GOD'S ANTIDOTE TO ANXIETY
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GOD’S ANTIDOTE TO ANXIETY
GOD’S ANTIDOTE TO ANXIETY
6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
PHILI
INTRODUCTION:
INTRODUCTION:
Have you ever had a time in your life when things were so overwhelming that you couldn’t sleep?
Have there been times when you were so preoccupied with a problem that you didn’t seem to be able to function?
Have there been issues of your life that seem to dominate every waking thought?
If so, you have known anxiety.
Worry and Anxiety are different from concern and excitement.
You can be excited about something and be thrilled with anticipation…but that’s not the same as worry.
You can be concerned about something (like preparing for retirement, saving for college, etc.) and make plans to address these concerns and that’s not the same as anxiety.
Anxiety/Worry is when our concerns become all-consuming and debilitating that we have become anxious & worrisome.
Chuck Swindoll calls worry the “universal addiction.”
Iow’s, it’s something we all struggle with...
And Paul understood the natural tendency to become anxious...
He knew that anxiety is one of the greatest thieves of joy.
But in these 2 verses, Paul is going to give us some help if you struggle with worry & anxiety.
1) The Prohibition
1) The Prohibition
“Be careful for nothing...”
“Be anxious for nothing”
Some translations say, “don’t worry about anything...”
Careful - to be anxious...to be troubled with cares. (Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon.)
KJV - “be careful for nothing”
KJV - “be careful for nothing”
1 to be anxious. 1a to be troubled with cares.
“do not be anxious about anything...”
“Don’t worry about anything...”
Paul is talking about worry & being troubled by the cares of life…and he is telling us not to worry.
Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon.
Some translations translate this phrase - “don’t worry about anything...”
Now that’s easier said than done, but some people think you can just turn worry off like you turn off a light switch…but it’s not always that easy.
And I don’t know about you but I don’t like it when people tell me not to worry...
It’s easy for them to say those words but a lot harder to do.
In Jesus condemns worry.
In Jesus condemns worry. He says worry is foolish and shows a lack of confidence in the person, character, and ability of God.
He says worry is foolish and shows a lack of confidence in the person, character, and ability of God.
“Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add one moment to his life-span by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith? So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
25 “Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?
27 Can any of you add one moment to his life-span by worrying?
28 And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these.
30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith?
31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’
32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
28 “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
30 “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
31 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’
32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,
29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
25 “This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?
27 Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying?
28 And why do you worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don’t labor or spin thread.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these!
30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t He do much more for you—you of little faith?
31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’
32 For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
25 “This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?
27 Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying?
28 And why do you worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don’t labor or spin thread.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these!
30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t He do much more for you—you of little faith?
31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’
32 For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
25 “Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?
27 Can any of you add one moment to his life-span by worrying?
28 And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these.
30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith?
31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’
32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
Jesus tells us that worry is wrong & He gives us several reasons...
First, It puts the focus on the wrong issues.
Jesus said, “Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”
NOTE: When we worry our perspective gets skewed.
We begin to focus on things that are secondary and in the process lose sight of what’s really important.
you are so worried about a graduation party that you miss the joy that comes from the accomplishment of graduating.you worry so much about the winter weather that you don’t enjoy the Christmas holiday with family (I’m guilty of this one)you worry so much about looking good that you find you are so absorbed with yourself you can’t enjoy the people you are with.you are so worried about not having enough money that you don’t enjoy the journey of life.
NOTE: Worry distorts our thinking.
When we worry we tend to look at situations through a magnifying glass which makes things bigger than they really are.
When we worry molehills become mountains.
Second, worry causes us to lose sight of who we belong to.
Jesus argues that God is more than capable of taking care of us.
He cares for the birds, the flowers, and the animals…but when we worry we demonstrate that we think that we’re less important to God than these things…but we aren’t.
NOTE: God will take care of us.
Jesus tells us that God knows what we need...And b/c God knows what we need He will take care of His children.
9 What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! []
Who among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
9 Who among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.
9 What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
7 “Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
9 Who among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.
9 “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?
10 “Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?
11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!
9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?
11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
NOTE: If God knows what we need it’s inconceivable to think that God won’t meet those needs if we trust Him rather than our own devices.
NOTE: “Worry is a sin...”
And when we are anxious it shows that we really don’t trust God.
It means that either I believe God isn’t capable or that God doesn’t care.
So when we realize that we’re beginning to be filled with anxiety we should ask ourselves an important question, “Do I trust God, or don’t I?”
Third, worry is a fruitless activity.
Jesus said, “which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature?”
which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”
who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
Can any of you add one [moment] to his life-span by worrying?”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.?”
