensive to live than where we were before and that creates stress.  That’s a change for the worse, at least for a while.  On the other hand we move from one city to another and we get a huge increase in income that’s a change of circumstance that is for the good.  But in either case it changes us.

Nebuchadnezzar came to worship the Lord, Pastor Noble believes because in large part due to the circumstances he went through.  

9.  What were those circumstances?

He says those circumstances were:

• When the plans that didn't work out the way he wanted them to in developing Daniel and his friends like he did all the other captive young men and they came through with such flying colors that he put them in places of prominence in his kingdom.  
• Then the circumstance about his dream which caused him to doubt everybody around him to the point that he was going to kill all his wise men that Daniel was able to both tell him the dream and then interpret it
• Then him being an eyewitness to the Hebrews in the furnace with a fourth person and when they came out they without even have the smell of smoke on them.  
• Then the big one came in chapter 4 when through the circumstance as a result of his claiming that everything that he had all his power, riches, and conquests even after Daniel interpreted another dream that he had in which God was warning him of what was going to happen to him.  

We don’t have time to read it all today but I encourage you to read the 4th Chapter of Daniel but I encourage you to read the entire chapter.  In short it is believed to be in Nebuchadnezzar’s own words about what happened when he refused to acknowledge God’s hand in his success, even after being warned about what would happen if the didn't.  Lets go to  Daniel 4:34-37 (HCSB)34  But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity returned to me. Then I praised the Most High and honored and glorified Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation.  35  All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does what He wants with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. There is no one who can hold back His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?”  36  At that time my sanity returned to me, and my majesty and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and my nobles sought me out, I was reestablished over my kingdom, and even more greatness came to me.  37  Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of heaven, because all His works are true and His ways are just. He is able to humble those who walk in pride.  

In Nebuchadnezzar’s case God used these circumstances to get his attention.  He sometimes does the same thing for us through both good and bad circumstances.

10.  Can you think of some where God got your attention through your circumstances?   Where the circumstance wasn't punishment but promotion?

Here are some examples from our  book of circumstances that people felt God used to get their attention:

• “When I was told I had cancer, the Lord had my attention” - Bad circumstance
• “When my child was born, the Lord had my attention” - Good circumstance
• “When I went through a divorce, the Lord had my attention”” - Bad circumstance
• “When God showed Himself to me after I asked if He was real, He had my attention” - Good circumstance

Freedom from the stress and anxiety of bad circumstances only happens when we focus on Jesus not the situation arising from our circumstances.  God can use those circumstances to remind us of His love for us.  Remember we are able to walk in victory because of Christ.  Remember when He was talking to His disciples and told them that all the tribulations and trials that they would have to endure because of Him He ended by saying be of good cheer because He had overcome the world. So focus on Him because He is:

• Greater than divorce
• Greater than cancer
• Greater than our pasts
• Greater than the uncertainty of the future
• Greater than anything that we can face

Which brings us to reminder #4:  Jesus

Image credit:  Found on Flickr. Used with permission
under Creative Commons. No modifications made.

Jesus is the greatest reminder that God loves us.  When things seem so overwhelming that we even doubt that God will help us we need to change our focus to Jesus.

11.  What about  Jesus is a reminder that God loves us?

When we realize that God gave His Son Jesus so that He could pay the take the punishment of sin, which is death.  Because Jesus came and willingly laid down His life as our sacrifice He then sent the Holy Spirit by and through whom we are able to live a life that is pleasing to God.  Thirdly, as we learned last week, Jesus will be with us when the furnace of situations and circumstance is at its hottest and because He is with us we can walk out without even the scent of smoke.  

12.  In Nebuchadnezzar’s case when did he focus on Jesus and what did that opportunity to see and focus on Him result in?

He focused on Him when he was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the furnace.   It caused Him to recognize the power of God to deliver these guys and in a way that left no evidence of the situation.

13.How do we know that the king’s focus was on Jesus and not on the three guys?

Look at what is says at the end of Daniel 3:25 (HCSB)25  He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire unharmed; and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

14.  How does Pastor Noble use his trip to Israel and the place believed to be Golgotha show that God is really the one in control?

How he thought how out of control that day was for Jesus’ followers; there were trumped up charges, an illegal trial,  and a mob mentality before Pilate.  Those followers must have felt extremely overwhelmed when it looked that everything that they and Jesus had done for the past three years was crumbling before their eyes.  It must have looked like God had lost all control and wasn’t able to save Jesus.  But as we know this was all part of God’s plan and, it had actually been prophesied, He was in total control.  God used that seemingly out of control situation and the pain that Jesus went through for our salvation.  And three days later out of all this chaos Jesus walked away from death which was the most overwhelming situation that He or anybody else could have faced.

As Paul says in Romans 8:32-39 (HCSB)32  He did not even spare His own Son but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything?33  Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the One who justifies.34  Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.35  Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?36  As it is written: Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.37  No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.38  For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, ⌊hostile⌋ powers,39  height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!

When we wrestle with anxiety and stress especially in situations where you have no control be reminded of Jesus and that chaotic time before His crucifixion and remember that God is still in control.

I have at times asked God to give me a sign much like Gideon did and I bet you have too.  I wanted some evidence that God loves me and is with me.  You may not get that blinding flash of light, the voice that sounds like thunder, that specific verse just by opening the Bible and reading the first thing that you see (yes I’ve heard people suggest that - I would suggest that you use a concordance).  But I agree with Pastor Noble that really all we need to do is look at the reminders that God has given us in His creation, in the people that we have met, our circumstances both good and bad, and Jesus.  

Reminder #5 Confirmation

This reminder is not from our book but was given to me on Monday after writing this blog. In our study reminder #2 is "The People We Meet" and in his book Pastor Noble tells a great story which we mention above. Monday evening when spending some time in Facebook I saw a post by Crosswalk.com with a link to an article that was such an example of confirmation that I nearly shouted. It recounts an outstanding story of a young lady who while not a Christian lost her husband of 5 years and a delivered still born baby in the space of 10 days. She became a Christian that next year but that's not the story. During that year between the death of her husband and baby a lady heard her story through a mutual friend and that lady asked people in her church states away to pray for her and through a snowball of events, and people knowing other people she learns this just by chance years later. Oh by the way the man who ended up being her husband years later was one of those praying for her but neither of them knew it until later. What an example and confirmation of reminder #2. That why we now have a Reminder #5 in our study. You need to read this article at this Link.

Here is the way that Pastor Noble ends the reminders chapters and I think it is a perfect way for us to end today as we prepare for the rest of the day here at church and for our upcoming week which may have some overwhelming, stressful and anxious situations and circumstances.  Here is what he says: “Overwhelming circumstances often cause us to take our eyes off of the obvious.  It’s my prayer that we will take a few minutes to focus on the sticky notes that God Himself has given us to demonstrate how much we mean to Him.

Our assignment for next week is Chapters 18-21 which are the things that we struggle with that we need to stop because they contribute to our stress and anxiety and often directly cause it.

I asked several questions during our study time which are shown in this blog. To respond to some of them you would need the book but there are others that you can answer without reading it. It would really be a blessing to me, my Sunday morning study group and to those reading this blog if you have things that you can add in the comments below. Things like my question What about  Jesus is a reminder that God loves us? or  Can you think of some where God got your attention through your circumstances?   Where the circumstance wasn't punishment but promotion? I invite you to join us as we learn how to win the war against worry.

I'll see you next week. God bless you.

One other thing I have talked about this book a lot so you know that I think it's great, but read about what others think about it in the reviews at Amazon. Click on the image of the book and it will take you there and read the customer reviews at the bottom of the page. There are lots of them.