Help for Fear and Anxiety
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Help for Fear and Anxiety
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Mental health is constantly in the news. It is something we are seeing all across the nation. It seems to have touched families across the globe – no one is exempt.
Pray for your fellow intercessor
Recently, surveys have reported increased levels of mental illness which have occurred since the beginning of the Covid pandemic. This should come as no surprise as Covid affected innumerable areas of our daily life. No area was left untouched by this pandemic season, and many are still feeling the long-term effects of it, even today.
Coincidently, reports show that over half of U.S. adults report high levels of anxiety which is seriously affecting their mental health. If that isn’t bad enough, 50% of parents say the effects of COVID and the pandemic caused lingering mental health issues for their children, with 19% reporting major problems with fear and anxiety. We see the fruit of this in the news media. There are increasing reports of suicides, many from children as young as ten years old. It is absolutely heartbreaking. Much prayer is needed in this area.
Prayer is the key to address the mental health crisis, especially in the lives of our children.
The Bible says when a thief is found, he must restore sevenfold. The thief is stealing the well-being of children, teens, and adults. It is not only time for it to end, but it is time to cry out for restoration – for us, and for our children. Joel 2:25 tells us God will restore those years – but we must press in to see that full restoration.
Given the circumstances, it is totally understandable that so many are dealing with high levels of anxiety right now. However, we must remember, we are not a people without hope. We are not under the circumstances, and we are not alone; God is with us.
While anxiety is a mental health issue, it can also be a faith issue. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a SOUND MIND (2 Tim 1:7). We have a God-given right to a sound mind; however, it is up to us to cultivate it.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life (Prv 4:23). What we allow in our heart and mind will determine how sound our mind is. The Bible says if our mind is stayed on God, we will be at peace. Therefore, it is only when our mind is on the things of the world, the chaos, the confusion, the evil, that peace will evade us. If we spend hours a day watching news media, social media or listening to others talk about how bad things are, we will not be able to stay in peace. Consequently, when that anxiety fills our heart and mind, it will overflow onto our children as well.
However, if we will daily spend time with God and in His Word, our minds will stay at peace, and it will be sound. This is true for our children as well. It’s our job to be diligent about what they spend their time on – what goes in their little eyes, minds, and hearts.
I have found it is often entirely up to me whether my mind is sound and at peace, or not. It comes down to how and where we spend our time. I encourage you to choose the way of peace and a sound mind. Beyond that, let’s begin to pray and intercede for the issue of mental health that continues to skyrocket. Let’s pray for a healing and restoration of the minds of God’s people and our children and grandchildren. Let’s pray for that seven-fold return of the years the enemy has stolen that is promised to the people of God. Let’s pray and press in until we see a full manifestation of the promises of God for us and for the generations that will follow us – the promises of restoration.
Share your prayers in the comments . . .
Author Kim Potter is a writer and the founder of A New Thing Ministries, which sends a daily teaching to thousands of people all around the world. Her articles have appeared on The Elijah List, Charisma, Spirit Fuel and iBelieve.com. Kim’s message is one of hope. She speaks to the heart of those who have grown discouraged or disappointed by the circumstances of life, imparting hope. To receive her daily inspirational writings, go to www.anewthingministries.com. Photo Credit: Joice Kelly on Unsplash.
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A thousand Amens!
Lord God, this country is full of mental health instability that only increases every day. Help this country pray to you with the massive anxiety issues and bring peace, trust and faith in you for all of those fighting these battles 🙏 AMEN!!
Thank you for this article, and I agree, often fear and anxiety have spiritual roots. Practically speaking, I have found that the presence of witchcraft in people’s lives is an open door to fear and anxiety, even gender dysphoria. Many, many people have this open door without realizing that Harry Potter and like books can be such an open door. The Church has been slow to recognize this (HP has been around for over 20 years!) and quite frankly, many Christians will not accept this truth. Anyway, thanks for the article.
To MJ, I agree. Even ‘harmless’ sit-coms and TV shows, not to mention decades of halloween and horror movies. People make light of witches, skeletons and goblins – even with kids. But there is probably more real witch and satanic activity now in this country and world than ever before. There’s a lot we can do individually, as families, and churches to close those doors of witchcraft in our lives.
Father, may your people desire to fellowship with you and be in your Word. Turn our hearts to desire it rather than just submit to fear and anxiety. May we trust you above all others!
This whole thing necessitates parents connecting with their children, hearing out their problems and concerns, even if some cause the parent to smile. They matter to the child and should be addressed. I big part of childish concerns is “where do I stand” regarding my peers?” Things that ought NOT be be said or done ARE said and done….and what should the child do about this? The parent needs to tell the child what his/her child should do and say OR admit to the child that he/she needs to connect with a wiser parent about this issue (this happens at times).
The big thing to reckon with here is that parenting TAKES TIME. AND that it is time worth taken! Okay, we want to do well in our jobs, but do we really want our children to despair and take their lives? If this were to happen, just THINK how bad we parents would feel – that we had REALLY messed up in our parenting!
