WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:06.559 Hey, I'm Pastor Steve Hole. 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:11.119 I want to empower you today to walk in your true identity as a worshiper and warrior. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:14.400 Embrace the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit. 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:17.920 Today, be encouraged with a word from my guest speaker. 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:21.280 Welcome to the Born for War podcast. 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:27.600 So good to be with you this morning. 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:29.199 My name is Joey Follett. 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:32.240 I'm the youth pastor here on Staff at the Road. 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:34.799 I get to lead our youth group, which we call Tribe. 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:36.560 It's middle schoolers and high schoolers. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:39.679 With my wife Allie, we've been married for almost seven years. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:42.079 We have uh two boys. 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:49.280 Um Miles is four and a half, and Adler is one and a half, and then we have our third boy uh due in November. 00:00:49.439 --> 00:00:51.200 So uh there's a lot of boys in the house. 00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:52.960 There'll be more boys in the house. 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:58.960 Allie feels outnumbered, but we do have nine chickens, and they're all girls. 00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:03.359 So I've tried to tell her that technically the boys and I are outnumbered. 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:04.799 She doesn't see it that way. 00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:06.079 Um, but that's okay. 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:09.120 So uh I need to be honest though, this is weird. 00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:22.159 Um, and it's weird because usually when I'm up here on a Sunday morning, uh there's no podium, and the band is still up here, and I have one minute and I share some announcements, and then I ask you to shake hands, and then I get to leave and go eat breakfast. 00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:27.760 And uh this is different, obviously, because the podium's here and the band's gone, and Bree already did announcements. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:30.560 So I'm gonna be up here for longer than a minute. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:34.239 Um so uh also continue with the honesty part. 00:01:34.319 --> 00:01:40.719 Uh I've never done this before, and by this I mean teaching on a Sunday morning to a room full of adults. 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:45.280 So usually when I'm teaching, there's a bunch of teenagers in the room. 00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:52.239 Uh, and I've done that in various settings as a public school teacher, coach, and then now as a as a youth pastor. 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:55.920 Uh, and honestly, that's more comfortable to me, which is weird, right? 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:58.239 A room full of teenagers versus a room full of adults. 00:01:58.400 --> 00:01:59.680 A lot of you are probably the opposite. 00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:03.040 You're like teenagers are scary and I'd rather be around adults. 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:12.639 Um and I know a lot of you are the opposite uh than me because I got this typical one-word response when uh people would ask what I did when I was a uh history teacher. 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:15.599 Um it was usually, not every time, but I usually got this one-word response. 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:17.360 They'd say, Joey, what do you do for work? 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:22.400 And I'd say, I'm an eighth-grade history teacher, and they would look me in the eyes and they would say, Why? 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:25.360 And um I got that response a lot. 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:31.120 And I learned after hearing a bunch of those is because people didn't really enjoy middle school uh when they were there. 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:33.840 A lot of people don't have fond memories of middle school, which is too bad. 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:35.280 I think middle school is a lot of fun. 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:38.000 But, anyways, um, here we go. 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:40.639 You know, first first Sunday uh teaching. 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:42.319 So um I'm a little nervous. 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:46.479 You're probably nervous at this point because I've been rambling about nothing for four minutes. 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:49.039 So let's uh let's pray. 00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:53.360 Let's pray, and then we'll open the open the word together and get started. 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:55.840 So, God, thank you for your uh word. 00:02:56.400 --> 00:02:58.240 Thank you that it speaks to us, Lord. 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:04.639 Um right now I just ask in the name of Jesus that you speak to each person in this room in a mighty way through Scripture. 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:09.759 Would you speak to us and just prepare our hearts for your word, Lord, and uh just be with us. 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:10.879 Thank you that you're here. 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:13.039 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:18.319 Well, if you have your Bible, would you turn with me to Matthew chapter 6? 00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:20.560 We're gonna start in verse 25 this morning. 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:24.960 If you don't have a Bible, there uh should be one in a seat in front of you. 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:31.680 You could probably find one on your phone, or you could look over your neighbor's shoulder, preferably if you know who your neighbor is. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:33.120 If not, that's okay. 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:41.120 Uh so uh go ahead, and while you're turning to Matthew chapter six, uh I'm going to introduce this morning's topic. 