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Goals for Each Step

Step 1: Identify normal and exaggerated fears in the counselee’s life and discover his typical responses to these fears.

Step 2: Understand fear and trust as they are presented through the pages of Scripture.

Step 3: Guide the counselee through practical steps that will allow her to defeat fear through faith.

Step 4: Suggest modifications that will build hedges of faith against recurring anxiety and fear.

A Biblical Perspective on Caring for People

COUNSELING INSIGHTS

Emotional

F EAR AND ANXIETYHelping People Transform Fear into Faith

S T E P O N E

Observation and Identification of the ProblemIdentify normal and exaggerated fears in the counselee’s life

and discover his typical responses to these fears.

Meet the CounseleeI now go to sleep every night with

a knot in my stomach. There are just somany things in my life that I don’t haveany control over. My husband’s com-pany is laying people off left and right,and I don’t know how we’d manage ifhe were out of work for any amount oftime. He hates to even talk about it,and it’s driving a wedge between us.

I have several nagging healthproblems that the doctor can’t solve.And my kids—how in the world can Ikeep them from messing up their lives,with all the drugs and immorality anddanger out there? We can’t afford tosend them to a Christian school.

I know Christians aren’t supposedto feel like this. But no matter howmany times a day I “cast my caresupon Him,” they just keep coming back!

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUTYOUR COUNSELEE?

• What is the counselee’s background? General per-sonality? Current family circumstances?

• What is the counselee’s spiritual condition? Howstrong is her relationship with God? How strong isthe counselee’s faith?

• What are the recurring fears in the counselee’s life?

• Does he think the fears are realistic or exagger-ated? In what ways does he respond to these fears?

• Is the counselee under an abnormal amount ofstress right now? What are the sources of thatstress?

• What daily experiences trigger anxiety, fear, orfeelings of panic?

• What life experiences does the counselee feel bringon significant struggles with fear?

• Ask the counselee to recall childhood experiencesof fear. How did her parents teach her to respondto these dangers or handle the fear?

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FEAR is the emotion of alarm in reaction to aperceived danger or threat. The danger may bereal (the shadow of a burglar, a rapidly approach-ing car) or it may be imaginary (a shutter creakingin the breeze, a scary scene in a movie), but theperception is real and defined.

ANXIETY is a more general, long-term feelingof uneasiness, a vague perception of threat thatwon’t go away. It maintains the body at a low levelof alert. Fear brings on a rush of adrenaline; anxi-ety is like a slow drip of adrenaline. When alert-ness is called for, this ready-to-react anxiety canprovide energy and creativity, but over the longhaul, it puts a strain on both mind and body.

Anxiety can come from either the perception ofan outside threat or an inner conflict. For example,a man may feel anxiety when he passes a place heassociates with painful memories of rejection. Onthe other hand, a woman whose desire to shareherself with another conflicts with her fear of rejec-tion will also experience anxiety.

WORRY, however, is not an emotion. Worry isthe mental action of bringing up conflicts or fears,mulling over them, and contemplating worst-casescenarios. This reaction to anxiety only serves toincrease anxiety. Worry is an unproductive form ofproblem-solving because it is applied to things thatcan’t be changed or avoided by wishing it so.

s Potential disasters —legitimate fears of nega-tive things like unemployment, earthquakes,fires, accidents

s Losing control—the fear of becoming vulnera-ble, usually covered up by becoming controlling

s Revealing who I really am—shame over pastexperiences or family secrets

s Disappointing people—the need to continu-ally please others to avoid being abandoned

s Being rejected—past rejections and the fear ofbeing abandoned which make the person feelthey’re at the mercy of loved ones

s Facing the past—traumatic memories whichhinder the counselee’s ability to pursue futuregoals

s Losing faith in God—nagging doubts, dis-beliefs, and forgiveness issues

s Getting trapped—a fear of missing opportuni-ties or not living up to potential

s Achieving success, admitting failure—anexaggerated sensitivity and vulnerability to theopinions and expectations of others 2

s Making choices—undue weight attached toconsequences; feelings of inadequacy regardingcoping skills

Some Common Fears Christians Face

A Close-Up Look at Panic Attacks

WHAT ARE FEAR, ANXIETY, AND WORRY?

