Most people  lump anxiety and stress into the same basket, but they are different. Stress is a normal reaction to being under pressure. A person who is stressed is not necessarily suffering from anxiety. We can be facing a difficult situation with a relationship, divorce, bereavement, children etc. and we may place this in the anxiety basket. There are many situations that may cause a sense of stress or anxiety. It’s important for us to know that these situations are normal and not sinful. As Christians we are encouraged in the Scriptures to cast our anxiety upon the Lord because he cares for us. If we fail to do this we will lose peace and become consumed with worry.

There is a clinically diagnosed anxiety disorder.The experts explain this condition as the fearful anticipation of impending danger, the source of which is unknown or unrecognized. It’s characterized  by intense mental discomfort, a feeling that one will not be able to master future events. Panic attacks, generalized fear, phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorders are common symptoms for this anxiety. Drugs, psychotherapy, behaviour modification, and relaxation therapies, alone or in combination, are used in treating anxiety.
Anxiety disorders are evidenced by mood swings. Depression is common and is often marked by sadness, guilt, and feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and irritability.

If you are suffering from an anxiety disorder it’s important for you to know that Jesus Christ came to set you free from all independent living which the Bible calls sin. This is when a person lives separate from God’s intended plan, from living in a relationship with him, a relationship of love. He did this by dying on a cross for the sin of the whole world to restore us back into this relationship, It’s where love, joy and peace rule the heart and all anxiety is cast by faith upon Jesus because he cares for us. This happens when a person asks forgiveness for their sin and receives God’s forgiveness. You can’t earn it, it’s not gained by being religious or pious, it is a free gift. It’s like the old hymn says “Amazing grace that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now I’m found, was blind but now I see ….”

Or as the old Negro spiritual song says, “Free at last!  Free at last! Thank God Almighty I’m free at Last (^{_{quoted by Dr. Martin Luther King in his great speech ‘I have a Dream’)}}

 Bible Study Resources

What the Bible Says about Anxiety:

Psalm 38:18  I am full of anxiety because of my sin.
Proverbs 12:25  Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,
Ezekiel 4:16-17  Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, behold, I am going to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and drink water by measure and in horror, 17 because bread and water will be scarce; and they will be appalled with one another and waste away in their iniquity.
Ezekiel 12:19  Then say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord God concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel, “They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with horror, because their land will be stripped of its fullness on account of the violence of all who live in it.
1 Peter 5:6-7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

THE CURE FOR ANXIETY

Mtt. 6:25-34
25For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care
for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

THE OPPOSITE TO ANXIETY – Contentment
Contentment is where you are at ease and satisfied with your present situation, even if the circumstances are adverse.
1 Tim. 6:6-8
But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
Heb. 13:5-6
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” 6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”
Rom. 5:1-11
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

• Anxiety is the state of the heart that is alone and independent of God
• God’s conviction of this independent state (sin) produces anxiety of heart
• Anxiety over the state of sin – leads to repentance (a change of heart & direction)
• When sin is forgiven anxiety is replaced with contentment.

In Uganda a revival broke out when one Christian walked more than 250 kilometres to ask forgiveness of a Christian brother whom he had wronged 20 years previously.

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS OF REVIVAL

There are varying views as to what Revival is and what constitutes Revival. Indeed today, many are convinced that miracles, signs and wonders are evidences of Revival.  There are two main camps with two very differing views on Revival.  Of course this is not to say that all Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians believe the following, neither can it be said that all Evangelical Christians believe the following.  This is generally the state of things and is outlined to help us come to grips with what is true Revival.

1. THE PENTECOSTAL/CHARISMATIC VIEW: Generally there is a great deal of confusion about what Revival really is.  There are so many voices that are claiming they are in Revival and crowds by their thousands are flocking to these places to try and “get renewed” or “get the anointing” to take back to their own churches.  The justification for calling these church services Revival is because of the supernatural manifestations taking place. Is this genuine Revival?

2. THE EVANGELICAL VIEW: The generally held concept of Revival is for a spectacular religious awakening, in which large numbers of unconverted people are convicted of their sin and brought to Christ amid great excitement.  It is a commonly held view that while such a visitation of God’s Spirit is greatly desired, it is thought to be unaccountable.  The only thing we can do is to pray and await God’s good time.  Meanwhile, we continue to do our best for the kingdom of God.  Unlike their Pentecostal brethren, the Evangelicals do not claim to be in Revival, leading almost defeated lives while longing for a visitation of God as in former years. Is this a Biblical view of Revival?

