Good afternoon everybody
Anxiety
We all have our terrors.
Uncertainty, pressure
Anxiety, the great plague of our generation. Anxiety snaches away happiness like a pickpocket at a county fair. Anxiety gives ulcers and creates alcoholics.
Anxiety in primitive was surely a God given glandular reaction to prepare him for fight or flight. The chemical cecretions that once enabled a man to run from danger or fight with fury now create problems for him. since it is not appropriate in most social situations to fight physically or run away, anxiety becomes a confusing and paralyzing reaction.
The collision of a personal desire with a natural fear expresses the essence of most of our anxiety. My desire to pass a course collide with my fear of failing the final exam. My desire to have my tooth filled confronts my fear of the dentist's drill. Anxiety, then, is the natural result and manifestation of fear.
This means , my friend, that if you can understand and resolve your fears, you will over come the anguish and trauma of chronic anxiety.
I believe that the simple but profound truths that God has shared with us in 2Timothy 1:7 can help you deal victoriously with fear. The verse states very concisely,"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
The fears that plague your life are not coming to you because God wants you to have them. He does not place a fearful, trembling spirit in man. His will is to fill His children with a victorious spirit. But you are not the only person who has had the tendency to be afraid and intimidated. The Bible is full of examples of people who made mistakes, lost precious opportunities, and displeased God because of their fear.
God has given His Spirit to overcome your fears.
Those who know God personally through placing their faith in Jesus Christ have received the Spirit of God to dwell within them. (2 Thessalonians 4:8)
The Holy Spirit is decribed in three ways in 2 Timothy 1:7 to show that His presence is God's answer to the Christian's fears. He is the Spirit of power, the Spirit of love, and the Spirit of self-control.
The Spirit of Power
One of the fears that plagues man is the fear of inadequacy, the fear that he will not meet certain challenges or solve certain problems. We fear the possibility of failure and the humiliation of personal inadequacy. In relation to this type of fear, God has given us his spirit- the spirit of power.
In all honesty I can say," I am inadequate, but the Spirit of power within me is adequate to equip me for doing every good thing God wants me to do."
The Spirit of Love
Most of our anxieties relate to our relationships with people. We fear of being betrayed or abandoned by friends. We fear conflict and tension in our social situations. Responding to these fears, God has given us His Spirit of love because love is the key to maintaining and nurturing these relationships.
This love is not an easy way of life for us, but as Christians we have God's Spirit available to love others through us.
The Spirit of Self-Control
Sometimes you may be anxious because you fear yourself. You think you are going to make a fool of yourself, in public, you fear that your judgment will be faulty, that you will make a foolish decision, you fear that you will lack the necessary discipline in a given situation to do the right thing.
If you have the Holy Spirit of God living in you, you can trust yourself. God offers you help for keeping yoour life from swerving out of control.
His Spirit serves as a guardrail if you accept His guidance for your life.
You need not fear inadequacy, just let God make you adequate for any task He has for you to do. You need not fear conflicts and bad relationships with people, let God love them through you. You need not fear yourself, let His Spirit of self-control make your judgment sound and your life disciplined.