Pressure (Week 4 - Anxiety summary)

Announcements

Glad you are here tonight… Here is a reminder of what is upcoming.

Super Bowl Party

then… we are starting a new series where we will be walking through some interesting questions and topics that you won’t want to miss!

One week we will be talking about atheism

another week we are talking about Islam - I have been getting a lot of questions about Islam. So we will look at what Muslims believe and how it is very different from Christianity for a number of reasons

Another week we will talk about God and Science and see if there is any conflict

and more! This will all be leading up to Easter

You are NOT going to want to miss any of these weeks.

Illustration / Story

So a few years ago, my garbage disposal stopped working. My sink was all backed up with old food, and it wouldn't come on.

So what do I do? I do what any cheap person does and I went on youtube to figure out how to fix it.

So I found the youtube video with the most likes and the most views and I watched it.

The guy in the video clearly knows what he’s talking about. He gave a list of things to check, things to test and see what is wrong with your garbage disposal.

And when you’re trying to figure out what is wrong with your garbage disposal, or ANYTHING in your life… you are doing it because of a symptom.

Something is wrong, and it is causing this issue - well what is the issue?

In my case the garbage disposal would not turn on.

So what could be causing it? The guy on the youtube video helped me narrow it down - and it appeared that the garbage disposal’s motor had gone bad - stopped working.

He said put power to it and if it is humming, it means one thing, but if it is dead silent - its DONE. dead. He said press the circuit reset button on it, and if it doesn't come on after that, it needs replaced.

So based on the symptom of the garbage disposal not coming on, I checked everything he said… and i needed a new one.

Now… these things aren't super cheap, and replacing it takes a while.

So first I went to home depot and bought the one i needed - I think it was about 200 bucks or so.

Then I had to take apart the whole underneath of the sink.... this took a while and was super frustrating.... and gross.

Then i had to take out the broken garbage disposal and hardwire the new one in.... re install… reconnect all the pipes...

it took all day, especially because i just didn't know what i was doing.

But I FINALLY got it done.

It’s all hooked up.... so, my garbage disposal is controlled by a light switch on the wall next to the sink… anyone else’s like that?

So I am all done and i turn the water on, no leaks… and then I flip the switch and..... NOTHING.

Now I am confused.... I checked all the thing that could be causing this… I checked based of the symptoms, the guy on youtube walked me thru the whole process!

What is going on!??

Here I have spent my entire day messing around with this, getting messy, frustrated… AND spent more money than I ever wanted to on this.... and I checked EVERYTHING this guy said to check.

Well.... there was ONE thing the guy on youtube failed to mention....

See.... the power for the garbage disposal comes from the light switch.... The 99 cent light switch… that takes 5 minutes to replace if you know what you're doing… and THAT is what was causing the symptom of my garbage disposal not working.

I was so MAD!!!!! I am still mad.....

The garbage disposal not working was a SYMPTOM of the problem of the light switch being broken.

Problems cause symptoms....

BUT, sometimes problems can be completely different, yet cause the same symptom.

And if you don’t know what the problem is that is causing the symptom, you will look for solutions in things that will not fix the problem… like I did by getting a whole new garbage disposal.

And in the same way… when we talk about anxiety as a symptom.... there can be a number of different problems that cause it.

Introduction

Over the last 4 weeks, we have been in this series called pressure, and talking about anxiety and tonight we are going to finish it up

It is no secret among us here that anxiety is a MAJOR symptom your generation is experiencing at epidemic levels - way higher than previous generations.

According to the ADAA “Anxiety disorders affect 31.9% of adolescents between 13 and 18 years old.”

That is an insanely high percentage of your generation… and many of you may experience it now, or will later in life

And the truth is, anxiety and depression are caused by a variety of different things!

Just like when a garbage disposal is broken, there can be a lot of possible causes for it.

One mistake I think we often make in talking about anxiety and depression that is so often linked with it, is that we try to make the solutions to the problems a one size fits all approach… and that just isn't how this works.

So with our last week talking about this topic, we are going to dig in one last time to look at some specific problems and specific solutions real quick.

PRAY

Body of Message

First, I do not believe that God designed us to live lives of anxiety… in fact, I am pretty confident that though we were designed with the potential to be anxious, we did not need to be.

The reality is that when SIN entered the world, it moved humans in to a place of anxiety and fear.

So the truth is, because of the BIG problem of sin and being in a fallen world.... anxiety will continue to rear its ugly head in our lives… but we have a choice in how we handle it.

