“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
Philippians 4: 6 NKJV
At some point in our lives, we may have struggled with anxiety due to the challenges of life. Yet, the Bible tells us not to be anxious about anything. So the question is, amid our anxieties, what should we see?
Our human instinct is to react to what we see and feel. As believers, our best bet is to look past our emotions. If only we can look away from the storms, and see that Jesus is in the boat with us, we will be still and our anxiety quieted (Matthew 8:24-27).
“Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.” – Matthew 14: 28-30 NLT
The Scripture above gives us the case study of Peter, who was bold enough to step on the water when Jesus asked him to, but when he saw the storms and the waves, he began to sink. Many believers are anxious because, like Peter, we fix our eyes on the storms rather than on Jesus.
Our anchor scripture admonishes us not to be anxious for anything but instead to turn our attention to God through prayers, bringing all our affairs before Him. The truth is, anxiety is quite common, even amongst prominent men of God like Elijah (1 Kings 19:4-14) and Moses(Exodus 3:11). However, Jesus does not want us to be anxious (Matthew 6: 25-34).
Having established that focusing on Jesus rather than the storms is the most effective way to get past our anxieties, two ways to achieve this are through prayers and confessions.
Prayer is a powerful tool that helps us focus on our maker and His spirit within us. Our anxieties give way when we acknowledge God and His Spirit dwelling in us. But more than that, prayer can change our hearts and minds, giving us the strength to take on previously overwhelming things (Luke 22:41-43).
As believers, we should never underestimate the power of the tongue. Confessions not only strengthen our beliefs but also bring things to life (Proverbs 18: 21). Calling ourselves all that God has said we are and prophesying into our lives all that we want to see are great ways to kick anxiety out the door.
Practice this from today. Whenever feelings of anxiety grip you, ask yourself what you see. Do you see the challenges, or do you see Jesus?
DO THIS: Meditate on Philippians 4:6, 1 Peter 5:7
Bible Reading Plan:
John 1:19-28, James 1:12-18, Ecclesiastes 2:1-16, Jeremiah 3-4