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How Do We Overcome Worry and Anxiety and Achieve Unbreakable Joy?
February 12, 2025 · 33 min
Pastor John Mark Caton encourages listeners to focus on overcoming worry and anxiety by embracing a connected and positive life, as demonstrated by Paul in Philippians.
Series "Pastor Talks" with John Mark Caton February 12, 2025 · 33 min · "Pastor Talks" with John Mark Caton
Pastor John Mark Caton encourages listeners to focus on overcoming worry and anxiety by embracing a connected and positive life, as demonstrated by Paul in Philippians. ...more Show the full description Show less Pastor John Mark Caton encourages listeners to focus on overcoming worry and anxiety by embracing a connected and positive life, as demonstrated by Paul in Philippians.
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John Mark is the Senior Pastor of the thriving Cottonwood Creek Church in Allen, Texas, where he has served since 1995.
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Overcoming Anxiety with Faith 0:01 Man, that was amazing just to see God work and hear God move and, man, what a blessing it is if you happen to be new here with us or first time online, whether in person or online. We started a series back at the0:13 beginning of January entitled Unbreakable Joy, where we've been walking verse by verse, chapter by by chapter through this amazing book of Philippians that Paul actually wrote, from prison. And we0:25 come today to a topic that we all need to hear, but remember, we talked over the last couple couple of weeks. The first thing Paul said, if you and I are going to have an unbreakable joy, we have to learn to live a0:35 connected life. We can't live in isolation, we can't live in aloneness. Man, we were created to be around people and with God's people. That next week we looked at what we also understand. We live in a0:47 sinful world, a broken world. Sometimes things doesn't don't always go as they planned. And we we need to learn to do what Paul said is whatever happens. Just have that attitude. Whatever0:59 happens, live a life that is worthy of the gospel. Then that next week he looked at Jesus and he said listen, don't live in pride, live in humility and your greatest example of all is1:10 Jesus. Then Paul also said, hey don't be self righteous or prideful about your religious heritage, but instead develop a true righteousness that only comes by faith in1:22 Jesus Christ and comes from God. Then we looked last week at the idea that we need to learn to live with right goals not wrong goals. And we looked at what the bible said about what are right goals for you and I1:34 to set and ultimately achieve. And today, is a topic that I truly believe that we all need to hear. Philippians chapter 4 verse 1 to 8, Paul is going to say listen,1:46 we all have to learn to trust God over our worry and anxiety. We we live in an anxious world. We live with a generation that if you haven't read the book,1:57 the recently released book called The Anxious Generation, we have a generation of our kids and our grandkids that are worrying themselves literally to death. And2:09 so but as I I also acknowledge that as we talk about learning to trust God over worry and anxiety, that's easier said than done. And I'm gonna tell you why that is here in a few2:21 seconds and and science is now backing up what the bible has been saying for a long long time. And here's what I also know, if you're a parent or a grandparent in this room, you are worried about your2:33 kids. You're worried about your grandkids. Read an article this week that published a massive study on what most concerns parents,2:44 released early 20 23, And they just they just surveyed parents, about what's your biggest worry for your kids struggling with if if they struggle with anxiety or depression, are you2:56 worried your kids are gonna be bullied, be kidnapped or abducted, get beaten up or attacked, having problems with drugs or alcohol, getting shot, getting pregnant, getting someone else pregnant as a teen, getting in3:08 trouble with the police. If you look at by far the biggest worry parents have noticed is they're worried their kids will struggle with anxiety and3:20 depression. By far. It's off the map. 40 percent of parents responded to that survey that said they are extremely are very worried about3:32 their children struggling with anxiety and depression. That means 40 percent. Probably that means 40 percent in this room. If you add in parents who are somewhat concerned3:44 that their children will struggle with depression and anxiety, that number goes up to 76 percent. By far the biggest fear of every mom and dad in the room, it seems they're3:56 worried their kids will be depressed or or be anxious. And so as we come to this passage today, I want to encourage you to tap in, to lock in. Because this message is for you, but it's also for4:08 your kids and it's also for your grandkids. Because there is an anxious generation growing up. We're gonna talk a little bit about that, we're gonna see how how the switch