Biblical Counseling Notes: Overcoming Anxiety and Fear

Biblical Definitions: Anxiety and Fear

• Conceptual Meaning of Anxiety: Anxiety is defined as being "troubled with cares." The primary Greek term used in the New Testament for anxiety is $merimnao$.

• Linguistic Variations: In the scriptures, $merimnao$ is translated in multiple ways depending on the context, including "anxious," "care," "concern," and most frequently, "worry."

• Godly Concern vs. Sinful Anxiety: Like anger, anxiety can be righteous or tainted by sin.

  • Godly Concern: This is characterized by a genuine care for the welfare of others. A key example is found in Philippians $2:20-21$, where Paul describes Timothy as being "genuinely concerned" ($merimnao$) for the welfare of the church, contrasting him with those who seek only their own interests.

  • The Transition to Sinful Worry: Godly concern becomes sinful worry when specific conditions are met at the heart level:

    • Functional Atheism: God is excluded from the equation; the individual acts according to their own wisdom rather than turning to God.

    • Lack of Trust: At the heart of sinful worry is a failure to fully trust God's character and providence.

    • Focus on Control: Thoughts become focused on attempting to change the future through self-reliance.

    • Unproductivity: Worry is functionally wasteful, yielding no gain.

    • Preoccupation: It consumes the individual with repetitive "what if" scenarios.

    • Impairment: It leads to the neglect of responsibilities, loss of hope, or cessation of normal functioning (e.g., panic attacks or sleep disturbances).

• Definition of Fear: Fear is a sense of anxious dread or reverence in response to things that are either real or imagined. Like anxiety, fear can be categorized as right or sinful.

  • Right Fear (Fear of the Lord): Distinguished by its rise (saving convictions for sin), its drive (fleeing to Christ for salvation), and its fruit (a great reverence for God’s Word and a desire not to dishonor Him).

  • Right Fear (Natural/Prudent Fear): A built-in response to danger. Proverbs $22:3$ notes that the prudent man sees danger and hides. An example provided is taking shelter during a tornado in Texas or Oklahoma; this is wise, not ungodly.

  • Sinful Fear: Defined by Keith Christensen as fearing anything more than God. It leads to disobedience, sins of omission, and a lack of love for others.

Manifestations of Anxiety and Worry

• Inner Man Manifestations: These are the internal responses of the soul that others may not see but the individual feels:

  • Emotional and Volitional: Anger, a desperate desire for control, and defensiveness.

  • Cognitive: Distraction by anxious thoughts, inability to concentrate, and dwelling on circumstantial possibilities rather than the unchanging promises of God.

  • Spiritual/Emotional Weight: Proverbs $12:25$ states that anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, creating a "heavy heart."

  • Weariness: John Vandegrift (or John Van de Graef) in The Arena of the Mind notes that worry, not work, makes a person weary.

  • Statistical Context: Philip Keller in Taming Tensions suggests that approximately 80\bypass of fears never actually materialize.

• Outer Man Manifestations: These are the physiological and visible effects on the body:

  • Systemic Responses: Stomachaches (ulcers), headaches, agitation, and impatience.

  • Physiological Symptoms: Sweating, shortness of breath, trembling, panic attacks, restlessness, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.

  • Medical Correlations: Dr. Ed Podolsky has demonstrated correlations between worry and serious conditions such as heart trouble, high blood pressure, asthma, rheumatism, thyroid malfunction, arthritis, migraines, and even blindness.

Factors Driving Anxiety and Fear

• Physiological Factors: It is noted that brain tumors, hormonal fluctuations, or medications can cause or increase anxiety. A case study was mentioned regarding an independent man who suffered extreme anxiety due to a significant vitamin deficiency; his condition improved upon medical treatment. Biblical counselors are encouraged to recommend a medical checkup (utilizing the $PDI$ or Personal Data Inventory) if symptoms appear bizarre or strictly physiological.