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:57.280 And this morning's topic is one that uh I talk to students about a lot, um, both on a one-on-one basis, just uh hanging out with kids or talking on a Wednesday night, and then also in settings like this where I'll I'll teach about it from the front too. 00:03:57.439 --> 00:04:11.120 And the reason I talk to students about this a lot, because if I had to pick kind of one very common or one issue that I feel like students encounter the most, or I hear students tell me about the most, uh, it's anxiety. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:23.920 And I've seen that in our region, and again, in the different settings that I've I've been able to work with students, both as a public school teacher, as a wrestling coach, and then now as a youth pastor, I've seen anxiety affect students in a number of different ways. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:28.879 Um but it's not, so it's on my heart a lot, but it's not just a topic uh for students. 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:32.639 Um it's a topic for adults too, you know, especially adults with kids, right? 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:34.879 Because our kids bring us anxiety as well. 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:37.920 So they're dealing with it, and then we're dealing with it because they, yeah. 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:47.920 So um we all we all deal with it, and I I guarantee that to every degree, or to some degree, every single person will deal with anxiety at some point. 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:50.000 And it definitely varies in severity. 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:57.120 And and before we go too far, I just want to say I'm not claiming to be a mental health expert or anything like that. 00:04:57.279 --> 00:05:05.279 Um, I'm just sharing what I've seen and observed in my own life dealing with anxiety, and then with students and what they've shared with anxiety. 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:08.639 We're gonna look at some data here in a minute on anxiety for Americans. 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:12.720 And then we're also gonna look at what what the Bible says about it, um, because there's a lot. 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:16.480 And I'm also not claiming to be a professional at dealing with anxiety. 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:22.720 In fact, I spent quite a bit of time the past two weeks dealing with anxiety over this very moment. 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:25.680 So um, we're all in this together. 00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:32.720 So uh before we get into Matthew chapter six, I want to share share some statistics and headlines and data with you. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:41.279 So I want to read you this headline from a Gallup article that was polling people worldwide on mental health, and this was the summation of that. 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:47.120 The headline they came up with that said, world unhappier, more stressed out than ever. 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:50.240 World unhappier, more stressed out than ever. 00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:58.560 And the article, the author of the article was kind of summarizing the data and was talking about um how the impact of COVID-19 has kind of made this issue worse. 00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:04.879 But but they also said, and I quote, yet the pandemic is not entirely to blame for the increase in negative emotions. 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:11.199 Gallup's data show that the world has been on a negative trajectory for deadline for a decade. 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:20.800 So prior to 2020, data and polls were already pointing to an increase in mental health issues and an increase in unhappiness as a whole. 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:27.199 And then we factor in COVID-19 and this new virus and lockdowns and people losing their jobs and uncertainty. 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:31.040 And you guys, I don't know if to get into that, you were you were alive, right? 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:38.079 So um you factor all that in, that's just gonna heighten and increase the unhappiness and the anxiety and mental health issues. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:52.000 And another poll conducted at the end of 2022 by the American Psychiatric Association, the APA, found that about two out of every five Americans rated their mental health as fair or poor. 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:57.920 So two out of every five Americans said that they don't have good mental health. 00:06:58.480 --> 00:07:07.600 And a lot of those same people that were polled in that poll at the end of 2022 were nervous and stressed out about 2023 more than than polls had ever shown before. 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:12.560 For some reason, 2023 was was the most stressed out going into that year that people have ever been. 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:23.040 But I don't think I need to read that many statistics to you because I know that that many of you know about this issue already, because you you deal with it yourself, right? 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:28.560 And you know, at some point you'll you'll have anxious thoughts, and and some of you probably deal with them every single day. 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:31.519 And if you don't, then you probably know somebody who does. 00:07:31.839 --> 00:07:35.600 So what is causing all of this anxiety? 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:40.879 Another poll from the APA done last month got into the specifics. 00:07:41.040 --> 00:07:42.000 Here are the top examples. 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:44.000 They pulled American, like, what makes you anxious? 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:45.439 And these were the top results. 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:50.879 70% of Americans are anxious about keeping themselves or their families safe. 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:54.319 68% are anxious about keeping their identity safe. 00:07:54.560 --> 00:08:14.000 66% of Americans are anxious about their health, 65% are anxious about paying bills and expenses, 59% are anxious about the impact of climate change on the planet, 50% are anxious about the opioid epidemic, 45% were anxious about the impact of emerging technology on day-to-day life. 00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:16.720 Now, I don't know if any of those things make you anxious. 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:17.920 I don't even know who they ask. 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:18.800 I've never been polled. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:19.600 Have you ever been polled? 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:21.040 One of these polls, who are they asking? 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:21.680 I don't know. 00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:27.439 But um regardless, there are a lot of causes and factors to our anxiety. 