happened. A number of4:19 years ago, when when most of the parents in this room grew up, we grew up in a play based childhood that you went out to play or you hung out with kids or the family get4:31 together. Now we have a generation that are growing up with a phone based childhood that many of their relationships or what they do is right here, it's4:43 not right there. And so what happens it causes them to be depressed and anxious at greater levels than any other generation before. My guess is, this is not just for the kids, there are4:55 some parents in here and grandparents that you are struggling. You're in this pattern of of worrying and being anxious day and night over and over again. So if that's5:06 you, this message is for you. Let's just jump down, let's go and start in verse 1. Let me just jump down and show you what Paul says in Philippians chapter 4 verse 6 and 7. Now we're5:18 gonna go back and follow the whole passage here in a second. Verse 6 he says, do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition,5:30 with thanksgiving, present your request to God. Important if we're going to get over anxiety and get over5:42 depression. Notice verse 6 is all about doing something. Then look at verse 7, then the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.5:54 I think a lot of us want verse 7. We want the peace How many of you want the peace of God? We all do. But notice Paul says you can't get to verse 7 without going through verse 1 to 6.6:07 And I want you to know as your pastor, there are times, there have been times in my ministry, my life something's going on or man, we're just going through some things at church or we're going to build something and I'm6:16 laying, I'm saying God just give me peace. And I think God has many times in prayer says, why don't you look at verse 1 through 6 first? You say, why is that so important?6:27 That verse 6, and actually we're going to look at verse 1 through 6, are all about doing something before you get to the peace of God. I I I love it when6:39 science finally catches up to God's word. The more and more we study and neuro science, we learn about the brain, if you didn't know this about your brain, there is no delete button in your6:51 brain. How many of us know that? You you you can't go back and say you know what, I just want to delete that memory. Guess what? That's the only memory you're going to think about for the next7:03 day. Your your brain has no delete button. You know, it's it's not like a word document or that I go in, you know, every every week I I prepare a message and it it gets surprisingly,7:15 it gets way too long. And I'm sitting there just taking things out and deleting things and that should encourage you because it could be longer, right? You can't delete anything in your mind, your7:27 brain is not built that way. Your brain is not built with a delete. Your brain is built this way to add new information7:38 and add new responses. So don't be hopeless because there's not a delete button. If you're some 1 of these people that you're always caught up in anxiety and worry and depression, you can never delete that,7:50 but you can create a new pathway. Neuroscience says, listen, we can't stop going down old path or stop thinking about going down old paths, but what we all can do is create8:02 new pathways. And new pathways, listen to this, are only created by action. By action. And the actions we're going to see here, what Paul8:14 says, we've got to rejoice, we've got to pray, we've got to set our minds, and then we have to do something. Rejoice, pray, set our minds, do something. Rejoice, pray, set our minds, do8:26 something. That's what it is. And here's what we also know, that we typically have a tendency to be more depressed and anxious at night and not in the8:38 morning. How many of you know that? How many of you it seems like boy you're all kind of getting ready for bed, you you put your head on your pillow and then all of a sudden pow. This worry and that worry8:50 and this worry and that worry. Can I remind you that's just again you being reminded and me being reminded that scripture said this thousands of years ago? Look at what the psalmist said. The psalmist put it this9:02 way, he says weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Just February, you can go look this up,9:13 fourth of of this year, brand new study was released. They tracked 50000 people over 2 years and just released a study and they9:25 asked them, when are you most happy, when are you most sad? What day of the week are you most happy, what day of the week are you most sad? And it's kind of interesting, what they found in this study, they spent hundreds9:36 of thousands of dollars on following these 50000 people for 2 years that what the Bible said is true. The worst time of day for anxiety and depression9:48 is about midnight if you stay up that late. How many of you are night owls? Right? I'm a night owl. Man, you roll into after 10 and boy just worry worry worry. When is10:00 your best time of the day? Joy comes in the morning. That's