Overcoming Anxiety – by Apostle Paul Oduneye

Hallelujah!
By the grace of God, what God has planned for you through this message, you will never miss it, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!
What I am going to talk about is how to overcome anxiety in life.
First, what is anxiety?
Anxiety simply means worry, a feeling of worry with fear. It’s a response to challenges or circumstances that one encounters. Anxiety is something we know the human mind can easily be influenced by specially face to face unsettling conditions or disturbing situations. Anxiety is making you somehow feel and have an emotional problem. How do we get over this kind of feeling?
What I’m trying to talk about is, a lot of people’s lives have been wasted through anxiety. Many land in hospitals after going through a lot of challenges. Let us quickly get our attention to a text in the Bible to the book of Psalm 62 verse 5 which pacifies us saying, “My soul, wait thou upon the Lord”.
Amen!
So, if you really want to overcome anxiousness in life, you need to understand and listen attentively, so that you can be blessed through the message God has sent me to you. Many people have been victims of this dangerous problem. Evil spirit is lurking everywhere, in all kinds of situations, even in the environment ready to shake people’s mind. Messages from every source or medium, pass through the mind of people and before they know it, they already have developed emotional problems. The devil comes, attacks and turns them into a problem. Hallelujah!
I would like you to understand the tricky manner these messages are getting into people’s head or mind, so you will know how to cross over or be victorious rendering the devil disabled to take advantage of you. What I have mentioned before is that no amount of worry can change your past, no matter what it is. You just need to understand how to get over it. On the other hand, no amount of your fretting can even change your future. Understanding that any amount of worrying will not make for a victorious living over anxiety. That way, the enemy will never rejoice over you.
One of the very important things that we must be aware of is that Christian Life is likened to darkness, it is as a thick darkness in the firmament. It has no permanent stay in the duration of day. We may look at the sky during midnight and maybe around 3 in the morning, everywhere it would be pitch black, completely dark. The clouds look very thick and dark but that doesn’t mean it is going to be so forever. When it’s already dawn, like 5 AM or 6 in the morning, darkness will be nondescript- nowhere to be found.
In this life, some of the things you worry about today, have no permanent stay in your life. The plan of God for you is greater than the problem you see now, that is why, make up your mind (to understand this message) so that you can cross over and get past every trick of the devil called anxiety in your life. With God’s help, you can make it, you can be successful in life if you will internalize this.
I’ve seen a lot of things happen to many individuals from different walks of life. They are highly intellectual people, endowed with beautiful and handsome faces who die before their time because of anxiety. It is not the joy of the Lord.
A lady was checking the facebook account of her boyfriend. She discovered that there is another lady in the picture with her boyfriend and immediately after, she committed suicide. Imagine, how scheming the enemy is when it comes to messages, in pictures. A trick of the enemy because who knows maybe the other lady could be a relative or a sister. The ill-fated lady didn’t know. So, no matter what you see, no matter what the devil may pass across your mind, you must learn how to overcome it. The devil’s plan for you is extremely bad. The devil’s plan for anyone is very dangerous. Satan may tell you, you can never pass that board exam, you’re going to flank and be a failure, it’s anxiety. Satan may tell you that you can never win that case and that you are going to be put in the prison. He may instill that you cannot get out of that indebtedness, that you will not be able to pay and you ’re going to be in jail as a result. You are bombarded with thoughts of becoming this and that, fearing all the unknown, of what is going to come and what’s to happen after. Then, you start thinking, worrying about yourself until the devil finishes you! You don’t need to leave your life in the hands of the devil who will surely keep on telling you lies and deception. Satan may tell you you have lost your best friend, the person you love and you deserve to marry with long life and worse, there is no one to take that place anymore. Satan will tell you now, that you have lost the job, and there is no more light at the end of the tunnel, worse, there is no more hope for you. You know, the devil will tell you, you have lost the capital, your business is failing o you can never rise again. These are all the working of the enemy, the depressing evil challenges to cause you to worry. They give you a reason to lose your sense dancing to the tune of the enemy. So, we need to understand what worry is, it is something fleeting, it does have a permanent stay. The enemy can bring circumstances of worry to you, but you need to be mature enough to cross over so that it will not take away what God has been planning for you. God’s plan for you is greater than what you worried about. The plan of God for you is greater than the problem of disappointment yesterday. Some must have disappointed you yesterday. You must have lost the best girlfriend yesterday. But I will tell you, the best one is on the way. You may have lost the best job yesterday, I want to tell you that you are going to be the owner of a company. Don’t lose hope, don’t allow yesterday to destroy your tomorrow. Whatever you are worried about today is just temporary. God is going to do new things and God is going to help you out, in the mighty name of Jesus.
But how do you cross over this word anxiety I’m talking about? How do you overcome this word so that you will not be captured by it anymore. You may be worried now about, how can to pay house rent. The landlord is going to kick you out. You are going to be homeless now, what are you going to do? How can you overcome this?
Listen to me, you may not be able to pay the rent right now, but you don’t know what will happen in the coming weeks. You may become the owner of your own building soon. Just understand, worrying can never change your life. Anxiety can never bring any miracle. What you need to know is the understating that after every anxiety, there is a certain miracle coming, if you know how to cross it over, you’re going to get your miracle by the grace of God.
I’ll be teaching you through the Bible, some few points that will aid in conquering anxiety. I will share with you by God’s grace, at least seven (7) different points that can uphold you to overcome. I’m sure you are excited to know, as I am excited myself to tell you. Hallelujah! Glory be to Jesus!
1.Speak to your emotion. You know, as I said earlier, the human mind can be influenced by situations surrounding him or her. When you are thinking about a situation, you may experience unrest, you will not have peace of mind and that is exactly the target of the devil: to take advantage to attack you. The only way you can overcome that- which is one of the important ways – is to speak to your emotion through your mind, so you can respond to the voice of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit cannot control our emotions, we need to allow him to speak, that is why Psalm 62:5 tells us“My soul wait upon the Lord”. Stop troubling yourself, stop worrying yourself, wait! There are some things you’re troubling yourself about and God has absolute control. God has final say about it. The final say is not coming from the mouth of your doctor, or your attorney or the people around you. Tell your soul to wait, to relax; if you want to overcome your worries in life, you need to speak to your soul. Speak to your mind, “Relax, My God is in control.” Don’t be quickly moved by everything, do not be agitated by every arrow or every stone the devil is trying to dart in your way. They are just on their mission of destruction. You need to ignore them and allow the spirit of God to speak to your soul. Through prayer, command anxiety saying, “you are not my own, I reject you, I command you now, my soul, relax”. Wait upon the Lord and God will help you.

