How to Have Victory over Anxiety

 

HOW TO HAVE VICTORY OVER ANXIETY

 

INTRODUCTION: This is a very important study. Every human being has experienced anxiety.

What is anxiety? It is negative thinking about persons, places, or things. If you are anxious, it reveals that your mind is distressed or that apprehension of danger or misfortune is tormenting you!  It can be lead by your emotions because of something in the past.

Anxiety is a form of fear. Usually an anxious person will say, “I’m afraid of what may happen.” Anxiety is attempting to forthtell, prophecy, cast a vision, and possible even put you in a trance about the possibility future, but not the true future itself.

Leviticus 19:26 ESV

²⁶ “You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not interpret omens or tell fortunes.

Leviticus 20:27 ESV

²⁷ “A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.”

 The future is not in the hands of your mind, or anxiety…. Its in God’s hand. 

Revelation 22:13-15 ESV

¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

READING: Matthew 6:33-34  “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. v. 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.”

1. WHAT CAUSES ANXIETY?

A. Lack of trust- Something from our past

B. Disbelief in Christ- Unwillingness to believe in Jesus

C. Temptations of Satan- James 1:13  

^“13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.”

D. Disappointment in circumstances and relationships

E. Unrest of the mind. Some people are tossed about in their minds like a boat in the sea.

F. Not seeing an all-sufficient God

G. Distorted situations

H. Wrong or miss information

2. HOW TO COPE WITH ANXIETY

A. Know that God has all things under control.

II Peter 3:7

“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

B. Psalm 37:39-40

“But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. v. 40, And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.”

C. Psalm 46:1-2

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. v. 2, Therefore will not we fear . . . (or be anxious)”

D. Learn to control the thoughts where anxiety breeds. Learn not to allow anxiety to be birthed. Anxiety mounts up in your thoughts and then flows out of your mouth. Once you speak aloud your fears, your doubts, your apprehensions, and your anxieties, you are enslaved by the words of your mouth.  Proverbs 6:2.  You are defeated and controlled by anxiety instead of by God’s Spirit through His Word.

E. Proverbs 21:23

“Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles (or anxieties).”

 Anxiety begins with thoughts. Your faith is as strong as the amount of God’s Word you have abiding inside of you. Jesus is the Word of God. When you receive Jesus, you receive a measure of faith. When you have that shield you can refuse to speak out negative thoughts.

F. Jesus says in Matthew 6:34 “. . . Take no thought for the morrow.” Philippians 4:19 “But my god shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

G. Many people experience anxiety for their families. They want them to be saved. God does too. His Word says that He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth. Paul told the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:31  “. . . Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Stand in faith against the devil for your loved ones. Refuse to think of them as anything but saved and serving God with their whole heart; then they will be saved.

H. Philippians 4:6  “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Matthew 21:22 “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

Mark 11:24  “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

I. Realize your need.

J. Vocalize your need. God has a lot to say about anxiety.

Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing . . .”

In Matthew 6, Christ says five times to take no thought about your stature, or well-being, etc.

{Matt 6:25 & Luke 12:22 (Life); 31 (eat); 34 (tomorrow);  Matt 10:19, Mark 13:11, Luke 12:11 (persecution)}

3. ANXIETY CAN CAUSE:

A. Mental upset and depression

B. Spiritual inadequacy

C. Domestic turmoil

D. Business failure

E. Physical illness—ulcers, cancers, etc.

Proverbs 17:22  “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones” (NKJV).

God’s Word is the answer to anxiety. It gives the courage to climb the most towering mountains. His Word will sustain us and soothe our anxieties.

Psalm 55:22

²² Cast your burden on the Lord,
    and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
    the righteous to be moved.

John 14:27 ESV

²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ⁷ casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

2 Timothy 1:7

⁷ For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].