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EP 88 Overcoming Anxiety: Part 1 - Debbie Barker · iRefresh Podcast

• 0:00
  When God gives you a direction, even a correction, He confirms it with peace. He doesn't scare you.
• 0:27
  Welcome to another episode of I Refresh. I have a delightful time with Debbie Barker, who's my guest. Welcome. Yay! Glad to be back with you. Debbie's just going to be sharing from the teaching she's had. Now, they actually, her and her husband have a website, it's BarkerMinistries.org. Yes. Yes.
• 0:45
  So you can actually get a lot more information we'll put on our show notes, and you can look down below, and we'll tag her on that. But you can get a lot of their teachings as well there, and you will just be delighted at just really good foundational truths from the Word. So, Debbie, let's go for it. Well, you know, I think every one of us has probably dealt with, sometime in our life, anxiety or fear. And in the days that we're living in, it's that much more prevalent. And I think if we're really going to be honest with,
• 1:15
  The spirit of this world really wants us to take hold of that. Yes. We can look in Romans 12, 1 and 2, that we're supposed to be this living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service. But then in verse 2, that whole part of that is saying that we've got to be transformed in our mind. So we're three-part beings. We're a spirit, we're a soul, and we're a body. So our spirit is the part that's born again.
• 1:41
  When we accept Christ as our Savior, we become this new creation in Christ and all these old things are passed away. But in our soulless realm, our mind, our will and emotions, that's the part that Romans 12, 1 and 2 talks about needing that transformation, needing that watering of God's word. So I know even for myself, I've accepted the Lord when I was really young in life.
• 2:03
  But and I'm a little older now, but that transformation process is what keeps me growing and keeps my relationship with God. So vibrant never, never stops. Right. And so what I think sometimes is we can get so caught up in our life and our world and the momentum of life that many times an area that we maybe were once really strong in. We're not so strong in now. And that's that's what I'm really seeing where dealing with taking on the care of life.
• 2:31
  having anxiety or fear, those could be some areas that I think all of us can stay renewed in and really help us to go, okay, wait a minute, I'm not thinking on the wrong things. I'm thinking on the right things. I've allowed some thoughts. And so let's just jump in. I love it. Yes, let's go for it.
• 2:50
  So any, any time that I, you're going to hear me teach or do anything, I'm always going to take you back to the word of God. That's the foundation of my life. That's the foundation that I live. And that's really should be the guideline for any one of our lives. If we allow tradition of man or, you know, head knowledge of what somebody else has taught us, well, well,
• 3:09
  That is not a lie. The word of God is a lie. The word is sharper than any two-edged sword. It produces a health, life in every part of our being. So I wanted to say that right up front because I think sometimes we have to remember this isn't just knowledge. Yeah.
• 3:26
  This is alive. Jesus was the word. He became flesh. He sent this word. And you said, oh, wait a minute, Debbie. Different men wrote this by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. There's nothing in here that God didn't ordain to be in there. And he says his word is alive. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my word is going to stand forever. And it's more powerful than I think people recognize. Oh, yeah. And it's not outdated. No. It's prevalent and it's real. And that's why I love what we're going to go into is seeing how the word.
• 3:56
  from back when is still valid and it's going to help us today with what we're working. Absolutely. Absolutely. So I have several scriptures. This may take a couple of segments for us to get it all out, but we're going to start in John 14 one. And so it says, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. So that understood subject when it says, let not your heart be troubled. It's saying you,
• 4:19
  He's telling you that that responsibility is on you and I. It'd be real easy. I think sometimes we just wish that God would go, you know, and there's a prayer and we say it and it always it just goes away. That's not how he works. He gives us free reign in our life. It's a choice whether we want to submit our life to him. It's a choice whether we want his word to truly live and reign in our life. So he starts off in John 14. Let not your heart be troubled.
• 4:46
  OK, so you you've got to take the choice or take that responsibility to say I'm responsible for the thoughts that I think. But I want you to go on a little bit later in John 14. And if you look at verse 27, it says, peace, I leave with you.
• 5:04
  Not just any old kind of peace. My peace. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. And then he says it again. Let not your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid. You've heard me say.
• 5:19
  So he's spoken out this word and he's saying, I've given you my peace. I've given you my peace. It's not as the world gives. And we're going to look at another scripture in Philippians that describes that God kind of peace. But I want our listeners to first hear. There's a God peace that he wants each of us to live and reign in. And not contingent on the circumstances.
• 5:43
  Absolutely. And see, that's really how I think many times if we haven't been renewed in our mind or recognize where we let our emotions dictate what we're what we're going to feel. We let our emotions dictate where our really our belief or our faith can be. And so if we've allowed that to be the.
