Posts Tagged ‘fear’

Fear of the Future

Posted in Bible Study, Christian Living, tagged , , , , , , , on February 17, 2016| Leave a Comment »

 

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Spiritual Depression: #5 “Fear of the Future,” a sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

 

 

My thoughts:

Doctor Martyn Lloyd-Jones continues his sermon series on “Spiritual Depression.”  This time he addresses the issue of fearing what lies ahead, based on 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Every person who has had panic attacks or suffers from stress and anxiety should have this scripture memorized.  I can remember so well the first time I came across this scripture.  What stuck out for me that day were the words, “and of a sound mind.”

“You mean Lord, I do have a sound mind? You mean I am not crazy?  You mean I am not losing my mind?”  Those where my thoughts at the time.  I truly thought I was losing my mind and when I did I would never recover.  Oh, how scary that was.  Have you ever thought like that?

What comfort in those words that came from our Lord through the Apostle Paul.  It was something that I could hang onto.

Also, I thought, “If God did not give us a spirit of fear, then where did it come from.”  I knew I was fearful of almost everything.  I reasoned that the fear I was feeling must be coming from the enemy.  You know what? I was right.  Dr. Jones tells us in this sermon that the devil is relentless to discredit the name and work of God.  That he works to bring us down.  He doesn’t want us to be successful and do the work we are called to do.

Instead of a spirit of fear, God gave us a spirit of power.  That’s the Holy Spirit that lives in a Christian and gives us the supernatural power to do the things we need to do.  Also, He has given us a spirit of love.  That is the love of Christ in us.  This enables us to love others and do for others.

Last by not least is the spirit of a sound mind.  Oh my, that’s wonderful!  With a sound mind we can have self-control.  We can have a disciplined mind, and be wise in the ways that we think and act. Just think of it; your mind doesn’t have to control you!  You can control your mind!  That is self-control.

I want to also talk a little about the fear of the future in another sense.  I can remember when I started to get well that I was afraid of getting well.  Can you believe that?  Who wouldn’t want to get well?  I wanted to but I thought if I did get completely well then my life would have to change a lot.  I had stayed at home for years not even free to go out of my house without having a panic attack.  I’d have to get a job, drive again, be around other people.  To me those were very scary things.  No, it would be more comfortable to just stay as I was.  But, is that what God would want for me?  I had to get a grip on myself and tell myself that God would not let me down.  That He was in control and whatever the future held He would see me through.  It happened that way.  I did get better and I did make a lot of changes in my life, but God took me though it all step by step and day by day.  He did not let me down.  I did not have to fear the future in getting well again.  And, you don’t either!

I encourage you to listen to this sermon.  Dr. Jones really explains why we think the way we do and how we can change.

By the way, if you’d rather you can buy his book, “Spiritual Depression,” by going here:

Spiritual Depression book

I sent for it myself and am enjoying reading parts of these sermons over again as I try to digest it all.  Also, I don’t get anything if anyone buys this book.  This is just for your information.

 

 

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Dread, Doubt, Discipline & Deliverance

Posted in Anxiety & Stress, devotional, Spirituality, tagged , , , , , , on February 7, 2015| 1 Comment »

Dread

Does the word dread ever enter your mind or conversation?  It does mine. Sometimes when I’m tired I dread having to go to the store for groceries, or I dread the housework facing me that day, or I dread an appointment; especially the dentist or doctor.  Sometimes I even dread having to get up and start my day. I thought to myself, “Why do I dread things?”  “What is dread anyway?”  So, I looked it up in the dictionary and here is what I found: Dread: “To be in terror of; fear greatly.  Fearful anticipation.”

Wait a minute!  Fearful anticipation!  What?  I thought fear was out of my life.  I didn’t know that dreading something was being fearful.  So, is it sinful to dread things?  I don’t want to sin against God!

I looked up “fear.”  Here are some synonyms for fear:  anxiety, dread, panic, trepidation, worry, stress.  Oh no!  I’m not liking what I’m reading! What does the Bible say about anxiety?