1403you cannot help birds flying over your heads in the air, but do not let them alight and build their nests in your hair. Temptations will come, but do not entertain them. Drive them away.—33.645

Charles Spurgeon

Anxiety cause: Habit of Believing Lies

This issue is one I have struggled with maybe the most in my own battles with anxiety

When believe things that are not true about the world, or ourselves, or those aorund us… it can cause us to live in anxiety.

Solution: Change Thought Patterns

It is important to dispute negative thoughts and lies with the truth of Scripture.

2 Corinthians 10: 3-5 - NIV

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

We could spend all night just on this one verse. It is so important.

Philippians 4:8-9 - NIV

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Anxiety cause: Focused on the World

Solution: Focus on God

Focused on things that the world offers us

And the world hates us… it hates your soul. It hates who God called out to be. The ways of the world are at WAR with how God designed you

John 15: 18-19 - NIV

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

The world tells us how we should live and view ourselves.

The world tells us to find our identity in all sorts of things, things that God never told us to find our identity in.

We can go to him with everything we are struggling with, worried about, or anxious about.

1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your anxiety on him, because ⌊he cares⌋ for you.”

Anxiety cause: Triggering Situations

Solution: Watch and Understand Triggers

What is causing you to feel anxious? Pay attention - be aware of your body and mind.

When you feel a wave of anxiety come upon you… ask yourself… what was I doing just before? What has changed in my life recently? What new information was I given or situation have I entered into that after wards, I felt anxious or have been feeling anxious ever since.

Some things SHOULD cause you anxiety.

Some things you are NOT made to consume.

Example of my own life… and my own anxiety caused by my own choices…

Are we living in a way that produces anxiety?

Hebrews 13: 1-9 - NIV

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 3 Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5 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.

6 So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.

What can mere mortals do to me?”

7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.

Anxiety cause: Living in the past

Sometimes we have anxiety because we are so focused on what was, or what happened.

Maybe it is a time we look back on and wish we could get back to.

“Better times” maybe.

Or perhaps they aren’t better times in the past we are living in.

Maybe you are living in the past of your mistakes.

Maybe you made a terrible decision… and the thoughts of what happened plague you.

Solution: Move Forward

With Jesus’ help, we can move forward.

We do not need to be slaves to the past....

Whether they are good things, or bad things...

If they are good things that are trapped in the past, and you miss them so much that it hurts… causing you to be anxious about losing what you have today...

We can know that because of Jesus that, if we follow Him, our best is always in front of us.

No, I do not mean life on this earth is going to be guaranteed to be awesome all the time.

What I mean is that God is preparing an eternity for us that is better than anything we have ever experienced here.

1 Corinthians 2:9 - NIV

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—

So we can move forward in the real hope of what Jesus has promised us.

Or, if you are living the anxiety from the past from decisions you regret… or things that happened you wish you could forget...

With Jesus’ help… you can move forward with that too.

Romans 8:1 - NIV

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

This truth is closely linked with believing the truth about what God has said.

See, I have a lot of regrets in my past. And part of my problem with anxiety is that I was convinced that because of my past, God would never forgive me.

Why would he forgive someone who spit in his face so many times?

1 John 1:9 - NIV

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Great thoughts of your sin alone will drive you to despair; but great thoughts of Christ will pilot you into the haven of peace.

Charles Spurgeon

Anxiety cause: Living and doing life alone

Sometimes we choose to isolate ourselves…

Develop Relationships

There is no reason why anyone here should not be connected to each other...

You are designed for real community!

Social media has created a million shallow connections, but God has designed us for deep and meaningful connections… real friends.

Anxiety cause: Trying Hard to Feel Better

Sometimes, you are just going to feel anxious…

Solution: Be Patient

2 Corinthians 12:9 - NIV

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Use this time of anxiety to push you towards Jesus!

I know in my own life, sometimes when I feel bad, anxious, even a little depressed...… it helps me to look at my life and evaluate it. It helps me to see the reality of how much I need Jesus...

• Growth takes time.

• God will work in your life to overcome the anxiety that is keeping you from living life to the fullest.

• Try to keep an eternal perspective.

Conclusion

There is an old saying… you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink.

The truth is, like anything else, it us up to us to put our TRUST in Jesus.

We can believe in something up here, but not in our hearts.... but we need to.

Let’s close with some final words from Jesus about anxiety that we can choose to apply to our lives, or you can make the mistake I often find myself making… where I say Yes Jesus, I know.... but choose to still dwell on things that cause me anxiety….

Matthew 6:25-34 - NIV

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 11: 28-30 - NIV

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”