• 6:04
  standard, well, then it can be up or it can be down. Yes. Right. And we have to go back to what is his word saying? So I wanted to start there in the gospel of John and really want you to first hear it. It is possible to,
• 6:19
  have good healthy thoughts and to keep good healthy thoughts because if you've been one who's been bombarded with negativity or low self-esteem or thoughts of i can't it isn't just fear-filled thoughts but negative thoughts i want you to hear today that god's word has been sent for you and he has abundant life for you and we're going to show you by the scripture
• 6:42
  where and how to change those thoughts and allow his truth really then to prevail in your life and have not just the thoughts, but what comes after those thoughts are the feelings and the right emotions, because that's really what people are wanting is to have that. Yes. So I want you to hear it is a possibility. It is a choice. So let's look in Philippians chapter four. I have a couple of versions here. Um,
• 7:06
  My version of choice is always amplified, but that's a lot more words. And it is, but I always say it's the girl's Bible because you just get all those words out and get it explained well. So Philippians chapter 4 and beginning with verse 6, it says, Be anxious for nothing. Now, if we just stopped right there, be anxious for nothing.
• 7:32
  Nothing. Nada. Nada. Yeah. So that means, okay, so what if I suddenly lose my job? Mm-hmm. No, nothing. What if my kids, you know, are going the wrong way? Mm-hmm. What if all of a sudden my spouse says they don't want to be married anymore? What if the government comes out and says we have a huge pandemic that's going to hit the world? Mm, let me think. So be anxious for nothing. Nothing.
• 8:01
  Nothing. His word is telling us that means it's a possibility that no matter what comes up in my life, how big, small, huge, teeny, ugly, pretty, whatever comes up, I do not have to take on care or anxiety. So let's, I'm going to be the skeptic that's probably out there. Go ahead. Okay.
• 8:25
  I've tried that. It doesn't work. I can't stay in that space of not being anxious. When things happen, my body reacts. Yes. Because, like you said, there were three parts. Sometimes your body takes on. Sometimes I realize I've been so focused during the day, trying to kick out so much, my body responds when I slow down.
• 8:47
  it took on the stress. So I'm going to take you through these next steps. And I am going to tell you, I mean, it isn't like, whoo, tried this once and it was down. I mean, I start to think in my life, now my husband's extremely athletic. I was more the musical side. Thank God I had something there. I could sing and I could play a few instruments and those kind of things. So if there's something that I'm not really naturally good at, I have to practice. And even with all the vocal training that I had, I mean, if people laugh and they go, oh, did you always sing like this? I'm like, ha, ha.
• 9:16
  No, you should have heard that first. There was a lot of practice and a lot of voice lessons to help train that voice. Well, it's the same way with us. I can't just try it once. And it might be very challenging. Like the first time, you know, when I was learning to cook as a young girl, my mom was teaching me. And then.
• 9:34
  I remember learning to make some of my husband's favorite recipes that his mom made for him. And who, you know, that was a, that was a big deal. You know, I'm rolling out dough. I'm making cream gravy from scratch. You do all these different things. And I had to just pray in the spirit and say, Lord, help me to get this done. But now after nearly 18 years of marriage, I got it down. I don't even have to look at the recipe sometimes because it's become a part of me. It's who I am. So that's.
• 10:00
  and you're not you didn't give up you can't know I'm doing it it's the persistence yeah please don't give up so but let me show you so in says be anxious for nothing but in everything not just the ones you want to pick not just the ones I can't handle but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving
• 10:22
  Let your requests be made known to God. And then he says, And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind through Christ Jesus. Now I want to read it to you out of the Amplified. Do not fret.
• 10:37
  Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything by prayer and petition, what is that? That's a definite request with Thanksgiving. Thankful hearts key continue to make your wants known to God. So what he's saying is I'm not just leaving you alone. I'm telling you, I don't want you to take on this care. I don't want you to take on this anxiety, but,
• 11:02
  But I want you to bring everything to me, everything to me in prayer, a definite request. So he's not leaving you alone. So I'm going to bring it to him. And you're like, do I have to say it a certain way? Do I have to say God so loves you? He's going to take it and love that you are humbling yourself because that's really what that is. You're not looking to yourself. I'm looking to a greater source. And so I'm saying, God, I don't know how to do this by myself, but I'm going to bring this to you. And I'm going to ask you to help me with this because I want to live out your word.
