Overcoming Anxiety

Introduction

Earlier this year after talks with Jared and studying on the topic, I felt a strong conviction that the church should be full of biblical counselors. I begin to believe that it would be a blessing to the local body as well as the greater body beyond our local assembly, if we could create a culture of “soul care” within our congregation. After a few conversations with Jared, he pointed me toward an organization called CCEF. He suggested that Jennifer and I go to their national conference they were having later in the year.

Ive always been dawned to counseling in some shape or form. At any point in my life If you were to ask me what I wanted to do I would have said something in relation to counseling. That is, with the exception of the younger years of my life when I wanted to be a crime fighter like Batman. Moving on; I have, for some time now been drawn to counseling. That being said, when it came to going to a few days of intensive training on the subject, I was all in.

That is until I discovered the theme of the conference. The theme this year was Anxiety. You see, over the years I often heard testimonies from people who constantly used this buzzword that I had no frame of reference for and no experience with. Me, being the legalist I am, I had come to see the word Anxiety used as an excuse people evoked when they did not want to take responsibility for their actions.

You see I had internalized the principles of “knuckle up butter cup” which compels you to own up to your own actions, admitting you are at fault, the horrible things that happen in your life are a consequence of your own actions, but I had found myself hearing from even Christian men who basically blamed certain sinful behaviors and beliefs on anxiety. Anxiety wasn't something I dealt with. Anxiety was the problem or excuse of the weak. So quite naturally I was turned off at the thought of sitting through lectures on the topic.

As time drew closer the thought came to me that because I viewed anxiety as an illegitimate excuse, my toolbox for helping or encouraging someone who claimed to struggle with anxiety was very limited. I realize that slapping a person and telling them to man up doesn't suffice in every situation. And all my brothers in the Lord said Amen. Moving on, I decided that going and learning more about this topic would help me fix those people I were surrounded by who claimed to deal with this.

Fast forward to the first day of the conference. I am driving to the conference, to a building I had never been to, in a city I had never been to, that happened to be a capital city, with capital city traffic, while relying on multiple mapping apps that have proven over and over to be un reliable, with my loving wife as a copilot. Did I mention that my wife wasn't blessed with the spiritual gift of directional awareness. My finding her way to home from work proves to me daily that we serve a miracle working God.

As you can imagine, my patience in the moment, which is already on a daily basis deficient, was in complete crisis mode. When we finally make it to the building, after the seeming endless hunt for a parking space, the probably few minutes Jennifer took getting out the car was enough for me to want to go on a rampage of a biblical proportions.

Scene 2 has us meandering through the halls of this massive labyrinth of a facility along with a few thousand other strangers, trying to find a way to a meeting room in time to beat the crowd and get a half decent seat so we can actually hear and see what is happening.

Speaking of hearing and seeing, when we do finally find somewhere to sit it didn't take me long to realize that we were sitting in the hearing-impaired section. Although I appreciated having a screen in front of me that featured live closed captioning, being in a place I have never been, around a room full of people I didn’t know, attending a conference I had no experience with, had me completely over the edge. As you probably can guess, I was sinfully impatient with my wife; I was extremely judgmental of everything going on, I was uncomfortable and nervous, and I could not wait to get home.

I think it was a few minutes into the first session when I came to a realization: I was completely, hopelessly drowning in Anxiety. I suffer with Anxiety and I have a suspicion that you or someone you know may also.

Objective

Every believer by God’s power, can triumph over Anxiety by following these three steps:

1. Identify the issues

We need to have some type of understanding of the issues in order to be able to recognize them in our lives.

Once you have Identified the issues in step one, you’ll naturally move to step 2 which is:

2. Expose and Uproot

Any time we discover behaviors and patterns in our life that do not match with the character of God, we need to eradicate it. Weed need to snuff it out. We need to kill it.