exactly what the bible says. Hey, a lot of times people say the10:12 worst day of the week is Monday. You want to know what the worst night of the week is? Sunday night, after a cowboys game.10:25 I'm kidding. Why would Sunday night be the worst night of the week? Because you're worrying about the week ahead. Does that make10:37 sense? You are actually happier on Monday night, if the cowboys don't play, than you were on Sunday night. Why? Because you've now gone through the first day of the week you were worried10:49 about and you're beginning to realize it's not gonna be as bad a week as I thought about. Does that make sense? Guess what the next best night of the week is? Friday night.11:01 Why? Because I'm 2 days away from Monday. And so here's what I want you to know, if you're 1 of these people that that it seems like there's these traffic over, anxiety and depression, can I ever get out11:13 of it? Paul gives us the recipe for overcoming anxiety and depression right here in Philippians chapter 4 verse 1 to 8, but we have to walk through them. So thought number 1, if we're going to overcome anxiety and11:25 worry as we think through it, we have to learn to face life, Paul says, with a positive attitude. It it's it's kind of shocking that that a dude that's in jail11:38 is telling people that aren't in jail to be happy, to face life with a positive attitude. That tells you something about the way his brain works and the way he's11:49 taught his brain to work that from prison he encourages them to rejoice more. Look at verse 4, let's just read it, notice what he says. He says rejoice, that's an action.12:02 Remember, your mind doesn't delete old pathways back to anxiety, all it can do is create new pathways to a different way of thinking and to a different way of believing. So12:13 here's what he says, here's an action, actions create new paths. He says rejoice in the lord, the action is rejoicing, the place of our rejoicing is in God.12:25 Paul says rejoice in the Lord. Why? Because if Paul was uh-uh just to rejoice in his place, his place was prison. He goes, no rejoice in the Lord always and I will say it12:37 again, a reminder, repetition, repetition is what creates new pathways in our mind. If you do it once, it's not gonna create a pathway, but if you do it every day over and over again, encouraging12:49 yourself to think a different way, to do a different thing, then you're going to create a new pathway. He says I say it again, this is repetition of the command, rejoice. Now just just kind of settle down13:01 for a second and think through. Paul's in prison telling Philippian believers, who by the way were pretty well off, they're Roman citizens, life was pretty good,13:13 alright? He's saying listen y'all, rejoice, that's a command, rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice.13:25 You say how could Paul be rejoicing in prison? Well I think he settles into a couple of honest realities in his life. Yes, he is in13:36 prison, but he also understands his past has been forgiven. Everything Paul has done has been forgiven. So child of God, maybe you're sitting here and you've got a lot of past regrets and you13:48 wonder how can I rejoice, pastor, if you knew what I did or if you were there or if others knew? Man, can I just tell you? Your past is forgiven if you are in Christ. Now I'm going to encourage you, create a14:00 new path in a different way. And then Paul also says, if you understand your past is forgiven, you can understand that your present circumstances have meaning. That whatever14:12 you're going through, whatever's happening in your life, whatever you're thinking about, those things have meaning. Paul was sitting here going, man, my imprisonment has a meaning. The meaning is I get to write all these14:22 letters and encourage churches and be an example for them to follow in Christ. So I think how can he rejoice? He understood his past sins are forgiven, he understood his present had14:34 meaning, and he ultimately understands his future was guaranteed. So here's what Paul did, he shifted his focus from his problem14:47 to praise. I'm going to praise God for everything I'm going through and others. The most anxious and depressed and worried you will ever be is when all14:59 you think about is yourself. Paul's example is, man, I'm not going to complain about prison, I'm not going to do this, I'm going to do that. I'm going to shift my focus from my problem to15:10 praising God. And trusting God has this and has a point in this. I love what James, the brother of Jesus said in James chapter 1 verse 2. He says, consider it pure joy.15:22 That word consider, by the way, that's an action. That you have to choose to think about it. He says, think about it this way, that it's pure joy my brothers and sisters, whether you face whenever you15:34 face trials of many kinds, because you know here's the meaning, here's the purpose, that the testing of your faith will do what? It will produce15:46 perseverance. So if you're going through a difficulty, if you're going through a hardship, don't focus