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:39.919 And while it might be true, according to research, that the world is dealing with these issues, worry, anxiety, stress, more than the world used to deal with them, it's not a new problem. 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:41.519 These things are not new problems. 00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:44.639 And I know that because they're mentioned in the Bible a lot. 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:51.600 Jesus spoke about it, Paul wrote about it, Peter wrote about it, and we're gonna look at what the Bible says about anxiety. 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:57.120 So we're gonna start with the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 6, starting in verse 25. 00:08:57.440 --> 00:08:59.600 So if you would follow along with me. 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:06.320 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink, nor about your body what you will put on. 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:09.120 Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:16.159 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow sow nor reap, nor gather in a barns, yet your heavenly father feeds them. 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:18.879 Are you not of more value than they? 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:22.399 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:24.000 So why do you worry about clothing? 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:27.919 Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they neither toil nor spin. 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:33.200 And yet I say to you that even Solomon, in all of his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:42.720 Now, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow's thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith. 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:47.039 Therefore do not worry, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear? 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:57.600 For after all these things the Gentile seek, for your heavenly father knows that you need all of these things, but seek first the kingdom of God, his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:02.799 Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:05.600 Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:14.399 So, what we're gonna do now is I want to pull kind of three observations about worry from Jesus' words here in Matthew chapter six. 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:28.720 We'll look at three kind of just things that we know, facts that we can pull out about anxiety and worry from this passage, from Jesus' words, and then we'll look at the solutions that the Bible provides to dealing with and overcoming anxiety. 00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:36.320 And so, this passage that we just read is in the middle of chapter six, also in the middle of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, which he gave to his disciples. 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:44.080 And so, number one, first point of observation is worrying and anxious thoughts accomplish nothing. 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:47.120 Worrying and anxious thoughts accomplish nothing. 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:57.279 Jesus knew this, and what I love about this sermon and how he gave it and how he how he said it is such a commanding but also loving way. 00:10:57.360 --> 00:10:57.600 Right? 00:10:57.759 --> 00:11:00.639 If you could summarize this, he's basically saying, stop it. 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:01.759 Don't do it, right? 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:02.399 Don't worry. 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:03.600 But he doesn't just say that. 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:05.519 He doesn't say don't worry and then move on. 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:08.080 He he does it in such a loving way. 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:14.720 And so if we reread verse 27, it says, which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:16.480 Worrying accomplishes nothing. 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:21.840 What benefit have you ever had in your life from spending time worrying? 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:27.679 In your life, has anything positive actually ever come out of sitting down and spending time in worry? 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:30.559 No, and in fact, the opposite is actually true. 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:39.039 If you uh look up like your the physics we talked about mental health, but the physical effects on your body of being worried and stressed and anxious, it's not good. 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:46.159 Um in a quick Google search, you know, that I did found the Mayo Clinic said it leads to fatigue, trouble sleeping, headaches, stomach issues. 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:47.200 It's bad for you. 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:48.799 Worrying is bad for you. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:59.840 And actually, we also know, like, along with the tools in the Bible, you know, if you if you spend time eating well and exercising and going outside, it can all contribute to less worry and less stress and less anxiety in your life. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:02.480 And so I think that's why Jesus is saying he cares about people. 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:05.519 He cared about his disciples, and he's saying, This is bad for you. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:09.360 I don't want you to worry, and it doesn't do you any good. 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:10.559 It doesn't accomplish anything. 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:15.600 So that's number one, worrying and anxious thoughts accomplish nothing. 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:21.919 Number two, worrying and anxious thoughts demonstrate a lack of trust and faith. 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:25.279 They demonstrate a lack of trust and faith. 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:27.360 So let's reread verse 26. 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:33.919 It says, Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:36.480 Are you not of more value than they? 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:41.200 In verse 26, Jesus points out that people are more valuable than animals. 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:45.120 We know this is true if you look way back in Genesis, uh, the book of Genesis. 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:48.480 People are made in the image of God, not animals. 00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:52.799 And some of you animal lovers might have a hard time hearing that, okay? 00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:58.960 And I know you love your cat, and you might even love your cat more than people, which is a separate issue, and we should talk about that. 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:02.720 But your cat was not created in the image of God. 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:07.600 You were, and you are more important to God than your cat. 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:19.759 And listen, I love animals too, I love my chickens, but it doesn't take long observing my chickens to quickly realize that they're not created in the image of God, and we're created very differently than they are. 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:24.080 Because man, there's been a lot of chicken drama in our coupe this weekend. 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:26.399 They're driving me crazy, and they're not very smart. 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:28.159 So, listen, so that what does that mean? 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:31.840 God cares about you, loves you, trusts you, He wants you to trust in me. 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:34.559 You're created in the image of God, not animals. 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:39.840 And just to be clear on this passage, Jesus isn't saying that you shouldn't take care of yourself. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:41.519 Um don't read this the wrong way. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:43.840 He's saying, trust God with everything. 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:47.279 Bring everything to him, trust God with your needs, go to him with what worries you. 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:47.759 Why? 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:52.799 Because you're more important to him than the cats, the chickens, and the flowers. 00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:54.159 So trust in him. 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:59.440 And then he also says in verse 30, O you of little faith. 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:13.679 And when we worry about our own problems, instead of bringing them to God, we're actually demonstrating and showing God that we're trying to handle it ourselves instead of trusting him with what's worrying us. 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:20.480 And it's kind of this backwards trap that the enemy pulls us into because a lot of times, like, I don't, I don't want to deal with this by myself. 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:21.919 I want God's help. 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:33.759 But so often we're we're in this place, and you've got to catch yourself because we're in this place of just sitting here with the worry and the stress and the anxiety, and we're dealing with it on our own, and God's saying, Come to me and trust me with what's bothering you. 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:35.519 I want to help you with it. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:40.080 And man, what a great thing, because God's more capable of handling it than we are. 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:43.039 He's more capable of figuring it out than we are. 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:46.240 He wants you to go to him with your questions. 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:49.200 He wants you to go to him with what's bothering you. 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:51.360 Don't feel like you have to go to God with the answers. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:53.279 Go to him for the answers. 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:56.000 Go to him with your questions. 00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:56.960 Why? 00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:02.639 Because he cares about you, because you're made in the image of God, because he loves you and he wants to help you. 00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:03.840 So that's number two. 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:07.440 Worrying and anxious thoughts demonstrate a lack of trust and faith. 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:14.320 And the third observation that we can pull out of this passage is worry and anxiety is not your identity. 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:16.320 Worry and anxiety is not your identity. 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:20.559 And Jesus makes it clear in this passage that people will worry. 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:22.960 It's a tendency that we'll fall into. 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:23.279 Why? 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:24.240 Because there's trouble. 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:31.759 If we reread verse 34, he said, Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:34.639 Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:35.600 So there will be trouble. 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:38.399 Some of you are in trouble right now, right? 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:43.360 Some of you are dealing with trouble this morning, and it's causing you anxiety. 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:45.440 And maybe it's all that you're thinking on. 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:46.240 Think about right now. 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:47.679 They're going through your mind, right? 00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:51.120 That is, you know, Jesus knew that we would deal with those things. 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:52.960 There will be trouble in life. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:57.919 But one point I want to make about identity is it shouldn't define you. 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:00.159 Um, even if you deal with it a lot, right? 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:06.559 I think so often people are willing to let things like worry and anxiety and issues with mental health define us and own us. 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:08.399 And even by the way we talk about it, right? 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:12.960 Saying my anxiety or my anxious thoughts, or I'm an anxious person. 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:16.879 Even when you say it that way, you're owning it and making it a part of your identity. 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:19.919 And I want to be very clear about this, and I want everyone to hear this. 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:22.799 Anxiety is not your identity. 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:25.120 It might be a part of your story. 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:31.840 It might be something that you struggle with a lot, it might be something that you want freedom from, but it's not who you are. 