2.You must trust God who helped you survive situations before and is able to make you cross over this one again.

In the book of 1st Samuel 17:34-37, the man called David, was together with the army of Israel and King Saul when Goliath came and started to embarrass them with and released words of fear. As we have already understood, anxiety is an attack of fear. When the devil attacks you with anxiety, fear takes over. So, Saul and the entire army of Israel became so afraid they were silent. Nobody was able to respond but the man called David who came off and he said, “Sir, I can conquer this Goliath, I will destroy this Philistine”. King Saul said, “Who are you to do that, look at your size, you’re so small, you don’t even have experience about the war, how can you make it?” And the man David said “Don’t look at the way I look like, I haven’t experience, but I have credentials. Among my credentials is taking care of my father’s sheep, when the lion and the bear came, I chased them and killed them, the way I killed them is the same way I will kill this Goliath!”
Listen to me, I’m sure before you encountered the situation you’re worried about now, you could have passed through one before. It might be sickness, finances, challenges in the family that somehow have caused you worry and, through God and His mercy, you crossed over. So, if you conquered before, you can conquer again. Today! Have it in mind, the same God Who helped you before is the same God Who will be able to help you again. Hallelujah! God is still on the throne, He never changes. He’s on your side, He’s going to help you, if you will follow what I’m telling you now. Hallelujah!

3.Be aware, Jesus is in the hidden part of the ship.
No, you may not believe. I believe it somehow sounds funny and I am talking about Mark 4:38, when Jesus and the disciples planned to travel to the other side, in order to expand their outreach ministry. The Bible says that along the way, there arose a great storm against them. Let us scrutinize verse 38, the Bible says Jesus was there in the hidden part of the shift. Now, every vehicle has a hidden part, the engine place controlling a boat, airplane or car. The hidden part is the engine side. When Jesus was in the hidden part, what does that mean? It simply means one thing: Jesus is in the control area. Sometimes, in life situations, when worry comes our way, when anxiety creeps in, it may be to us as if Jesus would not show up, as if there are not any sign of God in action. It is as if God wouldn’t manifest at all, but I want to tell you, you are not alone in that ship of your life or in the car of your life. God is there, He’s there in the hidden part where the devil does not have access to. God is with you, right now, in your present situation. You need to settle that in your mind, so that you need not be a worrywart all your life when God is the control room. Satan was shaking the ship, from the outside, pulling here and there. Yes, Satan may be allowed some time to pull the ship by the side, from the outside but he has linited grip and is not allowed to be in the hidden part. That is the control room, and it belongs to God. I don’t know the shaking the devil might be bringing your way causing you to feel panicky or worried about your situation. I want to tell you, devil is not in the control center. God is The control and He is able to give you victory. Hallelujah!

