Sermon - He's Got This - Littleby Baptist/New Hope Fulton Joint Service - October 21, 2018

We all have those times when it seems like the world is against us. You know those times you want to find out where Murphy is hiding at work, in your house, or in your car and evict him. Sometimes it might feel like Murphy has some of his cousins helping him out. A couple of years ago when we bought our house it was one of those times for us. Shortly after we bought the house we had to replace the furnace, AC, water heater, clothes dryer, refrigerator, and had to have some repairs done on one of our cars. It felt like every time we turned around another expense was coming our way.

For us it was financial hits, for you it may be financial hits, or it could be something else. You might feel like your medical issues are just not getting better. Or it could be they are stacking up on you. As soon as you get through one, the doctors find something else. Maybe it is not you, but a friend or family member, or it might be several of them getting sick one right after another. It can be overwhelming at times.

Problems at work, can easily feel like this. Business is slow, costs are up, and the stress rises. There could be problems with your spouse or another family member that seem to be getting harder and harder to deal with. Fights getting worse or there is absolutely no communication at all, and the bitterness grows.

For some it may be a feeling of being lost. You might feel like you don’t belong anywhere. Maybe you feel like there is a hole in your life. Might feel like there is nothing to live for. Every time you turn around something else makes you feel lost and alone. The loneliness can be deafening.

Hit after hit. Problem after problem. Challenge after challenge. The weight gets very hard to carry, it can feel like it is crushing you. The reality is that if you are trying to do it all on your own, you simply can’t.

As we were getting hit with bill after bill it was feeling overwhelming. I prayed about it and prayed about it some more. One day went in to my office at work and wrote on my white board, ‘He’s Got This!’

3 simple words that remind me that I will not have all the answers. 3 words that reminded me that I do not have to do it all on my own. 3 simple words that told me that God is with me.

He’s Got This!

If you read through Numbers and Deuteronomy, you will see all the times that God took care of the Israelites. The Egyptians did not want to let them go, so God sent the plagues and made sure His people would be let go. They needed food to eat, so God provided them manna and quail. Water was scarce at one point, so God made it flow out of a rock. They were faced with armies much bigger than theirs, and God showed them favor.

In Numbers we find that the Israelites waged war on the Midianites. The Israelites were to only send 12,000 soldiers, 1,000 from each of the tribes. Scripture does not tell us how many Midianites were killed, only that the Israelites brought back 32,000 slaves. The army they faced led by the 5 kings of Midian, must have been huge in comparison to their meager 12,000 men. After their triumphant return the officers counted their men.

Numbers 31:48-49

“⁴⁸ The officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, approached Moses ⁴⁹ and told him, “Your servants have taken a census of the fighting men under our command, and not one of us is missing.”

The odds were against them. Their army would have looked small in comparison to the Midianites. I am sure some of them felt overwhelmed, but God had their back. They conquered all of the Midianites and did not lose a single man.

If God can do that, do you think He can take care of you?

Financial struggles? He’s Got This!

Medical problems? He’s Got This!
Relationship troubles? He’s Got This!
Feeling Lost? He’s definitely Got This!

I have not found anywhere in the Good Book that tells us that we will have a nice peaceful perfect life. But I have also not found anywhere in the Bible that tells us that we have to do it all on our own. If we are following God, doing what He wants us to do, being faithful to His commands, He’s Got This! Whatever your ‘this’ is, He’s Got It!

Matthew 6:25-34

“²⁵ “Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? ²⁷ Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? ²⁸ And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. ³⁰ If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith? ³¹ So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. ³⁴ Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Don’t let the things in this life wear you down. If Jesus says it, you need to believe it. He tells us in these verses to not worry about it. I know it is easier said than done, but Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is telling us to not worry about it. Of course, we need to eat, yes we have needs such as clothing, a place to lay our head, and more. But, Jesus is telling us what we need to focus on. Let’s re-read the last couple of verses.  