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:33.600 Who you are is this. 00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:35.440 You're a child of God. 00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:37.039 That's your identity. 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:38.159 You're a child of God. 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:44.240 Your identity should be rooted in who you are, not what you do or what you struggle with. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:49.919 Our identity should never be grounded in a job that we have or a difficulty that we're going through or anything like that. 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:53.519 It should be grounded in who we are, who God sees us, right? 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:55.840 And God sees you as a child of Him. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:57.279 He sees you as His. 00:16:57.519 --> 00:16:59.279 So root your identity in that. 00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:06.880 You are a child of the Most High God, a God who sees you, who knows you, who loves you, and wants you to trust in Him. 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:12.319 So as a child of God who may deal with anxiety, what's the solution? 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:13.519 Alright, so let's take a look. 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:21.200 I'm going to give you four kind of points, solutions, ways that we can deal with and overcome anxiety that are straight from the Bible. 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:25.039 And the first one is in this same passage, Matthew 6, verse 33. 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:32.480 Jesus said, But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:38.640 So this verse is often, it's a famous verse, it's often plucked out of this chapter, but it's there for a reason. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:43.599 And the reason it's there is because Jesus is saying, this is the solution to worry. 00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:46.880 He didn't just say, don't worry, and then move on to the next topic. 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:48.160 He said, Don't worry. 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:51.759 Instead, seek first the kingdom of God. 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:56.079 And uh you might be thinking, what does that mean? 00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:56.400 Right? 00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:57.599 What is the kingdom of God? 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:09.359 And uh we do this thing in tribe, um, a youth group where uh I'll be giving a message and I'll say, you might be wondering, hey Joey, what does it mean to seek the kingdom? 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:14.079 And then everyone says, Joey, what does it mean to that's okay, it's fine. 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:16.079 Um and then I say, great question. 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:19.839 Um and we can look to Romans 14, 17 for that. 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:24.640 For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:27.039 So righteousness, peace, and joy. 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:28.880 I encourage you to write those three words down. 00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:30.559 Righteousness, peace, and joy. 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:32.880 And that's from Romans 14, 17. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:40.240 And so, what if each day we started our day seeking first the kingdom by seeking those three things? 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:51.680 What if we started each day by praying to the Lord and seeking those three things and knowing, and maybe in the middle of a trial, you know, I'm probably gonna be anxious today because of what's been going on in my life. 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:54.799 And so, what if you woke up and say, God, I want to be more righteous today? 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:56.880 I want to seek righteousness today. 00:18:57.039 --> 00:19:00.000 I want to seek your peace today. 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:04.400 I want your peace to guard my heart and mind today because I know the anxiety is gonna come. 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:06.160 I want to seek joy today. 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:13.599 I want to be joyful today, even though I'm in some trouble, even though I'm in a difficult situation, I still want to be filled with joy. 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:15.440 What if we did that as a response? 00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:18.319 What if we seek first the kingdom? 00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:23.279 And when we do that, there's a promise in the second half of that verse, right? 00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:26.319 He says, And all these things shall be added to you. 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:38.640 The things that you worry about, the things that you're concerned about, the things that are bothering you right now, if we seek first the kingdom and focus on God and seek his righteousness, God will take care of those things. 00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:40.240 So that's number one. 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:42.240 Uh seek first the kingdom. 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:43.200 Solution number one. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:46.240 Solution number two, bring everything to God. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:48.720 Alright, we're gonna move to Philippians for this one. 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:56.240 So if you would flip uh with me to Philippians chapter four, we're gonna look at what Paul has to say on this topic. 00:19:56.400 --> 00:19:59.759 So we're gonna start uh Philippians four, start in verse four. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:02.319 Paul says, Rejoice in the Lord always. 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:03.920 Again I will say, rejoice. 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:06.000 Let your gentleness be known to all men. 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:06.880 The Lord is at hand. 00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:13.519 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:19.440 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:32.720 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if anything is praiseworthy, meditate on these things. 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:39.440 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:46.720 So Paul starts this section of verses with um a couple of things that are actually pretty difficult to do. 