A panic attack is a “period ofintense fear or discomfort. . . .The attack has a sudden onsetand builds to a peak rapidly(usually in ten minutes or less)and is often accompanied by asense of imminent danger orimpending doom and an urgeto escape. The thirteen somaticor cognitive symptoms are

1. palpitations,

2. sweating,

3. trembling or shaking,

4. sensations of shortness ofbreath or smothering,

5. feeling of choking,

6. chest pain or discomfort,

7. nausea or abdominaldistress,

8. dizziness or light-headedness,

9. derealization or depersonal-ization,

10. fear of losing control or‘going crazy,’

11. fear of dying,

12. naresthesias [numbness ortingling sensations],

13. and chills or hot flashes.”1

At the first session, introducethe counselee to breathingexercises and muscle relaxationtechniques that will help him copewith such attacks. These andother techniques are describedin a book by Dr. EdmundBourne titled The Anxiety &Phobia Workbook. Dr. Bourne’sbook will also show you how tohelp anxious people identifyand address the underlyingcauses of their problem.

One benefit offear is that it showsus how desperately

we need God.

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Responding to anxiety with behaviors like tryingto control others, perfectionism, outbursts of anger,or withdrawal is relatively normal, though not alwayshelpful. In many cases anxiety leads to depression.

Sometimes fear or anxiety will increase to thepoint of creating serious distortions in a person’sperception of reality. The pastoral counselor shouldfeel free to refer the counselee to additional psy-chological or medical help as the need arises.

Anxiety Disorders That May RequireProfessional Intervention

• Phobias: The anxious person displaces fearonto a neutral object, falling victim to an exag-gerated fear of that object or situation.

• Panic attacks: Uncontrollable sensations of terror overwhelm the anxious person, including

heart palpitations and cold sweats. The personin the middle of an attack may feel he is havinga heart attack or a nervous breakdown or isabout to suffocate.

• Compulsive behaviors: includes ritualistic,obsessive behaviors such as exaggerated, fre-quent handwashing

If your counselee’s sense of reality is impairedby anxiety disorders, refer her to a godly profes-sional therapist or a medical doctor.

As a spiritual helper and mentor, however,don’t cut yourself out of the process. Continuemeeting with the counselee to support her withscriptural encouragement and a biblical perspec-tive of life’s problems.

JUST AS THINGSCAN GO WRONGwith other organs in our body,resulting in illness, so things cango wrong in the chemical bal-ances of our brains. Every indi-vidual is unique; therefore, someare more impacted by the stressof fear and anxiety than others.Prolonged or severe attacks offear or anxiety can indicate thedepletion or imbalance of certainbrain chemicals.

A physically related anxietydisorder must be treated by pro-fessionals because it usuallyrequires drug therapy. If you sus-pect a physical cause for yourcounselee’s suffering, immedi-ately refer him to a physician.

Anxiety Disorders We all experience anxiety. But when anxiety

is frequent and intense, it may indicate a clinically diagnosable and treatable

anxiety disorder which affects millions of Americans, both male and female.

SEEING THE SIGNSAn anxiety disorder can be sudden and unexplained uneasi-

ness that lasts a few hours, or it can be a constant state of being.Some of the manifestations are listed below.

PANIC DISORDER—characterized by panic attacks, suddenfeelings of terror that strike repeatedly and without warning

AGORAPHOBIA—fear of having a panic attack, being in ahelpless situation, being in open spaces, or of leaving safeareas

OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDERS—repeated, intru-sive, and unwanted thoughts that cause anxiety, often accom-panied by ritualized behavior to relieve this anxiety

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER— persistent,frightening thoughts that occur after undergoing a frighteningand traumatic event

SOCIAL PHOBIAS —fear of being the focus of attention or ofbeing embarrassed

SPECIFIC PHOBIA—fear of an object or situation

GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER—persistent worrythat continues at least six months, often accompanied byphysical symptoms such as trembling, muscle tension, head-ache, and nausea3

Responses to Anxiety Range from Moderate to Severe

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S T E P T W O

Biblical Instruction and EncouragementUnderstand fear and trust as they are presented through the pages of Scripture.

