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The Peace of God – Finding freedom from fear and panic

July 19, 2009 By 16 Comments

From reading the morning newspaper to watching the evening news, we are daily surrounded by fearful things. School shootings. Murder. Disease. Terrorism. How can anyone find peace in such a fearful world?

Let me share some verses from the Bible that have truly opened my eyes to the peace of God: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6).

What weighs you down? What thoughts consume your mind? How do you respond to them? The command is clear–don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need. Are you in need of something? Tell your Father. He cares for you and he desires to help you. Don’t tell him what you want. Tell him what you need.

And, to help you gain a perspective on what you need, take some time to thank him for all he has done. Surely God has done some good things in your life. A heart of thankfulness will open the door to prayer.

Now, if you do those things–don’t worry, pray, tell God what you need and thank him–then God promises you his peace. Read the very next verse: “If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (verse 7).

And, it’s not a peace that the world can offer you–it’s a peace that is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. It’s a peace that passes all understanding. There is no way to define or explain this kind of peace. It’s a divine peace, a supernatural peace, a heavenly peace.

And, here’s what makes God’s peace so special–it will guard your heart and mind as you live in Christ Jesus. Does your heart and mind need guarding? Live in Christ Jesus, and it will be guarded.

Prayer: Dear Father, I live in a fearful world. All around the storms of fear consume my thoughts and my mind. So many things weigh me down. Help me to give those burdens to you. Help me not be anxious about anything, but pray about everything. I will tell you what I need, and thank you for all you have done for me. Help me to live in Christ Jesus. I surrender my life to you, and to you alone. Let your heavenly peace cover me that I may rest in you. I ask these things in your Son’s precious name. Amen.

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  • Brittany

    I have been suffering from panic disorder for a week now going on 2 weeks..in this process i have realized God is telling me he is in control not me and wanted me to let go and let him save me..I asked Jesus into my life.I still can’t breath perfectly but i feel 100% better than i have the past week. Please pray for my recovery whoever you are out there.

  • http://www.season.org Russ

    Brittany, I sorry to hear about your experience. I know how hard it can be at times. I lived the early years of my life battling through the panic. But, today, I’m free. I no longer have panic attacks. God has done an amazing work in my heart and mind, and he can do the same for you.

    Prayer: Father, I ask that you would help Brittany in this difficult time. Give her strength, give her peace, give her revelation and knowledge on how to get completely free from this. Show her what changes she needs to make in her life. Let your Holy Spirit teach her, guide her and help her along the way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

  • kelly

    dear russ,
    i have had anxiety issues for about 4 years. just wondering if you have or heard of anyone having dream flashbacks or de javu type issues during times of heighened anxiety? i think it happens when the mind is overloaded. it can be scary. i think it is nothing serious..just anxiety..please pray for me

    • http://www.season.org Russ

      Actually, the unreal/deja vu/dreamy feelings are pretty common for people battling anxiety. It’s a direct result of the excess adrenaline in the body that results from the “fight or flight” mode.

      Prayer: Lord, please help Kelly through the anxiety. Give strength, wisdom, and revelation to find a solution to this anxiety. Holy Spirit, go to Kelly and pour out your wisdom and your peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

  • kelly

    thank you for your comment on the de javu thing..just making sure i wasn’t going crazy! i just wanted to let you know that this whole website is a blessing…when dealing with anxiety, i always want to take the spiritual approach, and look to god for answers. my husband is the associate pastor at our church, and i have knowedge about what i need to do, but as you have probably experienced, i have over 100 books and material on anxiety and panic. i can sometimes feel overwhelmed. i am desiring to really let god have control in my life, and i know i have to change some behavioral issues, but can you suggest where the best place would be to begin starting a new walk with god, concerning anxiety. what did you do when you began taking real steps to getting free from panic….i don’t want to let my “type a” personality get me into trouble, and stress me while trying to find the right way to do this. again, where did you begin?

    • http://www.season.org Russ

      For me, it really started with educating myself on what a panic attack really was, physiologically. I read a great book by Dr. Archibald Hart called “Stress and Adrenaline”, and he talked a lot about the adrenaline response in our bodies, and how it created this “fight or flight” response in our body. The more knowledgeable I grew in this, the easier it was to recognize the precursors to panic. I was able to start telling myself, “I know what this is now. I’m not crazy. I’m not having a heart attacks. This is my adrenaline talking to me.” Then, with God at my side, giving my strength, I was able to not give into the fear. It was baby steps at first, but I got to where I would purposely do what the fear was telling me not to do. “Don’t drive your car”, so I would go drive my car. “Don’t get on that airplane”, so I would get on the airplane. In a very general sense, I faced my fears with God’s help.

