Overcoming Anxiety

Worry is something we battle with, whether old or young.

• For some, because of their personality, they worry more than others.

• But the fact remains, every one of us worries about some things.

• Although we cannot eradicate it entirely from our experience, we can learn to handle it in the right way.

We are going to look closely at the reasons Jesus gives not to be anxious.

Three times in verses 25-34 Jesus says, "Do not worry."

• 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.”

• 6:30 “So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?’ or `What shall we drink?’ or `What shall we wear?’”

• 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Obviously from these words, anxiety can be overcome.

• And it is not the Father’s will for us to be enslaved by it.

• His desire is for us to have peace and assurance.

• That is why Jesus gives clear instruction how we can fight these thoughts.

The 7 Perspectives we need to have:

1. Life Is More than Food; the Body Is More than Clothing (v.25)

Don’t focus too much on the physical or material. Life is more than that.

The use of the words “more than” clearly implies there is something more important.

• In Luke’s version of this account, Jesus said something before this - Luke 12:4-5 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”

• In one breath, the Lord tells us about what NOT to worry and what we OUGHT to worry.

• Not to worry about food and clothing, but the one who can throw you into hell.

• What we should be concerned about is not food and clothing, but our spiritual life and the salvation of our soul.

Why? Because when this is taken care of, the rest will fix itself.

• When the spiritual is taken care of, the physical and material will not be an issue.

• We’ve found the source of all fulfilment in life.

• If God is your heavenly Father, literally, everything else can be taken care of.

• When our relationship with God is right, everything else can be made right.

2. You are More Valuable than the Birds that God Feeds (v.26)

6:26“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

Jesus gives us two premises here:

Premise (1): God is so completely in control of the natural universe that He can be said to feed the birds of the air.

• Every berry eaten or worm pulled from the ground is provided by God. He does that for birds.

• My first impression is: Can this be possible? Will God really bothers about such details?

• And then I remember Matt 10:30 where Jesus says “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” He is serious with us.

Premise (2): You are of more value to God than they.

• God values you more and is more committed to you, who worship and glorify Him, than He is to animals that have no ability to consciously adore Him.

• Apostle Peter says, you can “Cast all your anxieties on Him, BECAUSE He cares for you.” (1 Pet 5:7).

As if this is still not good enough for us, Jesus went on to convince us:

3. Anxiety Accomplishes Nothing (v.27)

6:27“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

Here is a simple, practical argument: anxiety does no good.

• It accomplishes nothing. It doesn’t help.

• Preach this to yourself: I am wasting my time and nothing has changed.

• “Worry is like a rocking chair; no matter how much you rock, you get nowhere.”

4. The Grass & the Lilies that God Clothes Last for a Day, But You Are Eternal (v.30)

6:30“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?”

We are valuable, but there is one added dimension here – we are ETERNAL.

• The grass and the lilies last for a day. And yet God takes effort to make them so beautiful, more beautiful than Solomon in all of his glamour.