The Cause of Anxiety
Lies cause anxiety. Lies that reside within produce fearful thinking. Truth brings confidence and healing. The Lord Jesus sees our life from His perspective and He tells us to not worry or fear. We are told to not worry or fear for two very important reasons. First, our lives, from birth to death, are in His hands. And second, if we are born-again Christians, He is making all things work together for our good. Carefully read the following scriptures.
Isa 46:3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the
house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from
the womb:
4 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I
have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Anxiety Has The Power To Rule
Everybody experiences anxiety at one time or another. However, the kind of anxiety that debilitates or controls is not normal or acceptable. Anxiety should not control our decisions or our behavior. We are called, by God, to live lives in peace, the peace that comes from knowing and walking in truth. Anxiety, if not challenged by a renewed mind, has the potential to grow and assume a ruling position within our personality; it will have final say about our attitudes and our behavior.
Anxiety is A Lie
Anxiety is produced by a lie and has a message of fear and torment. It controls through coercion and threats. If we do this, then that will happen. It is a message of intimidation.
As Christians, faith rules our thinking and behavior, not fear or intimidation. We trust Christ and act on His Word. Anxiety denies the character and trustworthiness of God and the truthfulness of His Word. Anxiety denies reality, as God describes it.
Anxiety denies God's protection, His direction, His purpose, His goals, and ultimately His Lordship. God has a plan for our life, He has people for us to meet, He has tasks for us to perform, and He gives us talents and abilities for His use. But anxiety will not allow God to direct our lives according to His will. We become too fearful.
An Emotional Disconnect
Fearful thinking patterns make their appeal to the emotions and the result is anxiety and fearfulness. Anxiety is the result of an inward message of fear. Intellectually we may understand the promises and encouragements of Scripture, but emotionally we cannot relate to them. Chronic, life controlling anxiety is the result of a disconnect between the truth of God's Word and our emotions. To be emotionally healthy we must be intellectually and emotionally dependent on the promises of God. Chronic anxiety will not allow us to relate emotionally to what God says. His Words do not affect us for we are not emotional dependent on Jesus Christ and what he says! If we say we are in relationship with Jesus but we are not receiving hope , peace and strength from that relationship, then we are kidding ourselves, our relationship is not with Jesus, but with our own fearful nature.
PS 37:37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
Peace is the result of being emotionally dependent on Jesus.
Do you emotionally demand their own concept of security, rejecting what God says about the security He provides? Do you have your own definition of safety? Do you have expectations that are a fruit of your own perceived needs.,/p>
Is your life really about your own definitions, and is your anxiety a natural outcome of your own definitions of reality?
Their heart is to define and control, the heart of Jesus is to submit.
Therein lies the problem. Emotions that are dependent on our definitions are the root cause of our problems. Hearts that must define and control do not allow God to define nor control, and can never relate to God or what He says. They will not believe what he says, even though they have the power to believe. Every Christian has the power or ability to believe God. Every Christian is given a measure of faith. We become guilty of not accepting His Lordship when we will not allow His Word to rule over our intellect, our emotions, and our will.
When we define what is important and true, we define reality. Real wisdom allows God to define reality, and real wisdom listens to what God says. If we do not accept His direction, wisdom, or counsel, we maneuver ourselves into a godlike position, i.e., we can be happy and fulfilled only if we control life to our satisfaction. Is that what you really want? If you want God to be in control then you must come to the place where God has the final word in all matters of life, values and behavior. In short, we must allow the Lord Jesus to define reality! Our dependence on Him and what He says, is the only way we can effectively allow Him to be God over us. As we become thankful, and emotionally fulfilled, by the work of Christ, we become able to manage our lives and bring ourselves to a place of spiritual/ mental and emotional health.