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Mat 6:25-34 MKJV Therefore I say to you, Do not be anxious for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (26) Behold the birds of the air; for they sow not, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them; are you not much better than they are? (27) Which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature? (28) And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They do not toil, nor do they spin, (29) but I say to you that even Solomon in his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (30) Therefore if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much rather clothe you, little-faiths? (31) Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed? (32) For the nations seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. (33) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. (34) Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow; for tomorrow shall be anxious for its own things. Sufficient to the day is the evil of it. (Emphasis mine)

In these verses I count the phrase “do not be anxious,” three times.  Just think about it, these words came out of the lips of Jesus himself!  Amazing!  And, when He says something we can take it to the bank.  This is a command!  Do not be anxious!  There is no other way to look at this than anxiety (and all those other terms we use, like dread, and fear) is  sin.  In these verses Jesus Christ has told us not to be anxious about anything:  our life, our immediate needs, and our future.  If I dread things then I am also being anxious, and anxiety is definitely sin.  I need to confess to God that I have sinned and repent of it.  Repent means to turn away from.  I need to turn away from any dreadful thoughts and turn them over to God.

Doubt

Doubt and dread are first cousins. What is doubt?  Doubt is to be unsure, or distrust, or something uncertainexodus6_30 or unsettled.  Yes, when we are uncertain and unsettled in our minds about something than that thing becomes bigger than us and we begin to dread it.  Our minds go over the situation time and again, and sometimes we blow it out of proportion. We doubt that we can do the thing that lies before us, or we feel it will make us feel uncomfortable, and we dread it more and more until we are paralyzed.

Jas 1:6 MKJV But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing. For he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. (Emphasis mine)

Picture the waves of the sea crashing upon the seashore.  The wind drives the waves against the shore and then back out to sea again to be driven in again.  We are like a tiny boat on that sea and when doubt enters our minds we are tossed all about not being able to make decisions or function.  We need an anchor.  The Bible is our anchor and we can find our answers there.  Don’t be tossed about by everything you hear or think.  The mind is the devil’s playground, and dread and doubt can keep us from doing the work God has called us to. Satan is happy when we are full of worry and stress.  Are you experiencing this?  Is there something you know God wants you to do but you are full of dread when you think of doing it?  Cheer up!  There is an answer.2 Timothy 1;7

Discipline

So, what is the antidote for dread and doubt?  It is another word that starts with “d.”  It’s discipline. According to the dictionary discipline is, “training that develops self-control.”  That’s it!  We need to discipline or train our minds in order to be in control of our thoughts.  “How do we do that?” you may ask. Let’s look to our anchor the Bible for the way out of the storm. Do you know that God loves us so much that He told us what to even think about? It’s true!

Php 4:8 NASB Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. (Emphasis mine)

It’s right there in the Bible.  We have to discipline our thought life.  Think about what you think about! Examine your thoughts according to Philippians 4:8.  Are you thinking rightly? Or, are your thoughts anxious?  If you catch yourself thinking about something you truly dread, or perhaps a doctor’s report you are about to receive, then check out your thoughts.  Are you blowing them out of proportion? Are they true?  Or, are you jumping ahead to the “what ifs,” or “what might be.” These words are also a picture of Jesus.  He is all of these things.  Set you mind on things above.

Col 3:2 NASB Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

Our minds can be renewed.  As we study, read the Word and pray God will renew our minds and it will change us.  We don’t have to be the way we used to be.  We don’t have to think all those awful thoughts that drag us down.

Rom 12:2 MKJV And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God.

Deliverance

Deliverance is to “set free.”  I like those words.  If I can just get my mind to be rid of any fearful, dreadful, anxious thoughts, than I would not feel stressed and I’d be free!psalm3_8

2Co 10:5 MKJV pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ; (Emphasis mine)

Let’s not be captives of our thoughts!  Let’s be free! Who is in charge?  You or your mind? Take control and set yourself free.  God says in the above verse that we can take captive every thought.  If He says we can than we can!  With God’s help, prayer and keeping in the Word we can be disciplined and overcome dread and doubt.

How do we do this?  Here’s how.

Php 4:6 MKJV Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Emphasis mine)

Checking your thoughts and then prayer.  Ask God for help, and be thankful.  Tell Him things that you are thankful for.  He is waiting.  He is right there all the time ready to help us if we will only call on Him.

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If you change what you think about do you know what will happen?

Php 4:7 MKJV And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Isn’t that wonderful?  We can have a peace which we cannot even describe.  I know this is possible because I’ve had this peace.  I still have to be careful every day and monitor my thoughts according to Philippians 4:8.  I can’t let them get away from me.  It is very easy to fall back into the bad thought habits that were once an everyday part of me.  I must be on guard.

