What to do with Stress 7.17.16

What to do with Stress
Isaiah 40:28-31
vs 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;
31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:28-31 

THE PROBLEM OF STRESS  (Isaiah 40:28-29)
vs28 The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. 
29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Stress may be defined as that gap between the demands placed upon us and our ability to meet those demands.

THE PROVISION OF SUFFICIENCY  (Isaiah 40:31)
Isaiah 40:31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

There are three distinct promises when we wait upon the Lord:
1.  The ability to fly in the difficult/stressful times of life.  

Deuteronomy 32:11 Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its wings, 
    We sometimes think God is cruel when He is actually kind.

2.  The ability to run in the rush of life.

“There’s enough time in every day to do everything God wants you to do.”

3. The ability to walk in the routine of life.

“To walk and not faint” is day by day faithfulness in the little things. 

The PROMISE OF STRENGTH  (Isaiah 40:31)
31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; 
    A    The Hebrew word for “renew” means “to change or exchange.”
    i    The Christian life is not only a changed life, but it is also an exchanged life.
    ii    We give Him our weakness, and He gives us His strength.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. 

What does it mean to wait upon the Lord?

    i    We must desire Him….Long for Him
    1    Psalm 62:1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
    2    It is no good to want relief without wanting God.
    ii    We must listen to Him.
    1    Proverbs 8:34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
    2    Can God get our attention?

    iii    We must look to Him.
    1    Psalm 104:27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.
    2    Do we truly believe that God can meet our needs?
    iv    We must live for Him.
    1    Proverbs 27:18 Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who guards/waits his master will be honored.
    2    To wait upon the Lord means that we’re here to serve Him.