Idols: Anxiety
Notes
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Introduction
Attention Step
General worriers spend an average of 55 minutes a day worrying!
People with GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) spend over 300 minutes a day!
In America, 40 Million suffer from anxiety over the age of 18 years old
7 millions of those deal with “GAD”
15 million of those deal with Social Anxiety Disorder
14.8 million of those deal with Major Depression Disorder
7.7 million deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Causes for Anxiety
Genetic
Stress (School, Work, Finances, Family, Social)
Diet
Medicines
Alcohol/Drug Related
Attitude
Interest Step
These high numbers of Anxiety cases tells me that EVERYONE experiences some kind of stress or anxiety in their life
Obviously some worse than others
In fact, for some, worry controls you to the point you don’t even remember what it feels like not to worry about something!
Worry seems to be something that controls you and has dominance over you
It’s one of those things that you feel like you can’t find victory over or find a way to escape its presence
Sometimes, believe it or not, Anxiety/Worry can be your idol in life
It’s something that stands between you and the one TRUE God!
Lead into Subject
God’s Word talks a lot about about anxiety!
We’ll look at many verses this morning dealing with this topic but let me just summarize what all the verses say in just two words:
“Worry Not”
As a worrier, isn’t that the LAST word you want to hear?
Well the God of the universe, the God who created YOU and has seen and controls everything that will happen in your life, tells you to “Worry Not”
For two reasons:
You Serve a Bigger God (You will never have peace in your life apart from a relationship with Jesus Christ!)
Worry HURTS, not HELPS
Today
Today, I want to quickly give you 4 effects of Anxiety in your life and then I want to focus on defeating the idol of Anxiety in your life!
4 Negative Effects of Anxiety in Your Life
4 Negative Effects of Anxiety in Your Life
Anxiety Shifts Your Eyes (;)
Anxiety Shifts Your Eyes (;)
“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?
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
Think about it for a second: What are the things you worry about it in your life?
See, the worry creeps into our lives the MOMENT our eyes lay themselves on the circumstances that surround us!
No wonder, Anxiety often leads to DEPRESSION!
As a believer, you need to understand that the longer you lay your eyes on your earthly circumstances, the further away from PEACE you are!
Our eyes, are ALWAYS looking UP and looking FORWARD as believers in Jesus Christ!
Anxiety Weighs You Down! ()
Anxiety Weighs You Down! ()
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
but a good word makes him glad.
NKJV says, “Depression” but ESV tells us “weighs you down”
Same thing
Keep the phrase, “a good word makes him glad” in mind as well!
The reason anxiety causes depression is because it weighs so much on people!
Anxiety Discourages You! ()
Anxiety Discourages You! ()
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
my eye is wasted from grief;
my soul and my body also.
For my life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my iniquity,
and my bones waste away.
How many of us in the room today are encouraged the moment anxiety comes into play?
All of a sudden the thoughts of “Failure”, “Not good enough” “not strong enough” etc. begin creeping into your life
Anxiety Distracts You! ()
Anxiety Distracts You! ()
But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
Remember when Mary and Martha received Jesus into their house and began serving Him?
Mary sat there at Christ’s feet
Martha was doing all the work!
Martha tries to show up Mary!
What was Christ’s response?
“Oh Martha, you worry about TOO much!”
After examining 4 NEGATIVE effects of worry in your life, why would you keep it there?!
We’re quick to claim the practice of getting rid people who aren’t good for you in your life, why can’t we with Anxiety!
It’s easier said than done isn’t it?
ESPECIALLY if it’s become an idol in our life
Something that CONSUMES our thoughts, actions , and motives
Idols are hard to destroy
Well, let’s go back in our Bibles this morning and examine the most popular teaching on Worry:
1. TRUTH Trumps Anxiety
1. TRUTH Trumps Anxiety
Explanation
There are many ways to defeat stress
I could ask Tim Cox to come up here and he could have me practice many different ways to handle my stress-attacks
But thing is certain, you must defeat your stress with TRUTH!
tells us the most practical TRUTH we need to hear for the life we live!
