The Most Important Response To Anxiety

Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. (‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭24-28‬ ESV)

Paul describes a life that had been -- both literally and figuratively -- storm-tossed on many occasions. His list includes a lot. It’s so much that it’s difficult to even establish a personal reference point with the totality of Paul’s suffering. Still, there is one thing that may connect, “And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” Think about the context of Paul’s statement for a moment. He was dealing with Christian people, but anxiety was still present in the management of his relationships.

Have you ever experienced a storm of anxiety?

Perhaps, you often awake in the middle of the night, your heart fluttering with images from your day. Thoughts pass through your mind at the speed of light... You are just now realizing, something you said was most likely misunderstood. You forgot to send an imperative reply text to your boss. In all the hustle and bustle of your week, you completely forgot to pay the utility bill. Suddenly, you have an awareness of what your rival’s social media post really meant. Though you went to bed with it far from your mind, you’ve awakened with a deep concern for what the people around you think about you. You’re tossing and turning, wondering how you will manage your debt if the economy continues to trend downward. Something is troubling you and now your soul is disquieted.

I wonder again, have you ever been storm-tossed by Anxiety?

If you have been — or are now — I invite you to take hold of this Scriptural proclamation by faith, “O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony…” (‭Isaiah‬ ‭54‬:‭11‬ ESV)

The word antimony may not be familiar to you, but its definition is quite powerful. The term represents a natural resource, which has a chemical property within it. Manufacturers use this chemical in flame-retardants. This insight brings to light what God is saying to you. He wants you to know, you may feel afflicted and storm-tossed, but, “I will not let your ship burn. You will not go down in flames!”

Take hold of that promise by faith, and find the same comfort that David did when he finally confronted the storm of anxiety in his soul, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted (storm-tossed) within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” (‭Psalms‬ ‭43‬:‭5‬ NKJV)

The most critical response to a storm of anxiety? Hope in God. Because when you choose this response, your ship will not go down in flames!

The One Thing You Should Take Away From THAT Day

"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 ‭NIV)

‬‬ Caleb was a man who knew God had a plan for his life. And, it was a good plan. A plan to prosper him! Now, therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim (GIANTS) were there, and that the cities were great and fortified... (Joshua 14:12 NKJV) But, on that day, the day God revealed his plan, humanity also started talking.

Have you ever experienced THAT DAY?

You know, "that day," when God was speaking so clearly but so was the enemy...

Heaven speaking on one side but humanity rebutting it on the other side. Maybe it was coming from a loved one, a friend, a well-meaning prayer partner, or your worst critic; but, you were hearing the plan of God and all others could hear and relay was the plot of the enemy. God was revealing that he had good things for you, yet the enemy was trumpteting through choruses of negativity, "The giants are too big! The enemy is too organized! We can't! We shouldn't! You can't! You shouldn't!"

You can relate to Caleb.

You can also probably relate to David. God telling you he desires to use you to kill giants, but others telling you the enemy will use the giant to kill you! You can relate to Joseph. God giving you dreams to celebrate. Others telling you, the manifestation of your dreams they will never tolerate. You can relate to Paul. Jesus telling you he will save you. Others telling you, you've done too much wrong to ever be called by God. But, you can also further relate to Paul, because you know, if you have surrendered to Jesus' invitation, "where sin abounded, grace abounded much more" (Rom 5:20) What we learn from Caleb, David, Joseph, and Paul about how to handle "that day" -- the ultimate takeaway from their experiences and examples:

---

Give more attention to the PLAN of God

than you give to the PLOT of the enemy.

---

Caleb said as much on his way up the mountain, "I will drive them (the giants) out of this land, just as the Lord said!" (Ref. Joshua 14:12)

Climb your mountain, Caleb!

Onward and upward!

God's Two-Word Command

Many times in Scriptures, there is a simple two-word command offered by God, "Fear not." Straight-forward. To the point. He is commanding in tone.

"Fear not."

It sounds simple enough.

But unfortunately, it is easier to quote this proclamation than to apply it and live by it's standard. The struggle relates to the reality that we would not need to abstain from fear if there were not something to fear. But, the good news is that when we have a relationship with our God who has told us not to fear, we then know that he is in us, with us, and for us. And, that impacts every facet of the natural with the truth of the supernatural.

Fear, upon arrival, brings with it emotional torment because fear is more than a mindset; it is a spirit. And, God has not given us that spirit. He has instead given us power, love, and a sound mind. May we utilize his power, embrace his love, and make decisions from the perspective of a sound mind that is not scrambled with confusion.

• God gave the command, "Fear not" because he knew himself to be greater than anything in the world that the enemy could ever use against his people.

We do not measure our faith by good days; it is proven by the bad happenstances. The places of discomfort are the areas where faith is always the most tested. Currently, we are in a season of borderline panic globally and faith is certainly being tested on all fronts. But, thankfully, we serve the God of all Creation who can speak, "Peace" to any storm.

Knowing this truth, During this current storm called coronavirus, which has brought with it a season of facing new levels of the unknown and battling challenges that our culture and society have never faced before, we invite you to join 3trees Church in twice-daily prayer times, 6 am and 8 pm (at your local time). While we are praying in secret moments of solitude, we are believing for the public manifestation of God's peace, presence, and grace on behalf of ourselves, our loved ones, and our community, nation, and world.

CONSIDER:

Isaiah 41:10, "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:13, "For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'"

2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Psalm 91, "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked... no harm will overtake you... no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With a long life, I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Jeremiah 29:11, "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."