WEBVTT 00:00:01.919 --> 00:00:04.240 Wow, thank you so much for that warm welcome. 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:13.599 It's a little nerve-wracking coming out here with all the lights, but uh it sure makes it feel a lot easier knowing that there are some wonderful faces out there, and I'm so glad that you're here. 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:26.719 I have been incredibly prayerful over our time together today and um overjoyed, overjoyed and thankful for this opportunity. 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:28.640 So thank you so much for having me. 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:30.559 Um let me just tell you a little bit about myself. 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:33.119 So I've been here in Atlanta since 1998. 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:35.039 I love Atlanta, it is my home. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:36.399 I'm so happy to be here. 00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:40.399 I am married to my best friend, Tab, and we are both in education. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:44.560 We've been we're teachers, and my husband also coaches pretty much year-round. 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:45.920 He's gone a lot. 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:50.880 And I'm actually coming to realize that maybe him being gone all the time is why we get along so well. 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:52.479 And you know what? 00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:56.560 I said in that in the nine o'clock service, and I told them I wasn't gonna say it now because he's here. 00:00:56.799 --> 00:00:58.719 I love you, I'm so sorry. 00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:00.640 Oh my goodness gracious. 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:02.079 Okay, we have two girls. 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:06.000 Rachel is six years old, and Lila just turned two on Christmas. 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:09.439 It's such a joy and a pleasure to be their parents. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:14.560 Um I um did I tell you I was excited to be here? 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:15.840 I am. 00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:21.439 In fact, the last time that I can remember being this excited was last summer when I went on a water slide. 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:23.200 And I I know, right? 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:24.719 You're like, did she mean to say that? 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:26.400 Is she insulting us right now? 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:29.680 If you only knew what a defining moment that was for me. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:31.359 I let me just tell you about it, okay? 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:35.439 So I have had this fear pretty much my whole life of water. 00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:38.239 And I it's been a real fear, I mean, for real. 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:40.319 And I don't understand where it came from. 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:45.359 It's not like I had some horrific event happen in my life that just scarred me forever. 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:47.599 But it's just always kind of been there. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:50.079 And it's weird because I love adventure. 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:51.280 I love thrill rides. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:54.640 I mean, I go down any roller coaster or fear factor ride. 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:55.680 I mean, sign me up. 00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:57.200 I'm all about it. 00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:00.799 Uh but water, it just does something physically to me. 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:17.520 When Tab and I first started dating, I told him that if he was gonna do any of the things that I saw guys doing when they were flirting with their girlfriends, of like running up behind them when they weren't expecting in the pool and just putting their arms around them and diving into the water and then pushing their head down, it was gonna be over. 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:21.120 His life, his life was gonna be over. 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:26.319 And we'd been on a couple of vacations together where we were around water, and he Tab is a fish. 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:27.680 He loves the water. 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:30.960 And so we'd be on a trip and it'd be like talking about what do you want to do today? 00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:32.639 And he's like, let's go snorkeling. 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:44.080 Woohoo! And so every time the story played out exactly the same, we would get into the boat and everybody would file in, and everybody's like all high energy, excited to go jump in the deep end. 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:46.719 And I am looking for the snorkeling guide. 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:51.120 And as soon as I spot him, every single time, I just start making my way. 00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:57.039 And sit next to him, like almost laying my head on his shoulder the whole time. 00:02:57.199 --> 00:03:01.520 And then the boat would stop, and everybody would jump out, and I'd be standing there like this. 00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:02.960 I'm not kidding. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:06.319 And and the snorkeling guy would say, You know, you can jump in now. 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:07.759 And I'd say, Well, you know what? 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:14.319 Can you um would you mind just lifting me down with my life vest over the side? 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:17.439 And they did, they would do that and not laugh. 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:25.199 And and and I would look around, look back up at them and say, Could you please come and swim in here with me? 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:29.120 And and they would, and I'd be like wrapping my body around them. 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:33.280 Meanwhile, Tab is over here petting the sharks and naming them one by one. 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:37.520 And I'm like sucking my thumb, hoping for this to be over already. 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:40.800 It was just a real fear. 