Anxious For Nothing

INTRO:

An analysis of 2023 U.S. Census Bureau data looked into reported symptoms of anxiety across the U.S., asking how often respondents felt anxious, nervous or on edge.

Ky 50.77 Tn 49.49%

94% of the workers feel stressed out at work

The United States comes in ninth place. More than half of its population (52%) report high levels of stress and anxiety

31% of college students have a lifetime diagnosis of an anxiety disorder. Their diagnoses were made by a healthcare professional. The data comes from a 2021 Healthy Minds Network survey

87% of adults also feel that the past two years have been nothing but a series of world crises. 69% think we’re on the brink of World War III.

Philippians 4:4–7 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.”

1. Rejoice In The Lord Always

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To be able to rejoice always, you have to remember 4 things:

Remember that the Lord Is here, always.

Psalm 46:1–2 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,”

Remember that the Lord is in control, always.

Deuteronomy 31:8 “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Don’t make the mistake of trying to figure out why? all the time

Isaiah 55:8–9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Remember that the Lord is the giver of your day.

He has ordained every minute of it

Psalm 118:24 “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Remember our God is sovereign.

God’s “sovereignty” means that He is absolute in authority and unrestricted in His supremacy.

Colossians 1:16–17 “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

2. Let Your Gentleness Be Evident To All

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.

3. Present Your Requests To God

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

James 5:16 “The prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Did you notice the 1 condition?

Psalm 91:14–15“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.”

4. The Peace Of God Will Guard Your Heart

Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

5. Meditate On These Things

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

C- Celebrate God’s Goodness (Phil 4:4)

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Gratitude wins the day! Study's have shown that Grateful people are more empathetic and forgiving of others. Grateful people are less envious, they sleep better, it improves self esteem and enhances relationships. If Thankfulness was available in “pill form” it would be deemed a “miracle cure”

A- Ask God For Help (Phil 4:6)

L- Leave Concerns With God (Phil 4:7)

M- Meditate On Good Things (Phil 4:8)

Let Go Of The Past....

Philippians 3:13 “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,”

Get rid of “shouldas” and “what ifs”

If you will do The Phil 4:4-6, we are promised in Verse 7, That the peace of God will guard your heart

Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

In Closing: God never promised a life w/o storms. But He did promise to be with us when we faced them. Faith is built by remembering the storms He’s brought you through, and how faithful He’s been