WHAT IS REVIVAL?
Roy Hessian in his book “Calvary Road” written as a series of papers on Revival among various mission works around the world and missionaries personal experiences in 1947, says: “Some of us are actually finding out that true Revival is often the reverse of all this.  Revival need not be spectacular at all (it is certainly not spectacular to the one who is facing up to his sins in the light of the Cross!).  Indeed, where there is evidence of the spectacular, it is often the least important part of Revival.  Our missionary friends seemed studiously to avoid reference to the spectacular side of what they had been through, lest it might obscure the real challenge of what God was saying to us.  Then too, Revival is not something that God does first among the unconverted, but among His people.  Revival simply means New Life, and that implies that there is already Life there, but that the Life has ebbed.  The unconverted do not need Revival, for there is not any life there to revive.  It is the Christian who needs Revival.  But that presupposes that there has been a declension.  You revive only that which has grown weak.  They only are candidates for revival, therefore, who are prepared to confess that there has been a declension in their lives.  And the more specific the confession, the more definitely will God revive.  When that happens among us Christians, God will be able to work among the lost in new power, and we shall see a new work of grace there. One of Evan Roberts’ mottoes in the days of the Welsh Revival was: ‘Bend the Church and save the people’.  And the two are always linked.  The world has lost its faith because the Church has lost its fire.”

REVIVAL IS WHEN GOD TURNS THE HEARTS OF HIS PEOPLE BACK TO HIMSELF – THE WAY IT OUGHT TO BE.

1. THE ENEMY OF REVIVAL: The devil has turned Revival into something that has, to some degree, taken our hearts away from God.  We are seeking this blessing for ourselves.  We are seeking an experience of personal renewal rather than seeking God.  The enemy knows that if we truly seek the Lord Jesus, we will be changed into His image and that personal accountability followed by personal repentance will be our lifestyle that will issue in the kingdom of God.

2. DIS-TRACTION: The devil seeks to take us away from the main attraction -  Jesus.  “If any one says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ (anointed one of God) or there He is’, do not believe him. For false Christs (anointed ones) and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.” Mtt. 24:23-28

3. DIS-LOCATE: He attempts to take us away from our location in Jesus.  You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” Gal. 3:1-3

4. DIS-COURAGE: To rob us of our courage in Jesus, to depress our spirit, confidence and hope in Jesus.  To deter us from undertaking personal holiness because of the cost and to follow others. “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”  Luke 14:25-35

5. DIS-APPOINTMENT: To rob us of our appointment in Jesus. “Like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behaviour; because it is written ‘ you shall be holy, for I am holy.’ And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth, knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things…but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ…. 1 Peter 1:13-25

6. DIS-SATISFACTION: To rob us of our total satisfaction being found only in Jesus. “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.” Phil. 3:1-21

7. DIS-HEARTEN: To draw our affections away from Jesus.  To persuade us to seek the hand of God and not His face. “And a great multitude was following Him, because they were seeing the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.” John 6:2.  “Jesus said therefore to the twelve, ‘You do not want to go away also, do you?’  Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life and we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God’”. John 6:67-69.

8. DIS-CREDIT: To rob all credibility form us so that we will not believe God’s report.  While we believe, deep down our lives are filled with unbelief.  “And why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?” Luke 6:46-49.   “not everyone who says to Me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven”.   Mtt. 7:13-29.

9. DIS-GRACE: To rob us of the benefits of Grace so that we become a disgrace.  “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are distorting the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed…”  Gal. 1:1-11

10. DIS-TRUST: To convince us that the Word of God says what we want it to say.  Our simple childlike trust has turned into distrust as we try to manipulate the Lord to do what we want. “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery….You were running well, who hindered you from obeying the truth?” Gal. 5:1-26

11. DIS-CORD: From the Latin discordis dis apart, cordis from the heart. A lack of concord or harmony.  The enemy has robbed our hearts from where they should be, centered upon ourselves, rather than upon Jesus.  As a result our lives are full of dissension, contention, strife and incompatibility.  “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.  Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands– remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,  in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,  in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”  Eph. 2:4-22

Lord Jesus, take away the distraction, our dislocation and discouragement, the disappointment and dissatisfaction that we be not disheartened,  discredited or disgraced by turning our hearts away from self and back to you. Revive us, bring us back to life, your life, your way. Show us our hearts, show us what we don’t want to see and help us deal with what we don’t want to deal with.

The following books are thoroughly researched and provide a challenging insight into the problems confronting us today. In understanding the signs of the times we can not only be more aware but more effectively missional.

