The Anatomy of Anxiety

Part 34: God’s Victory Action Plan

Note: For previous posts in this blog series, visit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26,  27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33.

Big Idea: Does worry, doubt, or fear get the best of you sometimes? Do you wonder where anxiety comes from and how to defeat it in your life and the lives of those you love? Then we need a biblical anatomy of anxiety. We need God’s prescription for victory over anxiety.

Practice What You Preach

We could think of Paul’s counsel in Philippians 4:1-9 as God’s Victory Action Plan. It includes, as we’ve seen already in previous posts:

*People: “Therefore my brothers…” (Phil. 4:1-3). Overcoming anxiety takes a church. Feeling fearful; connect with others.

*Praise: “Rejoice in the Lord…” (Phil. 4:4-5). Overcoming anxiety takes enjoying God as your Guardian. Feeling fearful; commune with Christ.

*Prayer: “By prayer and petition…” (Phil. 4:6). Overcoming anxiety takes humble, submissive, specific, trusting prayer. Feeling fearful; cling to Christ.

*Perspective: “Guard hearts/minds…think on these things…” (Phil. 4:7-8). Overcoming anxiety takes renewing our minds. Feeling fearful; put off lies and put on truth.

So, victory over anxiety is relational/social—people. It is relational/spiritual—praising God and praying to God. It is rational—renewing our ideas and images.

Paul’s comprehensive victory action plan does not stop there. It’s also “volitional”—it involves our will. It involves choosing to act courageously. Paul continues:

*Practice: “Put into practice…” “The things you have heard me say; do” (Phil 4:9). Overcoming anxiety requires that we practice what we preach. Feeling fearful; act!

Nike: “Just Do It!”

Now, simply saying to a person immersed in fear, “Just face your fear!” is like our previous post of Bob Newhart saying, “Just stop it!” That said, there does come a time when we have to “Nike”—“Just do it!” In conjunction with the process of all the previous posts (we’re up to 34 already!), we do need to take action.

In fact, recall our original biblical model of anxiety as “stuck vigilance.” If anxiety is vigilance gone wild, if it is scanning and scanning and standing and standing, without taking a stand, then most certainly there comes a time when the “Nike” approach is called for. To apply the “Nike” approach, we’ll use another major modern phobia—giving a speech—as our sample application.

1. Replace Inaction with Reasonable Actions

To defeat anxiety we must replace inaction with action. We must replace scanning and fleeing with scanning and fighting—fighting back against our fears.

If you’re worried about public speaking, and if you get feedback that you’re not the world’s greatest public speaker, then do something about it. Take a speech class. Get a speech coach. Read some books, blogs, and articles on public speaking.

If you’re worried about a speech, and you’ve had a history of successful speakers, then take appropriate preparations: research well, craft a good outline, create compelling illustrations, practice your speech, get feedback. Put don’t prepare compulsively or in a perfectionistic manner (that simply feeds the fear).

2. Face Events Rather Than Avoiding Them

Nothing empowers fear more than fleeing a fearful event. It becomes habitual. You’ve prepared your speech. You’ve received feedback. Now it’s a day away and you’re tempted to call in sick, play hooky, or make an excuse why you can’t deliver your speech.

What do you do? Ask others to come along side to encourage you. Praise and pray. Remind yourself that you are speaking to an audience of One—God. Remind yourself that God wants you to keep your commitments. Remind yourself that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Implement good problem solving skills. Relax. Focus on your strengths.

If you’ve had ongoing battles with fears of public speaking and you’ve never done it, or haven’t done it in years, then part of facing events rather than avoiding them is slowly building up to giving speeches. Share a five-minute devotional with your family. Give a trial speech in front of friends. Then give a five-minute talk to your small group. Then share a fifteen-minute lesson in Sunday school….

Follow manageable steps. Then make a plan to follow through to complete exposure to what you fear. Build up and follow through.

Anyone reading this who loves public speaking might be thinking, “What babies! Giving a speech is a breeze and a blast!”

But you know what, we all have some “issue” we dread. Some of the most powerful public speakers I’ve ever known have been terrified ever to talk to their teenage daughter about emotional issues. So, let’s all be honest. None of us are totally fearless. None of us are free of all stress, worry, anxiety, fears, and phobias.

Keeping It Real

Honestly ponder some area of fear, worry, anxiety, or phobia that you have been avoiding. What is it? Confronting your husband? Changing careers? Sharing your failures with co-workers? Not being seen as perfect? Whatever it is, how could you apply today’s post to your life?

The Rest of the Story

We often think about renewing our minds. The Bible also teaches us how to renew our actions. In our next post we’ll learn how to renew our will so that we can apply the truth that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).

Join the Conversation

What examples come to mind of people who are real “tough guys” and “macho” in some areas, but somewhat secretly fearful in other areas of life and relationships?