As we seek to expose and uproot ungodliness in our lives, we give thanks and praise to our God, who has not left us to drown in our anxiousness, but who has graced us with truth to combat the lies of our anxiety. Given this truth, we want do what is set out in step 3 which is:

3. Cultivate seeds of truth

In this world that is full of patterns that produce fear and anxiety, we need to put on the mind of Christ; we need to see through the lens of the word of God; we need to, by His spirit walk in the grace that He provides in order that we might be able to discern the corresponding truth. In other words we need to somehow move from the fields of fear over into the grass of grace.

By following this pattern I believe that every believer by God’s power, can triumph over Anxiety.

Step 1. Identify the issues: Define, types

Step 1 is to Identify the issues

Anxiety Defined

Anxiety is defined as a state of mind wherein one is concerned about something or someone.

Of course we know that concern isn't sinful. I can be concerned about my kids school work. I can be concerned about my general health and safety. Being concerned is no concern of this message concerning Anxiety.

What I’m address is the abundance of concern that leads to uneasy feelings of uncertainty, It produces in us an agitation and dread, or fear.

In the Bible anxiety is frequently depicted as the all too common, human reaction to stressful circumstances which manifests itself in ungodly concern about provision, performance, or reputation.

Anxiety is psychologically experienced with associated symptoms of mild agitation, racing thoughts, impaired sleep, and difficulty in calming oneself. There are parallel physiological experiences of sustained muscle tension and/or trembling, increased heart rate, and disturbed breathing—either as hyperventilation (i.e., breathing too fast) or as a tendency to hold one’s breath. These characteristics produce a sense of heightened awareness or alertness that frequently disturbs concentration, memory, and a person’s ability to feel emotionally comfortable. These psychological and physiological responses combine to make anxiety a psychophysiological disturbance.

That is a long complicated way of saying that anxiety attacks the whole person: mind, will and emotions. Anxiety is destructive.

Types of Anxiety

Social Anxiety

The DSM describes Social Anxiety in these terms:

A persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by others. The individual fears that he or she will act in a way that will be embarrassing and humiliating.

Exposure to the feared situation almost invariably provokes anxiety, which may take the form of a situationally bound or situationally predisposed Panic Attack.

The feared situations are avoided or else are endured with intense anxiety and distress.

The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or distress in the feared social or performance situation(s) interferes significantly with the person's normal routine, occupational (academic) functioning, or social activities or relationships, or there is marked distress about having the phobia.

Fear Of Missing Out

Fear of missing out, or FOMO, is described as "a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent".

This social anxiety is characterized by "a desire to stay continually connected with what others are doing".

FOMO is also defined as a fear of regret, which may lead to a compulsive concern that one might miss an opportunity for social interaction, a novel experience, a profitable investment, or other satisfying events.

In other words, FOMO perpetuates the fear of having made the wrong decision on how to spend time since one "can imagine how things could be different".

Addicted to Busy: Recovery for the Rushed Soul Chapter 7: Choosing My Vine

Ten minutes into the requested breakfast meeting, I regretted having said yes. The young man who had asked for the get-together—he needed some pastoral coaching, evidently—was sitting across from me at the diner, and now, there at the restaurant, with my full attention pointed his way, he had the gall to check his smartphone what seemed like every sixteen seconds. He checked it while I was ordering my meal, he checked it just after he ordered his meal, he checked it while I answered his questions, and he even checked it while he asked them. Unless the guy was waiting on word of an organ transplant—which I quickly learned he wasn’t—his lack of focus was totally unacceptable. My irritation quickly birthed a fury that made me cut the meeting short, and I bolted.

Decision Anxiety

For people who struggle with this, the weight of having to make a decision causes a type of paralysis. It comes up in the major life decisions such as: Who should I marry? What career or degree should I pursue?What job offer should I take. Which house or car or motorcycle should I buy?

As parents we wrestle with questions like: Do I push my kids in this area or do I show grace or do I remove the safety cushion and let them learn a hard lesson.

As a women you might ask “What do I want to eat?” As men we wrestle with do I ask her what she wants to eat knowing that she wont know, or do I make the decision knowing that she wont be satisfied.