IN ORDER TO KEEPCONQUERING FEAR,our lives need an inner climate of confidencein God. We must replace timidity with confi-dence, as seen in 2 Timothy 1:7. According toDavid Wright in his book, Finding Freedomfrom Fear, Paul suggests three substitutes:

Power—dunamis is the inexhaustibleenergy that comes from God.

Love—agape- is the love that focuseson others rather than ourselves.

Self-discipline—s-ophronismos is self-discipline that draws upon moderation,good judgment, and prudence.4

LOOKING AT FEAR THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE

One can’t read much of the Bible without encountering the subject of fear. FromGenesis to Revelation, Scripture is packed with examples, stories, and wisdomregarding fear. Over and over, God calls us to trust Him and place our hope for lifeand peace in His hand.

ADAM AND EVEWhen Adam

and Eve threwopen the door tosin, fear rushed inalong with it.Before theysinned, they hadknown intimate,open communica-tion with God.The only fear theycould have knownwas the reverent,submissive awe inGod’s presencethat is the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 111:10; Prov.1:7; 9:10; Isa. 33:6). But when they tried to taketheir lives and destinies out of God’s hands, theyimmediately felt naked, vulnerable, ashamed, andunprotected. They felt fear and so hid from God.

This gives us valuable insight into our prob-lems with fear and anxiety. Significant, ongoingproblems with fear and anxiety are complicated byour sin nature, which escalates our worries, stealsour peace of mind, and influences us to makewrong choices.P Though we greatly fear rejection and isolation,

we isolate ourselves from His help when welive in fear.

P We hide, enslaved by fear, when freedom is tobe found in the light of God’s presence.

P We try to solve our problems by self-relianceand end up self-condemned.

P We multiply our fears through fear of God’sjudgment and thereby close ourselves off fromHis restoring love and transforming strength.

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAELThe children of Israel emerged from centuries

of slavery to become a new, free nation underMoses. They were accustomed to the fear thatpowerlessness breeds. As they faced their enemieson the path toward the Promised Land, God calledthem to put aside fear and have faith in His power-ful intervention on their behalf:

A “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will seethe deliverance the Lord will bring you today”(Exod. 14:13).

A “Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your Godhimself will fight for you” (Deut. 3:22).

A “Do not be afraid of them; I have given theminto your hand” (Josh. 10:8).Fear, then, is evidence that we really don’t

expect God to intervene in our lives to accomplishHis purposes and meet our needs.

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Anxiety may stem from unconscious feelings. But worry is a consciousact of choosing an ineffective method of coping with life. . . . Worry actuallyimplies the absence of trust in God. And since Scripture instructs us not to worry,this lack of trust in God is certainly sin.5

Worry is a cycle of inefficientthoughts whirling around a centerof fear. . . . Worry doesn’t empty

tomorrow of its sorrow;it empties today of its strength.6

Corrie ten Boom

KING DAVIDDavid, the shepherd-king, poet, and man after

God’s own heart, was thoroughly acquainted withparalyzing fear and constant anxiety. During theyears he spent on the run from the murderousSaul, he learned through pain to turn to God forreassurance. He teaches us that danger must driveus to God, not from Him. He also teaches us torelease the power of our emotions toward God,and to think of God rightly through images of Hispower and love.å The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my

deliverer;my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my

salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,

and I am saved from my enemies.(Ps. 18:2–3)

å The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be inwant. . . .

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Ps. 23:1, 4)

å The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? (Ps. 27:1)

å He who dwells in the shelter of the Most Highwill rest in the shadow of the Almighty. . . .

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.

