Overcoming Anxiety
The original messages were given in June 2012.
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1. What is fear?
- It is not a sin.
- It is a profitable emotion
- It is our danger button
2. Response to fear
3. The ultimate fear: Death
- Physical death- fear of pain and material loss (Hebrews 2:15)
- Soul death- fear of shame and embarrassment (Romans 8:15)
- Spiritual death- fear of separation from God.
4. Ways of coping with fear
- Avoidance
- Denial
- Suppression by various means
5. Ways of suppressing fear
- Covering fear by another emotion
- Anesthetizing with drugs, alcohol, or other addictive behaviours
- Controlling behaviours like Obsessive-compulsive behaviour, phobias, or worry
6. Four spiritual remedies to overcome fear
A. The knowledge of truth
“You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
“He (the devil) is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44
Some lies of the devil:
- “The Lord helps those who help themselves.”
- “You are too stupid to go to college.”
- “You are the product of your chemicals.”
- “Forgiveness is forgetting.”
“He sent His word and healed them.” Psalm 107:20
“Great peace have those who love your law.” Psalm 119:165
B. The practice of faith and courage
- Faith is the ability to trust or depend.
- It is an act of the will, whether conscious or unconscious.
- Faith has an objective and subjective component.
- Developmentally, faith begins with dependence on others…parents.
- Society views emotional maturity as the transfer of faith from others to self.
- The Bible views the emotional maturing process as a transfer of faith from others and self to God first.
- Fear challenges us to go back to our surest faith.
- If self reliance is primary, we are often limited by:
- Our ability to understand
- Our ability to see
- Our ability to control
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” – Proverbs 3:5
“When I am afraid, I will trust in You.” – Psalm 56:3
“The Lord is my rock.” – Psalm 18:2
- The amount of faith
- Faith is a muscle. It requires exercise to become strong.
- The dangers and conflicts of life should be viewed as trials of faith.
- How to get more faith
- Pray for it.
- Seek for it. Seek and you shall find.
- Knock for it. Knock and the door will be opened – Matthew 7:7
- How to seek for faith
- Focus on the truth
- Confess the truth
- Act on the truth
What you really believe is what you confess and act on
- Courage (boldness)
- Faith is an act of the will and courage is the emotional counterpart
- It gives peace that passes understanding
- Ask the Lord for courage and peace as often as you feel the need
A diagram to demonstrate peace that passes understanding
C. The practice of respect
- Respect is a fear word. Respect = look attentively.
- Why? There is a danger to be avoided.
- Respect is a positive protective fear
- A little fear in the beginning saves you from a big fear at the end!
- Respect is the fearful avoidance of devaluating
- The positive counterpart of respect is honour
- Honour is the loving practice of valuing
- There are three ‘respects’ to be observed in a relationship
- Respect of person. God values human life.
“He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker.” – Proverbs 17:6
Devalue People = Devalue God = Danger
- Respect for position (authority).
- God is the head of earthly authority
“He who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted.” Romans 13:2
Disrespect authority – Disrespect God = Danger
- Respect of performance. God has a standard for behaviour.
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil.” Isaiah 5:20
Disrespect God’s Standard =Disrespect God = Danger
D. The practice of love
- Love is a commitment to give a blessing.
- Operating in fear leads to self protection.
- Operating in love leads to selfless giving.
- How to move from fear to love
- Dedicate yourself (and your emotions) to love and serve God. – Romans 12:1
- When afraid, choose to practice the love of God through worship.
- Choose to love others for the sake of loving God.
