024 How Worry, Fear, and Anxiety Cause Us to Lose Our Peace

Episode Summary:

If you have ever experienced worry, fear, or anxiety, then this is the perfect episode for you! Last week we announced the release of my new book, “Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises” which is now available at retailers near you and online. If you didn’t get to listen to last week’s episode, I would encourage you to go back and listen: https://drmichellebengtson.com/what-difference-between-worry-fear-and-anxiety-episode-23/ because we had a great discussion about what exactly is worry, fear, and anxiety, and where do they come from. Today we’re going to talk about the role that our trust in God plays and how we sacrifice our peace.

Worry, fear, and anxiety overlap but they are not identical.

Worry is thinking about problems or fears; thinking about an unknown future that creates anxious feelings. It’s really our thought processes.

Fear is an emotional response to a real or perceived threat.

Anxiety is the anticipation of a future threat.

But all three of these start in our mind!

The enemy can use our words to instill fear in others. For example, parents will say things to their children trying to protect their children but their words can cause their children to experience fear.

Our fear really comes down to not trusting God completely.

T-Take God at His Word

          -fear ultimately comes from trusting the lies of the enemy more than trusting God’s word. So we must consciously decide to trust what God has said in His word.

R-Rest in His Presence

          -God doesn’t expect us to do everything right. There is no peace apart from God’s presence. If we will take time and spend time in His presence, the rest of the day goes better, and our thoughts will be more centered on Him, and we will be more at peace.

U-Understand that the outcome doesn’t depend on us

          -God asks that we will believe, that we will trust, that we will have faith. When we will do what He asks us to do, the outcome is His responsibility.

S-Accept that God is Sovereign

          -Our circumstances don’t take God by surprise. He already knows about them and what He is going to do about them. His ways are good, His plans for us are good—even when we go through pain.

T-Turn to the Testimony of Previous Experiences

          -we can look back both in our own experiences as well as others’ experiences and see God’s faithfulness which makes it easier to trust God.

Jesus came to give us peace, not as the world gives, but in a way that only He can give. He already gave that gift. So when we get wrapped in worry, fear, and anxiety, we are rejecting His gift of peace.

 

Once we recognize worry, fear, and anxiety operating in our lives, we have to reject it and choose to trust God and receive His peace.

True peace is not the absence of trouble but resting in the sovereignty of God in the midst of it.

We have to choose to focus on the truth, rather than focus on the facts. Facts are compelling, but God’s truth trumps the facts of our circumstances.

We cannot find a single promise of God’s that has ever failed.

Quotables from the episode:

• Worry, fear, and anxiety overlap but they are not identical.
• Worry is thinking about problems or fears; thinking about an unknown future that creates anxious feelings. It’s really our thought processes.
• Fear is an emotional response to a real or perceived threat.
• Anxiety is the anticipation of a future threat.
• But all three of these start in our mind!
• We don’t recognize the power of our words. Our words can instill fear in others.
• Fear ultimately comes from trusting the lies of the enemy more than trusting God’s word.
• There is no peace apart from God’s presence.
• When we will do what He asks us to do, the outcome is His responsibility.
• Our circumstances don’t take God by surprise.
• We must actively reject and refute the spirit of fear with God’s truth, or else Jesus’s gift of peace might as well be returned “address unknown.”
• True peace is not the absence of trouble, but resting in the sovereignty of God in the midst of it. 

Scripture References:

• 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given you the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and sound mind.”

Recommended Resources:

• “Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson https://amzn.to/2ZSTP4N
• “Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award https://amzn.to/2zB0e7J
• “Hope Prevails Bible Study” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award https://amzn.to/2yMdN46

Social Media Links:

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• To order Hope Prevails: https://drmichellebengtson.com/hope-prevails-book/
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Dr. Bengtson studied neuroscience and is board certified in clinical neuropsychology. She established her own clinical practice in the Dallas area. From her professional and personal life, she recognized a deep lack of understanding of the call to “renew our minds” and the transformational effects a robust understanding of this has on our physical and mental health and outlook.

Dr. Bengtson lives to foster regeneration and renew life in her listeners. She recognizes brokenness in her life and others’ and offers steps we can take as we walk with Christ through the thin places.

Dr. Bengtson authored the award winning “Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” and its award winning companion “Hope Prevails Bible Study.”  Her third book, “Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises” will be available in September 2019 (Revell). She blogs at DrMichelleB.com and maintains a Monday morning radio show and podcast at GraceandTruthRadio.world. She is a frequent guest on Fox News Radio and speaks at conferences and churches internationally.

Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson

Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson