Be Anxious for Nothing

"Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus. " (Philippians 4:6,7)

Lord, how many times have I read this? How many times have I spoken it to myself, or prayed it over someone else? How many times have I thought to myself "sure, easier said than done!"

Those internal musings are actually the witness of the Spirit telling me that "Yes, it will take the peace of GOD to calm your mind right now." It's not only easier said than done, it is IMPOSSIBLE to have the peace that surpasses all of my human understanding without HIM ! The Spirit's instruction to pray, supplicate, give thanks and make my requests known to God are confirming to me that I need to set my mind on the AUTHOR OF PEACE and allow Him to provide a calm that only He can give. My only part in this equation is to recognize that when I am overwhelmed, I need to run to Jesus!

It's always made me laugh that the world's symbol for peace is an upside down, broken cross. Maybe that's the problem! That sign was originally designed as a symbol of nuclear disarmament. Modeled after naval semaphore flags, its designer, Gerald Holtom, said it was representative of an individual in despair. The symbol was widely adopted by peace activists and hippies in the 1960's and has become a cultural mainstay. I believe what Holtom designed for nuclear disarmament is a prophetic symbol for us that peace, without the AUTHOR OF PEACE, is elusive.

So, we know that anxiety is our body's natural response to stress. It's a feeling of fear or apprehension of what's to come. Fear can be a good thing when it keeps you from harm, and it can be a very bad thing when weaponized against you. When your feelings of anxiety and fear become extreme, debilitating and ingrained in you, it's time to fight back!

A little of my story - my earliest childhood memory was one of being paralyzed by fear. I don't remember a lot of details, but I was just a few years old and fear gripped me. I ran and I hid under my parent's bed, unable to move, and filled with thoughts that harm was going to come to me, and to my family. Now, there was no reasonable, rational explanation for why this happened. My home was happy and safe. I don't recall any threats to my security, yet I was assaulted by fear. With 20-20 Holy Spirit hindsight, I now know this was a spiritual attack, and at that moment fear and anxiety entered in and became a constant in my life. It was not until many decades later that I was supernaturally delivered from fear once and for all.

Peace is supposed to be our normal, everyday state of mind, but very few experience peace as a part of their daily lives. Maybe like I did, you have lived in altered state of mind for so many years, that fear and anxiety have become your "normal." I used to be very tense, worried a lot, and expected the worst to happen; creating negative expectations in my mind that many times came to fruition. The anxiety that entered my heart as a young child took up a lot of real estate in my thought life. My mind was programmed to go to def con 1 alert level at even the suggestion of a threat! BUT GOD has changed all of that!

The entry point of fear in my life was spiritual attack, but it fed on later traumatic events and planted deep roots. You may have experienced trauma that opened the door to fear and anxiety in your life. Regardless of what opened the door, Jesus can close it!

Many years ago, the Lord visited me in a dream and supernaturally delivered me from fear. I believe at that time He dealt with familiar and familial spirits but He also gave me a strategy to keep the atmosphere clear around me going forward. He gave me a prescription out of His Word "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Cor 10:3-6)

Every time a thought came that was contrary to the Word of God, was contrary to who HE said I was, contrary to HIS plans and purposes for me, I pulled out my prescription! I confessed that verse OUT LOUD until it became second nature for me. Where before I would let thoughts come in and stay for a while and torment me, I gradually learned to TAKE THEM CAPTIVE. I began to purposefully run each thought through the filter of the Word of God and ask myself "is this who God says I am? Is this what He wants for me?" What began as an intentional mental exercise is now ingrained in me. Even when circumstances did not change, my reactions did, Praise God!

I wish I could say that all sources of stress went away, but they probably actually increased! God has a way of testing revelation with situation! Once he supernaturally reveals something to you out of His Word, like he did with 2 Cor 10:3-6 for me, situations began to arise to test and make sure that His revealed truth was completely settled deep in my spirit! Now the application of 2 Cor 10:3-6 is not just a mental exercise but a part of me. My brain has been re-wired to go "obedience of Christ" instead of disobedience.

For many years I believed my brain controlled a lot more than it really does. I came to understand that my thoughts actually control my brain, not the other way around. My brain reacts to my thoughts, sending electrical and chemical impulses throughout my body. If my thoughts are right, my brain will react in a healthy manner. If my thoughts are toxic and filled with fear and anxiety, my brain (and subsequently my body) will respond accordingly. That's why the Lord told us "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." (Is 26:3)

The average person has over 30,000 thoughts a day. ( I don't have any scientific proof, but I think women have double that!) Research shows that fear, all on its own, triggers more than 1,400 known physical and chemical responses and activates more than 30 different hormones. This is why it is so essential for us to engage and control our thoughts and not let them run loose and control us!

The thoughts that remain with me are MY CHOICE. I have to choose to just let some things go and release them into God's capable hands! I have to REFUSE to hold on to some thoughts that come out of my own internal programming / my faulty wiring or are planted by the enemy of my soul with intentions to harm me.

It's natural for situations or people to trigger stress and fear but I am in control of my thoughts and I can choose peace or anxiety. With help from the Prince of Peace, I can choose to remain calm instead of troubled. Jesus is my example – He did not REACT to people and circumstances but ACTED under the control of the Holy Spirit. And in my own experience, in addition to controlling my thoughts, I also had to distance myself from a lot of people who were drama and negativity magnets!

Let's circle back to Phil 4:6,7 instructing us that when we are troubled with cares, we should go to God with thanksgiving and ask for His state of tranquility, security, harmony, prosperity and contentment. (These are all translations of "peace" in this verse.)

We are told that His peace that stands out, rises above, is superior to, excels and is prominent to any peace that the world can offer, will guard our hearts and mind. This word guard speaks of a military guard; a watchman, a guard that prevents a hostile invasion.

Isn't that a perfect description of what the enemy attempts to do to our thought life? If he can control our thoughts, he can re-wire our brains and even cause affliction in our bodies as our brain sends out impulses in reaction to the toxic thoughts it is feeding on! It is a hostile take over attempt! BUT GOD has set a watch even over own hearts and minds to protect us! He stands guard over our soul, our passions, our desires and appetites, our affections, purpose, character and will and is on the lookout for enemy invaders! Why would we not RUN TO HIM IMMEDIATELY when fear and anxiety strike?!

He will give us peace WITH HIM, (Rom 5:1) peace FROM HIM, (John 14:27) and peace IN HIM ( Is 26:3).

HE is our shalom; our condition of wholeness; what life SHOULD be for us. Shalom is a permanent state; an agreement between the Lord and us that HE WILL KEEP US IN PERFECT PEACE. It is acceptance of HIS STANDARD for us. HIS peace transcends our stressful situations and our own flaws and KEEPS US. Once you learn to live in that peace YOU will also guard it at all costs! The word "stayed" in Is 26:3 literally means "nailed own securely." His peace can be nailed own securely in your life when you determine to pursue Him!

"Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but an encouraging word makes it glad." (Proverbs 12:25)

Don't wait for someone else to speak that encouraging word – speak it to yourself! Speak God's Word, His promises, out loud to yourself and see how your thoughts will change! Your ears will hear your voice and you will respond because faith in God's Word comes by hearing it! (Rom 10:17) As your mind is "nailed down securely" in Him, His peace will overtake you. Fear and anxiety will be replaced by hope and trust! And after we learn this for ourselves, we pass it on so others can be free too!

Thank you, Prince of Peace! Amen!