(Ps. 91:1, 4)

The book of Proverbs teaches us to overcome fear by fearing the Lord and only Him:

He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress,and for his children it will be a refuge. (Prov. 14:26)

The fear of the Lord leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble. (Prov. 19:23)

ISAIAHThe prophet Isaiah prepared the people of God

for the most fearful of times: the approaching yearsthat would bring the destruction of the nation andtheir captivity in Babylon. In the midst of the storm,they would need to cling to God’s reassurances ofHis loving choice of them, or be swept away by fear:

6 “For I am the Lord, your God,who takes hold of your right hand

and says to you, Do not fear;I will help you.” (Isa. 41:13)

6 “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name;

you are mine.” (Isa. 43:1)

6 “This is what the Lord says—he who made you, who formed you in the

womb, and who will help you:

Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant,Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.” (Isa. 44:2)

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Strong Words from ScriptureWorry doesn’t work, so don’t do it—

Matt. 6:25–34Focus on the solution, not the problem—

Matt. 14:22–33Give God your worry in advance—

1 Peter 5:7Center your thoughts on God, not on worry—

Isa. 26:3Replace fretting with trust—

Ps. 37Stop worrying and start praying7 —

Ps. 34:1–4; Phil. 4:6–9Direct your energy toward your true

source of hope— Ps. 9:9–10; Rom. 5:3–5

Lessons from Matthew 6Jesus thought worry an important enough topic

that He addressed it in His Sermon on the Mount.Here’s what He said.• Worry is unreasonable.

“Is not life more important than food, and thebody more important than clothes?” (v. 25)

• Worry is unnatural.“Look at the birds of the air . . . your heav-enly Father feeds them.” (v. 26)

• Worry is unhelpful.“Who of you by worrying can add a singlehour to his life?” (v. 27)

• Worry is unnecessary.“Will he not . . . clothe you?” (v. 30)

JESUSOur Lord Jesus came to leave us a legacy of

peace:

? “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Ido not give to you as the world gives. Do notlet your hearts be troubled and do not beafraid.” (John 14:27)

Christ’s two characteristic phrases of reassur-ance and command are, “Don’t be afraid; justbelieve” (Mark 5:36) and, “Take courage! It is I.Don’t be afraid” (Mark 6:50).

PAULThe apostle Paul lays out a framework for a life

in which fear and anxiety are kept in check:

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity [orfear], but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. (2 Tim. 1:7)

Rather than sinking in fear or cowardice, weought to affirm by faith that God’s Spirit, when Heis given liberty in our hearts, produces remarkableresults: changes in our character. These includepower (the word indicates capability, competence),love (with an unfearing, sacrificial quality), andself-discipline (wise, productive thinking).

S T E P T H R E E

Practical Helps for TodayGuide the counselee through practical steps

that will allow her to defeat fear through faith.

The way we perceive life influences our abilityto cope with adversity. The natural expectation isthat our future will be characterized by peace andcontentment. But a review of the past, for most ofus, will probably reveal that problems have beenthe norm and smooth sailing the exception. Some-one has said, “If everything seems to be going yourway, you’re probably in the wrong lane.” Or as oneof Job’s accusers observed:

Man is born for trouble,as sparks fly upward.(Job 5:7 NASB)

Trials and difficulties are an indispensable partof God’s process to bring us to maturity. When wecome to realize this and accept it, we will be lessinclined to panic when the next problem appearson the horizon. Then we can say to ourselves, “Aha,so this is the next item on God’s agenda for me!”

A Realistic Attitude Makes All the Difference

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BECAUSE OF LIFE’S ADVERSITIES, worrying is something we all find ourselves doing fromtime to time. But for some, it becomes a way of life in which the worst possible scenarios arecontinually anticipated and feared. This kind of worry is alluded to in Questions Christians Ask:

We all know what worry is. It’s when we pay the interest on trouble before the bill comes due.As someone once put it, worry is like “a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. Ifencouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.” 8

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and suppli-cation with thanksgiving let your requests be made known toGod. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension,will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethen, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, what-ever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anythingworthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you havelearned and received and heard and seen in me, practice thesethings, and the God of peace will be with you. (Phil. 4:6–9)

First, use prayer to connect the counselee with God.Model an authentic relationship based on biblicallyaccurate images of who He is. The Lord Jesus taughtus to pray to “our Father in heaven.” That shouldgive us ideas of warmth, concern, protection,strength, reassurance, security, and encouragement.Instead, the fearful person thinks of God, perhapsunknowingly, with deceitful images like distance,coldness, capriciousness, spitefulness, carelessness,or judging.

The Scriptures, and particularly the Psalms,often use imagery so that our concepts of God willbe corrected and sink deep into our inner selves.Lead your counselee into times of prayer based onPsalms like those cited in Step 2. Encourage her tocontinue this by reading the Psalms as a lead-in totimes of prayer.