on the problem, focus on the meaning. Focus on the result. That that if I consider it joy, if I rejoice, if I15:58 give it to God, then ultimately there is going to be something positive that comes out of this that I'm going through and God's16:15 meaning part. And so as we think about thought number 1, it's here. Paul says we have to learn to live with a positive attitude and that's something we choose regardless of the problems. Here's number 2, we also want to16:26 learn to treat others with gentleness. I think we've all been in that season where you put your head on the pillow at night and maybe you got in an argument with somebody or you said something you regretted. Maybe she's16:38 sleeping right next to you, how many of you know? And you're like, hey man, that's a good testimony from last night. I'm sitting there going, here's the reality. We we we16:50 don't treat someone with gentleness. Maybe it's maybe it's our spouse, maybe it's our kids, maybe it's someone at the office. That Paul says you and I want to live in such a way that we consistently treat everyone17:02 with gentleness. Now gentleness is not weakness, but it's also not harshness. So what does Paul say? Pick it up, let's just continue to read. Remember you can't have verse 6 and 7 until you go through17:13 verse 4, 5, and 6. He says let your gentleness, here's another action, it's a choice. I could be mean, I could be harsh, I could be this, but he says I'm gonna17:25 instead let my gentleness, that's the action, be evident or visible to everyone. Why? Because the Lord is near.17:38 Who is it in your life? Who is it in your life that just drives you crazy? Anybody have anybody? Don't point, just raise your hand. You just feel like man it's at the office, there's just someone always taking17:50 a shot at me. There's there's someone that just doesn't seem to like me. And you know what Paul says? Instead of turning around treating them with harshness, you want to treat them with gentleness.18:01 Why? Because your response is an action, and it's an action that will lead you down a path you don't want to go down, or it will start creating a new more positive path in how you18:13 can respond to people in the future because others are going to attack you. So I can choose if someone is attacking me or someone drives me crazy or someone says something about me. I can choose down to go down an old18:25 path of of being harsh right back, being angry. That's probably gonna lead me to more anxiety at night. Because I'm gonna say something I wish I hadn't said or I'm gonna18:37 do something I wish I hadn't have done. It's interesting that that Paul is not bringing this up out of an abstract possibility. In the context,18:49 Paul has already told us even in this great church in Philippi, they have this problem going on right now. Look at it in verse 1. Philippians chapter 4 verse 1, here's an example19:00 of people treating each other with harshness and he's telling them instead treat with gentleness. This is the context of the passage we're reading. Look at it verse 1, he says therefore my brothers and sisters, that's19:10 the church at Philippi, you whom I love and long for, you are my joy and my crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends. He says verse 2, and I19:22 plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the lord. Yes, I asked you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side19:34 in the cause of the gospel along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are already written in the book of Goliath. So what is he saying? Paul has clearly heard that there were some19:46 people who were very instrumental in the planning of the church, the propagating of the gospel, the reaching other people, but somewhere along the ways they got19:59 crossways. And they started dividing people up, are you on my team, are you on their team? Uh-uh, if you're on my team, you can't be on their team, if you're on their team, you can't be on my team. And Paul is saying,20:08 man let me encourage you, you've done so much for the gospel. Don't choose sides, don't be angry. And the direct conflict or the the direct concept is20:20 Paul is saying instead of being divisive and harsh and angry towards each other, instead choose gentleness and let it be evident to everyone else.20:33 That's what Paul is saying. In your marriage, when you could be harsh and angry, choose to be gentle. That's an action that20:44 will create a new path. You'll be example for your kids and your spouse. At the office, if someone's attacking you, yes, you can defend yourself with their20:57 But then choose gentleness. Don't be that person that walks over and shows up at the coffee pot and just burns them down. He says choose gentle. And when you choose gentleness,21:10 when you choose it, I love what Paul says, it's going to be evident to all. So thought number 1, that you and I want to live with a positive life, rejoice21:22 always. Again I say, number 2, I want to live with gentleness. Here's number 3, I want to turn my worry into prayer. See a lot of times