THE POWER OF PRAYER- PRAYER THE SOLUTION TO ANXIETY.

THE POWER OF PRAYER- PRAYER THE SOLUTION TO ANXIETY.

Introduction.

There are many types of prayer, it is a vast subject.

Today the lord wants to give us the key to getting and staying free from anxiety.

Let me ask you this question.

Have you ever felt misunderstood?as a result carried anxiety about the situation.

Have you ever tried to do something good and you get punished for it.

Have you ever had emails sent about you in a negative tone at work?

Have you ever had the bank, or any organization frustrate you.

If you ever felt trapped by an organization, like  your  rates, taxes, water electricity?

Have you ever felt trapped at the end of the month when you look at your finances?

Or maybe you just feel trapped in the grips of depression, anxiety, addiction.

Or maybe you feel trapped by your own sin, the sin cycle I want to get free.

Or maybe you desperately want to share the gospel to people at work and get them saved. You feel trapped, you can't get the words out , the timing always feels wrong.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANXIETY ATTACKS, WORRIED ABOUT A MEETING, WORRIED ABOUT YOUR SPOUSE , WORRIED ABOUT FINANCE, SO WORRIED WE JUST CAN'T SLEEP AT NIGHT.

WHAT DO WE  DO? IN THESE SITUATIONS?

WHAT DID JESUS DO?

Matthew 26:36–37 (NIV)

36Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

Jesus prayed…… he sought the Lords for strength and courage..to go through the challenge.

Lets look at a verse that talks more about this in detail please turn with me to

Phhillipians 4:1-9.

Some background context to this portion of scripture…Paul is in prison writing a letter to the first church he planted in europe .

He is in prison for preaching the gospel. He is writing to the philippines. He is writing from a position of applying truth.

Philippians 4:1–9 (NIV)

1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

2I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.

3Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, 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.

9Whatever 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.

POINT NUMBER 1 :WHAT IS ANXIETY:

Philippians 4:4–6 (NIV)

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Anxiety is another word for worry.

We worry about things, we do not know the outcome of.

Lesson to these facts pulled of a usa depression and anxiety database.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S.,

affecting 40 million adults (19.1% of the population) age 18 and

older every year.

• Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9% of those suffering

receive treatment.

• People with an anxiety disorder are 3-5x more likely to go to the doctor

and 6x more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those

who do not suffer from anxiety disorders.

• Anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including

genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events.

WE WORRY ABOUT OUR

HEALTH

WEALTH

WELL BEING

SPOUSE

OR GETTING A MARRIAGE PARTNER.

CHILDREN

SCHOOL

FUTURE

GOVERNMENT

POTHOLES

COMPANY

WE WORRY ABOUT PROBLEMS AROUND THE WORLD VIA NEWS CHANNELS, MAYBE SOME OF US SHOULD HAVE A SEASON OF FASTING NEWS FOR PRAYER..

FRIENDSHIP CIRCLES.

The list goes on and on, the more we worry or the more anxious we are the more difficult it is to walk and rejoice in the Lord...

God never saved us from being a  anxious and worried people to carry on living a life of worry and anxiety… we become a new creation , we have a new source of strength and courage.

Worry is like this..

BAG ILLUSTRATION……. COVER THEM UP WITH BAGS.

We tag the bag of worrying about government

We take the bag of worry about husband

We take the bag of worried about the school

We take the bag and worry about money.

Eventually we cant  walk, the load  is too much , the anxiety is overwhelming and we get ourselves stuck in this anxious worry rut, we keep on feeding it…we watch more news, more bad movies we keep on feeding it…….

We are anxious, we can even get sick and start to take medication…

Anxiety affects everyone…

Pastor who stopped praying - story worried too much.

SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO IN REGARDS TO ANXIETY ? WHICH LEADS ME TO ME NEXT POINT.

POINT 2 THE SOLUTION TO ANXIETY.

Philippians 4:5–6 (NIV)

5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

All these negative situations is an opportunity to spend time with the lord in prayer..

Pray about it , hand it to the Lord..

Pray and hand it to the Lord

Pray and hand it to the Lord

The only way we change a city is by reaching one person at a time, getting them saved and turning them into disciples of Jesus.

Worrying, being anxious and complaining has never ever helped any one…

But prayer has helped many people and changed many situations around the word.

The word of God says this…The Lord is near.

We have someone in our corner to help us.

It is true who you have in your corner is going to determine whether you are going to win the game or not.

A good coach helps you win, whether it is rugby , crossfit, boxing etc.

We have someone who is in our corner that is very near HIS NAME IS JESUS.

He is willing ,able and powerful enough to help us and empowers us to get through it .

Or move the mountain if we are willing to pray about it.

Some situations are stubborn and we need to do what the word of God says.

Petition- this means pray it through.

Some Situations need to be prayed through……

Paying off your home loan.

Praying to live a debt free life.

Praying for a spouse to serve the Lord radically.

Praying for a child that has a backslidden.

Praying a company through to victory

Praying for the salvation of people at work .

This entails petitionary prayer, constant petition. It will eventually change.

Pray and thank the Lord He is working through ..

Kenneth e hagin story praying it through..

WHICH LEADS ME TO MY LAST POINT .

3.THE PEACE OF GOD WILL GUARD YOUR HEART.

Philippians 4:7 (NIV)

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This is a military term Paul used , that the peace of God will gaurd your heart.

When we can't see the outcome, we do not understand why someone done it, we can pry about it and God will give us peace in the storm . God will give us peace to walk through it . if we give it to him.

Sometimes we do not understand a situation in our mind and heart.

But God does and he will give us understanding.

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Philippians 4:8 (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.

We need to train our mind and imagination to think about ..

Philippians 4:8 (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.

Some of us need to gain the victory in the night, most of us have gained the victory in the morning, we walk up and give God the first first of the morning, we expect God to talk to us, we take in his word and of we go to our day.

What about giving God the time before we go to bed.

Have devotion and believe and expect God to talk to you.

Job 33:14–17 (NASB95)

14“Indeed God speaks once, Or twice, yet no one notices it.

15“In a dream, a vision of the night, When sound sleep falls on men, While they slumber in their beds,

16Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction,

17 That He may turn man aside from his conduct, And keep man from pride;

Give God the evening, trusting Him to speak to you at night as well.

Turn your worry into a place of attracting His presence and speaking to you in dreams

IN CLOSING.

Will you seek the Lord daily to teach you to become a person of prayer, understanding it and devoting much time to prayer..