Contrary to what many want to believe, people (saved and unsaved) will experience anxiety. The Bible instructs us “not to be anxious for anything.” However, there are times when we find this to be impractical and unrealistic. The standard sermon on anxiety runs something like this: it is a sin to worry, we shouldn’t do it but we do. Here’s the question. What do you do when a faith-believing child of God experiences anxiety? First and foremost realize that you can’t conquer that which you are ignorant of. So, what is anxiety and what causes anxiety? Webster defines anxiety as a painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind usually over an anticipated or impending situation or a strong fearful concern. Anxiety is often triggered by real and/or imaginary fears and stress in our lives. One may experience anxiety in the form of apprehension, uneasiness, fretfulness, and extreme concern over matters that are totally out of one’s control. Anxiety affects our whole being. It affects how we feel, how we behave and has very real physical symptoms; symptoms like:
·Excessive, ongoing worry and tension
·An unrealistic view of problems
·Restlessness or a feeling of being "edgy"
·Irritability
·Muscle tension
·Headaches
·Sweating
·Difficulty concentrating
·Nausea
·The need to go to the bathroom frequently
·Tiredness
·Trouble falling or staying asleep
·Trembling
·Being easily startled
This past week was very stressful for my co-workers and me. We were faced with a situation that was totally out of our control. While we encouraged one another, uneasiness, fretfulness, apprehension set in. I believe anxiety set in because we were no longer (for a moment) in control of our destiny; we were caught between a rock and a hard place; we were caught in the middle of bureaucratic garbage and could do nothing about it. This is where we find the people, the Israelites in our text this morning. They were caught “In the Middle” and anxiety set in. Let’s look at our text.
The Problem: The Passing Through. (Hebrew word for pass is ‘abar’) which means to crossover, move over, go through or away from. It means to go through a particular location and/or situation in order to get to the destined point. It also means to “go as far as.” Some of us have gone as far as we can go in the location in which we are in right now. God wants us to move onto a new location in order to get us to our destiny.
Many of us only look at the symptoms and never see the destiny thus anxiety births as it did for the Israelites. Too often we only look at the symptoms and never realize that God is right “In the Middle” of whatever we are enduring as He was for the Israelites. Our text displays three symptoms that the Israelites experienced. Let’s look at those symptoms.
The Symptom: Referred to as The Signs of insurmountable obstacles (Read Isaiah 43:2-3)
The waters – (The Red Sea)
The rivers – (Jordan River)
The fire – (Fiery Furnace – 3 Hebrew Boys)
Look at verse 2a: “When we pass through the waters, I will be with you….” Now to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the Israelites’ anxiety, we must cross reference verse 2 to Exodus 14. It’s in Exodus 14 where we see the first anxiety symptom exposed, ‘the waters.’ Leaving one dilemma now the Israelites face another obstacle, water. We know that water can be dangerous but water can also be refreshing. So the Living Water, allowed the Israelites to experience the miracle of to passing through the Rea Sea, the waters onto ‘dry land.’
Exodus 14:14 – “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” The Bible says, when you’ve done all that you know to do, just stand, be still and see the salvation of the Lord. In other words, we can stand right “In the Middle” of the mess and see the hand of God work the situation out for His glory and our benefit. For,
Exodus 14:19 – God will stand between my enemies and me. God doesn’t leave us to fight the battle, rather God is right there “In the Middle” holding back, fighting off the enemies’ attacks against us. Afterall, the enemy was to annihilate, destroy us. But God has our back.
Exodus 14:20 – God will keep watch over us even through the night. So instead of us experiencing restless nights, we can go to sleep and sleep peacefully because He who never slumbers or sleep is on guard and has everything under His control.
And because God is in control, any waters that we walk through are only ankle deep; ankle deep water can never consumed, never drown a child of God. We too will walk through the water on ‘dry ground’ and not sink (Exodus 14:21-22). God will assure that the water and land separates and not become muddy; thus we will not sink; we will walk through this ankle deep experience we are enduring. We can make it to the next level.
When we make it through the ankle deep experiences of our lives God wants to increase our faith in Him so he allows ‘the rivers’ of new trials and tribulations to form in our lives (as it did with the Israelites). Look at verse 2b, “and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.”
