“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”
Philippians 4:6 NKJV
I would like to remind you that Pastor Marcio preached a series of messages about the transformation of the mind, transformed mind, transformed life.
When we first converted to the Lord Jesus, our life was totally distorted, our mind was enslaved with sin, with religions, philosophies and traditions.
We had an anaesthetised and cauterised mind because of the reality that our eyes see daily.
I’m talking about all the natural disasters, death, loss, pain, suffering, and hatred that no one can shelter themselves from.
We were all full of bad habits and bad thoughts, with no self-control, without any discipline, deformed characters living a dirty and immoral life.
As consequences of all this, fear takes over, anxiety and worry start to speak louder within you, mistrust and despair makes you lie in order to survive.
The struggle for survival, greed, attachment to material things and avarice, makes us anxious to have more and does not allow us to be generous and willing to give and share.
If we want to have an abundant life, we need to allow ourselves to go through God’s spiritual treatment. A true spiritual therapy.
This spiritual therapy begins with the renewal of our minds, through the Word, Prayer, Fasting and Worship.
If we do not allow God’s spiritual therapy to take place, we will be spiritually deficient people. Without this therapy we will have a deficient faith, a deficient moral character, a deficient love for our spouses, brothers, neighbours, etc.
Because of these bad habits, we live a life of despair, fear, worry and anxiety.
Without discipline and emotional balance we will never be able to truly serve the Lord with our gifts and talents, or even fulfil the plan that God has in store for us.
We need to remember that a transformed mind produces a transformed life.
Preoccupation is a synonym for anxiety and leads us to “pre-occupy” our minds with things that need to be solved and we start to worry ahead of time.
Sometimes we get sick, stressed and nervous because of anxiety, we get too “pre-occupied” with something that we do not have to or cannot fix.
Anxiety is an emotional state in which the human being feels distressed and anxious for something without being able to enjoy peace.
Anxiety is part of the family of fear and affects us to the point of causing headaches, muscle aches, belly aches and other feelings of nervousness.
All these symptoms are due to a mind that hasn’t been transformed by the word of God.
Therefore, God’s spiritual therapy will rehabilitate us for emotional balance on deficient areas.
What makes us overcome anxiety is occupying our thoughts, with the word of God, praise and worship.
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8 NLT
CONSEQUENCES OF EXCESSIVE ANXIETY
We should not assume that all anxiety is negative. A certain level of anxiety is a normal reaction to the challenges of life. It is a natural wake-up call that warns us of imminent dangers and enables us to take action to address real threats. However, when anxiety is excessive or uncontrolled, the person has a generalised or exaggerated feeling of worry, apprehension, fear or nausea, and experiences harmful reactions, whether physical, emotional or spiritual:
- PHYSICAL REACTIONS – Excessive or uncontrolled anxiety can lead to ulcers, constant headaches, allergies, muscle aches, insomnia, unexplained fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pains, dizziness, etc. Sometimes, anxiety causes changes in blood pressure and digestion problems. If these things are temporary, they do little harm. However, if the person lives in a constant state of anxiety, the body can suffer from psychosomatic diseases, that is, diseases that have their origin in the emotions.
- EMOTIONAL REACTIONS – Inquietude, agitation, insomnia, difficulty concentrating. Some people try to escape from anxiety through alcohol, drugs or binge eating, which can lead to obesity that is difficult to treat.
- SPIRITUAL REACTIONS – Healthy anxiety can motivate us to seek God’s help in situations we know we cannot solve or control. But excessive or sinful anxiety can drive us away from God the moment we need Him most. Very anxious Christians often do not have time to pray, cannot concentrate on reading the Bible, and can sometimes become bitter because of an apparent delay on God’s part in bringing about a solution to their problems.
From a biblical point of view, excessive anxiety is a sin. Anxiety is opposed to faith. Faith produces trust in God and anxiety produces fear.
Anxiety is the result of a departure from God.