All joking aside, for one who struggles with Decision Anxiety there is almost a constant stifling wrestle with the question of “How does the will of God relate to my decision making”?

Insecurity & Codependency

The anxious, fearful sense of needing someone’s affirmation. You seek security in their presence or approval. It is also manifested in the reverse. That is to say one has a need of being needed.

You seek security in having the things. You seek security in the position.

Step 2. Expose and Uproot: Unbelief and idolatry

If you are a believer by God’s power, you can triumph over Anxiety by following these steps:

Step 1 Identify the issues

Step 2 Expose and Uproot

If you are in Christ you want to walk in the freedom that He has granted you in these areas so you move on to the uprooting process.

In this step we want to identify the roots of our Anxiety.

I want to submit to you today that as you dig you will find that there are two primary roots. Those roots are Unbelief and Idolatry.

Unbelief

Unbelief manifests itself in our anxiety by the fact that in the anxious situation, we are not trusting in and or relying upon the goodness of God. We are not trusting as that great Hymn writer has penned, “What ‘er my God ordains is right.

We are not trusting in the Sovereignty of God. We are not trusting in the faithfulness of God. We are not trusting that the moment that we are presently in is exactly where God has ordained us to be. That fear causes us to panic in the social situations that we find ourselves in.

It prevents us from being present in the moment because there is somewhere, or someone, or something that is out there that is better for us than what, or where or who or how God has given. So we have to chase it. We have to check the messages. We have to take the calls. We have to swipe the screens or look at the pictures or make the post.

We are not trusting in the lovingkindness of our heavenly father. We are not trusting in the leading or the guiding of the Lord. We are not trusting in the Power of the Lord. So we cant make the decision. Someone else needs to make it for us because we do not trust that God will work through us. We are not trusting in the friendship of Christ.

We are not trusting in the sufficiently of Christ. We are not believing that God is enough. We are not holding fast to the Rest that is in Christ. We are not believing in the Fullness or the radiance or the supremacy of God so we constantly seek after approval of something or someone.

We are not trusting in God’s faithfulness to His word. We are not resting in the mercy, and the grace and the love of God. So we fear death. We fear that God’s provision isn't enough to provide to those who have relied on us for provision. We fear that Christ’s work wont be enough or will not be sufficient for us in the great and terrible day of the Lord. We failed to believe at times that Christ is himself enough. We failed to believe that He himself is the great treasure of Heaven. So we create pictures and ideas and stories of our own making for what heaven is like.

Idolatry

Along with Unbelief we find Idolatry at the root of our Anxiety.

The Bible understands that idolatry extends beyond the worship of images and false gods. It is a matter of the heart, associated with pride, self-centeredness, and greed among other things

Figuratively, any obsessive concern that turns away worship from God can become idolatry.

My Favorite Illustrations Do You Have Idols?

You may say you have never made an idol, neither have you worshiped one. Upon reflection is this really the case? Intellect can become an idol as you sit in judgment upon God, His Word, and His purposes in history. Your body may be an idol if you are more concerned about physical appearance and health than you are about your inner spiritual nature. Business or wealth can come before God and so be your idol. Another person may be your idol as you pattern your life after him/her rather than after God and His will.

Achieving your own goals become your god if they are more important than following God’s plan for your life. Popularity is your idol if you are more interested in being accepted by other people than by God. The mores of society become your idol if you care more about fitting in than you do about living by God’s eternal principles of righteousness.

It is folly to bow before these and other idols of this age and ignore the age-abiding will and way of God.

Comfort becomes idolatrous because we prize it supremely, therefore we want to extract ourselves from situations and circumstances that makes us uncomfortable.

Entertainment becomes idolatrous because we seek it supremely, therefore we want to be in the center of the most fleshly fulfilling happenings of any moment. We make ourselves idols because we trust in our own ability to find fulfilment in the other people, things, places, situations that we find to then turn around and use to create more idols.

