The Root Cause Of Anxiety by Shane Idleman

you we are in the book of Matthew turn to chapter 6 verse 25 and you'll see the title there of the message the root cause of anxiety and what I want to do tonight is get to the root cause of anxiety how many of us want a sermon on that anxiety fear hello nobody even wants to go to LAX Airport anymore and then of course you know we see on there that he was on the internet reading about the New World Order and he has it against the TSA and comes with a gun and just a mess what is creating all this anxiety and fear in people because the Bible tells us fear not worry not so let's talk about that for a minute now first so you know right that worry is a normal reaction to stress worry is a normal reaction to stress which is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from a very demanding circumstance and I've actually had a few of those this week and preparing for the sermon one of the things is we got a letter in the mail stating our we can no longer have our health insurance good old well I won't go there so you know now we're at $400 a month and the closest plan is we looked was about 1800 a month so we're definitely calling and looking to place some money but that came supplemental tax bill in the mail and all that it's like oh my goodness what is going on of course I'm preparing a sermon on worry and anxiety and all these things but what happens is our environment or external factors or medical factors or substance abuse of course brain chemistry and all these different things work actually against us in in fostering anxiety and fear and it's funny that we live in the most blessed nation on the planet we live in castles just look around the world we are so blessed here but why are we so anxious so let's talk about the root cause of anxiety and what I'm trying not to do in the sermon I'm not dismissing I'm not dismissing the deep emotional pain that we can feel if you've had panic attacks or an anxiety attacks or I'm not dismissing any of that what I'm trying to do is remind us that God makes provision for all of our needs scripture is very clear on these issues and that's what I want to talk about tonight I want to talk about the self-inflicted anxiety or the self-inflicted worry do you know a lot of our issues are self-inflicted you've heard that term self-inflicted gunshot wound have the 357 a little bit too close to the the leg here and wasn't you know on safety and accidentally the trigger went off and right into his foot happened to a friend of mine self-inflicted and then what's happening a lot of times with worry with anxiety with fear we bring a lot of this onto ourselves not everything please don't misunderstand I'm not want you leaving here thinking you should never be depressed or anxious or fearful because those are normal human emotions that occur but what do we do with those now the context we're gonna pick up in Matthew verse or chapter 6 but the context you remember from last week no one can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other you cannot serve both God and the god of this world it's my paraphrase and what was he talking about there you cannot your affections your your resources your time your feelings everything trying to serve two gods you know I love the god of this world and I'm serving the god of this world and I love the things of the world but but the the real living true God is pulling me back and I'm I served this master I serve him on well Saturday or Sunday I serve Him and I want to serve him but this other master keeps pulling me back pulling me back remember how we talked about that last week and we've got this internal struggle pulling us between two masters so Jesus said listen let's let's settle the score right now let's get the record straight this is where the rubber meets the road you cannot serve both of them and what happens is when we try what obviously happens is we don't serve God with all of our heart with all of our soul with all of our mind with all of our strength we just don't we are led in this direction so once Jesus says that then he uses the word therefore and what have we learned anytime that word therefore is there you ask what's it therefore so context is the two masters therefore I say to you do not worry about your life what you will eat or what you will drink nor about your body but or what you put on is not life more than food and the body more than clothing look at the birds of the air for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feeds them are you not more valuable than they which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature now when I was reading this what really jumped out right at the beginning was this therefore I say to you do not worry about your life and I thought if Jesus is telling me not to worry that must imply by the very statement that he made that we have the ability not to worry or do we worry by default we have to worry we always have to be anxious and fearful we have to or as Jesus say listen don't worry don't worry about these things because what we learned also that the battlefield is right here the wars we wage or right here and Jesus saying listen do not worry and then also you know many of you have studied the last sentence before I know we've talked about it which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature well you know two cubic is a measurement and to the height and well is he really saying that maybe but if you look at the Greek and you look at commentaries he's it could denote the meaning of worry is not productive you will not mature you won't you will not add anything to your life by worrying you can't mature in the faith you can't mature you can't grow you can't add anything into your life by worrying and all they're saying yeah that's great Shane I know I know wonderful but tell me how well let's get there let's talk about this so why do you worry about clothing verse 28 consider