Mind Games part 2: ANXIETY
THE DEVIL LOVES ANXIETY…
BECAUSE IT IS A PERFECT WAY TO PUSH OUR BUTTONS!
1 Peter 5:8
8 Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walketh about AS a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
ANX- “I” -ETY
“I” am always in the center.
WHEN YOU TRY TO:
- FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF
- DO IT YOURSELF
- FREE YOURSELF
YOU will ALWAYS stay ANXIOUS.
1 Peter 5:6
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Philippians 4:6a NKJV
6a Be anxious for nothing…
It is not a sin to have anxiety. IT IS a SIN to BE anxious.
ANXIETY IS NOT A SIN …. It is a SIGNAL!
1) ANXIETY IS A SIGNAL TO
Philippians 4:6
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
IF IT IS BIG ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT, PRAY ABOUT IT INSTEAD.
“Worry” is your prayer
PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS.
THE SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IS “I” CHANGE.
When we go to the Lord during times of anxiety - We go to be changed.
Matthew 11:28
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
In prayer there is an exchange.
Philippians 4:6
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
2) ANXIETY IS A SIGNAL TO
- JESUS went off to a SOLITARY PLACE…
- JESUS had to have a SABBATH TO PRAY…
- JESUS needed to TAKE A PAUSE…
2 Chronicles 20:3
3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
2 Chronicles 20:12 - 13
12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.
13 And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
Psalm 46:10
10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
2 Chronicles 20:15 - 17
15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.
THE DEVIL
THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD, so do not MOVE SO QUICK, YOU DO SOMETHING OUT OF FORMATION.
3) ANXIETY IS A SIGNAL TO
2 Chronicles 20:21 - 22
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.
22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
THEY DID NOT PRAISE AFTER VICTORY!
They praised every step of the way!
1 Peter 5:7
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
“CASTING THE CARE” was NOT the COMMAND… IT IS THE RESULT…
- Before that it is HUMBLE YOURSELF!
~ IT was an OPPORTUNITY to RESPOND in PRAISE!!! ~
Philippians 4:4 - 7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Most of anxiety comes from decisions or unknown results.
Acts 16:22
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
Acts 16:25
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
THE KEY THAT UNLOCKS WHAT YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT IS YOUR
- there was a prayer!
- there was a pause!
- there was a praise in response!
It is not until you are fully submissive to a good, right, and soverign king that you will find FREEDOM FROM YOUR ANXIETY…
- if your decisions
- if your week’s schedule
- if your wallet
- if your way of doing things
are NOT UNDER HIM… then YOU are STILL the CENTER of YOUR LIFE…
AND THAT IS GOING TO LEAD TO ANXIETY….
PUSH ~ PRAYER ALIGNS OUR HEARTS TO HIS…
PAUSE ~ WE listen to Him, wait for Him, follow Him, serve Him…
PRAISE ~ OUR PRAISE CONVERTS OUR ANXIETY INTO POWER!
15 DECLARLARATIONS AGAINST ANXIETY
1. I Cast My Cares on the Lord: “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
2. I Trust in God’s Plans: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
3. My Mind is Guarded in Christ: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
4. I Have the Spirit of Power: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
5. My Strength Comes From the Lord: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.” (Psalm 28:7)
6. God Is My Refuge: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
7. I Will Not Be Anxious: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
8. I Am Victorious in Christ: “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)
9. I Receive Christ’s Peace: “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.” (John 14:27)
10. God Will Sustain Me: “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved.” (Psalm 55:22)
11. The Lord Is My Light: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)
12. I Am Content in All Circumstances: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
13. The Lord Is With Me: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
14. I Am More than a Conqueror: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)
15. God’s Love Casts Out Fear: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18)