Anxiety

From your friends at

Flaming Sword Communications Group

“a practical approach to faith”

1 Peter 5:7
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

This week’s THEOLOGICAL FOCUS is on ANXIETY

Anxiety is an integral catalyst for what can become a lethal chain reaction that can not only kill your soul, it can also kill you body, as well. Worry and anxiety are undoubtedly sinful and the bible speaks to this subject often. The enemy loves it when we worry about things because that means we’re playing on their turf—their home field. This is very dangerous, indeed.

Think of it like this … You would no more walk into a casino where if you played any of its games, you’d lose your life if you lost the game. That’s what can happen when you walk into Anxiety Casino. Worry and anxiety aren’t merely minor problems in our life. They can take our life and minimize our relationship with Jesus Christ. 

This is one of my (Wade’s) biggest spiritual challenges. For all of my life, I’ve been a bit of a “worrywart.” When I was younger, worrying seemed to be less difficult to deal with. But as I’ve gotten older, my need to overcome and defeat anxiety has greatly increased. I’m simply just not able to handle worry and anxiety like I used to be able to. I think that’s likely due to being weary from decades of spiritual battles.

I believe the core issue of the sin of anxiety is control. When we can’t control things, fear is always lurking nearby. Controlling every event in life is just not possible for a human being. Only God can truly control things. Because of this, it only makes sense that when we try to control events around us which are out of our control, we’re actually trying to play God. If you’ll check the first commandment in Exodus 20:3, you’ll see that God will not allow any other gods before Him. That includes me and it that includes you. 

God gives us the answer in Philippians 4:6 … “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

These days, when I’m feeling anxious, I try to not just sit on my duff and do nothing. I try to praise my way out of it. Gratitude, prayer, and praise are all part of the Christian antidote to anxiety. This has to be done every day, often multiple times. And oh-by-the-way, Jesus Himself had this to say about worry and anxiety:  Matthew 6:34 … Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Please consider the negative chain reaction formula below. Satan uses it against us. God gives us a way to deal with it, as stated above. It’s all just part of the spiritual war on our souls.

Have a great week!

Satan’s Formula:  Fear (a sin) => Stress (lack of control) =>
Anxiety (general feeling) => Worry (specific feeling)

 

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