Three Affects of Anxiety and How to Fight Them.
Today Americans, and yes Christians included, spend billions of dollars on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medicines. Many Christians suffer from anxiety of various kinds, and my concern is that many believers do not have the spiritual armor necessary to fight the anxiety battle and win. The word anxiety or worry is used over 45 times in the New Testament and means to be pulled in two different directions at the same time. Consequently, anxiety can truly be debilitating. Without the right tools, it is easy to fall prey to its power. There are at least three definite affects anxiety has on the Christian that we need to be equipped to fight.
The first is the fact that worry actually changes our focus. Remember the instance when Mary, Martha, and Lazarus invited Jesus to their house in Bethany? It was a visit involving a meal and Martha was pre-occupied in the kitchen nervously preparing the food while Mary was pre-occupied worshiping her Master in the other room. Then Martha burst on the scene and demanded that Jesus tell Mary to help her get the food on the table. Jesus response was simple yet profound. He said,
Martha, Martha you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary, Mary has chosen the good portion.
Anxiety had shifted Martha's focus from Jesus to food, and that is a problem! So how can we fight the temptation to shift our focus off Christ? Jesus actually said Mary had made a better choice than Martha. If it is a choice then you can make that choice as well. In other words it’s not out of our control but within our control! Peter said it best,
The first is the fact that worry actually changes our focus. Remember the instance when Mary, Martha, and Lazarus invited Jesus to their house in Bethany? It was a visit involving a meal and Martha was pre-occupied in the kitchen nervously preparing the food while Mary was pre-occupied worshiping her Master in the other room. Then Martha burst on the scene and demanded that Jesus tell Mary to help her get the food on the table. Jesus response was simple yet profound. He said,
Martha, Martha you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary, Mary has chosen the good portion.
Anxiety had shifted Martha's focus from Jesus to food, and that is a problem! So how can we fight the temptation to shift our focus off Christ? Jesus actually said Mary had made a better choice than Martha. If it is a choice then you can make that choice as well. In other words it’s not out of our control but within our control! Peter said it best,
"Cast all your anxiety upon Him, because he cares for you." (I Pet. 5:7)
Secondly anxiety chokes the power of the Word of God in our lives. Worry will actually limit or stop your ability to grow and mature in the faith. In the parable of the four soils in Matt 13:1-23 Jesus describes how each soil responded to the seed of the sower planted. In this third soil Jesus said one seed was planted among the thorns and that,
......this is the one who hears the word, but the cares (anxieties) of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
Notice the two key issues which makes the Word unfruitful in your life? Mark them down and don't ever forget them! When you permit the cares of the world to weigh you down, the Word of God will lose its power to change you from the inside out. You can only internalize one thing at a time! Look at the second choking issue. The Lord identifies the deceitfulness of riches. When money ceases to be a tool and becomes a priority in itself, it will choke out all other influences. The end result is that you cannot grow when spiritual oxygen is being cut off! There's a third and final issue.
The final issue is that anxiety challenges a believer's faith in Christ. The fact is that your faith cannot co-exist alongside worry. In keeping with the definition of worry, the Christian simply cannot go in two directions at the same time. In the story of Jairus in Mark 5, Jesus was on the way to the synagogue ruler's house to heal his one and only daughter when Jesus was halted in his tracks with someone else's need. During this interruption a servant came from the ruler's house to give him the devastating news that his daughter was no longer sick but that she had actually died. At the moment that those words fell on his ears, Jairus heard someone else speaking to him. It was Jesus. Jesus overheard the servant and spoke directly to Jairus with his two options, and these options are each of our options when our faith is overwhelmed. Jesus said,
Be not afraid, only believe. (Mk 5:36)
Anxiety challenges your faith with fear, doubt, confusion, and uncertainty. There is only one response when our faith is directly challenged, and that is to simply believe the Word of God. When belief is coupled with what Paul the apostle says in Phil 4:6-7 you will have everything you need in your possession to win the battle fully and finally. Paul said here,
Secondly anxiety chokes the power of the Word of God in our lives. Worry will actually limit or stop your ability to grow and mature in the faith. In the parable of the four soils in Matt 13:1-23 Jesus describes how each soil responded to the seed of the sower planted. In this third soil Jesus said one seed was planted among the thorns and that,
......this is the one who hears the word, but the cares (anxieties) of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
Notice the two key issues which makes the Word unfruitful in your life? Mark them down and don't ever forget them! When you permit the cares of the world to weigh you down, the Word of God will lose its power to change you from the inside out. You can only internalize one thing at a time! Look at the second choking issue. The Lord identifies the deceitfulness of riches. When money ceases to be a tool and becomes a priority in itself, it will choke out all other influences. The end result is that you cannot grow when spiritual oxygen is being cut off! There's a third and final issue.
The final issue is that anxiety challenges a believer's faith in Christ. The fact is that your faith cannot co-exist alongside worry. In keeping with the definition of worry, the Christian simply cannot go in two directions at the same time. In the story of Jairus in Mark 5, Jesus was on the way to the synagogue ruler's house to heal his one and only daughter when Jesus was halted in his tracks with someone else's need. During this interruption a servant came from the ruler's house to give him the devastating news that his daughter was no longer sick but that she had actually died. At the moment that those words fell on his ears, Jairus heard someone else speaking to him. It was Jesus. Jesus overheard the servant and spoke directly to Jairus with his two options, and these options are each of our options when our faith is overwhelmed. Jesus said,
Be not afraid, only believe. (Mk 5:36)
Anxiety challenges your faith with fear, doubt, confusion, and uncertainty. There is only one response when our faith is directly challenged, and that is to simply believe the Word of God. When belief is coupled with what Paul the apostle says in Phil 4:6-7 you will have everything you need in your possession to win the battle fully and finally. Paul said here,
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God which passes understanding shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus"
Lift your heart up to God and ask Him for your needs. Bring your anxieties directly to the one who knows what you need right now. Cast all your anxieties upon Him! Believe Him! He promises a peace that will replace your anxiety that is beyond human comprehension. This is something anxiety meds cannot ever provide you and its free to each of us.
Are you a victim or victor over worry in your life? Maybe you are in the fight right now. Victory comes one win at a time and one step at a time. Use the tools God has provided and begin winning the battle over anxiety today!
Are you a victim or victor over worry in your life? Maybe you are in the fight right now. Victory comes one win at a time and one step at a time. Use the tools God has provided and begin winning the battle over anxiety today!
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