the lilies of the field how they grow they neither toil nor spin and yet I say to you that not even Solomon and all of his glory even Solomon was not arrayed like one of these now if God so clothe the grass of the field which is today which today is and tomorrow is thrown into the oven will he not much more clothe you oh you of little faith so I'm starting to make a connection here don't worry which implies that I can stop the process and somehow my faith is involved if I'm lacking faith that's somehow linked to worry are you making that connection yet Jesus is going through this verse 31 therefore do not worry saying what shall I eat and what shall we drink or what shall we wear for all these things the Gentiles seek basically all these things unbelievers seek and we are to look different are we not as Christians there's a distinction there's a difference we don't look like the world we shouldn't worry about the same things and get on this Fear Factory and we're so anxious or so worried and we look just like the world verse 32 for after all these things the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things but seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about its own things sufficient for the day is its own trouble now this is interesting Jesus doesn't always remove trouble sometimes we forget that and there's been a lot of damage done to the gospel by saying just come to Jesus you'll be happy you'll be healthy you'll be wealthy all your problems will disappear just try them out would you just try them out and then what happens here I'll try them out I need obviously lets us down because we go through things but what I've noticed is he doesn't necessarily although he protect protect us and guides us and shelters us sometimes he lets us walk through the furnace of affliction he walks through that with us so as we're going through some things it's not that we always avoid this and avoid that sometimes we go through it we go through the difficult times but he holds us he's there to guide us and lead us that's the true sense of a shepherd is it not there with the Sheep guiding them and directing them so let's talk about three areas from this text is not life more than food in the body more than clothing is not life more than food in the body more than clothing so worry is born in the mind this is where it starts images and emotions of a negative nature in which mental attempts are made to avoid anticipated potential threats so here's what worry is uh-oh I can see where this is going this is a potential threat I better make some adjustments in my adjustments I better make some this I better because here it comes here comes the bad news and and we worry we worry so it's all up here this is where the focus has to be is on Christ and seeking first the kingdom of God because all of us can get caught up on worrying financially relationally you fill in the blanks everything we can worry about everything and do you know that most of the things that people worry about never happen I mean they've done I think it was somewhere like 90% of everything we worry about doesn't even happen and the other stuff that does happen guess what we get right through it now if God so clothes the grass of the field which today is and tomorrow is thrown into the oven will he not much more clothe you oh you of little faith so worried we see is linked to a lack of faith and I like what RC sprawl said it's on your bullets and most Christians salute the sovereignty of God but believe in the sovereignty of man did you catch that most Christians salute the sovereignty of God yes I believe it I believe it but we really believe in the sovereignty of man because we'll say one things but our lifestyle reflects something else I believe in God I just don't trust him so I have to have a back-up plan I believe in Jesus but I think he's gonna see me through I think I've got to pull myself out of this one and we get worried and caught up and I see it's all mental worrying is mental because you can't it's it's obviously it comes out in the physical but it's a mental thing that's happening in our mind when we minimize the sovereignty of God it will magnify worry so as soon as God becomes small what happens to worry I mean thinking what are the main things were worried about finances or marriage or I mean you fill in the blanks there's a lot of things to worry about but if God's got our back he's got our back it's that simple the God who created the heavens and the earth and we're worried that he might not come through on this and we might have to move in with somebody or we might have to budget our bills or we might have to downsize or sell something and a lot of times what I've noticed the reason we're worrying is because we want to hold on and keep serving that master is it not because somebody who's truly following the sovereignty of God Lord I trust you I give you everything come hell or high water I've come I'm gonna follow him now of course that's easier said than done I live in the real world as well but when we when things happen to our lives we can say okay God you've got this you're in control to your sovereign plans will prevail and there's trust in that what happens I worry when I don't think he's gonna come through I don't think he knows how bad it is I'm worried doesn't he know this and doesn't he know that and this problem and that yes he knows all of that but it starts up here looked to him not the problem don't give up look up you know that old saying and it's like you know it's like well that's pretty simple but it's true we have to look up and refocus our mind the battlefield is here if I could get that point across that would be the biggest point tonight is the battlefield is your mind stop thinking about worrying stop thinking about fear and all we're doing is feeding that and we're feeding it in our culture today and then Jesus says therefore do not worry so worried can be controlled