How to deal with Anxiety & Fear Biblically

In this time, during this trial that is not only affecting individual people, altering the way families
function, but also halting the very global economy, it is easy to be fearful and anxious. Anxiety
is a buzz word we hear. Everywhere we turn, people are being diagnosed with “anxiety”. The
Bible has all the answers, or so we have heard. So using the blue letter bible app, (available for
free for all devices or online at blueletterbible.org), we look up the word “anxiety”. Nothing.
Maybe the word is another form: “anxious”, nope, nothing! Ok, “anxiousness”? By the time you
look up and see that none of these words are in your Bible you may get a little anxious! If you
have never been diagnosed with “anxiety” I am sure you are feeling the affects of it in light of
the past few weeks. If you have not been diagnosed as anxious, you are still probably feeling it
every time you have to go to the store and get toilet paper, or meat, or noodles, etc. . . . So if
the Bible says nothing about anxiety, how do we deal with biblically?

First we need to define some words. Get out a dictionary, or head to dictionary.com and look
up these words:

Care:

Anxiety:

Fear:

Unbelief:

Contentment:

Faith:

Look up these verses and jot down the word they use in each of these verses that would be a
synonym for “anxiety”: (Matthew 13:22, Mark 4:19, Luke 8:14)

So how do we have freedom from Anxiety and Fear?

Read II Timothy 1:7. Using a concordance or the Blue Letter Bible App, look up the word
“sound” and jot down its meaning.

Psalm 27:1 tells us that “The Lord is my list and my salvation; who shall I fear? The Lord is the
strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” And Psalm 56:4 tells the “In God I will praise His
word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.”

Reading, Meditating, and studying God’s word is the way I will mature! There is NO substitute
for reading God’s word, music, listening to a sermon, going to church cannot replace God’s
word in my life on a personal level! Now, going to church, listening to godly music, and
listening to sermons are GREAT things, but if we find ourselves saying, “I don’t understand
God’s Word, I don’t have time to read God’s word, etc.” Mark it down, that is not a mature
christian and as a result they will struggle or outright give in to fear and anxiety!

As we mature, we gain freedom from fear and anxiety, but if we refuse to grow, if we refuse to
mature in our faith we will have fear.

Read Proverbs 28:1 and Isaiah 35:4. What does God tell us to say to those who have a fearful
heart? Jot down in your own words what this means.

 How to deal with Anxiety & Fear Biblically

Read I John 4:18 The word perfect mean mature. Now reread the verse and every time you
see the word perfect, replace it with the word mature.

How do I know if I have Anxiety and Fear? Check all the boxes that apply to you:
Irritability; easily offended

Perfectionism; overly concerned

Hyper activity; behavior that is anxiety driven

Hyper-vigilance; fearful of personal loss, discomfort, rejection, danger

Lack of confidence in God’s love/forgiveness

Evidence of unresolved guilt (fear or false)

Unresolved resentment, anger

Pessimistic thinking

Discontent and worry

Self-Deprecation, self absorbed, introspective

Sometimes there are underlying causes of fear. Check all the boxes that apply to you:
Physical illness

Lack of sleep, adequate rest, or relaxation

Prescription drugs

Abusive marriage

Exceptionally intelligent, analytical personality

Past traumatic experience

Financial hardship

Exceptionally difficult living conditions

Too much time with too little to do but think

Unresolved sin or guilt; unwillingness to repent

Overly sensitive conscience

If you are struggling with any of these issues, you may need to seek medical and/or
professional help.

The world seems to make anxiety and fear something that only a few struggle with, but there is
an element of anxiety we all feel in stressful and different situations. Conquering our fear takes
time. It involves more than “will power” and is often dependent upon how define and
differentiate between the different fears we face. God gave us a certain level of fear as a
response to threatening situations to help keep us alive. Not only defining and differentiating
between fears helps us but our desires and belief determine our fear!

Fear is learned. I have seen mothers when their children fall down fall apart and get fearful and
the child becomes anxious and often ends up in tears or worse. I have also seen mothers
when their children fall down make a game of it, dust their children off, and smile. Oh, yes they
are concerned, but they don’t show it and as a result their children often don’t end up in tears
and are able to go and play sooner!

