Biblical Counseling and Anxiety BCC Partner Ministry Resource May 2017
About This Resource BCC Staff Note: The materials contained in this document have been posted at the Biblical Counseling Coalition s Grace & Truth blog site. They each, in various ways, relate to the topic of Biblical Counseling and Anxiety. As one of the more common issues experienced by counselees, biblical counselors must be prepared to provide help and hope to those gripped by anxiety. How can counselees gain victory over anxiety? How does anxiety relate to humility? We trust that this resource will assist you in prayerfully and thoughtfully preparing to address the issue of anxiety with your counselees. We describe the BCC s Grace & Truth blog as Voices from the Biblical Counseling Community. The modern biblical counseling movement spans a diverse spectrum of people and organizations committed to a view of people helping summarized by the Biblical Counseling Coalition s Confessional Statement. It is with this diversity in mind that we have collated these resources into one document exclusively for our BCC Partners. Usage/Quoting/Permission We encourage you to make use of this document. We would ask that whenever quoting from this document, you state: The following materials are used with permission of the Biblical Counseling Coalition and are taken from their collated BCC Partner E-Source Connection Resource, May2017. If you use the embedded links and then quote directly from the original post, please include the following: The following materials are used with permission of the Biblical Counseling Coalition and are taken from (add the title of the blog post, the author, and the URL). Table of Contents Facing Anxiety Face-to-Face with Christ by Bob Kellemen How Does Jesus Talk to Worriers? By Tim Lane Humility and Anxiety by Dave Dunham When Anxiety Attacks Let Love and Peace Rule by Sherry Allchin 14 Daggers the Help to Kill Worry by Paul Tautges Fighting Anxiety by Pat Quinn
Facing Anxiety Face-to-Face with Christ By Bob Kellemen Philippians as a Model From cover to cover the Bible has much to say about moving from fear to faith. In this post we ll look at one book Philippians and focus on one chapter chapter 4. We re concentrating here not because it is the only or best place to look for biblical wisdom regarding anxiety, but because it s the common place with that oft-quoted verse about being anxious for nothing (Phil. 4:6). We want to put that verse in the context of Paul s entire letter to the Philippians. My hope is that by the time we re done you will be thinking. Incredible! One short epistle and one brief chapter in the Bible have that much relevant counsel about anxiety. I can t wait to explore the rest of the Word to find truth for life so that I can experience victory in anxiety! In the original Greek, Paul s letter has just 1,628 words. That s about the size of this blog post. Chapter four has just 356 words less than two pages in an average book. Yet, we find the following comprehensive (robust) and compassionate (relational) insights for victory in anxiety. Guard Your Relationship with God Your Guard: Faith in Your Father Commit to Mature Relationships with God s People: It Takes a Congregation Cling to Your Identity in Christ: Wholeness in Christ Put on the Mind of Christ: The Weapons of Your Warfare Practice What You Preach: Living and Loving with Courage Soothe Your Soul in Your Savior: Emotional Maturity 101 Live Wisely in a Fallen World: Jars of Clay Paul s Purpose: Gospel-Centered Vigilance Before Paul counsels us to be anxious for nothing (Phil. 4:6), he starts with a therefore which points us to the purpose of his letter to the Philippians. Paul writes to real people with real problems out of his very real situation. As he writes, Paul is jailed for his faith and the Philippians understand that they could be next. Now that could create anxiety! Paul s purpose in writing them is to encourage them to live worthy of the gospel (Phil. 1:27). He wants them to stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you (Phil. 1:27b-28a).