and minimized if Jesus says don't worry that that tells me that I have the ability not to worry right or is he mistaken here but guess what happens at this point yeah Shane but you've got to get those butts out of the way anytime you have to say yeah but we tell somebody here's what the Bible says yeah but no you shouldn't worry yeah but I was raised this way yeah but my house you know you don't know my household you don't know my spouse yeah but the obedience is in God's Word not the but all but sometimes means is I want to continue worrying yeah that makes sense but Jesus said don't worry yeah but he's not going through what I went through oh I don't know he was beaten he was he was put on a cross he was no temptation he went through everything that we that we suffer with times 10 times 100 so he knows that he knows what we're going through therefore do not worry worry can be controlled and minimized and here's where I want to hang my hat for a minute Romans 12:2 do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may discern what is the will of God and what is that good and acceptable and perfect thing so Romans tells us Paul tells us be not conformed to this world so how am I conformed to this world Paul my mind is being shaped by the culture all the junk that's in the culture all the news all the Hollywood all that stuff that's why we come out of ginn against it because if you allow it to it will it will conform you that's why Christians look more like Hollywood than the Holy Spirit let that sink in for a minute why do most people look just like Hollywood not like the Holy Spirit because they're being conformed to that image sure they name the name of Christ but when it comes to what's influencing their mind what is influencing them all this junk and that's why I have such a beef against all the stuff that's out there it is feeding anxiety and feeding fear and feeding all these frenzies that's happening in our culture you guys see that right it's not just me we turn the news our stress level just jumps Iran's got a bomb TSA shooting here this this this is we just walk around paralyzed says don't be paralyzed Jesus Christ actually said don't worry do business until I return I can't do business because I'm too scared I'm too scared of everything I've got a hide and I've got a coward the government's coming at me everybody's coming at me Jesus says don't worry greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world either you believe that or you don't and I get emails all the time this is happening this great bring it on because Christ is still on the throne God is still sovereign he holds the world in the palm of his hand but we're feeding this stuff and I've talked to people before with fear and anxiety in the air cookie just how's your devotional and prayer life you know what happened I don't have one but all this grotesque and ends in all these crime scenes and all these movies every single night well you might want to start there think about it as a man thinks in his heart so is he you go to bed with murder and chaos and illicit sex you wonder why am I so fearful I don't even the worst God that I have no time to read no time to study no time to pray right because do not be conformed you're being conformed and you're being fashioned you're being shaped by this world you have no time for God's Word no time for holiness and that's why you're in too many of these situations now again I'm not saying we're taking a broad brush and painting everybody all it's just because of this but I would start there when somebody tells me that they struggle with fear and anxiety and you look at their mental diet their mental diet will tell you about their spiritual health I mean I can't even watch that mean American horror stories and this girls up in the air levitating with swords through her arms and legs people post on Facebook they're so excited about it I'm saying oh my gosh turn that junk off No wonder no wonder you gotta pop pills and you can't get into the Word of God you're so anxious and fearful it's because you're feeding a bunch of garbage all night long and all week long that's just the truth be not conformed to this world be not conformed how are you conformed by opening up your mind to the influence and being entertained by that influence if something entertained me it's influencing me and all these reports go online young adults suicide rate pandemic epic you know all what's the word I'm looking for epidemic fear all these young adults are in teenagers Prozac all these things why I don't know why is the big craze now witches and vampire and the occult I don't know they're casting spells are not reading Scripture we've got to wake up this isn't just some loud pastor upset at Hollywood I'm upset at the spiritual condition of the church and it's just a reflection of her people we should be the most joyful loving people instead we're fearful were anxious we're feeding our mind with all this darkness we wonder what's happening what's happening so we go to a psychiatrist to prescribe a pill when we don't go to this great psychiatrist and say help me now let me interject again here because I can tell all the emails I'm gonna get when the Frady goes I'm not saying that you might need something now and then if God is leading in that direction the great physician maybe has the other I don't know I'm not saying that but all the people I talked to well let me say now let's say all my mama my mom told me not to ever say all I would say 99.9% of people I talked to who fearful and anxious and all these things they have no prayer life they have no devotional life they're watching a bunk just junk on TV they have no worship on it their home what what what is there a connection there I don't know I mean start there start in the Word of God start worshiping I've talked to people even do it with disorders and all these things and and they can't to get out of okay tell me about your prayer