Courage is also learned! A right relationship with God and the correct view of God do more to
remove the destructive outcomes of anxiety than any other belief you might acquire! Some
great things to study would be:

• God Himself, His character

• God’s love and shepherding care of His children

• God’s power

• God’s sustaining grace

 How to deal with Anxiety & Fear Biblically

• God’s role in world events, one’s personal life

• God’s purpose in suffering, life

• David’s Life:

As we study about God, we must be careful not to miss that importance of not just knowing
ABOUT God, but knowing Him! We must rest in his love for us!

Read Philippians 4:6-8

What does God remind us to be anxious or “careful” for?

What ever we to give God as we bring our requests to Him?

When We come to God in prayer and think on the things He tells us to think on, what becomes
our reality?

Can you think of anyone who has ever fulfilled the whole list in Philippians 4:8?

Take the list in Philippians 4:8 and replace the words “whatsoever things are” with Jesus is:

Now take that list about Jesus and write out or think about specific times and circumstances
lately that He has been those to you:

We can never underestimate the power of prayer especially when dealing with anxiety and fear!
Read Psalm 50:15, Psalm 55:22, Psalm 62:8, and Psalm 61:2-5. Write out your favorite verse.

As you read Psalm 23, think of yourself as a lamb in the flock describing your Shepherd to
another lamb. There is evil present in this passage, but what does the Psalm choose to focus
on instead?

Read II Timothy 1:7 again. What has God given us?

To conquer fear and anxiety, we must grow and mature in our confidence of God’s love (based
on His character), acceptance (based on salvation) and forgiveness (based on His mercy and
our repentance) for us! Read the following passage and write out your favorite passage: II
Timothy 1:7, I John 4:18, I John 4:15-19, Jude 1:21.

We must be aware that guilt produces fear, but forgiveness produces peace. As we willingly
confess and forsake our sing we will receive God’s mercy. Read Proverbs 28:13.

Read I John 3:19-21. Does your heart ever condemn you? Do you ever replay an event or
something you said, over and over and over? Who or what is greater than our heart?

During changing times, it is important to assure ourselves and others of God’s faithfulness!
God’s promises are not affected by our fears! What did God fead and lead the people with
according to Psalm 78:72?

Was this care for them dependent upon them?

According to Deuteronomy 31:8 who God’s before us? Who will be with us? Who will
never fail us? Who will never forsake us?

Read II Corinthians 7:4-6. Who comforted them?

 How to deal with Anxiety & Fear Biblically

We are commanded to “Fear Not!” Some examples we can learn from would be Mary,
Zachariah, The people in Matthew 6 who “take no thought” (verses 25, 31, & 34), The disciples
in the storm.

The “fear not” mentality may cause us to believe that we are fearLESS. This is not true! Those
who are not fearFUL are not fearLESS! Those who fear not WILL call upon God for help, they
WILL do what they are capable of doing, they WILL commit themselves to God and they WILL
trust God with the outcome!

The “Fear Not” comes from faith in God which equals peace! Read Psalm 4:8, Psalm 127:2,
and Proverbs 21:31.

We need to be careful in times that are filled with anxiety that we not have 1 of 2 wrong
priorities. Read Matthew 6:19-31. It provides a description of two major problems that lead to
needless anxiety! What are those 2 problems?

Read Genesis 15:1, Psalm 73:25-26, and Colossians 3:1 Who is to be our greatest treasure?

Write out Matthew 6:32

Think of your Heavenly Father. Write out some things that make Him the perfect Father! Now
read Luke 11:11-14.

In conclusion let me end with this: There is a fear that conquers fear! What?! Fear to replace
fear and anxiety? YES!

Read Proverbs 14:26, what is the fear that gives strong confidence and a place of refuge?

Read Deuteronomy 5:29. What kind of heart does God want us to have?

Read Deuteronomy 10:12. Write down the list God requires of us:

There is an antidote to fear:

• Know God

• Know God loves you

• Fear God

• Delight in the things of God

On this list of Knowing God, Knowing He loves you and being assured of it, fearing God and
delighting in the things of God what do you need to add, work on, or make more sure in your
life?

How well are you doing with daily reading your Bible? Everyday? Once a week? Only when I’m
worried or scare? Never?

What time do you have set aside to meet with God and talk with Him in prayer and through His
word?

If you don’t have a time, what time would be good for you?

What are 1 or 2 steps you need to take to help you move through this crisis we are facing?