Jesus and Axiety - How Jesus Impacts it all

Scripture

First of all, I believe that God has given us medicine to combat the destruction of sin, So when I am talking about anxiety and worry, I am not talking about clinical issues that you may have. Although the skills we can learn from the Bible do help us along with medication. There are real clinical issues that I think you should not be afraid to go get checked out.

I suffered for a long time from anxiety and it worked it’s way out in anger and depression.

I still worry about things. I still get anxiety sometimes, but I can tell you that I have learned to deal with it in a healthier way.

Some of you struggle with anxiety.

Maybe it started when you were a little. 4 years old and you did not like the dark. Maybe you were afraid that mom and dad would not come back. Maybe some of you worried about your next meal. Or whether or not mom or dad was in a good mood so you would not get beat on.

As you got older you worried about what you wore. what your hair looked like.

You worried about whether miss popular or mister Jock like you. You worried about your grades. You worried your pimples, or your extra 5,10,15 pounds.

Whether you were too skinny, or not muscly enough. Whether you were going to start on the High school sports team.

Maybe you worried about whether or not your friends would find out you were still a virgin.

Maybe you worried about whether or not your Mom or Dad would find out you were sleeping with your girlfriend or boyfriend.

Maybe you had anxiety over the size of you head, which was the same size in 7th grade at 4’9” and 100 lbs as it is at 5’11” 185 lbs.

Maybe you worried about being a dad when you were a Junior in High school and you had knocked up you Senior Girlfriend and it caused you to go from starting on the high school basketball team to not even playing.

Then you found out that she was not pregnant the day after you finally told your parents, and two weeks later were starting again. Worry is a roller coaster ride and God is the straight path.

It does not stop there.

Will I get into College, Will I pass my class, my midterm, my final. Will I have any friends. Will i get a job, will I find a spouse, will I have Kids, Will I be able to support them. Is my spouse going to cheat on me. Will I ever kick this addiction. Will anybody find out I look at porn. Am I go to die

Some of you were like I never really worried until just now.

Thank you for that one.

I could go on and on, but what if I tell you that Worry and anxiety is just a manifestation of fear.

What if i tell you that True love drives out fear.

If we are going to address Anxiety and Worry we have to understand Love First.

1 John 4:18–19 ESV

18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.

Everyone of you is like really that is all you got. I understand that Jesus Loves Me.

Jesus Love’s me ------------ this I know.

Many of you have heard that since you were little.

But do you understand the magnificence of his love. The Perfection of his love.

The world tells us that we have to be perfect. That we have to be the best looking, the best athlete, the smartest person, or the best at band and choir, or art and then people will love us, but the Bible tells us that Jesus loved us first.

He loved you for who you are. He wrapped his arms around you. He comforted you. He was perfect so you did not have to be.

I heard a story the other day about a 30 year old woman who is struggling with anxiety when she drives to her Job.

As I was listening to her husband talk about her struggles he kept bringing up that when she is home, when she is talking to him, when she is sitting on the couch with him. When she is with her son. The Anxiety is manageable. Why?

Because she feels love. She feels secure.

So when we suffer from anxiety we are saying that we do not feel secure in Christ. We are saying that his love is not enough.

I remember going hunting with my Dad as a Kid.

I did not worry about the license, the ammo, the fuel to get there. I did not worry when one time their was a foot and a half of snow and we slid off the road. I did not worry as my dad dug for hours to get us back on the road. I knew he loved me. I trusted that he loved me.

Now I understand that all of you did not have that growing up. I did, yet as I aged I still worried.

I worried whether or not they would find out that I was a fake. I worried whether or not somebody would find out about all my shameful sin. I worried about the being ready when Jesus returned.That I did not have everything together.

I was continually focused on me. What can I do. The world revolved around me.

I can tell you the single greatest cure for anxiety is when the world and all the pressures that come from it are transferred to Jesus.

I had nobody to lean on but myself. It is a lot of pressure, stress, and anxiety being your own God. I am not saying you can get rid of the anxiety and worry. I am saying you have Jesus through the anxiety.

It makes a big difference when you have somebody that loves you for you and molds and shapes you perfectly. It makes a big difference when you have somebody who gives you peace, security, and comfort.

Jesus is Perfect Love!

If we are going to understand Love than we have to ask the Question.

What is Love?

How would you answer that Question.

I asked a bunch of students that Question the other day and this is what I got.

When you like someone a lot

When their flaws cancel- outish yours.

Sexuality plays a role in Love, but it is not love itself.

Love is putting your needs aside for others.

Love is caring for somebody else.

Love is like a forever warm hug

Sex

Chemistry for someone.

Love is Curiosity and Game for 2

Then I got these

Giving up your life for someone.

Love is an emotions played out in an action.

The Bible tells us in:

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 ESV

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

This Text plays out in Jesus.

Love is Patient - Who is more patient then Jesus. Peter literally denies him three times and what does Jesus do. Jesus goes to him and ask’s him three times. Peter do you love me? Do you Love me? Do you love me?

I think about how long he had to wait for me.

He could have given up on me at any time and yet I can tell you the day when he said Pastor Zack Do you love me? three months after I had literally told my wife that God did not exist. My marriage was in shambles. Some ladies started praying for me. Do not deny the power of prayer.

He seeks out all of us even when we are seeking something else.

Love is Kind - Jesus heals the lame, he eats with beggars, he feeds the hungry.

Love does not envy or boast - Jesus walks on water and yet he washes his disciples feet.

He is not arrogant he speaks as somebody with authority yet his words have instilled grace and mercy and love for generations.