Second, teach the counselee to overcome fear byunleashing in God’s presence the torrent of emotions thathave been bottled up within her. Our Lord Jesus, facingthe call to take upon Himself the wrath of Godagainst our sin, felt that His soul was “deeply grievedto the point of death” (Matt. 26:38). He gainedstrength in the Father’s presence as He agonized inprayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Because of it,He walked the path to the Cross with dignity, in

complete control. Christ is our example and hope. Third, encourage your counselee to grow in the area

of thanksgiving in prayer. This builds a positive emo-tional tone so essential to health, and it encouragesthe expectation that God will provide in the futurejust as generously as He has in the past.

Finally, teach the fear-filled person how to includethe element of confession in her prayers. The counseleehas lived out the accusation that God is not lovingor faithful. She has clung to the idol of self-reliance. The counselee hides in the garden, cov-ered only by leaves. Humility is called for, not incringing fear, but in a spirit of gentle reconciliation.

The Apostle Paul’s Prescriptions for PeaceThe peace of God—what good

medicine for the fear-afflicted soul!Paul’s three-part prescription for thehealing of the anxious gives a solidstructure on which to build your coun-sel. If your counselee is to partakeof God’s peace, he must incorpo-rate three practices into daily life:

1) pray according to Scripture,

2) think the right thoughts, and

3) do the right things.

A healthy fear of God puts human fearin perspective; and perspective is what

we need when fear faces us. In fact,standing in the presence of sickness,

accidents, even violence, when we arestripped of all earthly hope, nothing can

blunt the edge of our apprehensionexcept a clear view of the face of God.9

Prescription 1:ÚrÄòKEEP IN MIND

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As you pray with the counselee, you are not merely playing psychologi-cal tricks to reform his thinking. You are guiding him to the Person who canminister to his fearful heart in a way you never could. You are leading him to aplace where he can hear of One who is “full of grace and truth.” Above all, you areleading the counselee to a fresh and authentic perspective of the Lord whose lovecan transform his life.

It doesn’t require a higher level of intelligenceto overcome fear. It requires, as Paul’s words inPhilippians 4:8 imply, a higher level of discipline inthinking. A person is “trans-formed by the renewing of[his] mind” (Rom. 12:2) asshe, in a disciplined manner,replaces fallacious thinkingwith straight thinking.

Some of the myths thatclutter the mind of the anx-ious, fearful Christian arelisted: “God won’t help me.” This

doesn’t stand up underthe scrutiny of Scripture,nor of past experiences. Itrepresents a terrible accu-sation against God. Helpthe counselee focus ontimes when God’s helpwas evident, rather thanon situations in whichHis mercy is not yet clear.(See Matt. 11:28–30;1 Peter 5:7.)

“The world is full of dangerand evil.” Sure, the world has plenty of evil togo around, but God, who keeps even Satanunder control, spreads His common grace ingreat measure to all, and greater grace to Hischildren. Your counselee may want to watchless television until this myth comes under con-trol—reports of current events can exacerbatefeelings of fear. (See 1 John 4:4.)

“I can’t do it.” Why not? Help your counselee dis-mantle barriers to self-confidence and find sup-port in God and in friends. (See Phil. 4:13.)

“If I work hard enough, I can keep everythingunder control.” You can’t control other people,and you can do a lot of damage by trying. You

can’t control God, but you can find real freedomby giving over control to Him. Instead of anchor-ing yourself firmly to a small patch of ground,

you can launch yourselfonto the high-wire ofrisk, knowing that Godis your safety net.

“One person can’t make adifference.” How manystories in the Bible areabout one person whomade a difference?

“If I fail, the pain will beterrible and the damageirreparable.” The antici-pation of pain can beworse than the painitself. And inaction isjust another form of fail-ure. Success only comesthrough risk.

“Worrying can’t hurt, and itmight help.” Worry is apoor substitute forprayer, planning, andworking. (See Phil. 4:6;Matt. 6:25–34.)

Many of these myths are learned at a very earlyage, as childhood traumas and unconsciousparental training program the mind with untruth.Because of that, it can be helpful to explore withyour counselee early experiences of fear and anxiety,and the parents’ attitudes about fear and danger.

