Overcoming Anxiety

Matthew 6:25-33

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;

29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is,
and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows

that you need all these things.

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
NKJV

Psalm 55:22

22 Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; NKJV

Matthew 10:19

... do not worry about how or what you should speak... NKJV

Philippians 4:6

6 Be anxious for nothing,... NKJV

1 Peter 5:7

7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. NIV

To Overcome Anxiety -- Flee to Christ

John 15:4-5

4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit;
for without Me you can do nothing.
NKJV

Philippians 4:13

13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. NKJV

Go back to Matthew 6
1) Life consists of more than these outward concerns.

Wear, eat drink, shelter
If He created you, He can sustain you.

2) God cares perfectly for lesser creatures like birds and flowers, and it should be obvious that He can care for you.

Colossians 1:16-17

16 Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see — kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. 17 He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.

NLT

Matthew 10:29-31

29 Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.

30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.

31 So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.
NLT

3) Worry doesn’t have the capacity to change anything

Matthew 6:27

27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? NIV

4) Your worry is a road sign pointing to a deeper problem: unbelief

Matthew 6:30

30 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, O you of little faith!

When you are anxious, you are doubting the perfect character of God.

You are saying, “God, you can’t handle this.
You are either too weak, uninterested, unloving,

or not smart enough to take care of my life.

I have to take care of this for you. God, you can’t be trusted.”

5) When you are anxious, you are elevating your thoughts and abilities to a godlike position and this is pride.

1 Peter 5:5-7

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. NIV

Out of pride, our anxiety is many times caused by “Desire for Control”

1 Chronicles 29:11

Yours is the mighty power and glory and victory and majesty. Everything in the heavens and earth is yours, O Lord,
and this is your kingdom.
We adore you as being in control of everything.
TLB

Where it all began

Gen 3:5

For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened,
and you will be like God,
knowing good and evil."
NKJV

You can’t trust God.
He hasn’t given you everything you need. You need to take things into your hands. You need to be in control.
Then you will be happy.

When we seek to be like a god in this way, we’re acting just like Satan. He wanted to be in control.

Rather than being content to let God be in control, we now seek to control people’s hearts,
the outcome of events,
and our future.

We do this because we’re afraid of what will happen if we just trust and obey.

2 Chronicles 14:11

"O LORD, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty!
Help us, O LORD our God,
for we trust in you alone.
NLT

Psalm 9:10
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD,
have never abandoned anyone
who searches for you.
NLT

Psalm 22:4-5
Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them.

You heard their cries for help and saved them. They put their trust in you
and were never disappointed.
NLT

Psalm 28:7

The LORD is my strength,
my shield from every danger.
I trust in him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. NLT

Isaiah 12:2

Surely God I my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD,
is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. NIV

6) When we worry we’re acting like orphans;
we’re forgetting that God is our Father.

Matthew 6:31-32

31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. NIV

Romans 8:31-32

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare His own Son,
but delivered Him up for us all,
how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? NKJV

5) Worry proves that we’re headed in the wrong direction.

Matthew 6:33

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things
shall be added to you. NKJV

Luke 10:40-42

40 But Martha was distracted with much serving,
and she approached Him and said,
"Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."

41 And Jesus answered and said to her,
"Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.

42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
NKJV

Martha was worried about putting lunch together for the One who made lunch for 5,000 people from almost nothing.

There is a difference between trying to be responsible, as
an act of joyful worship,
and worrying about the outcome of your labors.

6) You can’t do anything about what might happen tomorrow.

Matthew 6:34

34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. NIV

James 4:13-15

13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."

14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life?
You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

15 Instead, you ought to say,
"If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." NIV

Philippians 4:6-9

6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs,
and don't forget to thank him for his answers.

7 If you do this, you will experience God's peace,
which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet
and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.

8 And now, brothers, as I close this letter, let me say this one more thing: Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right.
Think about things that are pure and lovely,
and dwell on the fine, good things in others.
Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about.

9 Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.
TLB

7) Sometimes our anxiety comes because we are trying to please someone and are afraid we will fail or disappoint them.

or because we are afraid of someone.

Who are we trying to please?

John 12:42-43

Yet at the same time many
even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees
they would not confess their faith
for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;

for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. NIV

How do we overcome the fear of man?

1) God has called me to be a servant, not one who is owed praise or adoration

Luke 22:25-26

25 And He said to them,
"The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them,

and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.'

26 But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you,
let him be as the younger,
and he who governs as he who serves. NKJV

Matthew 23:11-12

11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. NKJV

2) I have been commanded to love and appreciate others, not to be loved or appreciated.

John chapter 13 and chapter 15

2 Corinthians 2:8

8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. NKJV

3) My desire for the praise of man is just that: a desire. It isn’t a need. Everything that I truly need has been given to me in Christ.

Luke 22:29-30

29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me,

30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." NKJV

2 Peter 1:2-3

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you
in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

3 as His divine power has given to us all things
that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, NKJV

2 Corinthians 9:8

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things,

may have an abundance for every good work. NKJV

4) I need to be focused more on being thankful for what the Lord and others have done for me.

Psalms 28:7

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. NKJV

5) I must seek to lay down my life in response to God’s loving kindness.

Luke 9:23-24

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,
and follow Me.

24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. NKJV

6) The desire for praise is an avenue for sin that I must guard against.

The book of Esther

Matthew 27:18

18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. NKJV

7) When I believe that I need praise, appreciation, or acceptance from others I become enslaved to their opinions.

That slavery will hinder my ability to speak the truth in love to them.

John 12:42-43

Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him,

lest they should be put out of the synagogue;
43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. NKJV

We need to learn to live for an audience of “one”.

1 Samuel 2:30

Those who honor me I will honor, NIV

John 12:26

If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. NKJV

Romans 2:7

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality,
he will give eternal life.
NIV

1 Peter 1:7

that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, NKJV

1 Corinthians 4:5

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes.
He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts.
At that time each will receive his praise
from God.
NIV

Proverbs 29:25

The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.
NKJV

We need to repent of the sin of “perfectionism”. We stand in the righteousness of Christ, not our own.

1) Everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:23

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, NKJV

2) There is no person on earth who is righteous
and who continually does good and never sins.

Romans 3:10

10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; NKJV

Ecclesiastes 7:20

20 For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin. NKJV

3) The Scripture insists that we are all the prisoners of sin.

Galatians 3:22

22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ

might be given to those who believe. NKJV

4) In God’s sight, no one is righteous.

Psalms 143:2

2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no one living is righteous. NKJV

We need to understand the process of sanctification.

You need to ask,

Romans 8:29

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,

Romans 8:33-39

33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

34 Who is he who condemns?
It is Christ who died,
and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers,
nor things present nor things to come,

39 nor height nor depth,
nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. NKJV

“Is this standard something that will really matter in Eternity.”

“Does God command that it be this way, or is this standard really my personal preference?”