The Israelites made it through the Rea Sea (they had left their troubles in Egypt) but now they had another battle to go through. If they wanted to enter into the Promise Land, they had to cross the Jordan River. The Jordan River was the watery boundary to the Promise Land. But there was a problem; this land was inhabitant by multiple enemies. Turn with me to Joshua 3:10. Ten spies but only two returned with a favorable response. Eight of the 10 spies didn’t retain the beauty of the ankle deep experience. Instead they allowed what they could see with their natural eyes to overflow them. They allowed this incident to become a waist deep experience. So, when they gazed into the Promised Land, they forgot what God had already done for them.
Too often, we too forget what the Lord has done for us and rarely give God the praise (like the 10 lepers whom Jesus healed – only one gave thanks to Jesus). Instead of giving God praise, which enhances our faith, we fall prey to the attacks of the enemy. But I’m here today to tell you that the children of God will endure, but God’s presence is with us always. Oh yes, sometimes troubles come simultaneously; but, the rivers of financial hardship, rivers of unemployment, rivers of sickness and diseases will never overflow, overpower God’s people. Troubles may get harder, deeper, but God is right there, right “In the Middle” to carry us through. Look at Joshua 3:3
“When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it” (follow the ark which represented the presence of God.
Verse 17 states, “The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.”
Church, songwriter said:
Ain’t no mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough)
Ain’t no river wild enough - To keep me from you.
Church, we must remember that
Ain’t no mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough
Ain’t no river raging enough
To keep God from carrying us through our Red Seas and Jordan Rivers.
Church, we must remember that Jesus is our High Priest who’s right there “In the Middle.”
So once we cross the Red Seas, the Jordan Rivers, don’t think for a moment that the enemy is going to retreat. Oh no! He’s coming full force. Look at Isaiah 43:3c, “When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.”
This brings into my remembrance the story of the 3 Hebrew Boys. You know about them, don’t you? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. (Tell the story). They refused to bow to the king. (Read vs. 17, 24-27). The fire didn’t burn or scorch them because the Holy Ghost fire was right there “In the Middle” protecting them.
We too must have this type of faith and trust in God. Even if God doesn’t resolve our situation in our timing, still we must totally rely on Him.
Church, we addressed the problem (that is, ‘the passing through’) and the symptoms of their anxiety (water, rivers, and fire). God will never leave us hanging; He always had a closure to every problem, every situation. There’s nothing too hard, too impossible for God
The Solution to anxiety is found in our text. Whatever you may be enduring keep your eyes on Jesus. He’s right there “In the Middle” with you the entire time. Look at verse 3, “For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” This let us know that the One who sustains and keeps us, God Almighty is in control. Your problem hasn’t taken God by surprise; He knows all about it and has already worked out the problem. So, don’t dwell on the problem - forget about it and move on (Read vs. 18-19).
Remember, we serve a God who cares for that which He created. We are His creation, formed and shaped in His image and likeness. And God promises that He will never leave nor forsake us. He promised that we are the head and not the tail; the lender and not the borrower. God’s Word states, “I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread.” We will go without. Afterall, didn’t Jesus say, that I’ve gone to a place to make preparation for you? God is right there “In the Middle” leading and guiding us all the way.
See one day, Jesus too was caught “In the Middle” of turmoil. But Jesus rode it out; He didn’t give in nor did he give up. Even when those closest to Him betrayed Him and denied Him, Jesus didn’t experience anxiety; He rode it out.
Jesus – Our Jehovah Jireh who provides our every need (food, clothing, and shelter)
Jesus – Our problem solver and way maker
Jesus – The one who gives us peace in the midst of the Red Sea Storms
Jesus – Who leads us into all truth
Jesus – Our sustainer and keeper
Jesus – Who never slumbers or sleep
Jesus – Who commands the winds and the sea to be still
Jesus – Who knows about our troubles before they are even formed
Jesus – Who wars off the fatal attacks of the enemy
Jesus – who saved and keeps us from the power of sin and death
Jesus – Who extends mercy, lovingkindness, tenderness, healing and compassion
Jesus – Who is our shield, rock, defender, fortress, and hiding place
Jesus – Who restores, rescues, forgives and redeems us
Jesus – Who is mighty in all our battles and victorious over them all
Jesus – Our High Priest who is King of kings and Lord of lords,
Church, we may endure anxiety every now and then but don’t allow it to consume you. Remember God’s promise, “When we pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”
Church, Jesus is right there “In the Middle.” Will you let Him in your heart today?