In summary we see:

Dread: It keeps us from doing God’s will in our lives.

Doubt: When we doubt we are not trusting.  It is Satan’s tool to trip us up.

Discipline: Be aware. We need to break old bad thinking habits and acquire new ones according to the Word.

Deliverance: Depend on God to set us free.

If you have trouble in this area I would suggest you take a 3×5 card and write out Philippians 4:8. Put it where it is easy for you to see or get too.  You could place it on your desk, in your purse, on your visor in the car; wherever it is handy for you. It would also be a great scripture verse to memorize so you wouldn’t have to depend on finding your card.  Also memorize Philippians 4:6-7

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Our Father Overcomes Our Anxiety, Part 1

Posted in Christianity, Faith, Panic Disorder Support, Religion, tagged , , , , , on November 27, 2012|

Wow!  As I read this post, by John MacArthur,  I thought about how much our God really does love us.  He has made promises to us and He tells us in the Bible what He expects from us. If only we would listen, our lives would be so much easier.  If He takes care of the birds, we can rest asured the He will take care of us too.  Often I forget that I’m a child of the King and that I don’t have to live like unbelievers. Isn’t that wonderful?

One of the most hopeless aspects of unrepentant sinners’ lives is that they have no answer for anxiety. They’re forced to put their hopes in flimsy, fallible plans and institutions. They aren’t able to rest firmly in the unchanging promises of God—they have to ride out every wave of calamity, every unexpected disaster.

Click on the link below to read the rest of this post.

Our Father Overcomes Our Anxiety, Part 1.

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What is Your Desire?

Posted in Faith, inspirational, tagged , , , , , , , on August 31, 2011| 3 Comments »

I received an email from someone who expressed to me a way in which he was deceived, and this deception prevented him from becoming free from fear. It prompted me to share these thoughts with you. Here is an excerpt from that email:

“i pursue freedom from fear, and i may desire the freedom from fear more than Jesus, so that is the reason i cannot be free from fear, but if i desire and seek Christ, the freedom will come. It is strange but “freedom”can be our idol.”

Have you battled fear for a long time and wondered why you are still fearful? You pray and think you are doing all the right things, but fear still hangs on like a vice grip.

Here is a question that you need to take time to really think about and be honest with yourself. Do you desire freedom from fear more than you desire Jesus?

That’s a heavy question isn’t it? Think about it. What is your desire? Do you realize that your desire for freedom from fear (or any other thing) can become an idol? Why? Because that is the thing you are seeking after. You are seeking freedom instead of Jesus.

Perhaps you have read all the books on anxiety and fear. You’ve ordered all the tapes and listened and watched videos about overcoming panic attacks. You’ve tried all the worldly advise in your pursuit of freedom. You’ve gone to counselors, psychologists, and even Christian counselors, but still you are plagued with fear that annoys and distracts you, and it keeps you from living a full life. How many times I’ve heard people say, “I just want my life back!”

What could be holding you back?

(Jas 4:2b) …You do not have because you do not ask.

I think most of us have asked. We have prayed and prayed to be healed. I know I prayed many times that God would take away the fears that I dealt with on a daily basis and give me the peace that passed understanding. Sometimes, I felt peace for a little while, but then the fear would strike again. What was wrong?

Why didn’t I get healed the first time I asked God to heal me? There are a couple of reason that I can think of.

We must realize that the roots of anxiety and worry is sin. I know that’s a hard pill to swallow. But, let’s look at the Bible.

(Php 4:6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

(Mat 6:34) “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Read Matthew 6:25-34 and you will see Jesus’ own Words as He talks about worry. He commands over and over that we are not to worry.

(Jas 4:3a) You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives,…

Could that be the answer? Did I have wrong motives? Maybe so. Yes, I wanted to be healed and immediately. But, those thoughts were from my point of view. My motives were to be healed so that I didn’t have to feel so rotten. I wanted to get back out there in the world and pursue my career. I wanted friends again, and a car, and money. I wanted to “get my life back.” It was all about ME! That way MY will.

At some point I realized that it wasn’t about ME anymore. I wanted what God wanted for me. Are you willing to continue to suffer with panic attacks and fear if that is God’s will for you? Are you willing to say to God, “Okay, if this is the way you want me, then I will submit to your will?”