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:51.680 So you can imagine the story that unfolded last summer when we went to the pool with some friends, and my girlfriend Alyssa points at this monstrosity of a water slide over in the corner. 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:54.159 And she's like, Hey, Elan, let's get on the slide. 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:57.520 And I literally, at that point, nobody knew about my fear except for Tab. 00:03:57.599 --> 00:03:58.879 And it's kind of embarrassing. 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:01.759 I don't even know why I just told you about my fear, but there you go. 00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:05.199 I guess if you can't say it in a church where you you have no hope, right? 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:14.400 So I was sitting there coming up with some kind of lie to tell Alyssa, so I didn't have to tell her that I was afraid, and sitting here thinking, I just ate. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:17.439 And I have to wait for 30 minutes? 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:19.600 I mean, is that even true anymore, by the way? 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:22.160 And then I'm like, okay, that didn't work. 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:25.759 So I look at my daughter and I'm like, she's tired. 00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:28.560 What kid is tired at the pool? 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:31.439 So Alyssa finally calls me on, she's like, What gives, Deland? 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:32.480 Why don't you want to go down the slide? 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:33.680 Are you scared? 00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:35.600 And I was like, Okay. 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:38.639 Yes, I am. 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:40.319 And it's real. 00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:44.480 And so, like any good friend, she looked me in the eyes and she said, You're going down that slide. 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:49.680 You're gonna do it, and I'm gonna be there with you. 00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:52.000 And I said, Alyssa, no, I I can't. 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:52.879 You don't understand. 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:54.560 This is a real fear. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:55.920 I can't do it. 00:04:56.079 --> 00:04:57.439 Alyssa, I am not. 00:04:57.680 --> 00:04:59.600 I'm not going down the slide. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:07.120 And in that moment, I looked over to the side, and my six-year-old Rachel had been watching and listening to everything that we were saying. 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:11.519 And see, at that point in her development, she was feeling kind of timid about things. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:18.959 And so Tab and I were working really diligently to kind of just encourage her along, to try new experiences, but but not pressure her. 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:25.519 And in that moment, I knew my daughter is way more important than my fear of water. 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:32.720 So I reached my hand out to Alyssa, and she grabbed hold, and we started walking arm in arm to the other side of the pool. 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:37.360 And I'll tell you what, I mean, this slide, it was like 50 feet tall. 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:40.399 And I don't know if that's tall, but it's tall. 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:44.879 And they were like staircase, like a staircase that went like this, all the way to the top. 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:46.399 And it was a tunnel slide. 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:47.519 So then it's all dark. 00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:48.160 Great. 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:51.279 And twisting and turving, I mean, I it just it was terrible. 00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:55.120 And I'm telling you, a physical reaction started happening to me as we were walking up. 00:05:55.680 --> 00:05:57.199 My breath got shallow. 00:05:57.360 --> 00:06:00.639 I started feeling lightheaded, like I might be sick. 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:06.560 And we're walking towards the stairs, and I'm like, hold on just a second, Alyssa, I gotta watch some people come out of this thing alive. 00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:14.160 And so I'm standing there and I'm watching, and these people were coming out, but they weren't just like kerplunking right there into the water. 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:15.519 No, no. 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:19.439 They were like skimming the surface, flying out. 00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:24.480 So I'm standing there watching and waiting for the most vulnerable looking person to come out. 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:29.279 And I spot a six or seven-year-old little boy, and he comes bolting out of this thing. 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:30.879 He swims up, and I kneel down. 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:36.319 The little fella's climbing up the ladder, and I'm like, hey kid, is that thing scary? 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:39.839 He kind of stops for a minute, he looks down, looks back up. 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:42.560 Yeah, and I'm going to do it again. 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:46.480 Woohoo! And he just runs right back and gets in line. 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:50.399 And so I turn around and start heading back to my chair on the other side of the pool. 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:57.600 But I look, and in the middle of the pool, my daughter, Rachel, had made her way, and she was watching to see what I was gonna do next. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:01.600 So I turn back around and we climbed the stairs. 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:07.920 And as we got to the top, I looked at it, listen, I was like, I'm about to have an anxiety attack. 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:09.680 You know, that feeling? 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:16.160 Everything starts to close in, and there's like all these spots, and you can't breathe, and you just want it to end. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:22.560 And it was my turn to sit down on the slide, and I was like looking for any hope, any way out. