Intro: How many of you woke up today and said to yourself, “Today self I think I will have a hot cup of anxiety, some fried anxiety as well as a piece of toasted anxiety.”
Well of course probably none of you!
But the reality is that anxiety as we commonly use the term is a part of many Americans as well as many Christian lives.
What a relevant encouragement, “be anxious for nothing.”
Anxieties, worry, and fear, are all too common problems.
Many people today are overpowered and oppressed by the hound of anxiety. It is either biting at your heels or howling hungrily as it chases you to weariness and exhaustion.
According to the Maryland Medical Center anxiety affects some 23 Million Americans each year.
So what is the cause of anxiety?
I. The Cause of Anxiety
A) Fear of things we cannot Control
1) The Unknown
2) The Future – You can’t be faithful today if you are fretting about tomorrow
3) The worries of life
Luke 21.34 “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap.”
B) Trying to bear our burdens alone
1) We were not designed to carry our burdens alone
2) We were designed to worship not worry
Corrie Ten Boom “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”
1) It steals the strength of our worship
2) It steals the strength of our service
Remember John 10.10 “the thief comes to steal.” Anxiety and burdens are a device of the devil.
3) To be anxious means to be troubled with cares.
It is obvious in Paul’s teaching in this passage he was remembering Jesus’ teaching.
Matthew 6.25-34
3 times Jesus said do not worry, using the exact same Greek word Paul used in Philippians.
a) The word anxiety in the Greek can mean to be troubled or weighed down with cares.
b) The weight of anxiety doesn’t have to be ours alone
Matthew 11.28 “Come to me all who are wear and heavy-laden and I will give you rest.”
Jesus promises to take the burdens of worry, anxiety, and give us rest from the pressures of this life.
Peter reminds us we have someone to turn to when life seems to overwhelm us.
1 Peter 5.7 “Casting all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you.”
` Worry is futile, it is faithless, it is sin.
A preacher once said,
“Worry is sin because it denies the love of god; it says He does not know what He is doing; it denies the love of God; it says He does not care. And it denies the power of God; it says that He isn’t able to deliver me from whatever is causing me to worry.”
What is the secret of not having anxiety, it is not a secret it is simply seeking God’s kingdom first.
Matthew 6.33 “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” (Jesus said don’t worry seek God)
What things? Life, Clothing, Food, Physical needs.
So what is the Cure for Anxiety?
Seeking God’s Kingdom by making a choice, and a commitment
God never desired for us to be discouraged by the cares of life. He did and does want us to know that He is able to care for us.
II. The Cure for Anxiety
“Be anxious for nothing”
A) Make a choice
Paul uses a present imperative which is telling us “stop being anxious”
1) Realization God is in control
a) He is Sovereign
Sovereign: One that exercises supreme, permanent authority,
b) He is Supreme
Greatest in power, authority, or rank; paramount or dominant.
2) Realization God is capable
Anxiety, fretting does nothing but steal your faith, fretting shows we trust our strength, not the mighty hand of God.
So it is our choice to trust in the protection, and provision of God.
“in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Good old song “have a little talk with Jesus gonna tell Him all about my troubles”
Transition: Once you realize God is able to help you will make a commitment to place your confidence in Him.
B) Make a commitment
“confident prayer”
The ability to trust God for the present and to surrender to His control of the future is acquired through not only the act of prayer but also the attitude and atmosphere of prayer.
Not simply memorized prayer, but the practice of bring our lives open before God. Dedicating ourselves to His Kingdom and allowing that Kingdom to rule in our hearts and minds.
1) To communication with God
Preacher’s commentary “Paul’s words come from the sweaty arena of life where his word needs to be heard, and from a person who has experienced the answer he is offering.”
Illustration: Trip to Mexico, green/red lights, Mexican Military checkpoints.
2) To confession to God
a) Our anxieties, worries, fretting,
b) Our needs
c) Our thankfulness for the past promises
Yielding our lives, possessions, dreams, etc. to God
C) Make God’s peace your protection
4.7 “And the peace of God (God of peace), which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
1) The opposite of anxiety is peace
True biblical peace is the presence of God to see us through anything.
2) The outward circumstances cannot get past the inward guard
“guard you hearts and minds.”
The word in the Greek for keep or guard was used when speaking
of a company of soldiers keeping watch over a city.
God’s peace stands as an invulnerable, unbeatable, impassable sentry of our hearts and minds.
Hear Paul speak of this power of God’s peace for your life.
2 Corinthians 4.16-18
“Therefore we do not lose heart (discouraged, anxiety), but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at things which are seen, but at things which are not seen; for the things which are not seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Oh, what peace we often forfeit. Oh what needless pains we bear! All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer.”
Anxiety is the pin that will pop the bubble of God’s peace that surrounds our Christian life.
Conclusion: The way to be anxious about nothing is to be prayerful about everything.
Many of you this morning may be worrying about things you can’t control, and weighed down by burdens you don’t have to carry.
Realize today the absence of anxiety comes from the continued presence of the Almighty.
The last stanza of What A Friend We Have In Jesus gives us hope of an Anxiety free life
Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bare
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.