Perhaps our greatest tool for mental disciplineis Scripture memorization. This chapter containsnumerous references to Bible passages that willhelp the anxiety-ridden. Suggest to your counseleehow he might use memorized Scripture in medita-tion, prayer, and the control of anxious thoughts.

Prescription 2:ˆhàçä Âé´ëÑÇìãò

“This problem deserves tobe worried over. If I don’t

worry about it, I worry aboutnot worrying, because the

problem may get bigger whileI’m not focused on it.”

Remind the counselee thatworry is not the only alter-

native to neglecting theproblem. Encourage her toset aside some time insteadto think through constructiveapproaches toward solving it.

For the Counselor

Some fear andanxiety are felt by nearly all coun-selees at the time they seekassistance. You will want to con-centrate on relieving the anxietyitself when • the anxiety is so strong it pre-

vents the counselee fromworking productively on hisproblems, or

• the fear is related to problemsthat can’t be easily made todisappear—as is the casewith so many of life’s circum-stances.

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Our Response to FearIs Our Choice . . .

We can face fear passively and become its victims.

We can take on fear actively and become its adversaries.

We can face fear interactively and become adventurersusing fear constructively, challenging it, and forcing itto work for us [by driving us to a deeper dependenceon God].10

The anxious mind is a mind turned in uponitself, consuming itself with fearful thoughts.Paul’s counsel is to put one’s mind and body intoaction toward constructive ends, following godlypatterns.

Help your counselee to describe what a lifefilled with fear looks like, and how a life charac-terized by faith would look in contrast. Prayerfullymake plans to take small, but decisive steps towardthe life of faith. Establish the counselee in a fellow-ship group in which he can share any strugglesand gain encouragement and accountability.

Prescription 3:ˆaäÑ „cìàéß

S T E P F O U R

Lifetime Principles for GrowthSuggest modifications that will build hedges of faith

against recurring anxiety and fear.

Say “Stop!” If a particular thought pattern isunproductive and stressful, firmly cut it off. Delib-erately refuse to think that way—and keep one eyeout for it. It’s liable to try to sneak back in!

Think “Instead of.” People who are prone topanic attacks often talk themselves into them. Atthe slightest sign of anxiety, they get anxious aboutbeing anxious. Stop saying “Oh, no!” and start say-ing “So what? It’s only ________.”

Get rid of “What if . . .” Often people leapinto anxiety before looking to see if it’s warranted.When panic starts to rise, calm down. Take a deepbreath. Look at the situation realistically. What’s theworst that could happen? What’s really most likelyto happen? What steps can you take to prevent orrespond healthily to the threat? Submit your feel-ings of helplessness to the Lord.

FEAR is a normal part of the human experience, even amongChristians. It can be a healthy, God-given ability to detect anddeal with danger. Like an inner warning system, healthy fearalerts us that something is wrong and prepares us to respond. A

little anxiety also has its benefits.It enhances performance andcompetition; it also strengthensconcentration and spurs imagi-nation, increasing creativity.However, when fear and anxietyare exaggerated, they becomeirrational and harmful.

Unhealthy fear focuses onour immediate feelings andlimits our ability to think clearly.Exaggerated fear disrupts life,drains spiritual strength, andclouds judgment.

EXAGGERATED FEAR is equipped with

binoculars. It tends tomagnify dangers that are

a great distance away,making small threatsappear large. Normal

fear reacts; but exagger-ated fear over reacts.11

PANIC PREVENTERS

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HEALING TAKES TIME. Understandingthe principles of living free from fear isa big first step, but you have to livethem out day by day. Give yourselftime to overcome patterns that havetaken years to develop. Develop astrategy to ingrain new patterns offaith in your life.

Critical Weapons for Fighting FearCourage (Ps. 31:24)

Stability (Ps. 62)

Perspective (Rom. 5:2–5)

Comfort (2 Cor. 1:3–7)

Hope (1 John 3:1–3)

MaturityEncourage your counselee to have mature atti-

tudes about his struggle.