When we get to the point where we no longer fight panic in our own strength and turn to God and surrender fully to Him, then He will fight our battle for us.

When we suffer, whatever it is, God is in it if we are Christians. He is right there beside us to hold our hand if we let Him. He will get us through it, but in the meantime He wants to teach us true dependence on Him. Did you get that? We need to learn to lean on Him and not trust in ourselves anymore, or any other person in our life.

Oh, if we could only desire Jesus Christ as much as we desire to be healed. Will you take that step? Instead of reading books on how to overcomer panic attacks, how about if you read and really study the Bible? Yes, you will find the answers there.

Is your desire to be free from panic attacks, or is your desire to seek and know God?

(Psa 42:1b) …As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.

What a beautiful picture of how we should want Jesus.

When we die to self and seek after Jesus, God will bless us in ways we never thought possible.

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Complete in Christ

Posted in Anxiety & Stress, Bible Study, Christian, devotional, Faith, inspirational, Panic Attacks, Religion, Scripture, tagged , , , , , , , on October 2, 2010| 2 Comments »

Do you know that when we become Christians we are finally complete in Christ?  At least from God’s perspective.

Before we were born-again we were on our own.  The Bible teaches that we were dead in trespasses and sin.  We were in the realm of Satan’s kingdom, and were subject to sin, death and hell.  Isn’t that an awful picture of those who live in the world today without Christ?

So, how are we complete in Christ now?  What does that mean?

Let’s take a look at Colossians 2: 8-15 to find our answer:  These are marvelous scripture verses and loaded.  I can only skim them.

Col 2:8-15 NASB See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

First of all Paul tells us not to let the world take us captive through philosophy or man’s worldly ideas and deception, and not to follow the traditions of men.

(9) For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

Wow!  In Christ, in His human body dwells all the fullness of Deity!  That is amazing.  He is complete!

(10) and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

If you are a Christian you also have been made complete!  Let’s try to see what that means as we read more of this passage.  Christ is also the head over all rule and authority.  Keep that in mind.

When we were saved we were completely saved:

(11) and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; (12) having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

This is talking about our salvation.  We were made spiritually complete in Christ when we were saved.  When He died on the cross we somehow joined Him.  At the moment we were saved, we were baptized with the Holy Spirit, (not water baptism).  And, we died and were raised up with Christ by God.  God raised Jesus from the dead literally, and He raised us from our spiritual death.

When we were saved we were completely forgiven:

(13) When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, (14) having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

We were spiritually dead because of our sins and the uncircumcision of our flesh.  But God made us alive with Christ.  He forgave us all of our sins, past, present and future.  He nailed them to the cross and canceled out the debt that we owed because of them.  God the great judge declared us to be free from the penalty of sin.

Joh 19:30 NASB Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

When we were saved we were given complete victory:

2Co 5:17 NASB Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

(15) When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

When Jesus died on the cross He also went and disarmed all the rulers and authorities.  He was victorious over them and took them all captive.  That is great news for us because they no longer have any hold on us.

Heb 2:14-15 NASB Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, (15) and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

Being complete in Christ means that we can live in this world without fear.  We are capable of being victorious over sin.  The sting of death has been removed so we don’t have to fear that anymore, and we do not have to worry that we will spend eternity in hell.  Satan has been defeated and he can not claim you as one of his.  I like that!

Eph 3:16 NASB that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,

When we get these things settled in our minds, it is much easier to face life.  Trials and temptations will come our way, but knowing we are complete in Him, gives us the courage to face them head on.  God is always in control and sovereign over what happens to us.  We can trust Him to make our path straight and to take care of us in every situation.  He loves us as a dear Heavenly Father and will take care of his children.

2Pe 1:3-4 NASB seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (4) For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

Isn’t that an uplifting scripture?  We really don’t have to worry about things.  God has granted us everything we need that pertains to our life and to be a godly individual.  He gives us that through the true knowledge of Him.  As we study the Word we learn how to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to God and He also gives us the power to be successful in doing that. That power is in us because Christ is in us and it is the same power that raised Jesus from the grave.  Now that is power!  We can even escape the corruption that is in the world. I praise God for that. 

I pray we will all try to realize all that we have in our possession when we become Christians, and that we will know in our hearts that we can overcome anything that comes our way.