We need to be focused on the Lord, His goodness, His provision, and His great love for us. We need to intentionally do this, rather than to be focused upon the things that we cannot control. What is happening in the world around us is unfortunate and sad, even evil. We need to take our place as overcomers rather than allowing the enemy to have a foothold in our lives. When the Church rises up in true Christian unity, things will improve dramatically in the realm of fear and anxiety. Our strength is in Him, and we, as Christians need to access that strength. Otherwise, we fall victim to fear and anxiety. The choice is ours. Thank You, Jesus.
Father, help your children to live in peace despite the excruciatingly difficult times we live in. Though you have told us many times throughout your Word not to fear or be anxious, it is hard. We know you have heard the cries of your people for deliverance from evil in this nation, but the waiting is so, so, hard, Lord. It is difficult to keep anxiety from creeping in. Help us to refocus on you every minute of every day, to pray without ceasing, and be ever in your Word, to be guided by you.
Father your ways and thoughts are higher than ours. And you don’t see the passage of time as we do. We plead with you for help as we pray earnestly for deliverance for this nation, as we walk actively as believers, occupying until you come. And we look forward with eager anticipation to that great and glorious day of your return. Come quickly, Lord Jesus! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Father we come before your throne of grace and lay our petitions and requests before You… fear is the biggest tactic of the enemy… we ask you oh Sovereign Lord to remove, thwart and dismantle the spirits of fear in your people and in all people on earth. Please awaken their spirit and let them reverently fear ONLY You Abba Father. Your Word is so clear on just fearing You and no one or nothing else!!! Light a supernatural Holy Spirit fire in the body of believers 🔥🔥🔥⚔️⚔️⚔️ Let the brethren stand firm on the solid rock of our foundation which is ONLY in Christ Jesus The Lord !!! We ask this in Yeshua’s mighty matchless name. Amen!!!
Father Lord, thank you for this truth filled article. Thank you even more for coming into our mess, in the flesh! Thank you for taking on our sin, taking our punishment AND giving us Your eternal life, Your Holy Spirit to live in us❣️You are more than wonderful. You are faithful❣️We have messed up Lord. Even us, your people. We love you but still have bouts of doubt, selfishness. Other sins too. We also confess the sin of abortion, busyness rather than being still to know You, not taking time to be your friend, listen in your Word, we hear your voice yet do our own thing rather than your thing…basically love You and love others. We do ask for your forgiveness. And in Jesus name we receive the forgiveness and cleansing. We thank you in advance for the years you restore to us. We believe you keep your promise Lord to hear, forgive and heal us, cause we are repenting of our own evil ways. Praying you deliver captives from their evil ways and give them faith to believe You are the Messiah, who takes away the sin in the world cause You give each of us life.
Poppa God we need so many miracles in our world now. Please help is not only hear You, help us, your people cooperate with you like never before. Come, power us Lord. For Your honor, glory and pleasure!
“Let us pray for that seven-fold return of the years the enemy has stolen that is promised to the people of God. Let’s pray and press in until we see a full manifestation of the promises of God for us and for the generations that will follow us – the promises of restoration.”
In the powerful name of Christ Jesus amen. From the article and Joel 2:25
Lord Jesus Christ we call on you as prayer warriors because You are The Prince of Shalom (Peace) to restore sound mind to all those that were robbed of peace because of the world health crisis. Heal the families that suffered the tragic losses of dear loved ones. They are not forgotten but now safe in your loving arms forever. In this earthly journey there will be hard times with deep questions that only you Lord can answer and bring comfort to the dreadful pain of loss. The shortest verse in your Holy Bible is: Jesus wept! That tell us that You Lord experienced great sorrow and that You know our anguish personally! But we will look faithfully to You as You are always faithful to be our Shalom in every trial and circumstance! Keep our minds and hearts stayed on Thee dear Lord Jesus! And In that we will have our refuge and peace that only You can and will provide! Amen
The Word gives us such great insight into our hearts and minds: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Proverbs 23:7a. What are we meditating on? The biblical word meditation, is not like Eastern meditation, but it means to chew on, to recite over and over again. Joyce Meyers reminds us that when our emotions are spiraling out of control we can always trace it back to our thought life. My friend, Kathy sanders, one of those leaders at Aglow International, says that training our minds is a bit like potty training a puppy. When it wanders off the paper we have to take it and put it back on. When our minds wander off of God’s word and his truth, which is a capital T Truth, we must put them back on those things above, where we are seated with Him and heavenly places. I do also believe that in this season there is a concerted attack against the body of Christ a fear and anxiety, particularly against intercessors. We can wield our spiritual weapons, submit to God, and command the enemy to flee. We can also continue to encourage one another even more as the day draws near.
Heavenly Father, help me and help others, help all of us to keep our eyes fixed on You. You have promised “to keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on You.” As I, with thanksgiving, come to You in prayer with my requests, casting all my cares on You, I will not be anxious about anything – because You said Your peace, which transcends all understanding, will guard my heart and my mind in You, Jesus. Let it be so and let me share the peace You give with others, that we may not live in fear but walk by faith. Thank You that You grant us Your peace when we look to You instead of the world. in Jesus’s name, Amen. http://www.mtothe5th.wordpress.com
Thank you for this article. I found it very encouraging.
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you with all joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
Amen!
TY Kim for sharing this timely truth.