  • kelly

    that is so ironic…i just got arch. hart’s book adrenaline and stress…i love his material..i read his book “anxiety cure” cover to cover, and i have a meditation cd by him. where do you suggest i begin with my “quiet time?” bible, journaling, devotional of some kind…what did you read/do?

    • http://www.season.org Russ

      My quiet time is spent mostly listening, rather than reading and learning. In fact, I started a blog called “My Journey with God“. It’s been awhile since I updated it, but I started it because my quiet times have been so amazing and wonderful, especially when I started actually listen to God, rather than just me talking the whole time.

  • Omar

    Dear Russ,
    I have lived the hardest time since panic attacks came to my life, thank God, I am much better now, but there are some nights I can’t sleep very well yet, and during the day I think when a panic attack will come. Do you have any advice for my situation? I’ve been a Christian for 10 years by now, but I think, it is during this time I am learning to trust the Lord. Thanks and be blessed.

    • http://www.season.org Russ

      Omar, it can be hard to not think about panic, because it can have such a grip on your life. But, I know it’s possible. Today, it doesn’t even cross my mind any more, so I know it’s possible. You have to retrain the way you think. Dr. Carolyn Leaf (http://drleaf.com) talks about how it only takes 4 days to retrain your mind, and then something like 21 or 30 days to change a habit. During that time, there are physical parts of your brain that actually change and grow new “trees”, as she calls it. So, right now, the opposite has happened–your brain has be programmed physically to think about panic all the time, so it’s natural for it to happen. But, you can start to change that. Years ago, my pastor (who also battled crippling panic) told me that he would often find a Bible story and then in elaborate detail imagine what it would be like to be there. And, he would use his imagination to recreate that scene in as much detail as he could. During the day, when he would get a panic thought, he would then start to replay that elaborate Bible scene in his mind. He said that would often help me get his thoughts off the panic. I did that a few times as well, and it helps. Also, I would encourage you to ask God to give you some ideas on what you can do to retrain your thoughts and reprogram your mind. He’ll be faithful to show you.

  • Omar

    Thanks Russ. I was a little bit discouraged today because I woke up at 6am after 5.5 hours of sleeping, and I woke up with anxiety and I’ve tryed to discover where the anxiety comes from and I went to church and I was fine there, but then suddenly, anxiety came back. I am repeating Scriptures in my mind and learning to trust God. My stomach is not very well and that skairs me because the reason is the anxiety I am living in. Thanks for your reply and be blessed.

    • http://www.season.org Russ

      Omar, it’s a viscous cycle. First, some anxiety kicks in. That releases adrenaline. Then, you can’t sleep, which creates more anxiety, which releases more adrenaline, etc., etc. It’s frustrating, and it can feel like you can’t get free. But, you can. You can break the cycle. You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.

  • Omar

    Thanks Russ for your quick reply, I am much better right now and I pray that I will sleep fine, some nights are a challenge, but today I read my Bible in Isaiah 7 and I read about Emanuel, GOD IS WITH US, so I am standing with that Word. Blessings from Bolivia.

  • Omar

    Dear Russ,
    I had a good night last night. Today I have some question about anxiety and panic attacks. When you live this kind of problem:
    1. Do you usually think about something in your body is wrong and that something wrong will happen to you?
    2. Any small pain you have in your body you related to something wrong inside yourself?
    Thanks for your time,
    Omar.

    • http://www.season.org Russ

      Yes, it’s pretty common to think that something is wrong with you. It’s actually a natural response. Let me give you an example – imagine walking through a thick wilderness. As you approach a small river, you notice a large black bear feeding. At this point the bear hasn’t noticed you, but your body begins to react. Your heart starts beating faster, and your blood pressure elevates. Your hands and legs begin to go numb, because your blood is being pumped to your legs for running and to your arms for fighting. Your stomach churns because your body is starting to digest food faster for extra energy. Adrenaline is being released into your body. During this, your mind is focused on that bear, and not on your body. If the bear sees you, then your body is ready to react. Someone having a panic attack or experiencing anxiety will have the same symptoms: rapid heartbeat, numbing sensation in the hands and legs, and elevated blood pressure. And, it’s common to experience irrational fears (thinking something is wrong with you) because the person having the attack is “looking for the bear.” Since no external danger can be found, the panic sufferer begins to listen to what their body is telling them. “My heart is racing. Maybe it’s a heart attack.” “My body is going numb. I must be dying.” Thoughts race through the mind as the sufferer tries to ‘find the bear’.

  • Omar

    Dear Russ,
    I am much better now, but still struggling, there are days that I feel free but then it comes another day where I really struggle with fear and anxiety, I think that is normal. I really don’t like to be fearful and to have fearful thought during the day and at the time to go to bed. This is a battle that the Lord is fighting for me.