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:28.720 And I turn behind me, and and and I was hoping that maybe somebody had been watching this whole thing happen, and they would be like, You can do it, you can do it. 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:30.959 No, they were like, hurry up and go. 00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:35.360 And then I look over at Alyssa and she's like, Oh, you're going. 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:38.079 And I look out, and there's there's Rachel, she's waiting. 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:41.920 So, in a last ditch effort, I look over at the lifeguard. 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:44.800 He's a teenage guy, and I remember it. 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:51.040 My brow was all furrowed up, I could feel my face was red, and I was just sweating and nervous, and I wanted a way out. 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:54.240 And I just looked at him and I'm like, I'm scared. 00:07:54.879 --> 00:08:01.199 To which he replied, Oh, it's only super dangerous, you might die, but I mean, no big deal. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:07.600 I am a Christian woman, but I about dropped the hammer on him. 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:08.959 Mm-hmm. 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:12.000 I knew in that moment it was do or die. 00:08:12.079 --> 00:08:15.040 Or maybe it was do and die, but I had to do it. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:17.360 So I did what I thought I was supposed to do. 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:22.240 I sit on the slide and I cross my arms, I take a breath, I plug my nose. 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:27.120 Clearly, it had been my first time because who holds their nose before they've even gone down the slide? 00:08:28.560 --> 00:08:30.959 I held my breath the whole way down. 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:33.600 And by the time I got to the bottom, I needed more air. 00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:42.320 And so I'm coming out literally of the slide and sucking in more air, and I go down under the water, all this water goes up my nose, but I shoot up and my arms go up. 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:47.440 Woo! I had done it, and you know what? 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:49.279 Everybody stopped. 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:53.279 Because this woman had just screamed like she had done some big thing. 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:55.519 But you know what? 00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:56.399 I had. 00:08:56.879 --> 00:08:59.120 I had done some big thing. 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:02.960 And I look up at my friend Alyssa, and she's looking down from the top of the slide. 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:10.159 Way to go, E! And there in the middle of the pool, there's my girl, and she's got her arms up. 00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:14.879 Way to go, mommy! And I had done it. 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:20.240 This fear that had followed me around my whole life, I had overcome it and it was empowering. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:28.159 I don't know what your water slide is, but I'm willing to bet you have one. 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:30.879 And God knows what it is. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:37.440 And today we're gonna be talking about anxiety, not just what it looks like and feels like, but what we can do about it. 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:42.960 And so before we get started, if you would just join me as we welcome God into this place. 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:46.720 Precious Heavenly Father, God, thank you so much. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:52.399 Thank you for being here when we call on you, that your Holy Spirit would just be here. 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:54.399 And that's what I ask right now, Lord. 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:59.279 I just pray, God, that your Holy Spirit would dwell here in among every single one of us. 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:11.279 God, that you would just speak specifically to the situations represented in this room today, God, and that you would let us all be reminded that you are here, that you have gone before us, that you will be with us at all times forever and ever. 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:16.879 And God, I just pray that you would just move past this humble speaker and use me as you need to, God. 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:21.840 That you would just make me a vessel for your Holy Spirit to just dwell. 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:23.759 Just give us encouragement. 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:28.799 And I pray, Lord, that everything that I say would be glorifying to you. 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:32.399 It's in Jesus' name, I pray. 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:33.200 Amen. 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:35.440 Thank you. 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:37.519 So I told you I was a school teacher. 00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:41.360 Uh, one of the things that I do before I teach a lesson is I make sure we're all on the same page. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:46.240 Um, so if we're talking about anxiety, I just want to make sure that we all have the same understanding of exactly what it is. 00:10:46.399 --> 00:11:00.559 So I looked at the definition of anxiety, and this is what it says Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent, so impending or near event or something with an uncertain outcome. 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:03.679 And so I'd ask right now if you would be so bold. 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:09.600 If you've ever struggled with any kind of anxiety in your life, or you do currently, can you just raise your hand for me? 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:10.799 All right, thank you. 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:11.519 Thank you. 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:16.320 Okay, so if you were one of the people who didn't raise your hand, some people are like, Me, I'm over here. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:21.120 Um, if you aren't sure if that's something that resonates with you, then I looked up some synonyms. 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:26.960 Because I think a lot of times we we don't call it, we call it anxiety and we think that that's not what we have. 