Well-known Ugandan Pastor Tom Mugerwa is encouraging those struggling with overwhelming feelings of anxiety, worry and fear to look to Jesus.
The Mutundwe Christian Fellowship founder says with Jesus Christ there is always hope, no matter how bad things look – and that His power makes all things possible.
“Some people say they are waiting upon the Lord yet they are full of worry and have disturbed hearts. You cannot wait upon God with a negative attitude,” he says.
When you worry, Pastor Mugerwa says that you allow the enemy to pull you off course by among others blinding your spiritual eyes.
He urges that oftentimes, when we don’t have what we need, the enemy tries to discourage us and keep us from worshipping God.
“Lack of spiritual insight in the spiritual realm hinders us from being able to see Jesus the mediator of God’s promises in our lives,” he says, quoting John 20:11-15.
“Mary was looking for Jesus with a disturbed heart and could not even recognize Him. In John 20:15 Jesus said to her, “Woman why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Whenever Jesus sees you. His own child in great problems. He comes in to help you out. He is always very close to you, but because of these demons of worry, you become spiritually blind and cannot see Him. And because you cannot see him, you cannot call upon Him. Instead you will only see problems and not the person to take you out of them,” he says.
Mr Mugerwa urges there are problems which cannot be overcome naturally: “Therefore if you are to give in to worry you will only worry your head off,” he says.
Why are some christians today giving up on faith and abandoning church? It is because they will be setting their eyes on the problems they are facing and not upon Jesus, he answers.
“In Luke 21:28 He tells us to look up, that is fixing our eyes upon Him. In the book of John 20:10-15. Mary was in great stress after losing Jesus. She was worried and crying because she could not find his body. Jesus has great compassion on all those who are in affliction and he is so close to you that you should never allow the work of demons to hinder you from seeing Him, because He always has an answer to your problem. In the book of Mark 6:45. He made His disciples go on to the other side while he sent the people away. He then departed into the mountain to pray. While He was praying and evening had come. He saw His disciples toiling against the wind. He left whatever he was doing (prayer) and went to help his children. However, the fear that the disciples had blinded them and they thought He was a demon or a ghost. He told them not to fear because fear takes away faith from a believer. He then entered the boat and commanded the wind to calm down,” Tom Mugerwa says.
“What we learn from this is that Jesus has to enter your boat (your heart) before He can command the wind to calm down. The devil knows and hates this principle and that is why he brings the spirit of fear into your heart, so that you will not be able to receive help from the Lord. A good example is when you have a child playing from outside and you see her in danger. By all means you will go straight to her rescue. Children are very wise. When in danger, they will set their eyes on their mother, who is coming to their rescue, rather than on what is attacking them,” he continued. “Similarly, you must not set your eyes on the problems you are facing by meditating upon them; set your eyes (meditate) upon the One who is going to deliver you out of the problem,” he adds.
The preacher believes that the devil’s greatest desire is to keep a Christian in the bondage of their problems.
“In the book of Luke 24:13-24, two men were walking to Emmaus in great stress and sorrow, having lost their beloved. As they talked to each other, Jesus saw them and he straightaway joined them in conversation. However, because of the stress, worry and sorrow which they had in their hearts, they didn’t realize that Jesus was the one walking with them. Similarly in these end times, the problems will be so many according to the prophecies in the Bible that Jesus’ presence with us may go unnoticed,” he says.
“Luke 21:8-36. In verses 24 and 28, Jesus tells us that in all these terrible times, we should look to Him in order not to faint. In Daniel 3 there were three Israelite boys who were going to be thrown in a blazing furnace. The bold statement they made in Verse 17 got Jesus to join them in the fire (problem). Like we mentioned above. Jesus has to enter into your problem before he delivers you out of it. When Jesus enters into your problem, the fire will not burn you. But when you remain alone, you will definitely feel the heat and might be consumed by the problem, be it stress, worry or any other. When Jesus entered into the fire, it could no longer burn the three Jewish boys. Therefore when you take away the stress and worry and invite Jesus to the fire, you will not burn up. You will have peace and joy amidst all your problems,” he continues.
“When fear comes into your heart, it means you are alone in that problem and the more the devil will intensify his attacks against you. When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt: Deuteronomy 20:1,” he explains.