Fear, Anxiety, and Panic (Part 15) - Overcoming Anxiety (Part E)

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Fear, Anxiety, and Panic (Part 15) - Overcoming Anxiety (Part E) 8. Wait on the LORD to deliver you in His perfect timing (Psa 27:1, 13-14). A. Remember that your suffering will end; it will not last forever, even if it feels like it will (Psa 30:5). B. Even if you have the thorn in your flesh for the rest of your life (2Co 12:7-9), you will be forever free of it for all eternity in heaven (Rev 21:4). 9. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2Ti 1:7; Rom 8:15). A. Therefore, unhealthy, unbiblical, or irrational fear is not from God. B. God gives us the power, love, and sound mind to overcome the spirit of fear that sometimes plagues us. C. Remind yourself of this when you suffer with bouts of fear, anxiety, or panic. 10. Remind yourself that most of the things that we worry about never come to pass. A. “My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened.” – Montaigne, French Philosopher B. Ask yourself: i. What is the likelihood that what I fear will come to pass? ii. What is the worst thing that could happen if what I fear materializes? iii. If it happens, will I be able to go on? iv. Have other people lived through it? v. If it kills me, won't I be better off in heaven? vi. Is what I am worried about now going to matter in five years? 11. Tell yourself to believe the following things to alleviate your fears. A. God is in control, and nothing happens without His permission (Isa 46:10). B. God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind (2Ti 1:7). C. At what time I am afraid, I will trust in God (Psa 56:3). D. In God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me (Psa 56:4). E. Fear not; God is with me (Isa 41:10). F. Fear not men (Mat 10:28). G. Be not afraid (Jos 1:9; Isa 40:9; Jer 42:11; Mat 14:27; Mat 17:7; Act 18:9). H. Be still and know that the LORD is God (Psa 46:10). i. Being still is the opposite of being troubled. ii. Being still will help your mind to calm down. iii. Sit in a chair and try to fix your thoughts on God. iv. Think about the Lord Jesus Christ. I. God has saved me from many things in the past, and He will continue to do so (2Co 1:8-10). J. God will deliver me from all my fears and troubles (Psa 34:4-6, 17-19). K. Let not my heart be troubled (Joh 14:27; Mat 24:6). L. Though a host should encamp against me, I will not fear (Psa 27:3). M. God hears my prayers and will protect me; and even if He does allow me to suffer, I will not be afraid (1Pe 3:12-14). 12. Think on good things (Php 4:8). A. Stop filling your mind with gloom and doom. B. Our Lord Jesus Christ exhorted us to let not our hearts be troubled (Joh 14:1a; Joh 14:27). i. Jesus’ antidote for a troubled heart is believing in God the Father and in Him, God the Son (Joh 14:1b). ii. Jesus went on to tell us that He went to heaven to prepare a place for us there (Joh 14:2). iii. He promised to come back and receive us unto Himself for us to forever be where He is (Joh 14:3). iv. So, to prevent or stop our hearts from being troubled, we must: a. believe in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. b. focus our thoughts on heaven where Jesus has prepared a place for us (Col 3:1-2). c. look forward in anticipation of the second coming of Christ (Col 3:4). v. When you are troubled because of persecution, remember that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back to deliver us and to destroy the wicked who persecute us (2Th 1:7-10). C. Mediate on the word of God (Psa 77:12; Psa 119:15; 1Ti 4:15). D. God will keep our hearts in perfect peace if we keep our hearts and minds stayed on God and trust Him (Isa 26:3-4). E. Stop fretting and obsessing about the wicked and the evil in the world, but instead trust in God and focus on Him (Psa 37:1-9).