A. T. Robertson explains that stand firm is a word used in the context of temptation to defection and panic. It describes someone who wants to give up, give in, and get out. If that s not a description of anxiety, I don t know what is. Frightened portrays the metaphor of a timid or scared horse skittish. According to Robinson the best translation is startled. Frightened, timid, scared, skittish, and startled that s the anatomy of anxiety. Paul s Model: Stand Firm! In this context of anxiety, Paul explains that the gospel enables us to stand firm. The Greek word means to take a stand, to be steadfast, to stand erect and at attention to be a guard, a sentry, a sentinel. Paul exhorts us to stay on guard as we contend together a word from the athletic arena that pictures striving together with discipline against unrelenting opposition. The purpose of Philippians is to teach us how gospel-centered living empowers us to experience victory together in anxiety. Paul frames his entire letter against the backdrop of helping Christ-followers to remain vigilant when everything inside and out screams, Retreat! Paul s life purpose is to model the courage of a warrior for Christ when facing internal and external worries. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or death (Phil. 1:20). Guard Your Relationship with God Your Guard: Faith in Your Father Throughout his 1,628 words, Paul weaves gospel-centered principles of vigilance the faith response to threat. Not surprisingly, he saturates his letter with encouragement to focus our hearts on faith in our Father: Philippians 1:2, 6, 7; 2:12-13, 15; 3:8-11, 15, 20-21; 4:4-7, 13, 19. All of these passages speak to the reality that the believer has an eternally secure relationship with God by grace through faith in Christ. Martin Luther, who struggled with anxiety, noted that to deal effectively with life s daily fears, we must first deal with life s ultimate fear. Hebrews 2:15 explains that ultimate fear: apart from Christ we live every day in slavery to the fear of death separation from God. My ultimate anxiety is my fear that I will never find peace with God, never be accepted by God. Luther, Paul, the author of Hebrews, and the Apostle John all understand the core gospelcentered answer to ultimate fear and anxiety. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love (1 John 4:18).
When I was working with a counselee named Mike we explored his relationship with Christ. He summarized the impact of our interactions. If we had only focused on my earthly fears, we never would have hit the heart issue. When we started applying Romans 8 to my life, and the truth that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ and that nothing can separate a Christian from God, that launched me on a path toward defeating anxiety. With that BIG issue settled, every other fear while not wiped away fell into place, a place I could handle with Christ. I needed the calm assurance of my eternally secure relationship with the God of peace before I could even begin to experience the peace of God in my daily struggles. Renew Your Image of God Paul further stresses our faith relationship to God in the immediate context of Philippians 4:6 by sandwiching around and slicing within the following images: The Lord is near (4:4) The peace of God will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (4:6) The God of peace will be with you (4:9) When anxiety strikes, we focus so much on the situation and our feelings that we lose focus on God, or we accept a skewed view of God. Paul helps us to counter that temptation by renewing our image of God. He is the God of peace Who loved us so much that He sent His Son to reconcile us back to Himself. When we see God as our God of peace, then we can experience the peace of God that guards our hearts and minds. Robertson translates it beautifully: Shall garrison. God s peace as a sentinel mounts guard over our lives. When Mike and I discussed this concept he almost jumped out of his chair. I don t have to live an anxious, guarded life. I don t have to guard myself or be selfprotective. I don t have to be self-focused always stuck scanning my horizon fearfully. I can live an unguarded life because God is my Guard! I can protect others because God is my Protector! I can focus my energies on God and others because God is my Sentinel! Engage in Worshipful Prayer Focused on God s Character The word Paul uses for anxiety in Philippians 4:6 pictures being habitually and perpetually stuck in the abyss of worry about everything, being continually distracted by many cares that draw the mind in countless divided directions. Paul s a realist, so he tells us how to stop living like that: seeing God as our Guard helps guard our soul against the attack of anxiety.
As a realist, Paul doesn t just say what not to do. He tells us what to do instead. Instead of giving into anxiety s attack, fight back through prayer. Paul chooses a word for prayer which highlights worshipful prayer focusing on God s character. In anxiety, we choose a crippling focus on our circumstances. In worshipful prayer, we choose a healing focus on God s character. This God-focus is reminiscent of Isaiah 26:3. Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee. Mind is the Hebrew word for our imagination. It s our ability to picture our world, to take snap-shot images that summarize our beliefs. Isaiah repeats shalom twice to communicate perfect peace, complete wholeness. We ll experience shalom when we focus our imagination faithfully on our faithful Father. Open Your Palms to God So far we ve only look at one word prayer in the litany of counsel that Paul gives us about what to do instead of giving into anxiety. He also urges us to relate to God through petition, thanksgiving, and requests. When worry strikes, we re to approach God our fatherly Guide with petitions asking God urgently, specifically, and vulnerably to handle what we re worry about, to supply our daily bread. In this spirit we present our requests to God. Paul pictures us asking God humbly, submissively, and trustingly. Remember the musical Oliver? The poor orphan boy, Oliver, breaks the rules of the orphanage by daring to ask, Please, Sir, may I have some more? With both palms open wide and arms extended, Oliver lifts his empty bowl of soup heavenward. When anxiety attacks, attack back with trusting, humble asking. Father, I m overwhelmed. I see no way out. I feel like I m starved of resources. My bowl of soup is empty, my gas tank is on E, my resources are depleted. Rather than trusting in me, I m clinging to You. I m feeble. You re Almighty. I refuse to rely upon myself. I choose to rely upon You. Join the Conversation Ponder an anxiety-producing situation you are currently facing. What specific application could you make using these principles: Renew Your Image of God Engage in Worshipful Prayer Focused on God s Character Open Your Palms to God Note: The preceding post is developed from material in Anxiety: Anatomy and Cure by Dr. Kellemen.
