In part two of this series on anxiety, I began sharing specific actions we can take to confront anxiety or worry and fear so that we always come out victorious through the battles of the mind.
We started with the first two points, which were: 1. Do not be Alarmed or Panicked, and 2. Take No Thought. Let us move on. The third point we want to address is:
3. Grow Your Faith from Little Faith to Great Faith:
Little faith was one of the issues Jesus said His disciples had: O ye of little faith! He lamented several times (Matthew 6:30; 8:26). There is no problem starting with little faith. What is unacceptable is lingering at the place of little faith.
Years ago, one of my much younger cousins was playing with a rubber ball in the living room. The ball went behind a couch that needed to be shifted to access the ball. He must have been around six or seven years then. He asked me to assist him to move the chair, which was quite some weight.
Jokingly, I replied him, “You have muscles. Move it yourself!” His reply jolted me. “No, uncle, I cannot move it now, but when I grow up, I will move it. Yes, he had ‘little muscles’ then, but today he can lift me from the ground! No, I am just kidding. I am not that weighty!
Many believers do not spend time to grow their faith. Some think they can depend on the faith of their pastors and church leaders. Your pastors can support your faith only that much, but when the chips are down, it is your faith that will put you in good stead and bring you through the battles of life with consistent chains of triumph.
Get to that place where you become skilful in the word of righteousness; your spiritual senses will be exercised by practising the word, then you can discern between good and evil.
Hear what Paul has to say about leaving the place of spiritual infancy and moving on to maturity of faith:
We have much to say about this topic although it is difficult to explain, because you have become too dull and sluggish to understand. For you should already be professors instructing others by now; but instead, you need to be taught from the beginning the basics of God’s prophetic oracles!
You’re like children still needing milk and not yet ready to digest solid food. For every spiritual infant who lives on milk is not yet pierced by the revelation of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, whose spiritual senses perceive heavenly matters. And they have been adequately trained by what they’ve experienced to emerge with understanding of the difference between what is truly excellent and what is evil and harmful -Hebrews 5:11-14, TPT.
Engage the Word of God by acting on it without relenting. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom (Colossians 3:16). Spend time listening to more of the word and less of the troubles of the world. Let the word of God grow in your heart and mind, and it will prevail over the circumstances you face. The words, so mightily grew the word of God and prevailed, can be your testimony (Acts 19:20).
Be consistent at increasing your faith through hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). It will grow your faith and your spiritual strength and stamina. Be unrelenting at building up yourself on your most holy faith.
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life -Jude 20-21, NKJV.
Whenever you face a challenge in any particular area of life, take the word of God that deals with that matter and build your faith. Cable news and social media grapevine will not increase your faith. You will only get depressed focusing on bad news. However, you can never get discouraged meditating on God’s Word! Never!
4. Engage Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving
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, NKJV.
One translation reads this verse: Do not worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Anxiety is a mental issue that has its roots in the spiritual. Depression is a spirit. If you have to deal with depression and give it a fatal blow, that blow must hit its spiritual roots.
Paul says we must hand over our issues to God, trusting Him with them, and then express gratitude that He is handling them. When we do that, He would respond by giving us His peace which surpasses all understanding. That peace will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus.
Peter encourages us to cast all our anxiety upon the Lord:
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you. Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, whom withstand steadfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world -1 Peter 5:6-9, ASV.
5. Put on the Garment of Praise
Putting on the garment of praise is a similar process to prayer, supplication and thanksgiving. Praise takes on anxiety as a spiritual issue and deals with it at the roots.
While foretelling the advent and ministry of the Messiah, the prophet Isaiah declared that He would come:
To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified -Isaiah 61:3, NKJV.
Many times as believers, we underestimate the power of praise. When a person becomes a believer in Christ, among other things, God gives him the garment of praise in exchange for the spirit of heaviness (depression). The question is, do you put on that garment always, or do you invite the spirit of heaviness, worrying yourself into depression?
As children of God, we have sonship rights. We are not slaves, so we ought not to be in bondage to the works of the enemy. We ought not to be in bondage to what the LORD has set us free. He has set us free from the spirit of heaviness.
Praise generates great power that subdues the power of the enemy, and Psalm 149 declares that much.
His godly lovers triumph in the glory of God, and their joyful praises will rise even while others are asleep. God’s high and holy praises fill their mouths, for their shouted praises are their weapons of war! These warring weapons will bring vengeance on the nations and every resistant power– to bind kings with chains and rulers with iron shackles. This is the honour he gives to all his godly lovers. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! -Psalm 149:6-9, TPT.
What words! Praise filled warriors will enforce the judgement decreed against their enemies.
We have heard so much of prayer warriors but have hardly heard of praise warriors. Anxiety is an enemy ever ready to build a stronghold in your mind and bring your life to ruin, but you can tackle it to the ground using praise as your weapon of war.
Begin today. Let the high praises of God flow from your heart and see Him rise on your behalf. God is good, and His mercies endure forever!
Until the next blog, when we would conclude this series on anxiety, friend, do not forget to keep living, loving and learning. Thank you.
Also Read:
Dealing with Anxiety:
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