Matthew 6:33:34

^“33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. ³⁴ Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Don’t focus on the struggles. Don’t worry about where the money will come from. The sickness does not define you or your life. Don’t let the arguments wear you down and don’t fret over what you don’t have. Instead keep your focus exactly where it needs to be. Focus squarely on Jesus and everything will be taken care of.

Are you focusing on God? Then stop worrying about it! I know it is hard. Wondering how you are going to pay the mechanic to fix your car. Or worrying about the results of the tests your doctor ordered. Fearing the worst for that relationship that seems to be dying. Questioning if that feeling of being alone will ever go away or if you will ever feel like you belong.  

If you are focused on God and seeking His will in your life, the junk in your life does not need to be overwhelming. Have you heard about how God provides for the needs of His followers? Do you remember when Jesus told Peter to go catch a fish and that he would find the money needed to pay the temple tax in it. He provided for a need.

How about all the miracles Jesus performed during His time on earth. Lepers were healed. The blind could see, the deaf could hear, lame could walk, and one of my favorite is when a woman was healed just by having faith.

Luke 8:43-48

“⁴³ A woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years, who had spent all she had on doctors and yet could not be healed by any, ⁴⁴ approached from behind and touched the end of his robe. Instantly her bleeding stopped. ⁴⁵ “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are hemming you in and pressing against you.” ⁴⁶ “Someone did touch me,” said Jesus. “I know that power has gone out from me.” ⁴⁷ When the woman saw that she was discovered, she came trembling and fell down before him. In the presence of all the people, she declared the reason she had touched him and how she was instantly healed. ⁴⁸ “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

This woman was focused on Jesus, not her problem. She could have easily been so focused on her bleeding that she did not get up and seek Jesus out. She could have stayed in bed. She could have felt unworthy. Instead she knew that Jesus could heal her. So, she went out to see Him and He took care of her. She acted in faith knowing that, “He’s Got This!”

If you are focusing on Jesus. Seeking Him and His righteousness, do you think He will help with your relationships? Think of it this way. If you are seeking God, spending time with Him, studying scripture, do you think your outlook on relationships is going to change? It will.

Matthew 6:14-15

“¹⁴ “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. ¹⁵ But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.”

If you are seeking God, you will know that you are to forgive others since your Heavenly Father has forgiven you. If you approach all of your relationships, the good ones and the bad ones, with a forgiving heart they can only get better. So even in your relationships, when you are focused on Jesus; He’s Got This!

If you are feeling Lost in any way. Alone, desperate, unworthy, or unwanted. Jesus is here for you. Even in your darkest hour, He’s Got This!

Luke 15:4-7

“⁴ “What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it? ⁵ When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, ⁶ and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ ⁷ I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.”

Jesus wants you. He wants you to be a part of His family. He wants you to feel that you belong. He wants you to feel loved. He loves you so much that He came down to earth and died for you.

Isaiah 41:10

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.”

God is with you always. He will strengthen you when needed. He will help you overcome fear and He will hold on to you. With Jesus you are never alone. Jesus has paid the ultimate price for you, so there is no reason to doubt your worth. He believes you were worth dying for, so He sees you as more valuable than all the gold, silver, and diamonds put together. Even when you are not sure of your worth, God is. To Him you are priceless and guess what if you seek Him, ‘He’s Got This!’

1 Corinthians 15:54-58

“⁵⁴ When this corruptible body is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁵ Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting? ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! ⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

We have victory in Jesus! Through Him, there is nothing that He can’t take care of. There is nothing that Jesus cannot overcome. There is no darkness that He cannot penetrate. No financial situation that He cannot provide for and no medical issue that He cannot cure. There is no relationship He cannot repair, and no lost-ness that He cannot take care of.

He’s Got This! He can take care of anything you are dealing with. It all starts with belief in Jesus.

Remember He’s Got This!

Blessings,

Robert