life I don't have one I don't want one hmm I don't know I would start there I would start there Lord even when I don't feel like it yeah even when you don't feel like it because many times you're not gonna feel like it the enemy comes in like a flood but the Spirit of the Lord raises up a standard against him it doesn't feel good to read the Word of God sometimes but you press through I'd rather experience a pain of discipline than the pain of regret and that's what the human mind is being in our culture I see so many Christians especially on Halloween all this junk and all this garbage no matter what your view is on it I'm saying how can dark miss entertaining the church how can darkness entertain one supposed to have the light of the world all this grow tests and gruesome things all these images were feeding our mind on a nightly basis because the flesh enjoys it the spirit is grieving sitting there saying no come back to a loving father you want to get rid of fear and anxiety turn that garbage off no my flesh loves it and we go back to what Jesus said how long we waver Elijah said how long you waver between two opinions but Jesus said how long will you waver between two masters you cannot serve one and then the other and maybe it's just me but I've seen it so much I've never talked to somebody with the powerful prayer life loves the Lord on fire for God worship in their car worship at home they have they can't get enough of God they're praying at home praying with their family and then still if they struggle with something like this then yes get some counseling maybe there's some medication or something to balance out because I know like insulin in the body there's brain chemistry issues I'm not stupid I was raised in the health and fitness industry I know that the body sometimes goes haywire it's okay to fix that but we don't but everybody now seems to run to the pill first first that's the answer I'm severely anxious I'm severely this I've got to get something well why'd you stop with that 800 milligrams of caffeine from Starbucks oh don't get me started what we're feeding our body what we're feeding our mind directly affects our spiritual life flippin x' for 800 here we go finally brethren whatever things are noble and true and honest and upright meditate on these things can I be up front and honest right now most of what you're feeding your mind right now is not holy it's not righteous it's not Noble it's not good it's not a pleasant it doesn't please God if you're if you're if you're hooked on our culture and on Hollywood on the media it is pulling you away from God so you have a choice tonight I'm also not stupid I know many of you will leave here nothing will change nothing will change no that's true yeah that's a good point nothing will change yeah it's a little frustrating but it's alright I'll get over it but for that small percentage of people tonight who will say you know what I've got to make some changes I've got to lead my family in the fear and admonition of the Lord Paul leaves the church and Phillipi with these final words finally brethren whatever things are pure and Noble and honest and upright meditate on these things there's not a month that goes by somebody from somewhere in the United States asks me about all these different things Twilight and I Sambas and I said listen if there's a fascination for witchcraft and the occult and zombie something's wrong with your heart I'll go on record saying that by the Word of God those things should not entertain the church that's darkness there's no such thing as good witches and good magic and casting good spells and honouring darkness and the demonic influence about that you might not like to hear it but you need to hear it those things do not please God and allowing those things into our mind and our children at that age it's it's it's it's it's inexcusable it doesn't fit with Scripture you can't give me any proof text to support that well you can go to Roman's all brother no you're not to judge another servant yeah I know all that but when you look at your mental diet if the things don't glorify Christ and they're pulling you away from him and their demonic at your credit score and you're watching these things vampires and zombies and all this gross stuff that should be ah it should make you see all my spirit doesn't like that there's something wrong here if it doesn't then you're dying on the vine spiritually and that's why you might be suffering with a lot of these things this darkness and the depression that comes on you because you're fueling your mind there's a spiritual battle do you realize that for we wrestle not against flesh and blood for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal they're not here we can't see them but they're mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds and and casting down arguments and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God bringing every thought into obedience see I'm supposed to bring my thoughts into obedience my thoughts are not supposed to bring me into following them I'm supposed to take my thoughts captive more on that in just a minute after I got worked up about the media it is hard because I'll be honest with you one of the hardest things you've heard me talked about this before and pastoring is not necessarily you know funerals are tough and in in the sickness and all these things but one of the things that really stands out is you see living water you know you see living water right here people will just not take it take it take the living water that Christ spoke of dedicate your life fully surrender everything would you just take of this living water no I don't want it so they're dying on the vine marriages are falling apart they're growing distant from God because they're don't want what's being offered and we see this in what's playing out in the media and the news and all these things all that all the media in the news