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:28.399 Um so I looked up synonyms. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:31.279 Tell me if you think any of these things resonate with you. 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:47.519 Worry, concern, apprehension, unease, fear, agitation, angst, nervousness, tension, stress, jitters, butterflies, and in case none of those resonate, the heebie-jeebies. 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:51.200 It really is in the dictionary, I'm not kidding. 00:11:51.360 --> 00:11:57.840 Um, so if any of those things are anything, or any of those words are anything that resonate with you, can you raise your hand again? 00:11:58.159 --> 00:12:00.000 Can you keep up your hand for just a second? 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:02.000 Okay, and just take a look around. 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:07.120 I just want you to look around and I want you to see that you are not alone, that we are not alone. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:11.919 So often we walk around in our lives thinking that we have to pretend everything is okay all the time. 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:13.360 Yeah, everything's great. 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:18.159 Marriage is great, my kids obey, I love my job, I feel fulfilled. 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:22.639 In reality, we're just twisted up in knots. 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:25.919 We don't have to pretend everything's okay all the time. 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:28.080 In fact, it only hurts us. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:37.840 If I had not been transparent with Alyssa and even my daughter, they wouldn't have had the opportunity to lift me up and encourage and support me to overcome my fear. 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:43.039 So be encouraged today that what you're facing, you're not alone. 00:12:45.039 --> 00:12:48.000 I don't know what it is that has you worried. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:50.559 I don't know what keeps you up at night. 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:54.799 Think about what is it that keeps you up at night? 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:57.360 What is the thing that's causing you anxiety? 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:02.000 You know, maybe, maybe your marriage is really struggling right now. 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:05.120 Maybe you're like, I don't even know if I love her. 00:13:05.679 --> 00:13:08.159 I don't even know if I love him anymore. 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:17.039 Or kids, maybe you are witnessing some really sick tension going on in your home, and you have to pretend everything's okay and it's not. 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:27.039 Or maybe you are facing some real temptation in your life, but you have to walk around, you feel like you have to walk around, everything's okay, and it's keeping you up at night. 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:34.879 Or maybe you just had the worst doctor's appointment of your life, and you are fearful about the future. 00:13:36.879 --> 00:13:41.600 Whatever it is, we can have hope today. 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:44.080 The Bible gives us hope. 00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:48.720 Do you know that over 350 times in the Bible we are told to fear not? 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:56.480 And in the New Testament alone, 25 times specifically, we are told about worry and anxiety and to avoid it. 00:13:57.919 --> 00:14:03.600 The scripture is rich in this thing that so many of us suffer with. 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:07.519 And today we're gonna look at one piece of scripture. 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:10.080 We're really gonna, we're gonna dissect it. 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:14.000 And it's gonna be in Philippians 4, verses 6 through 9. 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:16.559 So if you have your Bibles with you, please go ahead and turn there. 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:20.559 And as you do, let me just set this, let me just give you the setting here, okay? 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:29.039 Paul is writing this letter to the Philippians, okay, and he's writing a letter to the Philippians about contentment and how to be content in any circumstance. 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:35.279 And I want you to understand that that Paul is not sitting here just saying about you and what you should do and oh, it's gonna be okay. 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:39.919 No, he's not sitting on a couch eating grapes and drinking wine. 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:45.279 He is in the middle of a storm. 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:46.480 He is in prison. 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:57.039 He is chained to a Roman soldier, going through all sorts of unspeakable torment and torture and isolation and pain and every single thing that would bring us to our knees. 00:14:57.200 --> 00:15:00.240 And so he understands how we feel. 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:05.840 And I want you to think of today's reading, what we're gonna learn today, as like a prescription. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:11.759 You know, you go to the doctor because you have certain symptoms, and you go to the doctor and you're like, hey, you know, I don't feel well, I got this, this, this going on. 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:14.720 And the doctor's like, no problem, here's your prescription, go ahead and get it filled. 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:16.240 Pharmacist gives you a bottle. 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:19.120 And on the bottle, it has everything you need to feel better. 00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:24.000 It tells you when to take the medicine, how many to take, should you take it with food, should you operate machinery? 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:26.000 It tells you everything that you need to know. 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:30.639 And if you'll just follow those instructions, well then you'll be good as new in no time. 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:34.320 And this scripture we're gonna be looking at is the same thing. 00:15:34.480 --> 00:15:38.480 It's a prescription for us, and all we gotta do is follow its instructions. 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:45.440 And so let's look, starting in chapter uh verse six, chapter four, Philippians here, and Paul is talking. 