Instead of recognising His sovereignty and superiority, we carry the burdens of life on our own and assume that we can solve all problems without the help of God. The anxiety of the heart drives us away from trusting in God and from the certainty that He loves and cares for us.
“Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.”
Proverbs 12:25 NKJV
THE BIBLE AND THE ANXIETY
There are 365 passages in the Bible that tell us not to fear. Jesus dealt with the subject of anxiety and excessive concern in a clear and consistent way:
- JESUS TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES A NEW LIFESTYLE. In Matthew 6:25-34
““Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” Matthew 6:25 NKJV
He says we must not be anxious about the supply of basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, or future events.
We have a heavenly Father who knows what we need and is the powerful provider for our needs.
“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19 NLT
Anxiety will not bring us material provision, so He invites us to look at the birds of the sky and the lilies of the fields. God takes care of nature and will supply even more the basic needs of His children who trust in Him.
- JESUS TEACHES US TO TRUST OUR LIFE TO HIM.
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
Matthew 6:27 NIV
Jesus said that our anxiety will not solve the issues of physical health or protection of our life. How many people are anxious for themselves, their children and other loved ones, afraid that something bad will happen to them. Jesus says that life does not belong to us, but to God, so we must learn to live and enjoy each other as long as God permits.
“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Psalms 139:16 NIV
- JESUS TEACHES US TO TRUST OUR FUTURE IN HIS HANDS.
We know that we will still face many difficulties in the future, but Jesus said:
““So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Matthew 6:34 NLT
If you have put your past, present, and future in Jesus’ hands, you are safe, for He promises He will never leave you.
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.””
Hebrews 13:5 NIV
Thus, the Lord calls us to a new life: a life directed not by anxiety, but by faith.
“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
Matthew 10:30 NKJV
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
John 14:27 NKJV
How to overcome anxiety?
- JESUS TAUGHT US TO LIVE A LIFE UNDER GOD’S DEPENDENCE.
1 Peter says “Cast all your anxiety on Him (God) because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5: 7
Do you really believe that God is in control of all things and that He cares for you?
Give it up to God, in prayer, all concern, fear or problem that arises, for it will free you from anxiety and also leave you free to realistically deal with your needs and of those under your responsibility.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV
- REBUKE ALL FLAMING ARROWS OF THE EVIL ONE AGAINST YOUR LIFE, WORK, FAMILY AND CHURCH – EPHESIANS 6.16
- PRAISE GOD FOR HIS LOVE AND HIS PRESENCE – Sing, praise, adore the Lord, for the Lord dwells in the midst of the praises of his children – Ephesians 5:18-20
- WALK BY THE WORD OF GOD
The big task of Christians is to do what the Bible teaches and not simply listen without practicing.
The reduction of anxiety involves being obedient to the word of God even in the midst of affliction.
Jesus replied: “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”
John 14:23 NIV
Are you a person who suffers from excessive anxiety? How will you solve this situation?
Reflection time and prayer.
What situations or circumstances have made you anxious?
Sometimes we allow excessive worries and anxieties to steal our peace and our trust in God.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you with this task. SPEAK to the Lord and say this prayer.
Lord God, I come to You as Your son or daughter, bought by the blood of Jesus. I declare my dependence on the Lord, and acknowledge my great need of You in all the circumstances of my life, for without Christ I can do nothing.
The Lord knows the thoughts and intents of my heart and knows all the circumstances that surround my life from beginning to end. The Lord knows me and understands my difficulties.
I confess that sometimes I allow excessive worries and anxieties to steal my peace and my confidence in you, but now, I surrender all the anxiety that sometimes comes to me. Increase my faith and help me to obey Your word and fear nothing.
I humble myself before you and make the choice to trust in the Lord and Your ability to guard me, protect me, take care of me and everything that belongs to me in all situations.
My present and my future are in your hands and I declare my certainty that the Lord can and will supply each of my needs according to Your riches in glory. In the name of Jesus. Amen“