The Shoes of Peace pt. 11

The battlefield of the mind

Sometimes in order to have peace you have to go to war.

5. Don’t be anxious-

Anxiety- fractured and divided thoughts.

fear, worry, dread

something you pay careful attention to

Anxiety is trying to overwhelm you, bully you and destroy you. Anxiety is trying to keep you from trusting God and to try and take control for yourself.

why should my heart fear what you have defeated

How do we stop being anxious?

Stop believing that you don’t have a choice. Stop taking it on as an identity. Stop calling it my anxiety and taking ownership of it.

Take thoughts captive- 2 Corinthians 10:5 “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”

Arguments= reasoning that is contrary to the Spirit. What if’s

High thing= pride, self reliance, control (think you know better than God)

Every thought= EVERY THOUGHT

Bring into captivity- Warfare mindset

c. Listen and obey

Jeremiah 38:19-20 “And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid/anxious of the Jews who have defected to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they abuse me.” But Jeremiah said, “They shall not deliver you. Please, obey the voice of the Lord which I speak to you. So it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live.”

Listen for the voice of God and obey

d. Confess anxiety as something that is not in line with God’s wil.

Psalm 38:17-22 “For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin. But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong; And those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied. Those also who render evil for good, They are my adversaries, because I follow what is good. Do not forsake me, O Lord; O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!”

e. Trust God

Isaiah 57:11-13 ““And of whom have you been afraid, or feared, That you have lied And not remembered Me, Nor taken it to your heart? Is it not because I have held My peace from of old That you do not fear Me? I will declare your righteousness And your works, For they will not profit you. When you cry out, Let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry them all away, A breath will take them. But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, And shall inherit My holy mountain.””

The closer you get to the Father and the more secure you get in your relationship with Him, the less anxiety will have a hold on you.

d. Focus on God

6. Pray/Worship-

7. Bring your needs to God

8. Be thankful

9. Think on good things! (What are you watching, reading, listening too, surrounding yourself with?)

10. Be a doer and not a listener. Knowing these things will not bring you peace. Applying them and putting them into action will!In