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Perfect Love Casts Out Fear!

Posted in Agoraphobia, Anxiety & Stress, Bible Study, Christian, inspirational, Panic Attacks, Scripture, tagged , , , , on May 10, 2010| 9 Comments »

I was especially interested in hearing a sermon our pastor gave recently because he had to deal with I John 4:18  “There is no fear in love; but perfect love cast out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”

I’ve used this scripture before in some of my articles, but I only used part of it, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love cast out fear…,”  When I first found that scripture I was excited to learn there was no fear in love, but perfect love cast out fear.  It was encouraging!  Jesus Christ is perfect love, therefore, He can cast out fear.  It told me the Lord didn’t want me to live in fear, and the way to get rid of it was to allow Him to cast it out.  Wow!  That was a revelation to me at the time.

Now, my pastor took me to a deeper level.  He teaches the Bible verse by verse and deals with scripture in it’s context. 

John was talking to Christians here and he shows us another test of a true Christian, and that is love.  If we love one another, that is the test.  In 1 John 4:12 you will note, “God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us…”  When we are born again God does abide in us through the Holy Spirit, and His love is being perfected in us.  

Also, look at I John 4:17  “By this, love is perfected with us.”  Again he is talking about love being perfected.  It means that as we grow in Christ, His love is made more mature in us.

The “By this,” refers back to the verse above where he says “the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” Isn’t that a wonderful thought.  God and us abide in each other.  If you stop and meditate on that for awhile it really boggles the mind.    

Now, we get back to 1 John 4:18 where he says, “There is no fear in love.”  Here fear means being terrified, and full of dread.  That kind of fear.  

Have you ever thought about this?  Love and fear cannot exist at the same time.  There is no fear in love.  It is not possible.  They are opposites.  If we are full of love, we are not full of fear; and if we are full of fear, we cannot be full of love.  God is love, remember that. And, we are to abide in Him. 

Then, John says, “but perfect love casts out fear.”  What does he mean by perfect love.  Well, actually in the context of this passage, he means that mature love that is being perfected in us as we grow in Christ.  And that perfected love, what does it do?  It casts out fear!  Praise God!  That phrase “casts out,” means throw away like garbage.

Isn’t is so true with us?  We carry around all this garbage all the time.  Wouldn’t you like to simply throw it away?  We talk about excess baggage; well fear is just that.  But, the only way to throw it away and get rid of it for good is to perfect the agape love that God has placed in us.  

We can do that!  I realize some of you are doing that with your lives right now.  You are in the Word, you are in prayer, you are in fellowship with other believers, you are reaching out with love toward your fellow believers.  You  grow and are becoming mature in Christ.  Eventually, when the time is right in God’s eyes, you too will throw off the shackles of fear like it is rubbish and toss it out of your life.  

Also, in 1 John 4:18 he says, “fear involves punishment.”  I’ve thought about that too.  In the context it means the punishment that is awaiting all men at the final judgement day.  Those without Christ should be fearful as they have that to look forward too, but we who know Christ can rest assured that we will not face punishment.  We can be confident and know those fears were cast out when we were saved.

But, looking at us today as we struggle with fear and anxiety doesn’t our fears also involve punishment?  We are fearful that something awful is going to happen, and with those thoughts we actually punish ourselves with stress, anxiety, and more bad thoughts.  When we are fearful of other things in life such as getting a terrible disease, don’t we punish ourselves with thoughts of what might be?  Yes, fear does involve punishment.  We don’t need that!  We don’t need to beat ourselves up that way!

Then, John goes on to say in that same verse, “the one who fears is not perfected in love.”

From what we’ve gone over that would indicate that fearful people are not mature yet in God’s love.  Isn’t that interesting?  

When we finally reach a more mature state then we will not fear.  What can hurt us?  God is in control of everything in our lives.  What do we have to fear?  Why do we punish ourselves with worry?  Worry can’t stop anything or change anything.  It isn’t worth it.  All it can do is make us fearful and stop us from becoming mature in Christ.

I plead with you to take hold of these thoughts and realize you too can be free from fear.  Stay in the Word and renew your mind.  If you are a believer you do not have to live in a state of fear!

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Peace With God – Peace Of God

Posted in Anxiety & Stress, Bible Study, Christian, Faith, inspirational, Religion, Scripture, tagged , , , , , , on April 12, 2010| 8 Comments »

What is the difference between peace with God and the peace of God?  Have you ever wondered about that? 

