Dealing with Anxiety (2)

Tell my promotion story, lack of confidence made me lose.

Has anxiety, worry or fear ever stopped you from living up to your full potential?

Anxiety is a constant fearful state, accompanied by a feeling of unrest, dread, or worry.

The word “Fear” is mentioned 391 times in the bible. The only thing the bible tells you to fear is The Lord. Everywhere else it says “Do Not Fear”.

Anxiety is your body’s way of signaling its time to check in with God, like a check engine light.

Recognizing Anxiety

Feeling sick to your stomach

Nausea

High Heart Rate

Irrational Thinking

Can’t Sleep

Isolation from Others

Emotional Outbursts

Your body is having a constant fight or flight response

What are you afraid of?

Failure

Rejection

Abandonment

Death

Jumping Jehoshaphat never jumped

2 Chronicles 20:1–23 “Now it came about after this that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat. Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, out of Aram and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi).” Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to seek help from the Lord; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the Lord. Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord before the new court, and he said, “O Lord, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the descendants of …”

Action Steps!

1. Deep Breaths

Job 32:8 “But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.”

Ezekiel 37:5 “Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life.”

Box Breathing Technique

2. Attitude of Gratitude

Your brain cannot be thankful and anxious at the same time

1 Thessalonians 5:15–16 “See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always;”

Philippians 4:6–8 “Be anxious for nothing, 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 comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

Phil 4:6 is a powerful verse for the fearful or anxious mind.

3. Building Community

We are not meant to do life alone. We are all part of the body of Christ.

Make sure you have the right parts in the right places. A face doesn’t make a good foot:)

Lean in to your small groups and even the adults here to support you.

In Genesis 2:18, “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,”

4. What IF to what IS

85% of our thoughts are negative, and 90% of those are repetitive.

Cast out your negative thoughts by writing them down and throwing them away. Then you need to plant a positive truth in its place.

I like to say “I’m not nervous, I’m excited”!

Emergency step: Ground yourself by naming 1 thing each sense can detect right now

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

5. Take Care of Yourself

Get plenty of rest

Hydrate

Eat healthy whole foods

Get some sun!

Make a To-Do List, The more you right down, the less you have to jugle in your head.

6. Acknowledge when your overwhelmed

Labeling something that is negative takes away its power

Recognize situations that overwhelm you and try to avoid them

Mark 14:32–34 “They came to a place named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here until I have prayed.” And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. And He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.”

Psalm 94:19 “When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.”

Are you causing anxiety in others?

Proverbs 21:23 “He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles.”

James 1:26 “If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.”

James 3:3–6 “Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.”

Conclusion

1 John 5:13 “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Romans 8:38–39 “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 Corinthians 3:12–15 “Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”