00:15:45.759 --> 00:16:00.000 He says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:11.679 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:20.080 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put it into practice, and the God of peace will be with you. 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:29.519 So many times in my own walk with anxiety, I would turn to the scripture and I would read, Do not be anxious about anything. 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:33.440 And then I would turn the page and I would go to some other scripture about anxiety. 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:36.639 And it wasn't until recently that I realized how ridiculous that was. 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:42.879 I mean, when you are having an anxiety attack practically, and you look and read, do not be anxious about anything. 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:45.840 That's about as helpful as telling someone, don't catch the flu. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:46.720 You know? 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:51.919 You can't just will yourself not to be sick, but we can take steps to avoid it, right? 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:57.679 We can wash our hands, we can cough in our elbow, we can get a flu shot, we can take a vitamin. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:00.240 There are steps that we can take in order to avoid being sick. 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:00.799 And you know what? 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:01.759 Paul gives us steps. 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:03.039 He gives us four of them. 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:09.599 Four steps in this prescription that if we follow them, then we too can be free of that anxiety. 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:12.319 And so he starts off with do not be anxious about anything. 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:15.599 And I want to give you a mini English lesson because that's the subject I teach. 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:22.400 And um, here's the thing: every sentence in the English language that is a complete thought always has a subject. 00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:24.799 And the subject of the sentence is what the sentence is about. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:29.119 So if I said the dog chased the bone, the subject of the sentence is the dog. 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:38.640 Well, if you have a sentence that doesn't outright show you the subject, like do not be anxious about anything, it has what is called as an understood you. 00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:44.319 And and so this sentence would read, you do not be anxious about anything. 00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:49.759 And whenever we have an understood you as the subject of a sentence, it is an imperative sentence. 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:53.759 And an imperative sentence means it is a command. 00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:58.559 So Paul is not sitting here saying, Do your best not to be anxious. 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:01.119 Give it your best shot, try, think about it. 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:02.319 No, no, uh uh. 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:08.240 He is saying, you do not be anxious about anything. 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:14.400 And Justin started our series off first things first by sharing from Matthew 6. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:21.759 And this is this is so great because Jesus Himself is commanding us about worrying and about not to worry. 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:25.599 And I'm just, I want to illustrate something to you, so I'm just gonna kind of pick around here for just a minute. 00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:26.559 Bear with me. 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:32.000 So starting in uh Matthew 6, verse 25, okay, he says, Jesus is talking. 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:40.480 Therefore, therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:43.759 Is not life more than food and the body more than clothes? 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:45.920 He says again, verse 31. 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:50.400 So do not worry, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear? 00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:57.759 Therefore, I'm sorry, in verse 34, therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:00.079 Each day has enough trouble of its own. 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:01.519 I want to point something out here. 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:09.279 In the Bible, whenever we have words or phrases repeated in close proximity to one another, it means pay attention. 00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:12.319 It means there's something we're trying to get across to you here. 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:13.440 This is important. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:18.000 Jesus doesn't tell us once or twice, he tells us three times. 00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:23.759 Three times in just a few sentences, do not worry, because worry is not of him. 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:29.119 We have four steps. 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:30.160 Okay? 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:32.400 And the first step is that we pray. 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:34.319 Paul tells us to pray. 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:39.039 When we pray, we become in relationship and communication with God. 00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:45.279 We're sharing with him, and then we become open and receptive to hearing what he has to say to us about our situations. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:51.920 The wonderful thing about prayer is we can do it anytime, any place, about anything that's on our heart. 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:54.160 I mean, we could be driving in the car and we're praying to God. 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:56.640 We can be sitting on our desk at work and we can pray to God. 00:19:56.799 --> 00:19:59.119 We can be cooking dinner for our family and we're praying to God. 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:04.160 We could be in a conversation with someone and we're the ones talking, and at that moment we can be praying to God. 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:05.599 It's amazing. 