The Lord woke me last night with a very powerful word. I scrambled in my sleepiness to reach the nightstand for my phone so I could jot it on the notepad. I was sure that if I didn’t do so, I would forget it by morning. But I didn’t forget. That word stuck with me.
The Lord said, “Anxiety is satan’s leverage over your life.” Whoa. I have battled anxiety my entire life. As a child, I didn’t know what was wrong with me and no one else seemed to either. The dread of going to school was so bad that I would get physically ill. This was on a daily basis. Over the years I have gone from just feelings of nervousness, to being absolutely paralyzed with fear over things.
But God tells us to cast our anxiety on Him. He loves us and provides for us. But even knowing that, we are gripped with fear so often in our lives, living in this world. We must arm ourselves with scripture and meditate on it daily. That is how we fight. Here are some scriptures that I use to arm myself when anxiety strikes.
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” Psalm 94:19
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31
“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears them and delivers them out of all their troubles.” Psalm 34:17
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7