and all that Hollywood all it does is reflects what's going on in the culture it reflects a culture and it influences the culture and it will influence the believer there's no way around it so that's why preach against this is because it doesn't if something isn't building you up and pulling you towards god guess what direction is taking you yeah it's a no-brainer I went and looked at the top ten you know if you take out deck dine you see the top ten TV shows and if it's not about illicit sex homosexuality and darkness and perversion it's not up there it's not even on there so we go to bed watching these things and thinking oh that's gonna bring me closer to Christ when it really quenches and grieves the Spirit of God finally brethren whatever things are pure and Noble and honest meditate on these things now here's the battleground for though we walk in the flesh which I said we do not war according to the flesh the weapons of our warfare are not carnal he goes on to say in second Corinthians bringing every thought into captivity not allowing your thoughts to take you captive which we know now this is an interesting word casting down arguments loga mas I believe it is in the Greek arguments it's a heated it's a heated exchange of conflicting views if you look up that word casting down arguments well in the Greek language it's a heated exchange of opposing views light and darkness good and bad truth and air competing your Sakhi this competing force within us ease this Battle of the mind that Paul says I'm never free from this conflict a wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of sin and death for with the mind for with them did you catch that for with the mind I serve the law of God Paul just said he goes back and forth and the things I want to do I don't do the things I don't want to do I do a wretched man that I am who will deliver me well I thank God that the battle is here I submit myself my mind I casting down arguments this conflict that's going on in my mind I take the side of good not evil my mind I'm not going to allow it to go there do you know that all church splits start in the mind all affairs start in the mind all arguments start in the mind everything starts here so that's why you've got captive and say no now I know what God's Word said this is not right enemy you will flee you will have no control over me resist the devil and he has to flee casting down arguments Romans 8:5 what about this for those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh do you want to know if you live according to the spirit or the courting of your other court according to the flesh what do you set your mind on show me your phone your your websites what you view in the media all day long what you listen to you'll see if you're walking in the spirit or walking in the flesh it's that simple now if people are convicted right now it's a good thing God's saying listen get that out of your life for though we live according to the flesh well I'm sorry for those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh but those who live according to the spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit for to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace hmm peace peace anxiety peace and fear right here guys think about that for to be carnally minded is death death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace because the carnal mind is enmity against God you realize that the carnal mind is at war with God so my carnal nature is at war with God the Spirit says come back bring me back my carnal mind says I'm at war with God so what do we choose what master do we choose to obey what master do we choose to obey the carnal mind or the spiritual side let me give you some examples this is what happens in our minds here's how this battle plays out adultery it doesn't start with adultery it starts with this this other person makes me feel loved respected and appreciated my spouse doesn't and those thoughts just dwell and they just rise up daily look at how they're treating me I hate this other person look at how they're all and sent this great I should have met this one I think I married the wrong person oh he's never heard that I just don't love them anymore oh okay yeah that's first Corinthians 8:10 you can divorce because you don't love them anymore well what happens to up here so every day this person I don't love them anymore they're mean why did I how did I end up in this relationship look at all my other friends on Facebook having such a perfect life they don't tell you all the bad stuff they just show you the good stuff it's all up here look at recent studies on what Facebook does to people it actually elevates anxiety and fear and jealousy and bitterness I get on the Nexen look at everybody's on vacation everybody loves their latte everybody's going to the gym everybody's down by the beach everybody's out by the pool everybody's got perfect husbands and perfect wise and perfect kids they're just praising everything everything everything look at my life stinks it does I get irritated why because it's just the perfect things and where's it starting up here all break broken marriages are happening here I'm sure my wife has felt I don't love that guy anymore he's being a jerk ask her I'm sure because we all have have we not so if I keep thinking that she's being mean this week somebody else is being very nice I wonder if I married did I marry the wrong person what and then we go back and we play that game that's we says bring every thought captive wrong thought come back wrong thought come back you bring a cat that captive wrong thought come back that's what we have that's bringing that thought captive back to the obedience of Christ now here's also what happens on this side as people are moving towards an affair or to vorse court or problems in their marriage as they're moving and it's not just oh it's overnight it's slipping one day one compromise one