Reversing Anxiety Series

Reversing Anxiety

Good morning MGCC!

SO….

ARE YOU READY - to encounter the living God through His…

Holy, Inspired and authoritative Word?

ARE YOU READY – for God’s word (like the rain and snow that fall from the sky causing things to bud, grow and flourish)

TO FALL ONTO – your heart and mind… accomplishing what God desires and achieving His purpose in your life.

LIKE – are you ready to walk out of these doors in a few moments different than when you walked in.

BECAUSE OF – the wonder working power of His word.

OKAY – let’s do this….

We read the following in Mark 4, beginning at verse 35…

As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed).

But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.

Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” – Mark 4:35-41

Prayer…

OKAY – this morning we are kicking off a 4 week series called, ‘Overcome, The Challenges that we face.

NOW – I do not think that I need to tell anyone here, that as you strive to live out the life God intends for you (an abundant life in all it’s fullness)…

THAT YOU – will encounter many obstacles, difficulties and challenges… STORMS – (winds and waves) that you will need to over come.

LAST WEEK – I mentioned 8 possible topics for discussion in this series

(Overcoming - Hurt, Insecurity, Temptation, Discouragement, Yourself, Depression, Fear, Loss).

AND – I asked you out of those 8 topics what are the top there (in rank order) that you would like to have a conversation about on Sundays…

WELL – after all the rankings were added up here are the top 3… #1 – Fear; #2 – Insecurity; #3 - Hurt

SO – next week we will begin looking at these 3 challenges in a conversation I am calling… “Moving Beyond Insecurity”

AGAIN – that’s next week.

THIS MORNING – we are going to be talking about one of the most unrelenting of storms that we will need to overcome.

I MEAN – it’s waves and wind crash up against our lives frequently. AND - that is anxiety.

UNDERSTAND

ANXIETY – is a thief, it steals…

• your thoughts

• your peace

• your joy

• your confidence.

NOW – for many years a woman couldn’t sleep at night because she was so worried that her home would be broken into.

I MEAN – it was just this uneasy thought that dominated her mind day in and day out for years.

WELL - one night her husband heard a noise in the house, so he went downstairs to investigate. When he got there, he found a burglar.

The husband said to the him, “Hey, could you come upstairs and meet my wife. She has been waiting 10 years to meet you.”

POINT - a thief will steal from you once but anxiety can steal from you for decades.

OKAY – raise your hand if you have ever struggled with anxiety.

LIKE – has anxiety ever stolen your (thoughts, peace, confidence or your joy?

SO – we are not alone in this struggle, in this storm.

LOOK – at 3 people “You’re not alone.”

OKAY – let’s do this “Overcome, The Challenges We Face” week one… “Reversing Anxiety.” AND - here is how I want to attack this conversation… BY - unpacking 2 statements

#1 The problem of anxiety #2 The path out of anxiety

AND LISTEN – before we dive into our study this morning…

I feel that I need to be clear about 2 things…

#1 – I realize that this conversation has limits…

LIKE – I know that one Sunday morning message is not going to solve all the issues we face in regards to anxiety.

I MEAN – perhaps for some in this room, anxiety has been ‘the issue’ that you have been facing for years….AND - what is needed is to see a doctor or a counselor. AND LISTEN – there is no shame in that, and doing so does not make you a second class Christian. (I’ve been) SO – yeah I know, this conversation does have limits…