00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:13.920 But we are wise if we make sure that our prayers also include a protected, quiet time. 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:20.960 See, we get so distracted when we pray in the car or in the middle of our day, and we're supposed to do that. 00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:27.119 But we also need to have quiet time where we can just hear from God and what he wants to say to us. 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:34.720 God communicates to us, not just through our spirits and other people in our lives, he communicates to us through the Bible and his word. 00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:38.000 And in our quiet time, we need to open up the Bible and dig in. 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:45.440 And I know that if you're anything like me, that has been overwhelming for you because you don't know what to do or how to interpret it or where I'm supposed to go, or what does this mean? 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:53.039 But when we have a willing heart, God arrives and he opens our eyes and he tells us what we need to hear. 00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:58.240 A couple of months ago, I was I was feeling really overwhelmed. 00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:03.039 And um, and I was having a breakdown, and I called my friend Alyssa. 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:04.160 Poor Alyssa. 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:07.279 Everybody needs an Alyssa in their life. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:09.279 I'm sure she disagrees with that right now. 00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:14.160 Um, but I called her and I'm crying to her, and I'm like, Alyssa, I'm just so overwhelmed. 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:17.680 I get up at 4:45 in the morning and I'm late to work. 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:34.720 I get up and I go and I serve all day long, and then I serve my husband and I serve my children, and then I come home and I got all my things I gotta do as a mom and a parent and a wife, and then it's 10:30 at night and I gotta go to bed and do it again, and I just, I just need to spend time with God, and I don't know where to fit it in, and I'm desperate. 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:37.599 And she says, Elon, why don't you just do it first thing in the morning? 00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:39.200 And I was like, I can't. 00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:41.759 I'm late for work every time. 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:43.519 So how am I supposed to fit that in? 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:47.200 And besides, if I was gonna move the time up, I can't get up at four o'clock. 00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:50.000 It's not gonna be good for anybody if I get up that early. 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:54.000 And she said, Well, you know, you know how God works. 00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:59.440 You've got your first fruits, you give him your best, he always shows up. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:00.960 So I was like, you know what? 00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:01.440 Okay, fine. 00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:02.319 What do I have to lose? 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:04.720 I mean, maybe my job, but at least I'll be at peace. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:11.839 So 4 45 the next morning, I get up and I have my quiet time. 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:16.720 It changed my life. 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:20.400 It changed my life. 00:22:22.160 --> 00:22:35.759 Not only do I now get up at 4:30 and I spend an hour of just focused time on the Lord, but I'm no later to work than I was before. 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:39.440 That is a miracle. 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:42.960 So we pray. 00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:48.559 The next instruction in our prescription is that we would petition. 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:51.599 Some translations call it supplication. 00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:55.039 Both of them mean to make your request known to God. 00:22:55.680 --> 00:23:01.359 To make your request known to God means that we can be specific and very, very honest with him. 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:03.680 And you know, he is the master of the universe. 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:06.480 So he knows how we're feeling before we know how we're feeling. 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:08.799 He knows why we're feeling the way that we are. 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:14.799 But so much about petitioning to God, it's not about helping him, it's about helping ourselves. 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:19.279 It's about being willing to hear from him and what he has to say in our situations. 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:24.640 So we need to be open to being honest with God about what we're going through. 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:37.680 During this same time that I was telling you about where I was feeling overwhelmed, I was on a walk and I was kind of going through this, and I was petitioning to the Lord about something that I had been praying for for years. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:40.799 For years, I had been praying for this thing. 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:55.119 And on this walk, I realized that this thing, this thing that I had been begging for for years, it had all of my focus and all of my attention and all of my desire, and it became my God. 00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:57.359 It became my idol. 00:23:57.519 --> 00:24:01.839 And I took my eyes off of him and what he had to say about it. 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:14.720 And I remember in that moment, I audibly, audibly spoke out to the Lord and I said, God, the reason I keep begging you for this thing is because I'm so afraid that if I stop, then you'll think that I don't care and that I don't want it and you won't give it to me. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:26.799 I had a revelation in that moment and I realized, here, this is not good in my hands. 00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:28.240 I cannot worship two gods. 00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:30.240 Here you go, and I trust you. 00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:32.559 I'm telling you, I did, I released it to him. 