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:47.680 Uh three things. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:50.640 The first thing he says is rejoice in the Lord always. 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:52.400 Always. 00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:53.279 Always. 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:55.599 That's that's a that's all the time. 00:20:55.759 --> 00:20:57.839 Some of you probably drove here this morning. 00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:01.200 Man, I'm gonna have a hard time rejoicing in the Lord today. 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:04.480 Maybe that went through your mind because of a situation that you're in. 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:05.279 That's difficult. 00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:06.559 Rejoice in the Lord always. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:08.319 The second thing he said to do is hard too. 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:10.960 Let your gentleness be known to all men. 00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:13.920 All men, everybody. 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:16.319 Like, even when I'm driving to be. 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:17.680 Like, that's hard, right? 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:22.240 To be gentle to people all the time, to be kind to people all the time to every person? 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:23.599 That's difficult, Paul. 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:26.000 And then he says, be anxious for nothing. 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:29.599 Other translations say, don't be anxious about anything. 00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:30.720 Yeah, right. 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:31.920 How are you supposed to do that? 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:32.240 Right? 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:33.359 That's that's hard. 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:39.759 Um, to give you some some context though, Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians from prison. 00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:48.880 And so if you think about that, if I were to imagine myself in prison, I think it would probably be pretty hard to be joyful in prison. 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:56.400 It'd probably be pretty hard to be kind and gentle in prison, and it would be probably pretty hard to not be anxious in prison. 00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:58.319 So let's give Paul some credibility here. 00:21:58.480 --> 00:21:59.599 Let's keep reading, let's not write him off. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:01.440 Writing these things from prison, okay? 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:07.599 Um, and then in verse six, he doesn't just say, be anxious for nothing, he gives you something to do instead. 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:11.039 So he says, Bring everything in prayer and supplication. 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:12.880 Bring everything to God. 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:15.519 Pray about what's making you anxious. 00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:16.640 Out loud. 00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:20.799 I uh and this is something that I've started practicing, and it's been pretty effective in my life. 00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:26.000 And a couple months ago, we were as a youth group preparing for our um high school retreat. 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:29.839 We were taking 56 high schoolers up to the mountains two hours away. 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:32.400 Um, and boy, did that make me anxious. 00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:43.440 And uh the week before that, so we left on a Friday, the Sunday before, I was here at church and I was in service and I was trying to focus on the message by uh Pastor Steve. 00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:47.119 And I usually take really good notes, Pastor Steve, but I wasn't getting anything. 00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:52.799 I had all these anxious thoughts in my mind about uh retreat that week, and I couldn't focus. 00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:54.640 So I actually got up and left again. 00:22:55.039 --> 00:22:55.759 Sorry, Pastor Steve. 00:22:55.920 --> 00:22:56.720 I don't know we don't do that. 00:22:56.799 --> 00:23:09.039 And I went to a place by myself in the church and I opened to Philippians 4, and which is a passage I'm very familiar with because I I take students through it a lot, walk students through this passage a lot because it's got such, as we'll see, good tools for dealing with this stuff. 00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:16.160 And so I opened my Bible to that and I just started listing out loud to God every anxious thought that was in my mind. 00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:18.000 And I don't even remember what they are anymore. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:26.720 Um, but everything that was bothering me, making me nervous and anxious about uh retreat, that we I just I was giving them, listing them out loud to God. 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:30.960 And what was cool about that is something physical happened. 00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:47.359 And so as I was lifting that burden of anxiety and stress and worry, as I was pushing that to God, there was an exchange, and I actually felt peace fill my heart where that anxiety left. 00:23:47.599 --> 00:23:51.359 And um, and we'll talk about that peace that Paul mentions here in a minute. 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:57.039 But um and what's cool about that story is it ended up being a really, really powerful weekend with our high schoolers. 00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:58.240 Um it was awesome. 00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:08.000 And not because of me or my team or anything we did, but because we surrendered it to God and we said we need you to do this with us and for us because I'm not capable. 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:09.200 And so do that. 00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:11.680 I would encourage you to do that, and you can even do it during worship today. 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:22.640 Like whatever's on your mind, whatever those anxious thoughts that you can't get out, say them out loud, surrender them to God, physically, say them out loud, give them to God and ask for His His peace in that exchange. 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:27.359 And Paul also says give everything to God with thanksgiving. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:28.240 Be thankful. 