we worry, but do we21:34 turn our worries into prayer? Paul says that's part of the way that we get to the joy that we so so desperately desire. You just pick it up, read it in verse 6. He says, do21:46 not be anxious, and that's a command, about anything, that's the extent of the command. But in every situation, everyone, and I think Paul's21:58 acknowledging that that there might be certain different things that cause you worry. There's a little worry because of this, and this situation, this situation, this situation. He says listen, but in every situation,22:09 turn it into prayer and petition with a thanksgiving. God I know you got this, I know you have a meaning for it, I know you have a reason for it and here's your action, the action is what? Turn it into prayer, turn it22:21 into petition. That's the action, the new pathway. But then he also says, choose to do it with thanksgiving. Then he says, present your request, another action. Presents your22:33 request to God. It's almost as if he's saying there's a clear mathematical formula here. If you're going to move from worry and anxiety to rejoicing in thanksgiving, here it is.22:44 It's rejoicing plus prayer plus gentleness, plus thankfulness ultimately will lead you to anxious free living. But it requires action.22:57 See because we already have, however old you are, a lifetime of reactions. A lifetime of experiences. Some of them are good or some of them are23:09 bad. A lifetime of responses. And if your response when something bad happens is to run down that pathway to anxiety and depression, Paul is saying the only way, you're23:21 never going to delete that path. You will always have the ability to go back down that path. But what you can do is create a new path. And that's the beauty of our brain,23:32 is that everybody in here, regardless of where you've been in your life, you can create a new path to respond to people with rejoicing, thankfulness, prayer, gentleness, and encouragement, regardless of what you've23:44 done in the past. Now the easier path is always gonna be to handle it the way you've always handled it. Does that make sense? The harder path is to make a clear choice to do something different,23:56 to create a new path in my life along the way. Notice what Peter said in first Peter chapter 5 verse 7. He says cast, again there's an action, cast all your anxiety on24:08 him. Why? Because he cares for you. In other words there has to be something that I do. And I don't know where you are in this moment, this season, maybe maybe anxiety is overflowing in your life. Notice what Jesus said24:19 in Matthew chapter 6. He says therefore, I tell you, do not worry, that that German word means choke out worry, about your life, what you eat or what you'll drink or about your body or what you24:31 will, what you will wear. It is not is not life more than food and the body more than clothes? He says look at the birds of the air and do they not sow or they don't sow or reap or they don't24:43 store away in barns and yet the heavenly father feeds them. Do you have that trust? God you've got this. Are you not much more valuable than they are? Jesus is asking the answers24:55 absolutely. Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 2000 years ago Jesus asked that question.25:06 You know what science tells us? Worrying actually shortens your life. It doesn't lengthen it. It actually harms you physically and spiritually and emotionally. It doesn't help you.25:20 If you want a little acrostic for worry, you might want to write this down. We always want to walk in faith, not fear. Man, I want to make a choice. If if I'm worried, I want to walk in25:31 faith, not fear. You want to offer your problem to God in prayer. Say God I can't handle this, I don't want this, I don't need this, but God I am giving this to you.25:44 Number 3, I want to remember God's promises. God you have promised over and over and over as a child of God that you've got this for me. I'm gonna stop worrying about it, I'm gonna25:56 stop being anxious. I'm gonna choose to rest in God's peace that he gives me. And then finally the why is I'm going to yield to God's control of my words and26:08 actions. I'm going to say God I'm going to start responding the way you want me to respond to this individual or to this circumstance or this hardship or this difficulty. Because26:20 listen, worry is not a healthy space, it's not a healthy place. And here's the truth is we've all been there.26:32 We all have those same pathways back to it. Paul is saying let's create a new path regardless of your circumstances, regardless of your difficulty. Here's number26:44 4, is we have to learn to tap into God's peace. Notice that tap, it's even in action. I I I want to be connected to God's peace. Where do you see this? Pick it up in verse 7.26:56 He says and the peace of God which transcends all understanding, boy Paul you've got this right. Because it makes 0 sense to me that Paul is telling us27:08 or the people at Philippi how to rejoice when he's in prison. How many of you know that makes 0 sense? Right? Seemed