Freedom From Anxiety Part 2: Are you Ready to Receive?
By Peter DeWitt
This post is part 2 in the blog series on anxiety. To read part 1 click here:
Freedom From Anxiety Part 1: Trusting God to Provide
This post is part 2 in the blog series on anxiety. To read part 1 click here:
Freedom From Anxiety Part 1: Trusting God to Provide
Anxiety is working against my future in God.
Anxiety has a cost. It’s stealing your future. We tend to think “when I’m anxious I’m just not making forward progress.” I’m saying “you’re making negative progress.”
Philippians 4 tells us that if we are anxious for nothing, the peace that surpasses understanding will guard our hearts. So, a key to keeping our peace is to understand that the opposite of peace is worry / anxiety. If we could have freedom from anxiety we would all experience a lot more peace and the power that peace brings.
The Greek root of the word for “anxious” in Philippians 4 means to “disunite.” Anxiety comes from being separated from your source. What’s the opposite of that? Peace. Being connected to your source. Idols are trying to get us to consider our lives apart from the very Source Who wants to provide everything for us!
We know that from part one of this blog series - Anxiety requires an idol. So if anxiety comes from the place of not receiving from God we can say “wait a second … if I’m anxious … maybe God wants to provide for me in that area the very thing I’m actually searching for … and without barbs attached to it and without sorrow attached to it … in a way that is actually even bigger and better than what I thought was possible?”
And could it be that Holy Spirit is actually searching out the very things that are in the Lord … that are part of the “all things” that are yours … that He wants to give to you? And could it be that everything that we could ever need is actually in Him?
Anxiety dies for me in an area once I realize what God has for me in that area. If I have anxiety about public speaking, I probably don’t have need for “public speaking” I have a need for “acceptance.”
If I notice that I have a certain anxiety often I can say “what’s the lie that I’m believing?” In other words “Who is God wanting to be for me now that I’ve not yet allowed Him to be for me?” These are the questions that actually get you from where you’ve been to where you’re going. Anxiety provides you a target but what’s the arrow that pierces through it? Who Jesus is for you and how complete you are in Him!
As soon as I realize that I have no need in that area - for instance, as it relates to acceptance … We see in John 2 that Jesus had no need for the praises of man because He knew His acceptance in the Father as the Beloved Son who is well pleasing to His Father. So anxiety comes because I don’t know my acceptance and therefore I’m fearing man. Peace comes when I realize I’m accepted in the beloved. The pivot is when I start to turn to God for the thing that I’ve not been finding in the idol.
The Greek root of the word for “anxious” in Philippians 4 means to “disunite.” Anxiety comes from being separated from your source. What’s the opposite of that? Peace. Being connected to your source. Idols are trying to get us to consider our lives apart from the very Source Who wants to provide everything for us!
We know that from part one of this blog series - Anxiety requires an idol. So if anxiety comes from the place of not receiving from God we can say “wait a second … if I’m anxious … maybe God wants to provide for me in that area the very thing I’m actually searching for … and without barbs attached to it and without sorrow attached to it … in a way that is actually even bigger and better than what I thought was possible?”
And could it be that Holy Spirit is actually searching out the very things that are in the Lord … that are part of the “all things” that are yours … that He wants to give to you? And could it be that everything that we could ever need is actually in Him?
Anxiety dies for me in an area once I realize what God has for me in that area. If I have anxiety about public speaking, I probably don’t have need for “public speaking” I have a need for “acceptance.”
If I notice that I have a certain anxiety often I can say “what’s the lie that I’m believing?” In other words “Who is God wanting to be for me now that I’ve not yet allowed Him to be for me?” These are the questions that actually get you from where you’ve been to where you’re going. Anxiety provides you a target but what’s the arrow that pierces through it? Who Jesus is for you and how complete you are in Him!
As soon as I realize that I have no need in that area - for instance, as it relates to acceptance … We see in John 2 that Jesus had no need for the praises of man because He knew His acceptance in the Father as the Beloved Son who is well pleasing to His Father. So anxiety comes because I don’t know my acceptance and therefore I’m fearing man. Peace comes when I realize I’m accepted in the beloved. The pivot is when I start to turn to God for the thing that I’ve not been finding in the idol.
Peace comes when I start to turn to God for the thing I’ve not been finding in the idol.
Colossians 2:10 says that you are complete in Him! The reason I am highlighting this is to say to you that there is nothing you are missing in Christ. There is not a need, issue, or want in your life that Who He is for you does not address.
God is trying to get a “you are” statement through to us but we are consumed with “will be.” You’ve already got it. Everything you need is in Christ and you are His and you are complete in Him.
The anxiety comes when we feel like we’ve got to go find something and be something that we are not already in Christ.
“I’m available. What will I not provide for you?” Sometimes it’s a new situation that stretches our trust in God. You cannot serve both God and mammon. Therefore don’t worry. If you settle this issue in your heart, you won’t worry.
Matthew 5 says blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Purity of heart is not having 2 masters. You can’t see God move in an area of your life if you are waffling between 2 opinions.
Do you have an area of your life that has been a perpetual place of anxiety? God wants to set you free from that anxiety because anxiety is stealing our future in Him.
You may think “but I’ve been freed from anxiety before …” Yes, but sometimes you have to redouble your efforts to come into the place of trust because a new context can stretch your faith. You have to be tested in your faith sometimes.
Matthew 5 says blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Purity of heart is not having 2 masters. You can’t see God move in an area of your life if you are waffling between 2 opinions.
Do you have an area of your life that has been a perpetual place of anxiety? God wants to set you free from that anxiety because anxiety is stealing our future in Him.
You may think “but I’ve been freed from anxiety before …” Yes, but sometimes you have to redouble your efforts to come into the place of trust because a new context can stretch your faith. You have to be tested in your faith sometimes.
So if I’ve been in a place of anxiety I’ve been saying “let me solve this myself” and when I come out of the place of anxiety and into the place of peace, I’m saying “God, You’re good with me so let me just hug You and receive from You.”
If anxiety is something for you, all it means is that there is an upgrade for you in Him. The upgrade is found in Him. He wants to give you some things better and more than what you’ve been trying to get some other way.
Are you ready to receive from Him?
Father, I am sorry I have been trying to solve problems myself instead of trusting you to provide for me. I know that you want to provide for me more and better than what I have been trying to get another way. I choose to step into Your peace and receive from you. Help me to trust you fully in ______________. Show we what lies I am believing and Who you are wanting to be for me now that I’ve not yet allowed you to be for me. Thank you for your unending love and acceptance. Amen
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