Replace Fear with Worship!

“Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.” NIV
“So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life.”  1 Peter 3:14-15. NLT.

Rick Warren wrote, “The more you pray, the less you’ll panic. The more you worship, the less you worry. You’ll feel more patient and less pressured.”

Are you afraid or worried? These days we do not need to ask that question, do we? People are naturally afraid and worried about many things. You end up worrying about your future. You worry about your health condition. You worry about finance. You worry about relationships.

Bible shows two strong antidotes to your fear and worry. Every time these two antidotes works. It is nothing other than paying and worshiping Lord Jesus Christ. Replace fear and anxiety with prayer and worship. Philippians 4:6 says about prayer in the midst of worries and anxieties. Today’s insight shows worship amid fear and worry. Each time fear pops up and each time worry pops up, revere, give worth, thank, praise, and think very highly about Lord Jesus Christ. You know nothing impossible for God. Moreover, you know He never leaves you nor forsakes you. Therefore, why don’t you worship? Worship has the power to replace fear and worry from your heart.

Our today’s insight says this fact. I placed two translations –NIV and NLT. It says, “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened. “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.” NLT says, “So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life.”

You see, when you accepted Christ as your savior and Lord, He is the Lord of all the areas of your life. He is not just the Lord on Sundays and prayer meetings. He is the Lord of your relationships, finance, health, career, future, and all. If He is the Lord of all areas, then you do not worry because he worries for you. Bible promises in 1 Peter 5:7, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” Worship Christ as the Lord of your life when fear and worry grips you.

Bible says in Exodus 8:1, “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.” The Lord God released the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt to worship him. However, on the way to the promised land, when they were faced with trials, they became worried and afraid. The worry and fear resulted in murmuring, complaining, and even accusing Moses and the Lord. Had they worshipped who was with them by the pillar of light in the night and pillar of clouds in the day (Exodus 13:21-22), do you think the outcome would have been different? The fear, complaining, and fighting instead of worship caused a high price to them – many died in the wilderness, and they wandered another forty years in the desert.

Beloved, trials and suffering can cause worry and fear. We are also on our journey to the promised land of heaven. Do not be fearful; do not be frightened and do not worry. Instead, you worship Christ as the Lord of your life. Each time when you face trials and sufferings, you have a choice-worry/fear or worship. I hope you would choose worship. It is not easy. It is still your choice, and the Lord asks you to do it. 1 Peter 2:9(b) says, you are called, “so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” When you worship you proclaim the excellencies of God.   Like the hymns sings, “Let me like Mary through the gloom, come with a gift to Thee”. The gift of praise and worship. Dear ones, this is different from the world’s value system, isn’t it? You bet, people would want to know the reason for your peace and hope. Be prepared to answer everyone who asks you the reasons for the hope you have in the Lord.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I praise and worship you amid my painful circumstances. Like Mary on the first Easter morning came to the tomb of Jesus with a gift, I offer my praise and worship to you in the midst of my pain and gloom. Accept my gift of worship. I desire no one more than you in my life. As I worship you, Lord, I surrender my life fully and completely to you. Use me for your glory. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”