“Generation Me” by Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D.  - Why today’s young people are more confident, assertive, entitled and more miserable than ever before.

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“The Narcissism Epidemic” by Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D. & W. Keith Campbell, Ph.D. Narcissism, an inflated view of self, is everywhere …. and it’s what’s making people depressed, lonely, and buried under piles of debt … The Narcissism Epidemic is at once a rivetting window into the consequences of narcissism, a prescription to combat the wide problems it causes, and a probing analysis of the culture at large.”

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What About Me?

Imagine for a moment a world where there are few pressures, no phones, computers, email or internet, no newspapers, radio or TV, no cars, planes, buses or trains, a world where your local community was your world and family was your identity and security.

In bygone years people lived this way, in the security of their local communities, whether villages, towns, or cities. They were places of shelter shattered only by local feuds or hostile invaders. Life was constant and fairly predictable because it was governed by what happened in their world, their locale. Generally people cared for each other. They lived together, worked together, worshiped together, played together and fought together.

Of course we can’t and don’t live back there. We live in a very small place known as the Global Village, the World. Oceans, continents, countries, mountains, deserts, cities, villages, homes are traversed in moments by satellite communications. What happens in the remotest parts of the earth is beamed into our lounges within seconds. We witness bombs exploding, wars, tragedy, death, terrorism, starvation, natural disasters, human pain and suffering daily.

People live bombarded by images of death, mayhem, inequality and violence, either on the news, internet, print or movies. The more we see the more we want to see. We make our judgments about who the baddies are and deep down we want to see them get their buts kicked. If this happens, if the baddies get punished, we feel safer.

Advertising agencies pick up on this with TV commercials which depict the state of people in the global village. Generally they have to do with a form of inequality which ends with the punch line “what about me?” They study the trends and know that people living in the global village are concerned about their safety and their rights. Insurance companies have picked up on this and aim their advertising at bringing peace of mind. But peace of mind isn’t gained by an unhealthy mindset about “me” and “my rights”. This is evidenced by the multi-billion dollar sedative and anti-depressant drug industry.

Deep down we all long for the simple village life, that’s why we call the world our village, but the pressures of the global have isolated us further. On the one hand we talk of equality and tolerance and yet on the other hand we are threatened by the differences in culture, race and religion. What will this do to our freedoms? Within all the changes we are desperately looking for our own security and peace of mind. Government promises so much and delivers so little. Banks offer so much and take so much. Credit offers instant cash but enslaves the borrower. Employment offers security and is lost so easily.

We live in a consumer, throw away, village where everything of value seems to be threatened. We are told the planet is warming, the ice is melting, the oceans are rising, species are becoming extinct, forests are disappearing, pollution and green house emissions are out of control, and somehow it’s my fault. Some people seem to be more concerned with saving the planet, the whales, the trees, the oceans, than they are about people. Yes, their rationale is to ensure there is a planet for future generations but all too often in this global village, people don’t seem that concerned for their neighbor. They need a cause, and so find camaraderie and a sense of self worth in the cause. After all somebody has got to do something!

This catch cry all too often polarizes people for one reason or other. Often it’s because people don’t agree with the cause or feel irritated at best because somehow when confronted by people espousing a cause, they feel guilty, dis-empowered, lazy, or are just disinterested. So a cause can be invigorating, challenging and empowering to the one and polarizing to the other. It can grant comradeship to the one and alienation to the other.

To compensate for our own deficiencies we make our heroes. Other people we can live the dream through. People who are achievers in areas we admire. Sports stars/teams, pop stars, political parties, authors, cause leaders, movie stars, TV programs/personalities, pastors, the list is endless.

We all crave for a sense of belonging. We want to belong to something bigger than ourselves. We want community, caring, trust, security and respect. What hinders us? What is out of balance? What have we imbibed from our culture that cripples us?

We live in a climate of “what about me?”- “You’re worth it!” – “what’s in it for me?” – “what do I get out of this?” – “me time” – “my time” – “my space”. This is  the me myth that dominates humanity. The myth that life is what you get out of it, what you make it. The myth that we are the masters of our own destiny.

Jesus brings a sobering word, and addresses the ‘me myth’ by saying “whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” ^{_{(Matthew 10:38-39)}} In other words, when we are the focus of life we have already lost God’s ordained purpose for our lives. It is in surrender to Jesus, dying to our own selfish ambitions and desires and living for others that truly fulfills us. The ‘me myth’ is that you deserve to be happy, fulfilled, prosperous etc. and you are the only one that can make it happen. But God has a plan for your life, find that and you will find it’s not about you.