DEALING WITH STRESS

You guys know how I like watching off-grid survival shows. Shows about man vs. nature. Shows about coming up with industrious ways of providing for yourself, etc. I love the struggle of human nature, the body and the mind and how to live to its fullest capable potential.

Of late I watch a 7 part program from about five years ago and it was one season with 9 people working together to get back to civilization from the jungle with a few supplies, a map, compass, etc.

Only five made it, the others quit along the way mainly from sickness and fatigue.

The really interesting thing was as they returned finally after 29 days I believe. Everyone of them realized this, after living off the land, after to struggle and just trying survive and work on the basics - their entire attitude as to what was important changed.

Several found they were closer to God than ever, all of them said how much they appreciated their families, mothers and fathers, the small things in life.

The luxuries and gifts we have also come with a burden - they have come with an anxiousness and a burden. To let go of some of it, and the expectations of having or using them for happiness.

It is causing strain. It is causing stress and with the summer coming, these expectations and especially the disappointment of when they do not come through can cause some more stress.

Matthew 11:28–30 AV

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Isaiah 26:3–4 AV

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Whether you are in the ministry, the military, the medicine field, the mobile home, the Mercury Monarch, the mission field, the mundane times, or the merry times, all can be stressful.

You can have money and have stress, you can be poor and have stress. You can be the greatest in your field or not the greatest and both places have stress.

Some like in the country, while others like it in the city, but they all can have stress.

Some live in an area where everyone lives how they want, loud music, broken down cars in the front yard, people out in the street until 3 in the morning, and other places people live, you have to paint your house a certain way, you have to park your car in a garage at night, you must have your curb painted, you must not mow your lawn after 5:00 pm.

My point is that no matter where you are in life you and I both can have stress.

It comes in many shapes, forms, sizes, and colors. It can come from different places, expected places and unexpected places where you didn’t know it would come from. I don’t want to get caught up tonight in defining your place of stress, rather I want to talk about the stress itself.

Work per se, in not tension.

Fatigue under control is not tension

The fundamental cause of strain is to be found in the mind and not in the body.

I. Sources and Causes of Stress

A. A sense of Inadequacy

The more conscious we are, the more we stain and strive to supplement our lacks

The Perfectionist suffers most from an overdeveloped sense of duty

It is true that you and I are inadequate to get to heaven, that all of our works are as filthy rags, there is no good thing in us.

But we must understand that God is able and willing, and has given you and I everything we need, equipped us with all the necessities for living this life.

We must get rid of this attitude of inadequacy in general that stresses us out.

B. An attitude of anxiety

The habit of worrying over things beyond our power or control

Mt 6:25-34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof

C. A condition of fear

Some people of nervous temperament are afraid of everything

Psalm 27:3 AV

Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

Psalm 118:6 AV

The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

D. A wrong attitude to Others

Philippians 2:3 AV

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

II. Some of the Results of Stress

When we live under tension, other know and feel it, and we are unable to impart spiritual life to the atmosphere.

A. Physical problems

The man in the street knows that ulcers and mental stress are closely related

The outraged nervous system take revenge on uf for submitting to strains God never intended us to carry

B. Mental turmoil

Inner tensions inevitably produce mental unrest and turmoil

The mind is unable to give undivided attention to the things of the Spirit

During prayer time, thoughts become uncontrollable

During sleep the body evidences the restlessness of the mind

C. Spiritual Depression

How can one but be depressed when body and mind form an alliance against the Spirit

Our adversary brings our sensitive and hard working soul unto spiritual bondage

III. Some medicine for deliverance from Stress

Let God take from our lives the strain and stress and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of His peace.

A. Rediscover God

- Nothing less will meet the deepest need of our complex personality. God Himself is the answer. What we need is a fresh revelation of Him (El shaddai) God all-sufficient. We look at God as too small. We must discover a larger God. We will discover a larger God through meditation on His Word. Thee is no easy shortcut.

Ephesians 1:3 AV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

2 Peter 1:3 AV

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

1 Corinthians 3:21 AV

Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

God knows what He will have to do to provide

B. A Recognition of Self

- Recognize that God knows our load limit – 1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Realize that you can be all God intended you to be

C. A Renewal of the mind

Ephesians 4:23–24 (AV)

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

There must be a change of attitude. As long as the mental attitude remains unchanged, the tension will continue. Realize God’s grace is sufficient. 2 Cor 12:8-9 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

We must take our eyes off self and let them be fixed on the God

D. Regular Relaxation and Quietness

Psalm 46:10 AV

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

This is a needed prescription. Jesus impressed upon the disciples the necessity of coming apart for relaxation – Mark 6:30-34

o Relax with your wife

o With your children

o Relax at work or at school

o Learn to relax in the ministry

E. Relinquish authority

You can’t do everything yourself, delegate it to someone else.

Sometimes we just don’t want to give it up.

Learn to trust others

o Learn to allow others to help you

o It is pride that will usually not allow us to allow others to help and that my friend, pride is an abomination to God

- We need to learn to:

o pace ourselves

o allow others to help us

o get to know God

o treat others well

o spend time in quiet prayer

o quit the worrying

o quit giving room for the devil

Have you been allowing stress to get a hold of you, have you been allowing it to control your moods, your feelings, your reactions, before you know it can take you over and finish you out.