K A Christian should not condemn himself forfeeling fear or anxiety. They are importantwarning signs of danger and call for a response.The mature person responds to fear and anxietyon the basis of trust in God, not cowardice.This will be seen in his competent strength, hisfocus on others, his commitment to action, andhis prudent thinking (2 Tim. 1:7).

K A mature Christian responds to God’s call torisky obedience. She knows that she willalways have to face fear if she chooses to live atthe leading edge of life, where the growth is.She is committed to “consider[ing] it pure joy”when trials make her heart pound and herhead spin. Why? Because, James notes, “youknow that the testing of your faith developsperseverance. Perseverance must finish itswork so that you may be mature and complete,not lacking anything” (James 1:3–4).

K The watermark of maturity is not that themature Christian never fails; the matureChristian continues to learn how to recover afterfailure. The apostle Peter gives an encouragingexample. When he panicked in fear and threetimes denied his Lord, he fled in tears into thedark night. But he still felt his Lord’s love forhim, and remembered His words, “I haveprayed for you . . . and when you have turnedback, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32).Chastened, humbled, and yet still eager toplease the Lord Jesus, Peter was commissionedto leadership in Christ’s church, and he servedwith courage and boldness—almost, we mightsay, fearlessly.

Maturity, modeling, and mission. These words reveal three key con-cepts for those who want to grow in their ability to live undefeated by fear or anxiety.

ModelingChallenge your counselee to both mentor and to

be mentored in the area of overcoming fear. Ask himto describe the kind of person he aspires to be—help him to ground his thinking in reality—andthink together of a few people in his church whomodel some of those qualities. Encourage him tostudy one of those models of courage, to get to knowhim and learn from him. In addition, encourage yourcounselee to take on a ministry to young people oryounger Christians—both of whom face challengesin overcoming fear and displaying trust in God inthe face of anxiety. Your counselee needs to enjoysome successes in serving as a model for others.

MissionThe nature of fear is that it focuses all our

attention on two things: the source of danger onone hand, and our own feelings and needs onthe other. Such a focus precludes our giving ofourselves to meeting the needs of others, andconversely, a focus on meeting the needs of otherskeeps us from narrowly concentrating on our ownfeelings and fears.

Nearly all testimonies of courage in war, nat-ural disasters, or emergencies carry this theme: “Iwasn’t trying to be a hero. I saw that these peopleneeded me, and I couldn’t just stand there and donothing.” This attitude will help your counseleeovercome fear. Help your counselee define his mis-sion in life. Help him set some objectives that raisehim above self-absorption. Show him the pathalongside the One who “did not come to be served,but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom formany” (Mark 10:45).

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First: Depend upon the person of the Holy Spirit (vv. 25–26).When you are given to fear, you forget the truth of God. But His Spirit fires it right into the head so

that we take that truth and we use it in that fearful moment.

Second: Claim the peace of Jesus Christ (v. 27).The world has no lasting peace to give us. Jesus says, “When you claim the peace I’ve got, you

depend upon My Spirit.”

Third: Accept God’s plan for the future (v. 28). The Father’s plan is not an “if” plan, it’s a “when” plan. Isn’t that beautiful? The arrangement that the

Father has laid out for the events of the future is clearly defined.

Fourth: Follow the pattern of obedience (vv. 30–31).Jesus said, “I’m carrying out My Father’s plan.” You will never know peace in the life of disobedience.

Do what you know the Scriptures say to do—follow the pattern of obedience.12

PREREQUISITES FOR PEACE FROM JOHN 14

A Word from ChuckThree Things to Remember

When Christ becomes our centralfocus—our reason for existence—content-ment replaces our anxiety as well as ourfears and insecurities. This cannot help butimpact three of the most prevalent joy steal-ers in all of life.

1. He broadens the dimensions of our cir-cumstances. This gives us new confidence.Chains that once bound and irritated us nolonger seem irksome. Our limitationsbecome a challenge rather than a chore.

2. He delivers us from preoccupation withothers. This causes our contentment level torise. Other people’s opinions, motives, andcriticisms no longer seem all that important.What a wonderful deliverance!