00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:35.599 Did you know it's it's basically impossible for anxiety and gratitude to exist in your mind at the same time? 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:40.720 It is, because that sounds like a really fancy thing for me to say, and I'm not the first person who said it. 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:43.519 Paul is, but plenty of fancy people have said it since then. 00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:44.559 But try it, right? 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:49.599 If you're truly grateful in a situation, it's hard to also be anxious. 00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:54.319 So once we've done those things, once we've brought it to the Lord, there's a promise in verse 7. 00:24:54.799 --> 00:25:00.640 And let the peace of, and then the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds to Christ Jesus. 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:02.559 And I love that surpasses all understanding. 00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:05.359 It's peace that doesn't make sense. 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:11.920 Because you're in a situation, you could be in a situation where you're thinking, there's no way I can feel peace because there's no peace. 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:13.279 This is crazy, right? 00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:14.480 God will still give you peace. 00:25:14.559 --> 00:25:18.640 And what and what that peace means is, hey, I am with you in this situation. 00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:20.160 I see you in this situation. 00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:21.119 Trust in me. 00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:28.400 And with that retreat example I just gave, I had no reason to feel peace because I was not fully prepared for retreat, because I had zero idea what I was doing. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:34.559 But I was trusting in the Lord and doing it with him, and his peace was a reminder to keep going. 00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:37.759 His peace was that reminder of I'm with you. 00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:40.559 Um so once we've done those things, that peace of God. 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:46.079 And then in verse 8, Paul encourages us to train our mind to focus on certain things, right? 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:52.240 He says, Focus on what is true, what is noble, what is just, what is pure, lovely, good, virtuous, worthy of praise. 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:53.200 I love that first one. 00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:54.720 Focus on what is true. 00:25:55.039 --> 00:26:00.079 Have you noticed that anxiety, anxious thoughts are usually not true? 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:02.880 And a lot of times, they're crazy. 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:05.680 And when you say it, and you don't realize that though until you say them out loud. 00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:09.039 And that's why I think it's powerful to say them out loud to your heavenly father. 00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:13.119 Because once you actually voice that anxious thought, you're like, oh man, there's no way that could happen. 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:13.440 Right? 00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:19.839 But but if it's inside of us and we hold it internally, it can grow and spread and control us, right? 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:21.039 And get out of control. 00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:24.000 And so say it out loud, give it to God, surrender that. 00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:25.920 Think about what is true. 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:28.000 And then that promise comes again in verse 9. 00:26:28.079 --> 00:26:30.319 And the God of peace will be with you. 00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:32.960 So that's solution number two, bring everything to God. 00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:38.079 Number three is from Peter, 1 Peter 5, 6 through 7. 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:48.400 He says, Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all of your cares upon him, for he cares for you. 00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:49.759 Casting, right? 00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:56.000 Getting rid of that care or worry, throwing it to the Father. 00:26:56.319 --> 00:26:56.960 Why? 00:26:57.440 --> 00:26:59.039 Because he cares for you. 00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:05.680 And if you don't think that God cares about you this morning, if you don't think that God cares about what's bothering you or worrying you, that's a lie straight from hell. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:11.119 The enemy wants you to be isolated and to think that your heavenly father doesn't care, but he does. 00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:15.920 And he wants you to trust him with what worries you because he cares for you. 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:17.599 So that's number three, cast your cares. 00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:23.440 And number four, fourth solution is rely, trust in your heavenly father. 00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:28.240 If you think back to Paul's words in Philippians, he said, rejoice in the Lord always. 00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:33.119 And I don't think that means be happy all the time or smile through it or anything like that. 00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:40.160 I think what that means is rejoice because God can do it when we can't. 00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:46.240 Rejoice because we serve a big God who cares about us and loves us. 00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:54.880 Rejoice because even when we are in the middle of a problem or a situation and we can't see the end or the solution, God can. 00:27:55.039 --> 00:28:00.960 So rejoice because we fear God more than anything else, and we can trust and rely in him. 00:28:01.839 --> 00:28:06.319 And then Peter also speaks to this in the passage we just read, 1 Peter 5, 6. 00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:10.640 He says, Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time. 00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:13.359 Stop carrying the worry yourself. 00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:16.000 Humble yourselves under God's hand. 00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:28.160 Seek him for help, seek him for relief, rely on him because he's bigger, better, stronger than we are, and we don't have to do it or carry it alone. 00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:30.880