Defeating Anxiety: Trust and Obey

There’s a verse in Philippians 4 which can cause you to shake your head and say, perhaps sarcastically, “Yeah, right!” Here is how it begins: do not be anxious about anything. You probably know the verse; maybe you’ve heard sermons on it. Just telling you, “Don’t be anxious about it.” Or in today’s vernacular: “Don’t worry; be happy”—as though some well-crafted and well-meaning words can solve the problem!

And if you’re in a dilemma—one that bugs you to death and one you cannot get out of your mind—your response might be something like: Is that it? Is that all you’re going to tell me? Just “do not be anxious about anything”? Doesn’t seem like a very helpful formula for dealing with the anxiety that bombards your mind and your life right now, right?

What is anxiety, after all? Well, the American Psychological Association says anxiety is “a normal human emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like a faster heartbeat.” It’s associated with fear because fear is certainly a part of anxiety, but often it has a future aspect to it more than fear does. Fear can be more sudden and sometimes even helpful. But not anxiety; it’s nothing but trouble. It hangs around longer, creeps into your mind throughout your day, keeps you awake at night—a pesky, all-consuming emotion that seems unavoidable and can be very depressing.

But if you’re a Christ follower, you’re supposed to be able to deal with these emotional plagues and somehow, not worry and be happy, right? Is it really possible for you, because you are a Christian, to deal with anxiety according to what the Bible teaches? Do Christians have ways to cope with anxious thoughts and acute tension and depressed feelings that are available to us simply because we are Christians?

I’m sure you know I’m going to answer that question with a hearty, “Yes!” Yes, we have power to deal with anxiety in ways that are not available to unbelievers. We have the power of God’s Spirit alive in us. That’s how you know you’ve been born into God’s family—you have become a new creation and God’s Holy Spirit dwells in you. And that gives you an amazing advantage. Shall I quote a few verses that tell about this power?

Ephesians 3:16: …out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being…

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

Romans 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit strengthens your inner being—on the inside. That spirit of fear is not from God; you have a new spirit now, one of power, love, and self-discipline. And because of the Holy Spirit, you can—you should—abound in hope. And that kind of assured hope wipes our anxiety.

However, I can imagine you may be thinking that you know you have been born into God’s family through faith in Jesus as your Savior, but you still find yourself bombarded with anxiety at times. Why? What’s the answer?

It’s in that same verse in Philippians 4:6, which goes on to say: but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Paul gave us three things as the answer to anxiety: Prayer, petition, and thanksgiving. But they are just words on a page until you and I, as children of the Almighty God, learn to follow the formula and simply obey. Let’s take a look at those three words.

Prayer—Any time anxiety becomes an issue for a Christian, the first response must be prayer. The problem is, when you’re anxious you don’t feel like praying. How many times a day do you have to do something you don’t feel like doing? I could name a dozen things I do each day that I don’t feel like doing. In fact, I try to do them early each day so they’re behind me. Like, for instance, taking my vitamins. I hate taking my vitamins. They don’t go down easy;