How Does Jesus Talk to Worriers? By Tim Lane Our Cares and Worries I am not sure about you, but I struggle with worry all the time. I worry about what people think of me; whether I am setting aside enough for retirement; what life trajectory my children are on; how long will I enjoy good health; will my wife die before me. I know, it s pretty self-centered. The list can be rather big depending on the time of day or year. Statistics say that nearly 1 in 5 Americans will struggle with some degree of anxiety this year that will impede their ability to function. That s nearly sixty-five million Americans in one year. Jesus Cares about Our Cares In the past, I would look to the Bible for some direction and hope in times of distress. When I did, I would bump into passages where Jesus emphatically says, Do not worry! To be honest, at first glance, those words were downright depressing. Then I would feel guilty for feeling depressed. I knew something was not right, but I did not know what it was. About a year ago, I started looking at those passages again. I came to them with fresh eyes and the help of the Holy Spirit. I also came with a deeper sense of need. As I pondered Jesus every word, some interesting things began to emerge. I was especially drawn to Luke s account of Jesus teaching on worry in Luke 12:22-34. After He commands His disciples not to worry, He says something in verse 32 that gives you a clue about the tone of His voice as He utters His command. Jesus says: Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Do you hear that? A command followed by a tender description of His hearers. Two little words, little flock, radically altered the way I understood and heard Jesus command. He calls His worrying disciples, you and me, His little flock. Isn t it just like Jesus to pack so much in two words? And isn t it just like us not to hear them. Many years ago, when my children were very young, occasionally they would be awakened in the night due to a bad dream, a nightmare, or a terrible storm. They would wander through the dark house to our bedroom, sometimes in tears, crying and filled with fear and
anxiety. How do you think my wife and I would respond to their fears and tears? Do you think we would say in a harsh voice, Don t be afraid! Go back to bed! Your mother and I are trying to get some much needed rest after taking care of you all day! Of course not. We would not scold or shame them. We would jump out of bed and put our arms around them, kiss them, and say, Don t be afraid. It s okay. Mommy and Daddy are here. We love you and we are going to protect you. Now just come up in my lap and relax and go back to sleep. Casting All Our Cares on Him The other day I was preoccupied with something and was struggling with that gnawing feeling in my gut. I was beginning to experience what I now know is anxiety. This time, I heard a very different voice speaking to me. It wasn t the shaming harsh words I was expecting, but the tender words of a Savior who knows that we are but dust. He knows how broken this world is, and He knows how weak we are. I heard Him say: Tim, don t be afraid. I am committed to you. I love you and am going to take care of you. I am with you. I have given everything, including My own life, to secure your safety and wellbeing. I am Your Savior and King. What about you? How do you hear Jesus command, Do not worry? Do you add or leave off the next two words, little flock? Those two words make a world of difference. Those two words are spoken by a King who bids us to live life in a very different kingdom than our own. A kingdom where He rules as King in your behalf. Join the Conversation What does it mean in your life to cast all your cares on Jesus because He cares for you?