We make an idol out of getting it right on the first try every single time so that we may celebrate the idol of ourselves and the keenest of our intelligence. We cant have our self idol looking bad so we never make a decision that is not 110% spot on. We don’t wont to be looked at as a fool.

We have made idols out of others so we look to them for our security. We have sat them in the place of Christ as our Lord so we want to please them. We worshiped them and we need their approval

We have made ourselves idols so we seek after worshipers. We seek to be the object of affection. We want to be the guru to our army of followers. We want them to like our every post, or repost every post, or retweet every tweet, or Amen our every word. We want other people to worship at the alter of our feet because we have made ourselves Idols.

300 Quotations for Preachers from the Puritans God Breaks the Things We Idolize

Whatsoever we have over-loved, idolized, and leaned upon, God has from time to time broken it and made us to see the vanity of it, so that we find the readiest course to be rid of our comforts is to set our hearts inordinately or immoderately upon them. For our God is a jealous God, and will not part with his glory to another.

JOHN FLAVEL

Our idols are a perpetual source of Anxiety because we are constantly feeding them yet they are never filled.

Our idols are a perpetual source of Anxiety because they are always at war with the true and living God.

Our idolatry is a perpetual source of Anxiety because like the bible tells us in the 115th Psalm“They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Then it provides the warning that “Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.”

If you are a believer by God’s power, you can triumph over Anxiety. In this outline I am presenting three steps.

In Step 1 we Identified the issues by defining Anxiety and looking at some of the types

In Step 2 I attempted to Expose the two headed root of Unbelief and idolatry so that we might move on to uprooting it which leads into:

Step 3. Cultivate seeds of truth

In our anxiety we have replaced the truth of God with the lies of Devil. Not only do we need to eradicate the bad, but we need to replace it with the good. We need to understand that God has spoken and what he has said breaks the bondage of fear over our lives. So we need to dive in that truth by reading His word and allowing it to renew our minds.

Discern Corresponding Truth (Fear to Faith)

1 Peter 5:6–11 ESV

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Philippians 4:4–9 ESV

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. 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. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

In these two scriptures we learn that the true God of the Universe cares for us. All of our anxieties and our fears and our doubts can be cast upon him because He cares for us. We don’t have to be afraid of social situations. We don’t have to be afraid of looking like a fool. We don’t need the approval of others because our God cares for us. He will satisfy us in the moment, where He places us, with the people or lack there of that He has ordained because He cares for us. We can trust in and rely on His leading because He cares for us.

He is the guardian of our hearts and our minds. He gives us peace beyond our understanding. Because our security is found in Him we don’t need to rely on anything or anyone else. Cast your anxiety on Him.

His truth sets us free from Anxiety so dive in and put it on. Let your mind be renewed by

Employing both Individual and Corporate Disciplines (mind renewal, prayer, singing, liturgy, accountability)

Liturgy

Liturgy is this idea of rhythms or patterns of worship in our life. Its the intentional things we do, the prayers we pray, the songs we sing, the scriptures we read that help form us in sanctification. We see this in the very structure of our church’s weekly worship service. There are elements of Call and response, praise and adoration, Confession and repentance. These all help form and shape our spiritual lives.

We find in Anxiety a Liturgy of lies. We want to counter attack that liturgy with a liturgy of truth.

Prayer

You cast your anxieties on the Lord through Prayer. Take them to the Lord in prayer. We find in the scriptures that the God of the universe invites you to commune with Him. He wants you to talk to him. He wants you to bring him your concerns. He goes even further and promises you peace in exchange. Its in the text.

“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.” (Philippians 4:6–7, ESV)

He’s not like other people. People have limits. You cant cast your burdens on people because only God is strong enough to actually bear them. And only God is strong enough to lift them for you or give you the strength or the grace to carry them. Be mindful of the lyrics of that old song

Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness, Take it to the Lord in prayer

Singing

That’s a good Segway into the next way we cultivate seeds of truth through or personal and corporate liturgy, which is by Singing. The scripture doesn't suggest, but rather it commands us to Rejoice in the Lord always. And incase the point is lost upon the fist reading, scripture immediately doubles down and repeats the command.