3. He calms our fears regarding ourselvesand our future. This provides a burst of freshhope on a daily basis. Once fear is removed,it is remarkable how quickly peace fills thevacuum. And when we get those three ducksin a row, it isn’t long before we begin tolaugh again. What a way to live! Let me urgeyou not to let anything keep you from it. 13

Homework

Memorize key passages mentionedthroughout the chapter, beginning with Psalm121. Do a Scripture study on the phrase “fearnot,” and write out the reasons the Bible givesfor not fearing. Personalize specific scripturalpassages dealing with fear. (The following listwill give you a place to start.)

Deut. 31:8 Matt. 6:25–34

Ps. 23; 25; 103; 121 Phil. 4:6–9

Prov. 3:5–8 2 Tim. 1:7

Isa. 27:3–4 Heb. 13:5

448

1. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders:DSM-IV, 4th ed. (Washington, D.C.: American PsychiatricAssociation, 1994), p. 394. Reprinted with permission from theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed.,text revision, (Copyright 2000). American PsychiatricAssociation.

2. Based on Carol Kent, Tame Your Fears and Transform Theminto Faith, Confidence and Action (Colorado Springs, Colo.:NavPress, 1993), pp. 17–22.

3. Based on Marilyn Dickey, Anxiety Disorders, rev. by MaryLynn Hendrix (Bethseda, Md.: National Institute of MentalHealth, 2000) NIH Pub. No. 02-3879, pp. 1–15. Available atwww.thebody.com/nimh/anxiety.html.

4. David Wright, Finding Freedom from Fear: Spiritual Resourcesfor the Daily Adventure (Grand Rapids, Mich.: ZondervanPublishers, 1990), p. 181. Used by permission of David Wright,Ph. D.

5. H. Norman Wright, Afraid No More! (Wheaton, Ill.: TyndaleHouse Publishers, 1989), p. 133.

6. Corrie ten Boom, Quotable Quotations, compiled by LloydCory (Wheaton, Ill.: Scripture Press Publications, Victor Books,1985), pp. 446–447.

7. Wright, Afraid No More!, pp. 134–136.

8. A. S. Roche, Quote Unquote, comp. Lloyd Cory (Wheaton,Ill.: Scripture Press Publications, Victor Books, 1977), p. 378, ascited in the study guide Questions Christians Ask, written byDavid Lien, from the Bible-teaching ministry of Charles R.Swindoll (Fullerton, Calif.: Insight for Living, 1989), p. 18.

9. James Long, “From Fear to Eternity,” in Discipleship Journal(Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress, 1989), issue 52, July–August 1989, p. 38.

10. David Wright, Finding Freedom from Fear, p. 157.

11. Wright, Afraid No More!, p. 13.

12. Adapted from Charles R. Swindoll, “Overcoming Fear,”Following Christ . . . the Man of God audiocassette series(Anaheim, Calif.: Insight for Living, 1975), FCM7-B.

13. Charles R. Swindoll, Laugh Again (Dallas, Tex.: WordPublishing, 1993), p. 58.

NOTES

Resources

Anderson, Neil T., and Rick Miller. Freedom FromFear: Overcoming Worry & Anxiety. Eugene,Ore.: Harvest House Publishers, 1999.

Backus, William. The Good News about Worry.Minneapolis, Minn.: Bethany House Publishers,1991.

Bourne, Edmund J. The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook,3rd ed. Oakland, Calif.: New HarbingerPublications, 2000.

Fitzpatrick, Elyse. Overcoming Fear, Worry andAnxiety: Becoming a Woman of Faith andConfidence. Eugene, Ore.: Harvest HousePublishers, 2001.

Hart, Archibald D. The Anxiety Cure: A ProvenMethod for Dealing with Worry, Stress, and PanicAttacks. Nashville, Tenn.: Word Publishing,1999.

Kent, Carol. Tame Your Fears and Transform Theminto Faith, Confidence and Action. ColoradoSprings, Colo.: NavPress, 2003.

Wright, David. Finding Freedom from Fear: SpiritualResources for the Daily Adventure. Grand Rapids,Mich.: Zondervan Publishers, 1990.

Wright, H. Norman. Freedom From the Grip of Fear:A Process for Reclaiming Your Life. Grand Rapids,Mich.: Fleming H. Revell Co., 2003.

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