Combat Anxiety | Emotions | Pastor Rodney Thrift and Hannah Evors

Hannah Evors - November 13, 2023

EMOTIONS

Conquer Anxiety

Combat Loneliness, Conquer Anxiety, Choose Joy…

EMOTIONS: An emotion is a feeling such as happiness, love, fear, anger, or hatred, which can be caused by the situation that you are in or the people you are with.

Conquering Anxiety:

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Define ANXIETY:

ANXIETY: a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.

ANXIETY: a mental condition characterized by excessive apprehensiveness about real or perceived threats, typically leading to avoidance behaviors and often to physical symptoms such as increased heart rate and muscle tension.

SOUL TATTOO: Anxiety, don’t let the diagnosis define your identity.

2 Types of anxiety:

1.) Situational anxiety.

2.) Clinical anxiety.

2 Questions on anxiety?

1.) Is anxiety a sin?

Mark 14:32-33 (ESV) 32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.

Mark 14:32-34 (TMSG) They came to an area called Gethsemane. Jesus told his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him. He plunged into a sinkhole of dreadful agony. He told them, “I feel bad enough right now to die. Stay here and keep vigil with me.”

Luke 22:39-44 (ESV) 39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

2.) Is anxiety doubting God?

Matthew 6:34 (ESV) 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Four Thoughts on Anxiety:

1.) A God-given emotional response.

Anxiety is for our protection.

2.) A disordered physiological response that is not sinful.

Anxiety is clinical.

3.) A natural consequence of sin.

Anxiety is for conviction.

4.) A sinful response to God’s guidance.

Anxiety is a lack of faith.

Thought 1: Anxiety is for our protection.

Thought 2: Anxiety is clinical.

Thought 3: Anxiety is for conviction.

Romans 8:29 (NLT) 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

John 16:8 (NLT) 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

Thought 4: Anxiety is a lack of faith. or a lack of trust in God?

Psalm 56:3-4 (ESV) 3When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

Romans 14:23b (ESV) For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Hebrews 3:12 (NLT) 12 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.

Luke 12:22-30 (ESV) 22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

Psalm 139:14 (ESV) I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Working on my anxiety:

Am I listening to the TRUTH?

John 14:6 (ESV) 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.

Psalm 37:5 (ESV) Commit your way to The Lord; trust in him, and he will act.

Am I in COMMUNITY?

Galatians 6:1-10 (ESV) Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load. 6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT) 9 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.

What am I allowing IN?

Matthew 6:19-24 (ESV) 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Do I need PROFESSIONAL help?

Proverbs 11:14 (NKJV) 14Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

Proverbs 19:20 (ESV) Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

SOUL TATTOO: Anxiety, don’t let the diagnosis define your identity.