Series Key Verse: “…we are more than conquerors through Him (God) who loved us.”  (Romans 8:37)

Introduction: Two of the common phrases of our day are “I am stressed out” or “I am burned out.”  In our society stress has become a way of life; it has become the rule rather than the exception. The word stress comes from a Latin word which means to be drawn tight.

How to Handle Stress:

Sense Your Limits  (Exodus 18:13-18)

Stress is the gap between the demands that are placed upon us or we put on ourselves, and the strength we have in meeting those demands. 

Simplify Your Life  (Set Priorities & Boundaries)

• The Fight--“No” vs. “Yes” (Exodus 18:18)

• The Focus (Exodus 18:19-20)
  
       “The Essential” vs. “The Nonessential”
  
       “The Significant” vs. “The Insignificant”

Share The Load  (Learn To Delegate)

• The Plan--chaos to calm (Exodus 18:21-22)

• The Result--burden to blessing  (Exodus 18:23)

Seek The Lord  (Be Intentional)

• Celebrate God’s Presence--rest & recognition (Exodus 18:19a)

• Appropriate God’s Power--equip, & assign (Exodus 18:19b-23) 
  
  (Matthew 11:28-30)  (Philippians 4:11-13)

Conclusion: Is the pressure on the outside (the world) greater than the pressure on the inside (God’s Presence & Power)?  If so, you are imploding.

Application:

On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being most stressed) how stressed are you?     

What are the sources of your stress? 

Moving forward into 2019, what are some ways you can alleviate your stress?