Anxiety can vary from healthy to crippling. Anxiety thrives on emotions and looks inward. Dealing with anxiety needs a proper God-focused perspective that comes from a maturing faith. Christians can successfully deal with anxiety by following a P.T.S.D. approach. P: Prayer, T: Think Biblically, S: Speak Biblically; D: Depend on God as You Act.
0:00 – Opening
0:40 – Disclaimer to series: Please take the material in this series as general information only. If you suffer from emotional problems, seek out the help of skilled health care professional.
1:27 – How do we define anxiety? Anxiety is a feeling of being threatened, sometimes with no clear justification—physical symptoms: heart racing, high blood pressure, or sweating.
2:18 – What are healthy forms of anxiety? Anxiety can enhance performance in sports or academically.
4:21 – Anxiety is different from fear. Fear is a response to a clear and actual danger affecting a person’s safety.
4:40 – Causes of Anxiety
6:05 – We should not be anxious. James 1:2-4: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
7:18 – Dealing with anxiety means you need a godly perspective.
-The only way to have a godly perspective is to have a growing and maturing faith like an athlete training to get stronger.
-But the only way to develop a mature faith is to undergo trials and suffering
-Proper perspective is that God allows us to undergo trials to learn to trust and obey him.
10:12 – How Should We as Christians Deal with Anxiety? Anxiety thrives on our emotions, and it looks inward at ourselves. Faith looks outward toward God. To conquer anxiety, Christ needs to be our central focus.
10:51 – 4-Step Basic Plan for Overcoming Anxiety: P.T.S.D.
-P: Pray, T: Think Biblically, S: Speak Biblically, and D: Depend on God as You Act
11:51 – P: Pray: Use the A.C.T.S. method: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.
13:10 – T: Think Biblically: Ephesians 4 – “Put off” old thinking pattern of self-focus.
-Be renewed in our minds using Bible passages. Put on a new habit of thinking which affects our decision making.
– “Putting on” means (1) finding biblical solutions (2) looking at the situation realistically. For example, ask yourself: “What’s the worst that can happen?”(3) Be patient
15:27 – S: Speak Biblically: “Sometimes God allows your lips to say what your ears need to hear.”
-Focus your words outside yourself.
-Talk like we really trust God, and our feelings will follow our thoughts.
17:55 – D: Depend on God as You Act: No matter how we feel, eventually, we will have to act.
-If you act with a heart that is trying to depend on God, he will honor that.
– When you act in faith, God rewards every act of faith.
– It can be (1) doing what’s right instead of putting it off or (2) forgiving others who have sinned against you or you asking another’s forgiveness.
20:00 – So What? What is the Practical Takeaway?
-Remind yourself of the Gospel. It is the antidote to anxiety.
– Phil. 4:6-7: “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
-The gospel is ours, Jesus is ours, so peace is ours.
22:20 – Focus on embodying the gospel.
-Focus on loving and giving to others.
23:13 – If you struggle with crippling anxiety, find a qualified healthcare professional, preferably one who practices Christian principles, to help you.
23:56 – What’s Your Next Step? (1) Remind yourself of the gospel and memorize Philippians 4:6-7. (2) Find someone to love to get your focus off of your worries.
24:54 – Thank you and wrap up
