Making a stance for joy is waging a war against worry. Scripture clearly teaches what a disciple should do when anxiety attacks.
The only power that anxiety has is the permission that you give it.
Philippians 4:4-9
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Rejoice (4:4-5)
- God commands us to rejoice because our tendency is to complain.
- Showing a reasonable approach for handling your concerns is proof of God’s presence in your life.
Reject (4:6-7)
- When you treat anxiety only as a condition and never as a submission, you will never be free from it.
- Some people are more prone to worry than others, but that doesn’t mean you have a free pass to indulge.
- Anxiety is the admission that we don’t think God is able to handle our problems.
- Don’t let anything force you to worry, but let everything cause you to pray.
- You cannot experience God’s peace until you relinquish your problems.
Reorient (4:8-9)
- You must discipline your mind to focus on what is right rather than obsessing over what is wrong.
- Your concerns are great, but your God is greater.
- You haven’t sinned when anxiety attacks; you sin when you refuse to fight it.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
