Do Not Be Anxious

Introduction

​

God promises us a hope and a future, but the devil brings fear, worry, and anxiety. He uses these as his weapons of warfare to keep us from enjoying the fullness of God’s blessings.

“For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So, you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.”
—Colossians 2:9–10

“From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.”
—John 1:16

These emotions can overwhelm us to the point that we are not able to perform our daily duties; but God does not want us to be in that situation. He wants you to take steps to live fully in the abundant life that Christ gives us.

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
—John 10:10

To be candid, anxiety in one’s life reveals that one has not trusted God completely. Anxiety results from fears and worries of the unknown. We need to confess Christ as our personal Savior and surrender our hearts fully to Him. Commune with the Holy Spirit daily and let Him take over your life. He is willing to guide and lead you in the way you should go and the path you should walk. Walking with the Holy Spirit and listening to His voice is very important, and obedience to the Holy Spirit is vital in our walk with Him.

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.”
—2 Timothy 1:7

The Spirit of God that now lives inside of you is the Spirit of power and a sound mind, and does not fear.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
—Isaiah 41:10

Jesus counsels you when you are worried not to be afraid. Fear and worry make you anxious. “Fear not” is in the Bible 365 times, even one for a leap year. Father God has you covered every day, so yield to the spirit of trust. In the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord Jesus tells us not to worry five times.

​

“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
—Matthew 6:25–34

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
—Philippians 4:4–6

 

Antidote to Fear and Anxiety

The antidote to fear, worry, and anxiety is faith in God.

The Word of God tells us, instead of worrying, to “PRAY.” Pray to God, who hears and answers prayers. He is faithful, just, and true. He is our merciful Father and cares for us. Jesus is touched by the feeling of our infirmities.

“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testing we do, yet he did not sin.”
—Hebrews 4:15

He took our infirmities, sickness, and diseases and nailed them to the cross. He has done it all. It is finished. He took our pain. Satan is defeated.

Walk in the freedom where Christ has set us free. Walk in Christ’s victory over the powers of hell, secured for us on the cross. His victory is our victory.

“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 hope and a future.”
—Jeremiah 29:11

We will not be anxious if we trust God to handle our future, knowing that He has good plans and a purpose for us.

Give your worries to God and thank Him for His help in the past, present, and future.

Reading the Word, meditating on it, and praying will increase your faith in God. Faith is the antidote to fear. Faith in God gives us victory over all evil works.

“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.”
—Hebrews 11:1–2

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.”
—Psalm 94:19

Walking in God’s guidance and following the leading of the Holy Spirit frees us from the strain and stress of life. He is able to advance us in the right direction and helps us to win the battles of life that cause stress.

The Lord Jesus is the Good Shepherd who restores our souls. Let us make time to rest in His love, like John the beloved apostle. God is always watching over us. He desires to refresh and encourage our hearts, so learn to listen to God’s voice. Recognize distractions to His voice and reject them.

We cannot control the problems and situations that come our way, but we can determine our response to them, knowing that God is always near us.

God leads us through the valley and brings us out into the light.

 

Scriptures to Declare

Here are a few Scriptures to declare over yourself to defeat fear, worry, and anxiety:

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you.”
—Isaiah 26:3

“Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.’”
—Isaiah 35:4

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.”
—Isaiah 40:31

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” —Jeremiah 17:7–8

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.”
—Psalm 34:17

“The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands.”
—Psalm 138:8

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
—Proverbs 3:5–6

“The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
—John 4:18

Scriptures are from NLT unless otherwise stated.

​

​