bad choice and they're slipping and then guess what comes with this fear and anxiety and depression and then sent instead of saying I must be out of God's will they say see if I could break free of this it would alleviate the fear anxiety and depression then they get to the point of no return and all hell breaks loose and it's ugly why because they didn't bring their minds captive the thoughts captive because we all know should I do well on these things or should I not the next example oh it's just the people who are always complaining life stinks the government sucks life stinks everybody's out to get me ba ba ba ba ba Charlie Brown always so negative always so negative all the time every get around their scenario can you believe this can you believe it God I don't want to be around them look every thought captive bright thing this is not right we should be thankful the bible says yes difficult times are coming but like I said Jesus says do business until I return do business until I return do not worry then if we're not supposed to worry why are we in fear factor mode remember I said earlier this year our gun safes are full but our prayer closets are empty we ask plenty of time for Hannity and O'Reilly and CNN for you CNN fans and all this stuff but no time for Matthew Mark Luke and John why we're feeding that fear frenzy we're feeding it and that's what happens in this issue what about people at work they get this way I should have been promoted by now how did they get that position now I can't believe I've been here and we just start festering all these these thoughts begin to creep in guess what happens bitterness jealousy envy and were there we are these so instead of you taking your thoughts captive now your thoughts are controlling you you go to work upset your stay at work upset you leave upset you take that upsetness if I can use that word back home to your spouse and your kids now you're upset all day now you're upset all week you listen take every thought captive thank God for a job thank God for an income thank God for a house over your head maybe you're supposed to minister to this person maybe God is checking your heart by telling you no do you know that you can see somebody's heart by when you tell them no no I don't think so right now if they go into mode and there weren't trouble I just got chewed out on email last week because a guy in Canada or wherever emailed me said I need to talk to you about something and I was okay how but you know a couple days he got mad at me oh you're not some mega pastor you can't just return my call right now well guess what now I'm not gonna call you back told them no not right now maybe tomorrow unless it's emergency of course and they just get upset I will watch I can see the spiritual condition of your heart by how you handle no little insight to this church when we first started this church I told some people no to the position of elder because I don't think they're ready right now you want to take it just take a guess at how many of them are still coming yeah big zero what happened they got my back they're on my side we're sitting on the same page we'll be there with you forever what happened what happened no not right now how do they know I wasn't saying yeah that's a good idea a little bit let's see how you handle this see it reveals a heart does bitterness because of God will test he tests me all the time all the time testing our heart I should have been promoted but oh that happens in the church too you know that uh-oh I better not touch that one do you know this happens in the Church now I should have been promoted why don't they recognize me why is my name not on the PowerPoint oh if you're saying those things you better go home and repent this is not a place for jockeying for position it's a it's a place for broken hearts seeking God John the Baptist said he must increase but I must decrease we we are servant leaders any time you're wanting up us position or a promotion be careful because you have to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ bring it back you can say and I can say these thoughts are not right can we but we love to keep people in that bondage don't we it's nothing I just I can't let that go I've got to keep that person on my hit list this also happens in church in the workplace I don't like them I just don't like that person bitter jealousy comes in maybe career maybe money maybe status whatever it is and we allow these thoughts to come in how many of you are upset at me right now don't raise your hand what are you gonna do with these thoughts all I'm trying to do is help you this is what God's Word says I don't have an axe to grind I'm not trying to upset anybody as a matter of fact I wish we could leave here every so thank you that was a Jostein sermon Jane you didn't upset anybody I mean that would be I deal with it not poor guy he's a millionaire don't feel bad about but so my goal is to say what is God where is he directing our heart not what do we want to hear and that's another reason why a lot of people haven't stayed here because they don't like what they're hearing and change comes by obeying a word of God not running from it I have a strong sense of that is for somebody tonight I don't know why but you've got to stop running from God's Word and start obeying it if you want to see genuine change take place if you want to genuinely know him stop running from the very God who wants to save you or he wants to call you back that's your only hope the next thing what we have to do is we to cut the fuel source so if you now let me get to this if you're worrying and you're anxious and you're fearful you've got to cut the fuel source more often than not if somebody's worried and anxious and this they've got to make some lifestyle changes when you get up in the morning put on some good worship music not the Drudge Report get into this for an hour Fox News will still be there tomorrow unplug