Humility and Anxiety By Dave Dunham The Bible s solution to anxiety can seem a bit strange. The Bible impresses upon anxious souls the importance of humility. In writing to Christians undergoing severe persecution, the apostle Peter guides them to a place of confidence and rest outside of themselves. We see this in 1 Peter 5:6-7. Humility is the key to overcoming fear, worry, and anxiety. The context in which the Christians of Asia Minor found themselves would lead any of us naturally to some level of anxiety. They had been exiled from their home in Jerusalem and scattered throughout the empire. They were experiencing intense religious and political persecution in their new contexts. The details of this persecution are not entirely spelled out in the text nor is the specific context known though many scholars believe that the letter may have been written during the reign of Domitian, an emperor who was very hostile to Christianity. Peter writes this letter to encourage their faith in the midst of this oppression. Peter knew how tempting it might be to abandon the faith as the pressures mounted and obedience became exceedingly costly. As their brothers and sisters were losing homes, finances, families, and even their lives, it would have been very understandable to develop some serious anxiety. Yet, Peter has a word to them about how to deal with their anxiety, and it starts with these words: Humble yourselves. Humble Trust in God Humility seems like a strange starting place for those who are already emotionally low. Anxiety depresses us, overwhelms us, pushes us down until we simply wear out. It seems somewhat insensitive for Peter to begin with humble yourselves. Yet, that is precisely what he says to these men and women experiencing persecution. Peter can say this because he knows that one of the deep roots of anxiety is a lack of trust in God. We get anxious because we do not trust in the character, power, and presence of God. Throughout the Bible, we see the relationship between anxiety and a lack of trust. Jesus Himself makes this connection in Matthew 6. Jesus gives His disciples the command: do not worry. He supports this command with compelling reasons. So, He tells them to look at the birds and see how they don t do anything to guarantee their future preservation and yet God cares for them. He tells them too to look at the grass which has such a fleeting life span, and yet God arrays it in magnificent beauty. He concludes each example by insisting that we are more important to God than either birds or grass. So, if God cares for these things, why should we worry? Worry is rooted in a distrust of the God who cares and provides.
Similarly the apostle Paul shows the relationship to the Romans, when he says that they have not been given a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but rather they have been given a Spirit of sonship, which compels us to cry out Abba, Father (Romans 8:15). The Spirit that compels us to cling to God leads us away from fear. Paul says the same thing to the Philippians, writing: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6). Crying out to God is the opposite of being anxious, the apostle says. There is a strong relationship between worry, anxiety, and a lack of trust in God. Is all worrying a sinful response to God? No. There may be some organic causes that cultivate hyper anxiety (like heart arrhythmia, imbalances in thyroid, etc.). But even more to the point, not all worry is sin. After all, worry is a God-given emotion that motivates us to action. I worry about losing my job, so I break the bad habit of showing up for work late. I worry about being fined, penalized, and audited, so I file my taxes on time. I worry about burning my house down so I go back home to check and make sure I turned off the oven. Worry becomes sinful when it dominates my life, leads to other sinful responses, or becomes detached from truth and reality. In such cases I must investigate more earnestly what I believe, what I want, and what I trust. That s why Peter tells the church to quell anxiety by humbling themselves before the Lord. Humility Surrenders Control to God Anxiety seeks control. William Berry, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, agrees. He writes: The use of control is paradoxical: we believe taking control will bring us security and happiness, yet its overuse causes unhappiness, anxiety, and malaise. In the treatment of clients with addiction problems, depression, marital issues, anxiety, and anger issues a common thread is control. The desire for control can cultivate all kinds of negative, sinful (though Berry doesn t say this) responses in us. Worry is related to control. Berry continues: Behavioral psychology purports that every behavior or action has a reward. In the case of worrying, the reward is to foresee a problem and take action. Unfortunately worrying continues when no action is possible. Worry then becomes an attempt to control, or a wish to control, what is uncontrollable ( Let Go, Be Happy in Psychology Today). When we can t control things, we worry. We worry because it gives us the illusion of
control, but in reality it only escalates our problems. In this way, then, worry can actually be related to arrogance. Worry says, I should be able to control this situation. I should be able to manage my world, my spouse, my kids, my health, my life. Worry is frustration at our inability to be God. So, Peter s counsel applies: humble yourselves, therefore, under God s mighty hand. The key to right humility is to see God s mighty hand correctly. For many people, humbling ourselves under God s mighty hand sounds more like submitting to His oppressive rule. We think of it more like His heavy hand weighing us and keeping us down. In such a picture, submission seems more like God keeping us under His thumb. But that is not Peter s point. To submit to God s mighty hand is to understand His great love for us. He tells the church the reason they can cast all their anxieties on God is because He cares for them (v. 7). This paints a different picture of God s mighty hand. In this case, we might think of God s hand like that of a parent who is preparing to help their child cross a busy intersection. The child might fear the roar of the traffic, be anxious about crossing the road, even worry that she might be struck by a speeding car. A good parent will stick out his hand and take hers, wrapping his strong fingers around her tiny palm. She submits to his hand, takes those steps off the curb and follows his lead because she trusts that her daddy cares for her. This is what it looks like for us to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. Anxiety seeks to be in control. Biblical counsel says submit to God, not simply because you can t control your world, but because your world is in the hand of one who loves you greatly. Humility is the opposite of anxiety. That s why the apostle John can say that perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18). Trust in the perfect love of your Savior for you, and don t be anxious. Join the Conversation In battling against sinful anxiety and worry, how can you apply the truth of humble trust in God?