• The Fear of Man: This involves seeking the approval of people over the approval of God. Paul warns in Galatians $1:10$ that one cannot be a servant of Christ while trying to please men. Jesus commands in Matthew $10:28$ to fear God, who can destroy both soul and body, rather than men who can only kill the body.

• Idolatry: Anxiety arises from an inordinate desire for temporal things. When our treasure is vulnerable (e.g., a new car, a child's safety, or personal property), we become gripped by fear of loss.

  • John Flavel noted that the strength of our love for the world is directly proportionate to the strength of our fear.

• Inconsistency in Spiritual Disciplines: A lack of daily reminder of who God is through His Word removes the peace that guards the heart (Philippians $4:7$).

• Trusting in Self: Proverbs $3:5-7$ warns against being wise in one’s own eyes and leaning on one's own understanding instead of trusting the Lord.

Biblical Strategies for Responding to Anxiety and Fear

• Trusting in God's Character: Isaiah $26:3-4$ promises "perfect peace" to those whose minds are stayed on God because they trust Him as an "everlasting rock."

• Developing an Eternal Perspective: Kevin Carson suggests replacing the "What if" (focus on potential disaster) with "Even if" (focus on God's sufficient grace).

  • Example: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel $3$ faced the fiery furnace with the "even if" mindset, trusting that God could deliver them but remaining faithful even if He did not.

• Analyzing Christ's Commands in Matthew $6:25-34$:

  • Jesus gives the command "Do not be anxious" three times.

  • He asks eight rhetorical questions to expose the heart's lack of faith.

  • He points to the provision for birds and lilies to prove God's care for His children.

  • Strategy: Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness ($Matthew \, 6:33$).

• The Practice of Prayer and Thanksgiving: Based on Philippians $4:4-9$, the progression for overcoming anxiety is:

  1. Right Praying: Replacing anxiety with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Prayer is the smoke detector that should go off when anxiety starts.

  2. Right Thinking: Focusing the mind on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy (the person and work of Christ).

  3. Right Acting: Practicing the things learned and seen in godly examples (Philippians $4:9$).

• Identifying and Repenting of Sinful Fear: Use diagnostic questions from Stuart Scott:

  1. Recall the last five times you were fearful.

  2. Explain the situation involved.

  3. Identify how you were not trusting God in those moments.

Character Traits: Sinful Fear vs. Love

• Sinful Fear vs. Love Chart: Scripture teaches that perfect love casts out fear ($1 \, John \, 4:18$).

  • Sinful fear focuses on self; Love focuses on God and others.

  • Sinful fear is self-protecting; Love is self-giving.

  • Sinful fear asks "What will I lose?"; Love asks "What can I give?"

  • Sinful fear avoids problems; Love solves problems.

  • Sinful fear secludes self; Love sacrifices self.

  • Sinful fear is highly suspicious; Love believes all things.

  • Sinful fear says "I might fail"; Love reaches out even if it entails failure.

Questions & Discussion

• Question: What should we do when someone is habituated in anxious thought patterns?

• Response: You must help them renew their minds. This includes giving specific homework: listening to rich doctrinal hymns or podcasts, going for a walk, praying through specific texts, or calling a designated person. We must identify what is going on in the heart that makes that specific person anxious, as it varies from individual to individual.

• Clarification on Resources: It was noted that Steven Yule's book Triumphing Over Sinful Fear is available as an audiobook (unaudible), which can be helpful for those who are commuting, though they should stay focused on the road.

Recommended Resources

• Books and Booklets:

  • Consider the Lilies (focus on Matthew $6$).

  • Courage: Fighting Fear with Fear by Wayne and Joshua Mack.

  • Worry: Pursuing a Better Path to Peace by David Powlison.

  • Anger, Anxiety, and Fear by Stuart Scott (derived from The Exemplary Husband).

  • The Arena of the Mind by John Vandegrift/Van de Graef.

  • Triumphing Over Sinful Fear by Steven Yule (includes $12$ biblical remedies).

  • Beside Still Waters by Charles Spurgeon.