Your life is more than just eating and getting dressed each day!
God takes care of the birds of the air: they don’t stress!
Stress does NOTHING to help you!
Again, Stress HURTS rather than HELPS!
The flowers of the field are clothed!
God knows your needs and will provide for YOU!
Argumentation
Those who live according to the FLESH, keep their MINDS on FLESHLY (Earthly) things!
Those who LIVE according to the SPIRIT (Truth) keep their minds on TRUTH!
Application
Here’s the truth from these two passages!
You continue living and thinking according to the WORLD and your FLESH the most miserable, stressful you will be!
God promises to provide for you
He did Abraham, and all those who lived by faith ()
He does for this birds, the flowers, and the grass
The question you come to is whether or not you TRULY have faith in the God’s provision for your life!
God will PROVIDE when you NEED it; not always when you WANT it!
2. GODLINESS Trumps Anxiety
2. GODLINESS Trumps Anxiety
Explanation
How do you keep your mind on TRUTH?
just told us!
What has your attention? The Spirit or the World?
The way you live according to the SPIRIT and abide in TRUTH is by pursuing godliness
SEEK YE FIRST!
Instead of seeking first your: bank account, your spouse, your FB account, etc.
You need to be seeking first the presence and the Word of God!
God is sitting on the throne of your life whether you like it or not
Seek HIM and His love!
Argumentation
Jeremiah 17:7-10
ABIDE IN ME AND I IN YOU!
ABIDE refers to a CLOSENESS with Christ!
Those who do NOT bear fruit are useless and will be cut off!
How do you bear fruit?
ABIDING CLOSE to HIM!
Verse 7: BLESSED is the man who what?
Hope and TRUST in the Lord
Anxiety= lack of trust in the Lord’s provision for your life!
Verse 8: Tree in the middle of the desert!
Lush Green
Planted by the WATER
When HEAT comes it doesn’t panic
It knows it’s planting by it’s source of life
Will never cease from bearing fruit or dying
Verse 9: Your heart will fill you with MANY lies and pull you from the truth of God’s Word
Verse 10: The TRUTH: God WILL ALWAYS provide!
Application:
When God promises something, He ALWAYS does it in a PERFECT way
God promises to His children to never LEAVE or FORSAKE them
He will PROVIDE them with every need they have
The further away your walk is from the Lord, the further you are from hearing those promises
What would you rather hear?
The promises of God or the DECEITFULNESS of your heart?
3. PRAYER Trumps Anxiety
3. PRAYER Trumps Anxiety
Explanation
The third component of defeating the idol of Anxiety in your life is the WEAPON of PRAYER!
Yes weapon!
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
COMMAND: Be anxious for NOTHING!
For what? NOTHING!
What are you anxious about this morning? STOP!
Instead of worrying, what are we supposed to do?!
PRAYER and COMMUNICATION with God!
With the right ATTITUDE!
What is promised if we take our requests and worries to God?
The PEACE of God
BUT..... how will we I… how will we… how is this going to work out?
The peace of God that surpasses all understanding!
How?
How far into this afternoon can you think about?
God has already seen ALL of eternities time!
Argumentation
You may have MANY questions this morning about God and how does God know this or that?
Questions that I don’t have the answers to because God is God. If we knew it all, He wouldn’t be God
One thing I DO know is that you are looking to place in something that is bigger than YOU are
You place your faith and your anxieties in the Lord, the PEACE of God will surpass all your understanding!
You want peace this morning? You need a relationship with Jesus Christ!
Illustration
Here’s the deal though, you can pray but we tend to do something in our worries
“Heavy Bag”
Ask someone to take the bag from me but don’t let go
We like to GIVE our worries to God but don’t let go!
We aren’t trusting that HE is strong enough or that He will manage our worries well!
Faith is GIVING and LETTING GO to God
Application
What are you worried about this morning?
You’ve heard the truth, now it’s time to DRAW NEAR to God and GIVE your heart to Christ this morning
Do this is and experience the PEACE God promises to His children!