like he would say, you know if I ever get out of here, I'll be happy again. If I ever get out of here,27:19 I'll have the peace of God again. But instead he says, and the peace of God, now notice verse 7 it starts with and, that means the verse first 6 verses leads you to verse 7. If you skip 7 you're not27:31 getting skip the first 6 you're not getting to 7. He says and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will do what? Will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ27:43 Jesus. He says if you'll do the first 6 verses, then you can have verse 7. And I love that word guard. The peace of God,27:55 once I tap into it, will guard my heart and my mind. That word guard is a military term. It has the idea of the Roman troops in his day. Paul understood this, the Roman28:07 word. If there was a if there was an important position or person, they would station Roman soldiers around that important position or person to protect that position28:19 or person. And Paul is saying, listen, when the peace of God shows up, God is the 1 that is ultimately assigned to guard you and your mind and your person. Why? Because28:31 you matter to God. I matter to God. Go hundreds of years before that to Isaiah the prophet, pick it up in verse chapter 26 verse 3. He says, God,28:43 you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they do what? Trust in you. Not because everything's great, but because28:55 they trust in you. So as we think, step 1, step 2, step 3, step 4, step 5, here it is leading us to having the ability to overcome worry and anxiety.29:07 Here's number 5 and this is verse 8. Focus on what is true and good. As you journey forward creating these new paths, these new paths only come with action,29:19 there are some to dos, there are some things that you have to do to create the new path, then we can tap into God's peace and he will protect us. Then as we move forward, notice we have to focus on that which is good.29:30 Verse 8, he says finally brothers and sisters, that's all of us, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if there's anything29:42 that is excellent or praiseworthy, think there's your to do. Think about such things. Make a list. If there's anything that's good, make a list.29:55 Focus on this and not that. In every situation, in every place, he almost says, man we we want to make sure that we have glasses that look for the best. How How many of you have kids? How30:07 many of you have kids? Best way to explain this is this. As as a pastor, I've visited a lot of newborns over the years, and, some of y'alls. And I I walk in the room and you'll30:19 see this newborn and they'll say, isn't she beautiful? Y'all already know where I'm going. And I'll look at them and lie. Most beautiful baby I've ever seen in30:31 my life. I just want you to know, your pastor just lied right through my teeth. You'll show your brand new, handsome newborn son, isn't he handsome?30:43 Yeah. Or a gladiator. Right? Wait, and then something changed. Then we had a baby.30:56 And when I first looked at Jace I was like, that's a good looking dude right there. And then the hospital, I don't know why they do this, I think it's torture. They31:08 take a picture of them, and then they give you a sample of the picture and ask for you to buy more. How many 3 by fives do you want? How many 5 by sevens do you want? How many 8 by tens do you want? And31:19 then you're like, oh that's sweet. And then you know, whoever the photographer is leaves the room and you pull that picture out and you're like, oh my gosh. Whose kid is that? I could've lost a prize31:31 fight. Right? You're like, why would I want more of these pictures, right? We need to hide this, tear it up, do all my kids a favor. Here's the point, I was seeing31:43 everything that was good because it was my child. Right? We do have the ability if we retrain our mind to see good in the presence of bad.31:56 To see honorable in the presence of dishonorable, to see see praiseworthy in the present presence of that which is unpraiseworthy. We have that ability.32:08 That's what Paul is saying, but listen, you don't get to the peace of God without the steps that Paul has laid out to get there. And then when we get there, we32:20 can see all of life and all the people in our life and all the situations in our life with a different lens and a different perspective. Let's pray. God, thank you so much32:32 for just an opportunity to to to sit at the feet of Paul in a prison telling us to be joyful. God I pray that we would take each 1 of these steps and32:43 realize there are so many of us and so many times we turn and go down the old pathways that are already entrenched in our mind toward worry and anxiety, but all we need to do is take some steps to32:55 create some new pathways. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen and Amen.In this video 0:00 Overcoming Anxiety with Faith
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Blessed: Clean from the Inside Out John Mark Caton Oct 21
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