Dealing With Anxiety - Part 3 of 7

Overcoming Anxious Thoughts

As we continue exploring the issue of anxiety, we'll focus on practical strategies to manage it effectively. Building on our previous discussion about dismissing unwanted thoughts and casting legitimate concerns onto the Lord, we'll delve into new approaches to help you cultivate a mindset that fosters peace and resilience.

Key Insights from this Week’s Video:

• Attend to Helpful Thoughts: Focus on thoughts that support your well-being. Philippians 4 encourages us to bring everything to God in prayer, fostering a peace that surpasses understanding. Practicing these principles helps cultivate a life of reasonableness and trust.

• Discipline Your Thoughts: Engage in regular mental discipline, recognizing that anxiety can challenge your identity in Christ. As 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 advises, take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ, asserting control over your mental landscape.

• Overcome Second Fear: Avoid becoming anxious about being anxious, a phenomenon known as "second fear." 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us that God has given us a spirit of power, love, and self-control, not fear. Embrace a sound mind and let go of fears that detract from your identity in Christ.

• Philippians 4:4-7

  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.

• Corinthians 10:3-5

  For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ

• 2 Timothy 1:7

  For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

• Galatians 5:1

  For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Thought for the Week - Dealing with Anxiety Part 3 of 7
Pastor Bryan Hurlbutt's devotional series on anxiety.

Reflective Questions:

1. How can you incorporate prayer and reflection into your daily routine to manage anxiety more effectively?

2. In what ways can you practice taking your thoughts captive to align them with your faith?

3. How does understanding your identity in Christ influence your approach to overcoming second fear?

Additional Resources

• Are you Happy? God Made you to Be Happy.

• Would you like prayer support from our team?