I want you to know right from the start if you are a Christian you already have both of these kinds of peace.  You may not actually know it, but you do.

Peace with God

Before a person is born again or saved they cannot know either one.  We are actually enemies of God.  We are born with a sin nature which is bent against God in every way.  We cannot please God.  We are not at peace with God, and we do not have the peace of God.  We are God’s enemy and we are hostile toward Him.

Jas 4:4 NASB You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

When we trust in Jesus Christ we become a new creation and things change. 

Col 1:21-22 NASB And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, (22) yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach–

We were alienated and hostile toward God, but once He redeemed us we become children of God instead of enemies of God.  Jesus can present us holy and blameless before a holy God.  What a difference!  We obtain peace with God, the moment we are saved.

Rom 5:1 NASB Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (italics mine.)

Remember, your friends who are not believers do not have peace with God.  It is impossible!  That may explain some of their actions and many of their worries and fears. There is a war waging inside them between themselves and God.  They are actually spiritually dead.

Peace of God

Now we get to the exciting part for Christians.  You, right now, this moment, no matter what’s going on in your life; no matter how you feel; you have the peace of God!  That is a bold statement for me to make.  But it’s true. We all have it. God has given us everything we need to live a peaceful life, but most of us don’t realize it.  Let’s go to scripture and see what God says.

First of all God tell us not to be anxious about anything.  If it were not possible He would not have told us that.  It is a command, and if we are to be obedient we have to learn how we can cease from anxiety and worry.  He gives us the antidote right here.  We go to God in prayer and ask Him to meet our needs, and we do it with an attitude of thanksgiving.  He says to make our requests to God.

Php 4:6 NASB Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

When we do that the peace of  God will guard our hearts and minds if we are believers.  And, we will be surprised at this peace because it goes beyond what we can comprehend.

Php 4:7 NASB And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Then, Paul says to do the things he taught them, and to look at his life as an example, and when you do the God of peace will be with you.  Isn’t that amazing?  It is all right here.  God is the God of peace.  He originated peace.  We have His peace in us and it is activated when we obey his commands.

Php 4:9 NASB The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Oh, why do we make it so hard?  There have been many books written on how we can have a peaceful life.  God doesn’t make things difficult.  We do!

When we were saved we received the Holy Spirit as He came to live in each and every one of us.  Having the Holy Spirit allows us to grow the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  We already posses these fruit, but in many of us they lay dormant.  They need to be cultivated by renewing our minds with the Word and acting on it in obedience.  You will notice that peace  is one fruit of the Spirit.  See there it is!  We already have it!

Gal 5:22 NASB But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (Italics mine.)

It is important to realize that when we keep our minds fixed on God, He will keep us in perfect peace.  The reason this is true is because when we do this we indicate that we trust God.  He is trustworthy.

Isa 26:3-4 NASB “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You. (4) “Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.

There is a big difference between believe and trust. You can believe the facts about Jesus. You can believe He is the Son of God, that He died on the cross for our sins, that he was buried and then rose again the third day.  You can believe all the facts about Jesus and yet not be saved.  Did you know that?  I can prove it because even the demons believed and knew who Jesus was, but they were not saved.  They even shuddered to think about Him.

Jas 2:19 LITV You believe that God is One. You do well; even the demons believe and shudder.

So, there is more to it than merely believing the facts about Jesus.  You must trust Him.  There are many people in churches today who call themselves Christians but who have only believed with a head knowledge.  They believed an idea, and never really trusted in a personal Savior. 

We must trust Him with our very lives.  We can believe something but it becomes trust when we put it in action.   For instance, say I’m looking at a chair to sit on.  I can know a lot about that chair.  I can know what color it is, what it is made of, and what shape it is.  But, that is not trusting the chair.  That is just head knowledge about the chair.  I trust the chair when I take the next step and actually sit down on it.  That is trust.  I trust the chair is going to hold me up. 

You see, we can believe all about Jesus Christ, and not really trust Him.  We trust Him when we give up ourselves and rely on Him completely. We surrender our whole selves to Him.  That is trust!  We trust Him to take care of us, to provide for us, to work out every detail of our lives.  That is trust!  We look to Him alone for salvation.  We trust and expect the peace of  God.  We depend on Him and not on ourselves or others.  He is Lord and Master of our lives.  That is trust! 