When Anxiety Attacks Let Love and Peace Rule by Sherry Allchin When Anxiety Rules Be anxious for nothing but I m anxious about everything! Does this sound like you or someone you counsel? In Luke 21:26 we read that the last days will be characterized by fear. It certainly seems to me that fear is on the rise and peace and love are out the window in our culture! Anxiety is a biblical term that encompasses both fear and worry. I like to think of it as the umbrella term. Fear relates to something from the past, perhaps something you will do anything to keep from ever happening again. It drags that event into the present and paralyzes you with fear at least in some way (OCD, perfectionism, people pleasing, panic attacks, general or specialized anxiety are some examples). Worry, on the other hand, takes a potential happening from the future and paralyzes you in the present as if that were reality. It may or may not ever happen, but the anxiety level is as if it is happening right now, and your thoughts become consumed by it. Worry takes its toll on both your body and soul. It feels very real to you. Fear torments the fearful, directing you more and more toward protecting yourself from that thing you fear might happen. It turns your focus inward. As anxiety escalates, productivity decreases. A panic attack feels like you are dying right there on the spot. Life begins to revolve around that feared thing whatever it might be. Sometimes, the feared thing is a feared person pleasing that person, keeping him happy, or making him accept or approve of you. Sometimes it is to fear not getting what you think you can t live without. It may be to fear a circumstance that you believe you can t handle. Fear seems to take a life of its own, ruling your life! When Love Rules! Perfect love casts out fear (1 Jn. 4:17-21). So often my counselees can quote that verse but have no idea how love has the potential to cast out their fear. They can even quote 2 Timothy 1:7, and assure me fear doesn t come from God, yet they have no idea where it originates. It comes out more like the proverbial the devil made me do it! excuse as if they have no control over their fear or the actions that follow. So how do we help our counselees, or how do you have victory over your fear?
Think about David and Goliath. There were two armies, the Philistines taunting and threatening while the Israelites quaked with fear. Since emotions are a by-product of how we evaluate our circumstances, the Israelite evaluation that the circumstances were dangerous certainly provoked the emotion of fear! For days Goliath had thundered threats while Saul s army froze. Enter David: same circumstances, but a different interpretation (dangerous, but His God was bigger that the dangerous circumstance), and therefore a different action (fight and kill the giant as he had the lion and the bear), and therefore a different emotion (victory, praise and gratitude to God, peace). David s love for God and for his country produced righteous actions and emotions. The rest of the Israelite army missed the victor s blessings because of their paralyzing fear. Love changes the focus from self and self-protection to loving and serving God and others. In obedience to Jesus greatest command (Mt. 22:36-40) we find release from our fears! When the Peace of God Rules! Philippians is a great book to show us how to confidently walk in the peace of God. God is present with us and is committed to perfect us in Christ Jesus (1:6). He gives us purpose and meaning for life and death (1:21). And then Paul tells us how to walk in the peace and joy of the Lord (ch.3-4). The key to victory over anxiety comes in chapter 4 of Philippians. I regularly take my counselees to this passage to help them evaluate where they ve gone wrong. Paul begins with a plea to help two women in the church, obviously friends and co-workers with Paul and one another, but who are now in a disagreement. It must have been a public brawl since everybody knew about it and Paul addressed it publically. A major relationship was out of sync. That is the first question I ask, Are there relationships that should be meaningful and peaceful, but that are now messed up? When relationships are right, there is peace, both vertically and horizontally. When out of sync, all must be of the same mind in the Lord if peace is to be restored. Sins need to be confessed with repentance and forgiveness to right relationships. The second consideration in victory over anxiety is learning to pray right (4:6), asking God to supply our needs and then trusting Him to do that according to His will and wisdom, not demanding our own selfish desires (Jas. 4:1-3). Third comes the attitude of gratitude, thanking Him for His provision even if it is different then what we originally wanted. This right attitude stabilizes our hearts with peace and joy. The fourth may be the hardest for most of us in the midst of anxious thoughts right thinking. In Philippians 4:8, we are commanded to think on what is true. Anxious thoughts naturally begin to speculate on what might be true but might not be! To be worried about