Some may say he was rude, but think about it. He was trying to get the Pharisees attention so that they did not spend eternity away from God.

Love does not insist on it’s own way. Listen to Jesus Words

John 6:38 ESV

38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Jesus is not irritable or resentful. Most of us would not have been able to deal with the Disciples who over and over were just not getting it. Literally the savior of the world. The messiah is in their midst and they deny him, doubt him, and question him. If you think you are not getting this stuff you would make a great disciple.

Jesus does not rejoice at anybody going to hell or getting theirs. He wants all to be saved. We often think God sends people to hell. No, he is walking, pleading, loving you as that person denies him over and over again. As he only gives us are desire to be separated from him

Jesus speaks the truth, but he does it in love. He bears with me when I am unbearable. He believe in me, when nobody else does. He gives me hope when there is none and he endures in all things.

He did it all on the way to the cross. He was sent to earth for us. He sacrificed his life to save us and, and he stays with us in all our pain.

If we do not trust in his perfect love than no amount of praying. no amount of reading. No amount of serving. No amount of anything will heal us from anxiety, because we want to be healed from anxiety instead of being healed through it.

I could give you six steps to dealing with anxiety, but God does not save you from the things of this world he saves you through them.

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Did you get that. Our perspective of everything needs to change. The good times are not when God is close and the bad times when he is far away. He is always the same never changing. It is us who change. Our perspective changes. Our understanding of Christ closeness.

Do we look at the Dark Valley or Jesus who is leading us.

What if you found a spouse that lived all 1 Corinthians 13 out. You would probably have less anxiety, but the problem is that your spouse who makes you the happiest person in the world. Is probably also the person that can make you the most angry.

Jesus is not like that. Jesus is perfection and we can trust him, but how often do you trust him. We say we do, but yet our life does not always depict it.

You all know

Philippians 4:13 ESV

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

But this is not just about a Gator football game with Tim Tebow. What did Paul say before this.

Philippians 4:11–12 ESV

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

Maybe our worry and anxiety problem comes from a lack of contentment.

Paul Understood it.

We are not talking about somebody who had a pretty easy life.

2 Corinthians 11:25–28 ESV

25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.

You think you got it bad hanging out in college, having to work and go to school at the same time. Imagine Paul and yet he was content in all circumstances.

Maybe we need to just live day to day and enjoy each day, because each day is the day the Lord has made.

It seems like life is continually about getting to the next thing, the next step in life. Getting done with the next assignment. Getting finished with school, getting done with the next Job, getting done with the next day instead of enjoying everyday like it is it is a day from Jesus.

We need to embrace the difficulties and enjoy the ride, because the one we love is using it to train us.

So, how do we find a cure for anxiety?

‌We don’t at least not this side of heaven. We embrace Jesus in the anxiety and see it as a way to draw closer to him. God uses the difficult moments in our life to remind us of his amazing grace. I promise you every other way is just a band aid.

We seek first His kingdom and trust God to supply all our needs. It is not about doing nothing it is about doing everything through Christ.

Do you date through Christ. And I mean every part of dating if you know what I mean.

Do you do your school through Christ. Do you Eat, sleep, workout, play games through Christ.

What if you actually look at life this way. What if you allowed Jesus to continually take all your thoughts captive like it says in 2 Corinthians 10:5.

What if you directed every though to your love of Christ

Let him direct you through it.

“I’m not good enough for God” - NO -

Romans 8:1

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“I can never do enough.” - NO -

Ephesians 2:8

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“I’m too weak.” - NO -

Philippians 4:13

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“I’m not attractive enough.” - NO -

Ephesians 2:10

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“I’m alone.” - NO -

Joshua 1:9

Do you see yourself the way Jesus see you. When you are living through Jesus we naturally pray -

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1 Peter 5:7 ESV

7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

‌- we naturally read the word and it does something in our heart.

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

- we naturally fellowship and we receive a gift from God.

Proverbs 12:25

“Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Did you hear that last part? The PEACE of God, that is greater than our understanding, will be the guard for our hearts and minds through Jesus?

Do we want a guard around our mind and heart? I do. I want a guard through every moment in this life.

Jesus is the best body guard. Jesus is enough.

He is my Master. Engaging in the battle of my mind to refocus on God and His kingdom. Trusting Him to provide all my needs. Turning to Him in the good times and the bad and casting all my anxieties on Him.

Not getting so caught up in my mistakes that I am useless and in the same moment desiring to do right in his eyes.

We want this magic pill, but the cure is in the contentment of life, being content with Jesus love for us and being content in every moment in life that he has for us.

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My wife dreamed of going to Law School, and she finally made it in as an alternate. She spent the whole semester working hard, but was also pulled between a husband in Douglas and school in Laramie. She did not enjoy the moment and was incredibly stressed about it. She ended up failing one class and in Law School that is enough to be kicked out of Law School.

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Now to be fair to her she failed because she argued from the opposite side of an argument because she felt the argument was immoral, but anyways I look back on that day and if she would not have failed, we would not have Dottie, my oldest. I do not know if I would be a pastor, because I would not have built a relationship with a wonderful pastor in Douglas. She would not be doing a Job that she loves, which is selling real estate.

To be honest with you she is really good at it and makes more money than most lawyers.

When we look back at life I can see God’s plan in even the most difficult moments. So why worry It will not add a single moment to your life and it most definitely does not increase the quality of your life.

It does not help you share the gospel. It does not do anything, but strike fear. God has a plan in your life, Jesus loves you and he wants what is best for you.

The greatest advice I can give you is to Just live life through Jesus and it will not be easy, but it will be worth it.