Do you trust Him my friend?  Is He the one who rules your heart?  Do you have peace with  God?  And, do you have the peace of  God?  He is the God of peace.  When we activate the peace of God in our lives, we will not worry and be filled with anxiety and fear.  They cannot live together.  Satan is the author of unhealthy fear and unhealthy thoughts.

Rom 16:20 NASB The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

2Th 3:16 NASB Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!

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Should Christians Worry? Part 2

Posted in Agoraphobia, Anxiety & Stress, Bible Study, Christian, Faith, Health, Panic Attacks, Panic Disorder Support, Scripture, tagged , , , , , , on April 3, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Dear friends, I don’t know where you are on the road of sanctification, but I do know we are all at different places. 

For some of you it would be a huge victory just to leave your bedroom and spend time with your families.  For others it might be to get outside and enjoy the fresh air.  Some of you might need to get your muscle tone in your legs back in shape from laying around so much while you’ve been laid up with worry and anxiety.  Others might be able to leave their homes and shop, but with some difficulty.  Some may be able to work at a job outside of their home and actually do pretty good, but there is still that underlying feeling of ever present danger lurking just under the surface.  Still others may have conquered panic attacks and are now experiencing a more normal life, but every once in awhile a curve is thrown their way and they wind up yielding to the temptation to worry.

There is so much today that we could worry about besides our struggles with panic disorder.  Just look at the world around us, listen to the news, and it can fill us will all kinds of fears and concerns.  So, we not only have to learn how to conquer anxiety to overcome panic attacks but we must also learn how to conquer anxiety in general.

I can remember going to a  church service where the pastor preached on the subject of anxiety.  My ears almost flapped as they tried to take in everything he said so I could learn how to overcome panic attacks.  But, he never went that far. He only talked about anxiety in general as it effected their daily life.  I was disappointed!  I figured that message was not met for me!  The pastor had missed it!

As I look back, I realize that message was  for me!  What I didn’t realize then was if I could learn how to conquer anxiety and fear in normal daily living I could learn to conquer it over panic attacks.  You do it the same way! In fact, if I had learned to conquer daily anxiety before I began having true panic attacks I would never had developed them.  I believe they could have been avoided.  My dad used to say, “Too quick old, too late smart.”

But, you see, in my case I learned how to worry when I was a youngster and thought it was a normal way of life.  Then, when it got out of control in my twenties I had true panic attacks.  That all happened before I became a Christian.  That is important to note. Then, after I  became a Christian no one talked to me about these things.  It took me years to get better because I had to learn on my own through a daily Bible study and then apply the Word to my life by faith.  I finally got there with the Lord’s help.  I finally became free from panic attacks!  I finally got my life back!  I’m forever grateful to God, my precious Heavenly Father who in His infinite mercy looked down upon me with favor.  Thank you God!

Now, remember, believers, we are not of this world. Yes, we live in the world but we don’t belong here.

Php 3:20 NASB For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

Therefore, we don’t have to live like the world, and we don’t have to think like the world.  I’d  like to ask you to do this little exercise:  The next time you are around people who aren’t believers, just listen to what they talk about.  Take note of the tone of their conversation.  Do they talk about things they worry about?  Do they worry?  Just listen and see.  I’ll bet most of the conversations are about things they are very concerned about, and how they are going to solve them.  They have to figure it all out.  They do not have God to do it for them.  So, they fuss and fume over everything.  Oh, you might hear some laughter mixed in, but what is really going on? A lot of people seem happy on the outside while they are miserable on the inside. Have you ever known someone like that?   Also, take note of how much they gossip.  What do they talk about?  

Those kinds of people can pull us down.  It is so easy to join in and not realize it.  I have to really watch this myself. 

Thank God we are not in that group of humanity any more.  We can rise above our problems because God is working them all out.  We have to realize who is in charge now.  God is and He will help us through anything that comes our way.  As John MacArthur has said, “Worry assumes that God doesn’t care, doesn’t know, or doesn’t have the resources to help us.”  That is like a slap in the face to God.  It’s as though we don’t trust Him and don’t believe His Word. 

1Pe 5:7 NASB casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

God really does care for us and will take care of us.  He is God our provider and our counselor.  We don’t have to worry!  Let’s stop living like the world.

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