an accident that might have been, but no calls to that effect just no call, period so anxious thoughts run away with us and we imagine our loved one in the hospital dying. Or, what is honest, and we are sure someone has cheated us, or been unfair. We begin to believe the worst about someone, sure they have betrayed us yet no facts to back the speculation. Then we wonder why we are anxious with minds running every direction, uncontrolled thinking and no peace or joy! Last, Paul concludes by telling us to live out the gospel, the Truth, the things we have learned from him that honor God. When we do those things consistently, the God of peace will be with us. Right actions lead to right emotions, joy in the Lord and the peace of God ruling our hearts. There is victory over anxiety, and Philippians 4:13 assures us we can live in this victory through the strength we have in Christ. Tools for Victory over Anxiety In 2 Timothy 1:7, Paul gives us three power tools for victory over anxiety. The first is Power that comes from the Holy Spirit using the powerful Word to change us into the image of Christ who knows no fear. The second is Love that turns our focus from inward to upward and outward. Then the third tool, Sound Mind/Self-Control is commanded and He gives us the ability to put wrong and anxious thoughts out of our mind (2 Cor. 10:5) and to replace those thoughts with Christ-like thinking that is controlled by the Spirit and that is based on Truth (Phil. 4:8). God has already granted every believer these power tools if we will only use them to access victory through Christ over anxiety! Join the Conversation How can love and peace rule over anxiety and fear in your life?
14 Daggers that Help to Kill Worry By Paul Tautges The Battle for the Mind Faith battles are fought in the mind. In other words, what we say to ourselves controls much of what we do, whether right or wrong, true or false, which is the fruit of what we believe. Therefore, counseling ourselves with pithy statements rooted in biblical truth is an exceedingly important, but oft-neglected discipline of the Christian life. If you and I are going to walk by faith, not by sight, then we must consistently put to death the lies that our depraved hearts both produce and believe. One key area in which this discipline is so consistently needed at least for me is in the battle against worry. Knowing this about myself, I chose to again mediate on the comforting, faith-building words of the Lord Jesus concerning God s faithful care for His children, those whom He has redeemed by the blood of His Son. But, this time, I took a different tactic. I looked for key truths that I need to constantly speak back to myself. Self-counsel is what we sometimes call it (Think Note to Self by Joe Thorn). It basically means that we learn the discipline of speaking biblical truths to ourselves in order to kill the lies that we so naturally believe about God and about ourselves. So, here are 14 truths that jumped off the pages of Scripture this morning, from Matthew 6:25-34. These truths, in turn, become reasons not to worry. Read Jesus words and then think about these simple truths. 1. God commands me not to worry; worry is sin (vv. 25; 34). 2. The essence of life is something more significant than material provision (v. 25). 3. The birds don t worry, fret, or hoard; yet their needs are met (v. 26). 4. God feeds the birds that are not made in His image (v. 26). 5. I am more valuable to God than all the birds combined, because I am made in His image (v. 26). 6. Worry does not lengthen life (v. 27). 7. The flowers are clothed by God (vv. 28-29). 8. God will clothe us (v. 30). 9. Worry is rooted in unbelief (v. 30). 10. Worldly people worry; it s characteristic of unbelieving pagans (vv. 31-32). 11. Our heavenly Father knows our needs (v. 32). 12. All our material cares will be taken care of by God when we pursue Christ and His
agenda, first, above all (v. 33). 13. Tomorrow will take care of itself (v. 34). 14. Today has enough trouble; I don t need to create more by borrowing from tomorrow (v. 34). Join the Conversation What truths do you find in this passage?
