“Don’t Get Your Funk On!”

Fresh Manna 2009© by Pastor Tim Burt

Eph 3:20 (NKJV) Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

Funk – It’s defined in the dictionary as: a slump, a state of paralyzing fear, a depressed state of mind. Have you ever been in a funk? I too often notice people in a funk. Their funk is brought on by a diversity of reasons. There are times when I feel a “funk” trying to come on me. Before Jesus, I just thought a funk was something you had no control over and that everyone got into on a fairly regular basis. But it shouldn’t be that way and I chase a funk away in the same way I’d chase away a wet muddy dog that tried to sneak into my house!

Repeated disappointments, frustration, confusion, not knowing what to do, and more can lead to feeling like you are in a funk. As a Christian what should you do about it?

First realize that you aren’t stuck in a funk. Second, know and believe that the love of God is so great within you and His willingness to help you is so real and available, that you can defeat the funk and instead have great expectation for God to prevail in your life!

Now let me give you some funk destroying scriptures verse by verse to provide insight and backing to support this. They continue together but I’ll take them on one at a time.

Eph 3:12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. This means there is an option to the funk! It’s called coming before the Lord with boldness and confidence! It’s the funk breaker!

Eph 3:13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. Paul is basically saying, “Don’t get in a funk because of what you see me going through – I am doing it for you and you’ll come out great in the end.”

Eph 3:14 (Paul still speaking) For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The way Paul is going to handle this is through prayer.

Eph 3:15-16 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man Paul is saying that you belong to the family of God and that God will grant Him AND YOU great strength by the working of His Holy Spirit within you; in your inner man! That is where the funk tries to live. So it’s going to be the contest between the inner man that God will strengthen and the funk. Who do you think should win?

Eph 3:17-19 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height– to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. These verses reveal that Christ dwells in your heart, BUT it’s through your personal faith; your belief in what He says to you through His Word. He goes on to say that He wants you to know how great God’s love is for you. It’s when you confidently know the greatness of God’s love toward you that you become filled up with the fullness of God.

And we find the grand finale in Eph 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. We learn that because of God’s great love, He is able to and will do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, BUT, it’s according to the power that works in us. The power that works in us is by faith in what God promises us.

So what are you going to do? Sit in your funk or believe that Jesus loves you and desires to help you? Are you going to remain discouraged and confused or are you going to believe that He will do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us?

Why am I writing all this this morning? Because when I got up to go out on my deck this morning and have my study and prayer and quiet time with the Lord, I had so many things that I needed help and attention with from work, to our congregation, to my family, and more, that I was tempted for a half a second to slip into a funk. Instead, I meditated on these verses and accessed the throne of God with confidence and in faith (that’s where the power is) knowing that God wants to help me and promises to do so. I meditated on His love toward me and knew the Lord would help me in every situation. I laid each one before Him in prayer and thanksgiving for caring and helping me and for doing exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. I finished my quiet time with the Lord happy, confident of His help, and strengthened in my inner man to have a great day in Him. The funk was busted. My joy was renewed in the Lord! How about you?

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt