God Promises to Give You Freedom from Worry and Anxiety

Suggested Reading: Matthew 6:25-35

Do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer 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 your minds in Christ Jesus—Philippians 4:6-7  

The rate of suicide in thee U.S. alone is astounding. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, as recently as 2018 there were 48,344 recorded suicides. There are approximately 132 suicides every day. It is the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S., the second leading cause among people between the ages of 35-54, and third leading cause of death in people ranging from 15-19, and at least one-fourth of all suicidal deaths are due to mental health; or lack thereof. What condition ranks highest in mental health crisis: anxiety and depression.

God offers us freedom from anxiety and worry which lead to depression and we can see also contributes to death by suicide. When we are feeling anxious it is not enough to be told the majority of things we worry about or become anxious about never happen at the end of all our worry, because at the time, all we can see or imagine is a terrible ending or outcome. Worry and anxiety is one of the most successful tools Satan has and is so clever about his strategies we hardly notice we are becoming enslaved to anxiety until we are. Satan’s chain that binds us to anxiety is long and strong; not easily severed. He looks for an opening whenever we experience something in life that sets worry in motion: loss of a job, death of a loved one, security of shelter threatened, break up of a long-term relationship, being bullied or betrayed. So many things that open up the portal of worry and anxiety in our life.  

God comes to save us from the enemy’s clutches; to loose the chains of anxiety that are gripping us and have put us in a chokehold, to set us free that we may be free indeed! He invites into an intimate relationship with him where we can bring all our cares and lay all our worries; real or imagined. He gives us an out and way to take off the cares of the world and put on his yoke or peace. He reminds us to become people who are filled with thanksgiving. He teaches us to entrust tomorrow to him; after all tomorrow has enough trouble of it own (Matt. 6:35) and to trust his love for us is perfect and pure and let his perfect love drive out all fear and anxiety that has found a home in us. As we become more and more acquainted with God’s powerful promises for us and start to trust they were recorded for us, the anxiety that we have kept company with and become enslaved to no longer gets to run or ruin our life. Through Christ we are restored, redeemed and remade into a new creation that is full of peace, trust, and joy, absent of anxiety. Let’s Pray,

Jesus you are our hope our joy our peace our burden-bearer and sin carrier. In your we have freedom from worry freedom from the deadly chains of anxiety and as you have said when we have been set free we are free indeed! Anxiety is the devil’s tool to bring destruction to our soul and peace but you have given us a tool more powerful than the devil’s and that is your Word and prayer. May all anxiety be brought to you where it belongs and in your care you will crush it and bury it at the foot of the cross where all sin is buried. In your name we pray, Amen.