Fighting Anxiety By Pat Quinn I was struck recently with the words in James 1:21: receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. As I meditated on this verse and others related to the power of God s Word, I was encouraged. Some key words in James 1:21 are: Receive: To give ear to, embrace, makes one s own Implanted: Planted by nature (in this case by the new nature brought about by regeneration) or others instruction Able: Capable of, powerful to Save: To rescue from destruction, heal Souls: Life; seat of feelings, desires, affections, thoughts, purposes God is telling us that his Word, implanted in our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit, is able to save our lives and heal our souls. Victory in Anxiety One of the things that often wars against our souls is anxiety the sense that we are in danger and must protect, defend, and save ourselves. Anxiety is often saying that deep down we don t believe there is a wise, all-powerful, loving God in control of our lives and so we must control them. The problem is that we know we can t really control our lives and that simply increases the anxiety. James explains to us that God s Word in the power of the Holy Spirit can gradually transform and save us from the enemies of our souls, including anxiety. Bob Kellemen gives a helpful perspective on fighting anxiety. Sometimes God gives us victory over anxiety through his Spirit-implanted Word: i.e. anxious thoughts and feelings go away. But he often gives us victory in anxiety: i.e. we may continue to experience them to some extent but are increasingly less ruled by them (Anxiety: Anatomy and Cure, P&R Books, 2012). This perspective brings about a realistic hope for growing in overcoming anxiety. As one who struggles with anxiety, I know that realistic hope is exactly what we need. As we look at what God says in Philippians to help us fight anxiety, keep in mind that it is the implanted Word that is powerful to save and heal. While the primary responsibility for implanting the Word is with the Holy Spirit, we have a part to play as well. Our responsibility is to:
Meditate on Scriptural truth continually (Joshua 1: 8-10) Pray over it that the Holy Spirit will implant it deep in your heart and bring it to fruition (Ephesians 1: 15-19) Believe and speak it (2 Corinthians 4: 13) Live it out through faith working through love (Galatians 5: 6) With Paul in Philippians Paul s truths and identity statements in Philippians are a powerful arsenal for the Holy Spirit to use in helping us find victory in anxiety. Here is a list of such truths from Philippians that you can use in your battle against anxiety. As you read and reflect on them, ask the Holy Spirit to save and transform by implanting these words deep in your heart and then to give you opportunities to share them with others. You might want to journal your reflections, experiences, and prayers. 1:1 You are a saint: one set apart from the world, flesh, and devil for God s glory 1:2 God offers you grace and peace through the gospel 1:3-5 Through faith in Jesus you are partners in gospel life and ministry 1:6 God has begun a transforming work in you, is working in your life now, and will complete it when you see Jesus 1:7 You are a partaker of God s undeserved favor and transforming power along with Paul and all believers 1:8 Jesus Christ himself has great affection for you 1:9-10 It is God s will to glorify himself as your love, purity, and righteousness grow 1:21 Your life now is defined by Christ and your dying will bring the fulfillment of all your deepest desires in him 1:29 Your faith in Christ and sufferings for his sake are gifts of God to you 2:1 Through faith in Christ you have his encouragement, comfort, participation in the Spirit, affection, and sympathy 2:8-11 God has exalted Jesus above all others for your eternal worship and delight 2:13 God works in you to desire and do what pleases him 2:14 You shine as a light for Christ in the world 3:3 We are the real circumcision who worship by the Spirit, glory in Christ, and put no confidence in the flesh 3:7-11 Knowing Christ and receiving the righteousness he gives us are so precious it is worth losing everything else for 3:20 Heaven is where you belong and are headed to 3:21 Jesus will transform your lowly body to be like his glorious body by his omnipotent power 4:1 In Christ you are loved and desired, a beloved brother or sister 4:5-7 The Lord is near you to give you peace in Christ as you ask with thanksgiving 4:11-13 It is possible to learn to be content and strong in the Lord in every situation 4:19 God has promised to supply every need you will ever have through Christ
Closing Thoughts Two closing thoughts about using these truths from Philippians to battle anxiety: First, think relational not just cognitive. The above bullet points are not magic bullets to use to make anxiety disappear. Think of them as conversation points to talk to the Lord about. David Powlison once said that you can t merely reason your way out of anxiety, but you can relate (to the Lord) your way through it. Second, remember that you are saved by Jesus righteousness, not your own. Your being accepted and beloved by the Lord depends not on your overcoming anxiety but on Jesus perfect life, death, and resurrection on your behalf. Forgetting the truth of justification by faith alone could subtly turn battling anxiety into a work and actually increase it. May God enable us by His Word and Spirit to more and more fully experience Paul s words in Philippians 4: 4-7 to the glory of God: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 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. Join the Conversation: What does realistic hope in fighting anxiety look like for you? How can you help others take hold of this realistic hope?
Biblical Counseling Coalition, 2017.