Fear Not! When You Are Anxious
Notes
Transcript
Motivated by Fear
Motivated by Fear
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. So the Lord God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”
Since the fall we have had the same reaction and motivator for how we live our lives - Fear
It is and has always been there - it has been the catalyst for so many actions and decisions we make
We have seen this manifested to the extreme over the last couple of years through the pandemic
It has placed a tight grip on so many and has led to record numbers of anxiety issues, depression, anger issues, and isolation
Over %63 of people have been diagnosed with anxiety issues
We were never meant to live this way
Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable. - Harry Emerson Fosdick
Over a hundred times throughout scripture it tells us to “fear not” in one form or another
Christ’s resurrection, Easter Sunday, proclaims that all our fears are defeated even the fear of death
This is what we celebrate today and everyday as disciples of Christ
The Spirit that raised Christ dwells in us and gives us the freedom
Thus the promise:
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.
So how do we live this? How do we find the freedom we all so desperately want?
Over the next weeks we will be journeying together on how to live a life based on faith and hope and not motivated by fear.
We will walk through the storms of anxiety and worry, anger and loneliness, felling overwhelmed and needing forgiveness.
We overcome all of this because He is risen, He is risen indeed.
Today we look at the core manifestation of fear - anxiety
Turn in your bible to Philippians 4 and follow along
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 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. Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Let’s pray
The antithesis of anxiety is peace
In this passage we find 5 things we can do that will lead us to peace.
1. Worry about nothing
Philippians 4:6 (CSB)
Don’t worry about anything,
It literally commands us to not worry
The scripture is filled with promise that we overcome every circumstance through Christ
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Our issue is we live in the “supposes”
Our lives are full of supposes. Suppose this should happen, or suppose that should happen; what could we do; how could we bear it? But, if we are living in the high tower of the dwelling place of God, all these supposes will drop out of our lives. We shall be quiet from the fear of evil, for no threatenings of evil can penetrate into the high tower of God. - Hannah Whitall Smith
If we truly are waling in faith - how can we worry
But when we feel it coming on...
2. Pray about everything
Philippians 4:6 (CSB)
Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition
Stop and pray right there
Nothing is to trivial or big for Christ to hear
Because of the resurrection we have unhindered access to Him - use it
When you have..
3. Thank God for all things
Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Thank him for the good and the bad
He uses it all
We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
This doe not mean everyhting that happens to us is good, but it promises God weaves it all together for our good
A thankful heart has little room for anything negative
So thank Him
The fact is we need to rewire our brains on how we think of things - which means we need to change the focus of our thoughts
4. Think about the right things
Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.
What we fill ourselves with is what we will flesh out
If you fill yourself with teacher stuff - teacher, doctor stuff - doctor, nothing - politician
Plant the right seeds and you get a garden - plant weeds and you get weeds
When think about the right things it will will translate into doing
5. Do the right things
Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
It all goes back to do things God way - leads to peace and freedom
Do things your way - bondage and fear
Fear Not!
Fear Not!
Are you facing fear today? Perhaps you are afraid of losing your job, of developing cancer or being left by your spouse. At times all of us experience fear. But don't allow fear to keep you from being used by God. He has kept you thus far; trust Him for the rest of the way.
- Woodrow Kroll
Through Christ- we have a pathway and a promise to peace
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
We must decide which way we will go
Today I invite you to choose peace
Let’s Pray