Singing has been a part of the life of Gods people from the beginning. It is a means of grace and upon other things it is a way to engulf us in the the truths of God.

Musician Bob Kauflin reminds us that “we should sing words that God wants us to remember. It not only matters that we sing; it matters what we sing. And the words we sing have a far greater impact on us than most of us are aware. New Testament scholar Gordon Fee once said, “Show me a church’s songs and I’ll show you their theology.” And it’s true. Or as Mark Noll puts it, “We are what we sing” Words should be the first thing we consider when we think about what songs to sing when we gather as the body of Christ.

In Colossians 3:16 Paul tells us that we are to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” It is the Word of Christ, the Word about Christ, the Word of the gospel — not musical experiences or emotional highs — that are to dwell in us richly as we sing. There’s certainly a place for expressing our subjective responses to God in song, but the greater portion of our lyrical diet should be the objective truths we’re responding to: God’s Word, his character, and his works, especially his work of sending his Son to be our atoning sacrifice. That means the lyrics to our songs should reflect the broad themes of Scripture and not simply the themes we’re fond of.

So the question we need to ask today is this: if the teaching in our church was limited to the songs that we sing, how well taught would we be? How well would we know God? We should make it our aim not only to preach the whole counsel of God but to sing it, as well.”

Christocentric music helps remind us of the truths of God that we find in his word. It helps us to not only celebrate who He is but it also helps us fight against doubt and unbelief.

When I am faced with fear in my life God uses songs like No Weapon by one of my favorite musicians Fred Hammond. The Lyrics are a simple reminder that God will do what He said he will do in His word. The songs remind you that God can be trusted. That the enemy will not have the last say.

As a side note, this song is one of the “seven eleven songs" that some less gracious critiques complain about for singing the same things over and over.

Two quick things I would say to that. We see examples in the Bible of worshipers repeating the same truths over and over. I find what is being said is so powerful and so true and so beautiful, that it obviously bears repeating. The second thought I have is, who cares what they think and if they like it or not. They are not the ones the songs are written for. The things that matters is wether or not God finds it pleasant. Never-the less, I digress.

There are songs that are rich with truth that anchors us in the assurance that is found in Christ.

Songs like the song we just sang: Christ the sure and steady anchor

Christ the sure and steady anchor through the floods of unbelief

Hopeless somehow O my soul now lift your eyes to Calvary

This my ballast of assurance see His love forever proved

I will hold fast to the anchor it shall never be removed

There are songs that are full of reminders of God’s mercy and Love.

Songs like the song we are about to sing: His mercy is More

What love could remember no wrongs we have done

Omniscient, all knowing, he counts not their sum

Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore

Our sins they are many, his mercy is more

Call on the Church

These scriptures were not written to the individuals. They were instructions written to a body of believers. Yes they are to be observed when we are alone, but they are addressing the body.

We make war on fear and anxiety TOGETHER. I need to call on my brothers and sisters in the faith in my moments of weakness to remind me of what God has said when I am blinded or blind-sighted by this life. I also need to remind my brothers and sisters of those truths in my times of strength and clarity.

We all struggle. We all have blindspots and we all get have moments of weakness. But praise be to God that He does not leave us alone. Remember that you are not alone. You have God himself and the spirit of the risen Christ dwelling in you. But you also have me, and her and him. And I have you. So together let us

“Humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God”. Together let us “cast all our anxieties on him”. In community let us “be sober-minded” and “be watchful”. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:6–11, ESV)

Conclusion

Every believer by God’s power, can triumph over Anxiety by following these three steps

1. Identify the issues: Define, types

2. Expose and Uproot: Unbelief and idolatry

3. Cultivate seeds of truth: discern corresponding truth (fear to faith), employ corporate and Individual disciplines (mind renewal, prater, singing, liturgy, accountability