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:44.640 And this thing, this prayer that I had for all those years, within days, days, I tell you, he started responding to that prayer specifically. 00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:46.640 It's a miracle. 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:50.240 We petition. 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:51.359 Tell him. 00:24:51.920 --> 00:24:53.440 Tell him what's up. 00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:59.519 Our third, our third step is to thank. 00:25:00.400 --> 00:25:01.599 To thank God. 00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:04.079 And I know most of us are probably good at that. 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:05.519 We feel pretty good about that. 00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:06.319 We thank him. 00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:11.680 But I'd also be willing to bet that most of the things we thank him for are the things that are good. 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:14.960 You know, thank you, God, that my marriage is repaired. 00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:18.400 Thank you, God, that I just got that promotion at work. 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:22.400 Thank you, God, that the pregnancy test came up positive. 00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:24.720 Or maybe that it came up negative. 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:31.279 Thank you, God, that the cancer is gone. 00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:35.039 We should thank him for the things that are good. 00:25:35.359 --> 00:25:37.359 But I want you to remember something. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:45.440 That most of the things that are good that we thank him for, like all the things I just listed, they all were a part of the fire that we went through. 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:53.839 They were all things that caused us heartache and hopelessness and fear and anxiety. 00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:56.480 And yet he brought us through. 00:25:56.720 --> 00:26:00.799 And so we should be wise to thank him in the middle of it. 00:26:01.039 --> 00:26:06.799 Thank you, God, for this trial, because I know that's when you do your thing. 00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:12.880 I think so often we forget whose presence we come into when we pray. 00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:22.319 We forget and we treat God like He's a vending machine, and we just put in a quarter and say, Here's my prayer, and expect him to spit out whatever it is that we asked. 00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:24.079 It's not gonna work like that. 00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:27.359 God wants us to rely on him for everything. 00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:41.200 And I'd be willing to bet you, if Jesus Himself walked into this room right now, every single one of us would have no choice but to fall on our faces and worship because he is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:43.440 He is the creator of all things. 00:26:44.559 --> 00:27:00.160 And we are wise to have reverence and humility for his awesomeness and thank him for the good and the painful. 00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:18.559 Paul tells us that when we pray and when we petition and when we thank, in verse 7, he tells us this and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:21.039 You might say, well, how does that work? 00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:24.240 Well, it surpasses our understanding. 00:27:24.960 --> 00:27:26.799 We can't understand it, we can't explain it. 00:27:26.880 --> 00:27:28.960 There's no definition, it's only for God to know. 00:27:29.119 --> 00:27:31.200 It's the majestic power of the Lord. 00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:36.079 But just because we don't see it, just because we can't explain it, doesn't mean it's not there. 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:41.119 And I want to point out to you here the very important words. 00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:47.279 It says that we will be guarded in our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:52.079 It's available to all of us, this peace that Paul talks about. 00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:54.720 We have to recognize where it comes from. 00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:58.640 In order to receive it, we have to recognize where it is coming from. 00:27:59.039 --> 00:28:02.480 And it's only coming from one place, and that's Jesus. 00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:08.880 So Paul goes into verse 8, and he tells us this. 00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:21.920 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. 00:28:22.160 --> 00:28:25.759 So our fourth instruction here from Paul is that we just think. 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:27.759 He's saying, just think. 00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:36.559 So think about your situation right now that's causing you angst or stress or fear or anxiety. 00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:38.880 Think about first what is true. 00:28:39.119 --> 00:28:40.960 What is true about the reality? 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:43.039 What is the reality in your situation? 00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:49.759 Do you know that over 70% of the things we worry about are things that either happen in the past or have not happened yet? 00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:55.359 And the other 30% is like made up of something like what people say about us, what they think about us, and something about our health. 00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:57.680 And when we worry about our health, it just makes it worse. 00:28:57.839 --> 00:29:04.720 It's almost a hundred percent of the things we worry about, we can do nothing about. 00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:08.880 There's freedom when we realize that because we can just let it go. 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:13.359 Paul says, think about what is noble. 00:29:14.079 --> 00:29:21.920 What is the most honorable, respectful, and dignified thing that you can do in your circumstances causing you this anxiety? 00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:28.079 You know, maybe your stress point is coming from something in your marriage or a close relationship in your life. 00:29:28.319 --> 00:29:32.880 You know, and I just challenge you to ask yourself, you know, am I being passive aggressive? 00:29:33.039 --> 00:29:35.839 You know, am I am I just pushing the buttons of this person? 00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:37.839