New American Standahe Lockman Foundation.?”
Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.”
NOTE: Worry is wasted energy...There is nothing productive about worry...It leads to no where.
Someone once said, “worry is like a rocking chair, it keeps you busy, but it doesn't get you anywhere...”
NOTE: Worry hinders us rather than helps us.
Worry paralyzes us rather than energizes us.
Worry robs us of energy and often has very negative effects: our health suffers (ulcers, blood pressure, heart problems, colon distress, headaches); we don’t get enough rest because we don’t sleep well; we become irritable to be around and begin to see only the clouds on a sunny day. Worry keeps us from being able to address the issues we can and should be doing something about.
Worry robs us of energy and often has negative effects: our health suffers (ulcers, blood pressure, heart problems, headaches)...
We don’t get enough rest because we don’t sleep well...
We become irritable to be around and begin to see only the clouds on a sunny day.
Worry keeps us from being able to address the issues we can and should be doing something about.
2) The Prescription
2) The Prescription
So worry is wrong...But what do we do about it?
How do we combat this human tendency?
Paul tells us to combat worry by prayer.
He tells us to pray about everything.
In other words, there’s no problem, no circumstance, no situation that can’t be brought before the Father.
We don’t have to hide anything from Him…We can bring our big needs as well as our little needs to God.
NOTE: Rather than talk to ourselves and get ourselves all worked up, we should talk to God about it.
Paul’s advice is to turn our worries into prayers...
Paul is essentially saying to us - Why worry when you can pray…
NOTE: If we prayed as much as we worried, we might find that we have less to worry about...
What a Friend We Have in Jesus...
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
NOTE: If you have a need or problem that’s causing you to worry...take it the Lord in prayer.
But notice that Paul says, be specific when you pray...
“let your requests be made known to God...”
The word “requests” refers to our specific needs.
But Paul also says be thankful in your praying...
The word “thanksgiving” focuses on the attitude of our heart in approaching God.
NOTE: Prayer combats worry by creating in us a thankful heart...
Iow’s, it’s hard to worry & worship at the same time...
3) The Promise
3) The Promise
Paul tells us what will happen if we stop worrying and instead start turning to God...
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
NOTE: We aren’t told that all our problems will go away...
NOTE: We aren’t told that all our problems will go away...
We aren’t told that we will immediately understand the circumstances we are dealing with.
We aren’t even told that the problem won’t seem to get worse before it gets better.
We are told that the worry will be replaced with peace.
NOTE: If we turn to God, worry gives way to faith & anxiety gives way to a calm confidence.
The peace that God gives is a state of being where you are calm in the heart and mind despite the fact that turmoil and strife are raging around you.
This peace in the heart/mind exists even though your storm still rages.
NOTE: God’s peace is a mysterious thing, but it’s God’s gift to those who will trust in Him “in everything...”
This is the kind of peace that Jesus promised His disciples, .
It’s a peace that is divine in origin...It’s a peace that can’t be disrupted by the problems, disturbances and difficulties of life.
It’s a peace that cannot waiver, that can’t be shaken and that can’t be destroyed.
Job had this kind of peace...Daniel had this kind of peace...The 3 Hebrew boys had this kind of peace...David had this kind of peace.
And you & I can have this kind of peace as well.
CONCLUSION:
CONCLUSION:
So here’s the question - Is there worry/anxiety that is robbing you of joy today?
While I talked about worry did you find your mind drifting to the problem that weighs heavy on your heart?
Have you had trouble concentrating b/c of the anxiety that seems to be smothering you?
If so, it is time to do several things.
First, it’s time to repent.
It’s time to confess that you have been living as if God doesn’t care or isn’t capable to help you.
Second, it is time to pray. It is time to get alone in the quiet and open your heart to the Father. Don’t pretend, instead tell Him what you are really concerned about. Be honest. Don’t stop with superficial platitudes. Make your requests known to God. And as you pray thank Him for the faithfulness that He has proved in the past. Thank Him for His willingness to help. Thank Him for His wisdom and His grace.
Second, it’s time to pray.
It’s time to get alone with God and open your heart to the Father.
Don’t pretend, instead tell Him what you are really concerned about...Be honest.
Make your requests known to God...And as you pray thank Him for the faithfulness that He has proved in the past...Thank Him for His willingness to help...Thank Him for His wisdom and His grace.
Finally, it’s time to enjoy life again.
It’s time to rest in His arms.
It’s time to leave the future with the Lord.
It’s time to give Him our worries so we can experience the joy that comes from His grace.
What do you need to give to God today…Let’s gather around this altar & pray about it today...
Let’s pray!!!