Believing Lies Causes Anxiety
Anxiety is often a symptom we believe the devil’s lies. God’s will for us is peace. Identifying why we are anxious is important. For example, if we fear unforeseen changes will send life spiraling out of control, we don’t believe a loving, trustworthy God is sovereignly in charge of all that happens to us.
We don’t believe we can do whatever God asks of us through Christ who strengthens us moment by moment (Philippians 4:13). Instead, we believe the lie that we are too weak and scared to do what God requires.
The faith key that unlocks the prison door of our self-imposed prison is to obey God when we are afraid. Replacing negative with positive thinking bathes our minds with I can instead of I can’t.
The Bible Helps Us Deal with Anxiety
Let’s consider the Bible on anxiety. We will explore how a healthy relationship with God and others reduces anxiety.
Trusting God Turns Anxiety into Peace
Trusting in God’s faithful care of His own greatly reduces anxiety. “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones” (Psalm 127:2 NLT).
That verse doesn’t excuse us from working. It tells us not to worry while we work. Whistling is better!
Anxiety weighs us down like a discharged soldier needlessly carrying 80 pounds in a backpack daily after leaving the Army. God never meant us to bear such emotional loads.
The Apostle Peter wrote, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV). Like UPS and FedEx workers, we should continually deliver our emotionally heavy packages to God’s doorstep.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7 NIV).
Every summer, I turn many of the tomatoes I grow into soup. Likewise, we must turn our anxieties into peace through prayer.
Our Emotional Stewing and Worrying Offends God
Psalm 139:23–24 suggests that holding on to our anxieties offends God, perhaps because we aren’t trusting Him. We repeat Adam and Eve’s original sin. They believed the serpent’s lie that God couldn’t be trusted.
The serpent made their living independently of God seem attractive. Such living is dangerous. Jesus suggested His return to earth would surprise the careless weighed down “with carousing, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life” (Luke 21:34 NIV).
God will not help those living independently of Him even though they anxiously search for him when they are in trouble (Proverbs 1:28, 31). Part of the curse of disobedience for Israel was suffering an anxious mind, a despairing heart, and eyes weary with longing (Deuteronomy 28:65).
Believers Help One Another Find Peace
“Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up” (Proverbs 12:25 NIV). Unkind words magnify existing anxiety, whereas kind, loving words buoy fear-oppressed hearts.
Demonstrating kindness to others significantly reduces our anxiety. It takes our focus away from ourselves and our troubles.
The positive influence we can have on anxious believers is another reason to love them as Jesus loves us (John 13:34–35). Loving words and deeds can lift others from emotional torture toward God’s peace. God’s consolation for those with great anxiety brings joy (Psalm 94:19).
Love Conquers Fear and Anxiety
God’s love replaces and conquers fear. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18 NIV).
Love is self-giving, whereas fear is self-protecting. As our love grows, our fear shrinks, like water displacing air in a glass.
How Our Love Grows
Love grows by feeding on and applying God’s word to our lives and trusting the Holy Spirit to produce His love through us (Galatians 5:22). Hearing God’s word without acting on it only increases our anxiety because His Spirit in us constantly reminds us that we are disobeying Him. Check out the Bible on Anxiety (Part One). See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.
See free spiritual growth resources for Christians at https://www.christiangrowthresources.com.
God has empowered me to write “His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength.” It’s a free evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship eBook. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead more than 3,196 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 9,019 people. I invite you to check it out.
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