Overcoming the Spirit of Fear and Anxiety
Overcoming the spirit of fear and anxiety takes work. First, understand this. God didn’t give us a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7). Therefore, I didn’t think a Christian should feel fear and anxiety, EVER. I was mistaken.
Immediate panic attacks, fear of going to sleep and waking up in hell, and a racing heart all tried to claim the faith I proclaimed. It took months to figure out what was happening and why God allowed it.
Events sent me spiraling physically for another two years.
Overcoming the Spirit of Fear and Anxiety
Fear is the mind-killer that paralyzed me spiritually.
In my perplexing state of unrest, a deep dark fear came true. I felt like a fake, and in a way I was. I’d lived a veneered life layered with the strong faith of others and scripture I fed on but didn’t apply to life. God lifted the veil to open the door to changes.
NOW, He expected me to live MY FAITH, not the faith and corresponding actions of everyone else I read about. This overcoming fear Bible sermon reveals how God changed me so fear no longer controlled me.
Overcoming the Spirit of Fear and Anxiety: Taking Steps Forward
A people pleaser instead of a God pleaser, not me or so I assumed. A number of individuals revealed in actions and words that I wasn’t even on their favorite list. I listened intently to their every word, gave presents expecting nothing back, and responded to their needs in a timely matter. I was the best friend ever.
These people simultaneously betrayed my heart, one blow after the next. Nothing I did for them mattered. They moved me around like a player on a chessboard at their whim and disposal. Like savage beasts, they broke and then trampled my heart. Trying to make sense of this enormous pain in my soul, God carefully restored my fractured heart by revealing truth.
The very virtue God put inside me, a huge dose of sincerity, is what people didn’t trust—the God kind of love they didn’t understand. Was I expecting something in return from people? Yes. I wanted everyone to love me as much as I loved them. They didn’t, even a fraction.
So, God exposed the lie that led to overcoming the spirit of fear and anxiety. God put me back together in a way I’d never known. He was the only one worthy of trust and who I needed to be whole.
I should have known that.
He showed me the cruelty of human nature. Without Him, I was capable of the same behavior I saw in the loved ones who hurt me. Ouch.
Why did learning a simple truth – putting God at the top of my list, not people – take so long to learn?
Overcoming the Spirit of Fear and Anxiety
With my counterfeit foundation pulled out from under me, I used spiritual knowledge to fight the spirit of fear and anxiety. At times, I waxed and waned not knowing what to do or how to live. Insomnia was a frequent partner as anxiety kept me awake for hours on end. Worry zapped energy and consumed thoughts.
Rather than trust God, I’d bolster my self-strength, and depend on someone else’s Christian faith, once again. Christian publications arrived in my mailbox I’d gobble up like apple pie à la mode. Then I’d falter and fear.
Fortunately, there was a simple solution to overcoming the spirit of fear and anxiety.
How to Overcome Fear and Anxiety
My heart and spirit were full of scripture even when I didn’t think so. Christians have a common enemy, satan (yep, I don’t capitalize his name), with a bent to kill, steal, and destroy. He hates us and uses anything to bring us down. I learned how to turn away from fear, anxiety, and worry and overcome them. I became proactive about living the Christian life and that meant I was in for a steamy battle.
It didn’t help that I came from a line of worriers – it’s a learned behavior. Additionally, I repeated the wrong words I grew up hearing. So, I changed what I told myself or heard in my mind. I started reading scripture about fear or looked up verses that applied to my spiritual condition.
When fearful thoughts came, I recognized them for what they were – enemies of my soul. I learned to put down thoughts by saying, “Fear, worry, anxiety, you have no part in me, go now.” Those feelings left immediately. The first time I removed the spirit of fear from my mind and heart, I said out loud, “That really works.”
I asked Christian organizations and Christian friends to pray for me. Moreover, God prompted me to think about how He made me and to appreciate those differences. Even so, I still had hurt feelings from time to time.
The Truth About Overcoming the Spirit of Fear and Anxiety
satan is at the center of fear when you don’t use your faith to stop his tactics. Everything he does is about destruction and if he can take you down, he will. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know how puny he is compared with the one true God, the Father of Jesus. Even more unfortunate, is that many Christians don’t know how big God is.
Does fear, worry, and anxiety try to come back? Yes. However, God opened my eyes to the truth about fear—it comes from satan. To fight your way through fear, you must speak words of faith and put belief in those words. Would I want anyone else to go through suffering, stress and anguish? No. Have I arrived? Hardly. But I know more about fear than I ever have and take steps to rid it from my life.
By discovering this truth—God should be first and satan’s influence last, I share how to conquer fear’s hold. My current journey, Writing For JESUS, became a reality by discovering that MY FAITH works and it’s not someone else’s. That’s a victory I can shout about and use to stop fear and anxiety!
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