the television turn off Netflix go to unhook all devices and just take a fast and just seek God because a lot of these things are building into worry and fear into our lives so we've got to cut the fuel off at its source what is feeding that what about friends I like this I could do a whole sermon on this topic right here texting calling all that did you hear did you hear did you see did you hear they're coming to get us the government's this big Daddy Big Momma all these things are coming to get you that's a Tyler Perry word probably listen government conspiracy theories all the stuff might be valid I don't know all I know is I'm supposed to do business till he comes home and not worry about it but if you're constantly feeding your mind with these things you're gonna you're gonna be in fear factor mode you've got to kill the things that are fueling fear and begin putting the Word of God and worship into your heart that's how you change our fearful heart the fruit of the Spirit fear anxiety depression oh well what's going on then if you're a spirit-filled believer now again we all struggle with I was pretty depressed when I got the medical results you know or the medical insurance and you know supplemental tax billing Wow but then what do you do with that god you're good I'm gonna praise you in this storm so that we still struggle with Charles Spurgeon I love the man one of the greatest preachers I think that ever lived 150 years ago struggled with depression now I have some thoughts about his health and how he took care of his body that you know keep to myself but how many of these things are we and how many for these things are spiritual attacks helm easy these things are chemical imbalances I don't mind using that word because it can't happen you can't just tell somebody who need is insulin dependent ah come on cheese stop that stuff however I would say that 9 out of 10 people when I was in the fitness business 9 out of 10 people who began to treat their body correctly were able to get off of all that type of medication I saw it firsthand they would come in so excited Shane it's been a couple months I don't doctor says I don't need any so why don't we start with the good things why don't we start with the right things and then allow God to direct us from there bad decisions oh my goodness bad decisions bring on worry proverbs says hard as a way of the transgressor so a person that is transit transgressing against God they will not be a happy camper they will not be happy if you are transgressing against God you're an open rebellion to God life will be difficult life will be different how can these guys just go to shoot people when I was growing up you never heard of a school shooting oh my goodness now it's every month somebody's ar-15s or just getting up you know they're walking the place is just taking out people I'm where's this come from and then you kind of read some of the stories remember I told you a few weeks ago the Navy shooter the gunman the Navy shooter I was preparing my sermon I clicked on Drudge Report I know I'm not supposed to do that but I do it sometimes and you know what now that I think about it I never click off in a good mood I don't it's depressing click that article read it oh he was addicted to violent video games Wow who would ever guessed the guy who kidnapped those three girls for 10 years click this story addicted to hardcore porn hmm come on folks fill in the blanks as a man thinketh in his heart so is he we're not we're not this neutral soldier who can serve both gods either the god of this world is pulling you down or the god of this world is pulling you up there's no middle ground we think oh I'm a tough guy you know you're not a tough guy you're being either led by the flesh or you're being led by the spirit you are a creative being created in the image of God but because of sin and our fallen nature we have this disease called sin that pulls us away from God so if you feed that disease guess what you're gonna die with that's how it works and the final thing on this look at your and I and I don't even I bring this up a lot but it's it's very relevant the health of our bodies let me just read an email I got some time ago my children are overweight the oldest was just diagnosed with diabetes her kid my poor help is also taking a toll on me help help it's no wonder she's depressed and fearful and anxious why you see how all these things work together I believe that you take care of your spirit which is first and foremost and you take care of your body you're not feeding it those things like abusing it and alcohol and drugs and all these things and if you look on the funny thing is if you look on the on medication some medication for stress or anxiety you look at the adverse reactions and they're almost just as bad as what it's trying to prevent hallucinations suicidal thoughts so I'm gonna take this to get rid of this and I've told you before the studies on nicotine or caffeine and high levels all these things do is they put your body in a fight-or-flight in this stress mode so you're constantly in stressed you get up and you put in this cool supercharged Christian crack and then you get to work and you got to have some more because you're getting so tired and then you got out some more and you're why am I so high-strung why am I so upset well the world's coming down why why why because you're feeding your body things that do that that's just the truth I can't come up here and avoid this topic it's funny too last week now well I don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill I went just just for fun looked at what is that Starbucks a little logo it's called a siren from a Greek goddess and her job was to seduce wayward soldiers away where people are their vessels their ships well that's interesting seduction seduced now am I saying all these things are bad course in moderation but if you have a problem with fear and anxiety and