4.Be aware that God is not sleeping. In that same verse (38), the Bible says in the story Jesus was sleeping. Imagine it, how come the Creator of the whole universe is sleeping. He doesn’t sleep, He just wants us to know and see what would be the reaction of the disciples, How do I know this? When you read the book of Psalm 121:4, “He that keepeth Israel never sleeps nor slumbers”. God never sleeps. Human beings do. We ministers sleep, but God doesn’t and never sleeps. So, when Jesus was there and the boat was being tossed here and there, it seemed off for destruction, the disciple wondered what happened to their Master? He is sleeping, He is sleeping. You know, we can identify with how they felt, saying to ourselves, “I have been earnestly calling God, I’ve been fervently praying, I’ve been prophesying, I’ve done so many things, but nothing happened. “ Is God silent? Is God sleeping about my situations?
I want to tell you that God is not sleeping, instead He is watching over you, He is in control of everything, so do not worry yourself. God is not sleeping. When you are sleeping, God is monitoring you. When the enemies are trying to finish you, God will say, “I will lift you up”. You can overcome that anxiety . Tell your faith this encouragement from His Word.

5.Stop worrying about what Jesus does not care about .
What do I mean by that ? Mark 4 verse 38 says “They ran to him, called him “Master, Master, don’t you care, if we die”. And Jesus just got up.
You know, there are some situations that we human beings, through anxiety, care so much about. “Ahh! How can I get over this? Will I die this way? Oh, this is what the doctor says.”
Listen to me, Jesus doesn’t care what the devil says. Jesus doesn’t care what the enemy is busy doing, because He knew what He was going to do. He is aware about His authority, that He is enough for your situation.He is aware, that before the river drowns you totally, He will be there to your rescue. Let me tell you, Jesus sent me to you. I don’t care how long your engagement is facing a situation, I don’t care what the enemy is declaring about you, I don’t care about that situation, about the doctor’s report, I just want to tell you that OUR GOD IS ALIVE. He is always able to help you, able to rescue you. Trust in him, stop worrying about things. HE is in control. Hallelujah!

6.Let your faith be stronger than your fear. I have told you that the greatest weapon of anxiety is fear. Fear is used to curb the heart of the people to become a victim. But then your faith need to be made stronger than your fear, you can overcome. In Mark 4:40, after Jesus stopped the storm, He came to the disciples again and what did Jesus say? Why is that you people don’t have faith? Faith is the greatest weapon to conquer anxiety, to conquer fear. Even when seemingly every hope is lost, let your faith, your trust in God remain sure. Jesus told them, where is your faith? The same thing the Word of God is coming to tell you now, in the area where you worry, where is your Faith? Let your faith be alive. Our God is able to make a way for you to give you victorious living and have a testimony about it very soon, the precious name of Jesus, amen!

7.Lastly, this may sound preposterous, but it’s a big truth. If you want to overcome anxiety in life, you want to overcome the worries of life, create an atmosphere of happiness for yourself. Philippians 4 4, the Bible says, Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice. God mentioned the word rejoice twice for the.record. According to my Bible, it says that a happy heart is a medicine to the body. Do you understand? If you want to overcome anxiety in life, allocate time for you to have a break. A happy one if you must. Do you know what I mean by a break? You have been worried and worried about stuff, you think you are there alone in the room, in the office, you are worried about being alone. Come on, stop! Just stop! Have a break. Break the monotony. Move somewhere. Get to a place where you can rub elbows with positive people. People who can make you happy, people to smile with. Avoid entangling with grouchy people, who may destroy you, knock you down. Quit acquaintances who look for you and bring you words as if they are helping you, but instead pollute your mind and make you lose your faith. Be around positive people, oozing with optimism. You keep worrying everyday, every day, every day. Until worry accumulates and bring in more problems. Spare yourself from life’s usual routine, go to McDonald’s and take your time. Go to Jollibee and relish that chocolate sundae. Get that ice cream and make yourself happy, even for a moment. You are getting the devil off your way. That moment when you can start singing praises, rejoicing in the Lord, it is bringing the joy of the Lord to your heart. These are the things you need to do ro overcome the anxiety. Before you know it, God has already intervened and you are off to have victory.
Don’t just stay there wallowing in sorrow, allowing the enemy attack, allowing Satan to press you down. God loves you. He has a good purpose for you. Rejoice! You have a bright tomorrow. It is well with you in the name of Jesus, amen!
I believe you are blessed. I’m sure, God has touched you. I’m going to pray for you now and I believe God will do a miracle for you in the name of Jesus.
Father I thank you for YOUR Word You have sent to us. Thank You for the precious readers of this book, Lord. I declare in the name of Jesus whatever the situation may be of anyone that causes anxiety and make them worried, I declare quick divine intervention. Receive a miracle, receive the power to control it, Receive anointing to cross over, anointing to be victorious in the name of Jesus. You will never be overcome by that anxiety. Victory is yours. You will be successful, you will have joy, sorry will no longer be found in the name of Jesus. As I am praying right now, whosoever that has been suffering from sickness, one way or the other, I command quick healing to your body in the name of Jesus. Everyone that faces the challenge of Covid 19, Lord, deliver them in the name of Jesus, amen. Let your peace reign all over the world. Touch your people, let your joy to never be diminished in our life. Thank you Father, we give YOU all the glory, in Jesus precious name, amen!