Conquering Worry and Anxiety
(Partial Notes from a radio broadcast in Sept. 2021 – Pastor Robert Jeffress)
Based on the book “Invincible” by Pastor Robert Jeffress, which covers the 10 obstacles we face in life and how to overcome them
Obstacle #1 – Anxiety: Moving from Anxiety to Peace
You CAN conquer worry and anxiety in your life!
· Worries about tomorrow can sap today’s joy from our lives and drain our thoughts.
· We can overcome by focusing on the good things that happen to us. This will allow a shift in focus from anxiety to peace (Matthew 6:19-20, Philippians 4).
· Because the worries of this world choke the word of God in our lives, a change in perspective can help.
· The basis for all anxiety in life is calculating problems without God.
· Inviting God into your life can help to avoid being overly consumed with worry:
· Build your life around the eternal, not temporal things like money, other people, and your health—things that can be lost or stolen. This means trusting in God rather than yourself so that you focus on His word. Did you know that He asks you to give Him your problems?
· Know what God has to say about this. You can be justified by faith—your faith allows a right relationship with God and as a result you will experience peace.
· A relationship with Jesus can keep you from feeling like your worries are insurmountable. Don’t allow fear to paralyze you; it destroys peace (John 10:10). The emotional consequences of anxiety can cause illness and depression. The spiritual consequences can drive you away from God.
· Have a plan to conquer worry rather than playing it “by ear”. This is useful in planning for your family, your career, and your retirement.
· Use common sense in dealing with your concerns around decisions that involve your life’s responsibilities. There is a big difference between being carefree vs. being careless. You are in control of this.
· Believe that God cares about your life. Worrying is unreasonable and unfounded when you have God on your side. God can be your sustainer if you let Him (Luke 12:6 and Matthew 10:29).
· Worrying doesn’t change a situation (Matthew 6:27). It is actually ungodly (not to mention unproductive) to worry because God asks us to give our problems to Him so that we may avoid the anxiety that results from worry. Don’t waste time worrying. Have faith and move forward with things while asking God to lift your worries. Turn your worry list into a prayer list.
· Biblical solutions that move you away from worry and toward peace:
· Repent of any known sin in your life and receive God’s forgiveness. Not all sin results in worry, but if you know of anything you are currently doing that needs to change, ask for God’s forgiveness and begin new behaviors. Get help if you need support.
· Remove unnecessary fear in your life. If you fear the IRS, get your taxes filed on time. If you fear illness, make an appointment to see a doctor every time you are worried. If you have a difficult e-mail to send, do it now. Proverbs 26:13-14 talks about laziness, but this also includes procrastination.
· Remember God’s faithfulness from your past (1 Samuel 17:37). Reflecting on this and remembering how appreciative you felt during past tribulations in your life will compel you to continue praying now and in the future. God does not change; He is the same God that helped you then and He is the same God who will help you now. And the longer you live, the less fearful you will become as you keep experiencing God’s faithfulness throughout your life.
· Remain in contact with God. Pray persistently, think truthfully, and live obediently. The God of peace will be with you and you will never stumble. God has given you everything you need to move from anxiety to peace. He made you, He loves you, He sent Jesus to die on the cross for you, and He wants to spend eternity with you! Tomorrow will take care of itself if you trust God to take the weight of your worries off your shoulders today. He cares—He can do far and above anything you could ever imagine.
Obstacles 2-10
Moving from doubt to faith
Moving from guilt to repentance
Moving from discouragement to hope
Moving from fear to courage
Moving from bitterness to forgiveness
Moving from materialism to contentment
Moving from loneliness to companionship
Moving from lust to purity
Moving from grief to acceptance
In his book “Invincible”, Dr. Robert Jeffress helps us identify and defeat the mountains that threaten to keep us from experiencing a blessed life. Offering biblical insight and practical tools, Dr. Jeffress shows us how we are invincible with God and how putting our faith in God’s power can enable us to move the mountains in our lives. For more information, visit ptv.org.