you're pumping yourself with things even the diagnostic manual for mental disorders lists caffeine induced disorders above 500 milligrams most of you are getting over that a day you know I can appreciate cuz I did and almost ended it almost counsel Maya Morgan's courting relationship because I was big old pot of coffee the one big old pot of coffee night and I was going through some weird just depression anxiety and then I read oh I know this I know this but I don't care it just tastes so good I need to stay up I need to you know so Mike my whole point bringing that up is be careful what you're putting in because it affects you and let's just think about that nicotine right alcohol or caffeine let's say at high levels it puts your body in a very high-strung state so you're taking in something that increases actually the better word is magnifies it magnifies stress cortisol adrenaline all these different things so that's why you see somebody on high caffeine they get upset somebody takes your parking spot they want to ram him somebody else nothing fine no problem with this next bar why is that because our body was not meant to be in that fight-or-flight stress all day long don't worry I can get on diet sodas and all those things today but I believe that those things now here's another side note talking to people who struggle with anxiety depression and all those things nine times out of ten nine times out of ten their diet stinks it stinks let's just be honest half a pot of coffee in the morning for diet cokes later so let's start there let's get the body funk out because God created us the the most incredible engine ever designed the most can create he could designed us to be a certain way and when we pervert those things don't take care of our physical don't take care of our spiritual don't care to take care of our emotional and we wonder why we're struggling with all these things well let's start with what we do know these things will take us back to God now of course I could go on on this but I just wanted to make make this closing point and the root cause of anxiety is right here Jesus said it seek ye first the kingdom of God seek ye first the kingdom of God and we say yeah yeah bla bla by for that hundred times think about how profound that is when I'm truly seeking God when I'm seeking God you can send me a bill in the mail that says my health insurance is being discontinued because I trust the great provider you can say I'm out of a career next week and I don't care I'm trusting I'm seeking he he he's in charge he's leading me it's his job if it's his will it's his bill where he guides he provides I've got a lot of little cute sayings but it doesn't matter unless you apply them to your heart if I'm seeking God listen chain the church tells me hey we need this building you're out next month I don't care it's God's church he I'm seeking him there's no stress involved doesn't mean we don't struggle with it still but when you're seeking God here's what happens we turn from seeking God and we seek ourselves we seek the things of the world we think the secret flesh and the flesh always lets us down your flesh says feed me so I can destroy you you realize that your flesh my flesh says feed me so I can destroy you he's not our friend he's not our buddy he's not my little vice my little vice wants to turn into a big vice and sink the ship doesn't not oh I came fired up tonight I'm just telling you because when people are seeking first the kingdom of God come hell or high water though the evers come up they will not overtake me though I walk through the flames I will not be burned why because the Lord upholds me with his hand he whos that he who watches over Israel doesn't sleep her slumber though the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord if he falls he will not be utterly cast down because God upholds him with his right hand I will guide you I'm the Shepherd I'm the loving father doesn't matter what you go through I am still on the throne no government no Senate no council no news nothing can take you away from me God is in control when we look to that come hell or high water no depression no anxiety can take where God is leading me the reason we get we get all these things foster in us is because we get off of that track we could offer the right track and we start to focus on my money I need the big savings I need a big retirement vs. Lord what do you want you can provide for me I'm trusting you no no no I've got to do it but but but chain the Bible says store sure but God says he'll bless you and his time and his way no Baba but and we worry about the buts and we get in trouble it's like I said last week the drift away from God starts here where does it drift back to God have to start right here so many of you if you've been drifting away guess what bring every thought captive come back to the obedience of Christ and turn to him and say Lord I've been wronged take me in these areas as the song says he rescues the souls of men and if you rescues our souls if he saves us God is calling us and some of you if you don't know him tonight God is calling you through the message through the conviction of the Spirit calling you to surrender your life and saying come to a loving father who wants to go through life with you he rescues the soul of men and they just say out now I don't care once he saves us and redeems us and secure us now he's going to guide us and lead us until we meet him face to face that's how powerful seek ye first the kingdom of God is that is the root cause of depression and anxiety and fear is because we are not seeking God o you of little faith Jesus said

Channel: SermonIndex.net

Views: 18,323

Rating: 4.8781161 out of 5

Keywords: Revival, Character Of God, Free Sermons, Video Sermons, Jesus Christ, What Is The Gospel, SermonIndex, What Is The Truth, Shane Idleman

Id: NbQE8cdwXZs

Length: 53min 42sec (3222 seconds)

Published: Wed Nov 06 2013