Overcoming Anxiety & Fear

INTRODUCTION:

This psalm was written by David. He wrote this psalm in a time which was very difficult for him as his son Absalom was rebelling against him. We can see 3 things – David’s sufferinganguish, his anger and his anticipationexpectancy. David very passionately requests God to help him in his distress.

Many times you and I face similar situations in life. Life is not easy. Life becomes even more difficult when we accept Jesus as our personal Savior and start living the righteous life that God expects. Jesus has already warned us in Jn.16:33 – “you will have tribulations in this world. But behold I have overcome this world.” During such times we are faced with many questions. Some of them or the most popular questions that people have during their distress is

a) How can God work out details when it looks impossible?

b) Why am I not seeing anything happen?

c) Why am I not getting an answer from God?

d) Why is it taking so long?

e) Why is God silent about my situation?

f) Why did this happen to me?

Today I would like to share from God’s word how to overcome this anxiety, sorrow, despair, frustration and fear. I would like to share my personal testimony before I give you the keys to overcome anxiety & fear.

I am married to Vinodini and we have a 5 year old son Yohanan. God spoke to me after three months of our marriage when I was in prayer. God said, “I will bless you a son and name him Yohanan. In the second year of our marriage we visited Dr. Hemalatha Devi both gynecologist. They examined my wife and said she has Endometriosis and has a cyst which has to be removed. She performed a laparoscopy and removed the cyst. While doing the surgery she discovered that my wife cannot conceive. It is impossible for her to become pregnant. She told this after the surgery and said we may have to go for other means to have a child. I trusted God. But my wife she wanted have a baby and by all means. One day I told her to stop all medications and trust God for God had promised me that He will bless me with a son. She listened to me and in the year 2008 in the month of September she decided to stop all medications. When she did, in the month of January, 2009 she tested positive for pregnancy. We went to the same doctor Dr. Hemalatha who said my wife cannot conceive. She and another doctor Dr. Swathi (her daughter-in-law) tested and performed scans and confirmed that my wife was pregnant. The doctor during the pregnancy took a lot of care to save the pregnancy and ensure that the baby was born. The baby was born 11th of September, 2009. My wife had a lot of complications in her nine month and her health was deteriorating, but God saved my wife and also the child.

After five years of my child this year in the month of March, my wife complained of a lot of pain in the abdomen and her back. When we consulted Dr. Hemalatha & Dr. Swathi, they discovered through scans that my wife had multiple cysts in the ovaries and one cyst in the right ovary was about 10 cms. They both advised since we already have a child that my wife should go for hysterectomy (removal of ovaries, tubes, & uterus). I was little uncomfortable because just a year and half ago my son Yohanan one morning came to me and said that when he was praying the Lord said to him that he would have a sister. He name her Ruth. Since then my son was always talking about Ruth, and was eagerly waiting when his sister would come. So me and my wife we almost decided that only the right ovary would be removed but retain the left ovary and the tubes and the uterus. The doctors told us to go for investigations in which she referred to a CT scan. On 2nd April, 2015 we went for the scan the radiologist said it would be of no use if we did a CT scan. Instead advised us to go for an MRI Scan. They did an MRI scan and in the report they found that the right ovary with the cyst had a torsion. The radiologist immediately contact our doctors and reported the matter. The doctors immediately called us for an emergency consultation wherein they said that it is an emergency and the surgery had to be done immediately and do a complete hysterectomy. The doctors told us to get my wife admitted on 3rd April, 2015 which was Good Friday, and perform the surgery on 4th April, 2015 at 6am. The surgery was postponed to Wednesday 8th April, 2015, because the insurance claim was not approved for the cost of Rs. 1.50 lakhs but they sanctioned only Rs. 35,000/-. The surgery also needed experts viz., urologist, endocrinologist, nephrologist. Hence the cost was high. The surgery was performed on 8th April, 2015 and the surgery went on for about 4 hours. The surgery was successful without damaging her other organs like – intestines, kidneys, rectum, and urinary bladder. God was with us and that was indeed a miracle because the cyst which was 10cms broke due to the torsion and the fluid completely spilled over in her body. The doctors literally had to lift all her organs and drain the fluid out and then remove the uterus, ovaries and the tubes.

She was brought to the room after the surgery and then she started showing signs of speedy recovery. God was healing her and she started to respond to the medication and care. They discharged my wife on Saturday, 11th April, 2015. On Saturday when the final bill and the discharge summary was being prepared, the accounts manager called me and informed me that if the insurance company did not approve the entire amount then I would have to pay the remaining by 5 pm. While saying this the manager Mrs. Maduri said, “Sir, I see that you are so calm and peaceful, whereas I am tensed and worried very much for you because you have to pay a large sum of money and I do not know how you are going to do it. I told her that God was on our side and everything will be alright. I and my wife both held our hands and prayed and asked God to help us. We trusted God and we believed if God has brought us thus far He would take us through even in paying our bills. The claim was sent to the insurance. The insurance which first sanctioned only Rs. 35,000/- approved the entire bill of Rs. 1.50 lakhs. God did a miracle. Hallelujah. Indeed our God is a good God and he cares for us. My wife is recovering and has been asked to take rest for 8 weeks.

Dear friends, I find 3 keys in the verse 22 of 55th Psalm.

1. Cast

2. Rest

3. Trust

1. CAST:

Cast what? Cast all your worries, anxiety, fear, sorrow, frustration, disappointment, etc. To cast means to throw away. It means to dispose off or just fling it. You need to throw away your worries, your anxiety, fear, etc. It means to let go off and give your burden to the Lord. He has carried the heavy cross. Your worries are not so heavy for him. Jesus referring to the anxiety and worry that people carry and have - Matt.6:26 – Jesus says, you are more valuable than the birds, animals and the fish. V27 – by worrying you cannot add a single hour to your life. V34 – do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. 1Pt.5:7 – “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

2. REST:

Rest from what? Rest from carrying your worries, anxiety, fear, sorrow, frustration, disappointment, etc. Matt.11:28 – “Come unto me, all you that labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” Jesus wanted us to rest in him. In the sense to hold our peace and rest in the Lord. When you have cast your burden, rest. That means you hold your peace that Jesus will do it for you. Phil.4:6-7 – Paul do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. Isa.41:10 – God says, ‘Fear not”. Be assured that God will work good through the circumstances that you have – Rom.8:28.

3. TRUST:

Trust in what? Trust in the Lord. To trust means to be confident about something or someone. We need to trust in the Lord. Because he cares. He knows what you need. He has the power to sustain you. He is the risen Lord. His resurrection power will save you. When you trust you have peace in you. Phil.4:7 – and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. If you have planned to do something – commit to the Lord and He will establish it – Prov.16:3. Ps.62:8 – Trust in him at all times, you people, pour out your heart before him; God is our refuge for us. When you trust you will have peace. When you doubt there is fear and anxiety.

CONCLUSION:

There is power in the name of Jesus. Let us apprehend (capture or catch) it. The power of His resurrection, the power of His Compassion, the power of His love. Jn.3:16 – "... you shall not perish but have eternal life." Dear friend you will never perish when you believe in Jesus. No matter what circumstances you are in you will not perish. Jn.10:28 – “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” Be assured – whatever your enemy or your situation has planned, they cannot snatch you away from the Lord. No one can separate you from God’s love. No one, even Satan cannot snatch you away from God and His love.