Don’t be anxious about anything!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6 NIV)

Anxiety, appearing in the form of panic attacks, affects millions of people worldwide. There are physicians who specialize in it, clinics dedicated to it, and multiple drugs to treat it. It has become a billion-dollar industry. It’s a really big problem! So, what is it basically? Fear! A panic attack is simply fear out of control, or fear on steroids.

Fear attacks are not from God!

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim. 1:7)

We are commanded not to fear

The passage at the top is a command from God saying, “Do not be anxious about “anything.” And anything means everything! Many people who have panic attacks say they come on suddenly without warning, and they can’t do anything to stop them. But is this really true? I used to think so! For many years, I had panic attacks, sometimes so severe that they put me in the hospital. After I became a Christian, I found many passages throughout the Bible saying not to fear. There are 365 of them—in fact, one for each day of the year. And think about it: Would God command you not to do anything you couldn’t do, especially when you included His help? I was able to overcome panic attacks by learning to recognize them for what they really are—satan attacks! And I learned to say no to them. It took some time and self-control (2 Tim. 1:7), but eventually I stopped having them.

The answer

The second part of the passage at top gives the answer: “but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” When you feel a panic attack coming on, pray immediately and thank God for helping you overcome it before it gets out of hand. And expect Him to help you!

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4)

Therefore

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isa. 41:10 ESV)