• 11:32
  And I don't want to have this anxiety and I don't want to be filled with this fear, but I'm going to bring it to you. And then it says with Thanksgiving, when I make this request known, Lord, I thank you that I'm giving it to you. I thank you that you've heard me, whatever the situation you prayed over. He promises because his word is true and the word says it won't return void. Then the peace of God, not just man peace, not just emotional peace, the peace of God,
• 12:03
  It means we can't even describe it in natural words. That peace will guard my heart and guard my mind through Christ Jesus.
• 12:13
  So he has that peace for you. He has that peace for me. He has that peace for you, Cheryl, no matter the circumstance, when I bring it to him. Now, I think there's some real keys here, and we can go on. I'd like to hear your thoughts on that, of how we stay in that peace. And those next few verses tell us how to do that. I have the voice version. And a part of it, it says, don't be anxious about things. Instead, pray, pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests. So talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come.
• 12:43
  I love that, like today's language. I've talked to someone recently, and they said, I just didn't know how to pray. I'm like, we're complicating it. It's just like you and I are having a conversation. This is what it's like. So when we are praying, we are having a conversation with God. He wants to hear you. And that's the one thing I just want to tell you. You serve a loving, loving Father and a loving God.
• 13:09
  They are three parts. You're hearing us talk about that. I want to explain that. There's God the Father. He has his son, Jesus. And then there's the Holy Spirit. And when you accepted Christ as your Savior, the Spirit of God comes to dwell in you. He's the Spirit of truth. He's going to lead you into truth. It was Jesus that gave his life and shed his blood.
• 13:27
  to strive someone is back for your salvation, for your healing. And it's God, the father that so lovingly gave all of this to us by his son willingly coming. And so I want you to hear the spirit of God is in you. You become the temple of the Holy spirit. So he's going to help you with this. You know, I was, um, just before we go into that next verse, as a young woman, I was raised in a Christian home. My parents were first generation Christians.
• 13:52
  They really started to grow in the word and mom and dad really planted that word in me. But I was one of those. I probably looking back, probably had some life situations that maybe opened the door or that was, you know, passed on maybe a fear. And it was easier for me to be scared than it was to be calm. And so I had to learn.
• 14:14
  One, I can't let my emotions dictate what I'm going to do, especially as a Christian. And as I began to naturally grow and naturally, you know, then spiritually grow, I began to see how alive the word was and how when we truly take it, believe it and apply it, it will change you. That's that Romans 12, 1, 2. It transforms you. And that means a complete change in form and kind.
• 14:38
  So he implants his word within us. It changes us from the inside out. So you no longer think the way you used to think. You no longer then feel the way you do, because what you have to recognize is every thought is a seed.
• 14:54
  And it will produce after its own kind. So if you have a harvest of some things in your life and some emotions you don't want, let's uproot those. And then let's start to plant those right seeds. That's great. Very good. So the next part in verse eight, I'll first read it out of the New King James says, Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report. If there's any virtue of,
• 15:23
  If there's anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. Meditate on these things. And the Amplified says to fix your mind on these things or practice what you've learned. Practice what you've heard and received. Model your way of living after this. And so, again, it's a choice.
• 15:46
  But I use that and many times I had the privilege of teaching at Victory College for several years. And so on renewing the mind. So this was a key passage where I'd say, I really want you to become aware of what you're thinking, because if every thought is a seed, it produces after its own kind.
• 16:03
  My emotions, my feelings that I'm living today are in direct relation to the thoughts I've been having yesterday or the day before or the year before. So I'm living out what those thoughts are. Are they life giving? Are they fear filled? Is the anxiety I have just because now I've got a pattern of thinking that way. Right. And so here's a great thing. I always encourage people to write this out on a card, put it on your mirror, put it on your phone, whatever's needed. And become aware. How are you really thinking?
• 16:32
  So think about some of the thoughts you've had today. And I'm going to ask you, are they true? Were they noble? Just? Pure? Lovely? Were they have a good report? That one gets you a lot of times. Or a gossip report. And the speculation, the rumors. Yeah. Was there anything virtuous or praiseworthy in them?
• 16:56
  So if those don't fit in that box, then what I've got to do is replace it. And that's a real key part here. There's a part you play in this. So I just go, oh, I'm not going to think it. I'm not going to think it. The quickest way to stop a thought is to speak out loud. Speak out loud what God's word says. Speak out loud what the truth says. So if I'm not going to be filled with fear, hey, I'm going to go to 2 Timothy. God's not given me a spirit of fear. But I have a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.
• 17:25
  You're just like, you know, Debbie, I don't know if I can do that. Well, he also said, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And it does work. It works. And I was going to just have a note, though, too, is as you're hearing something, you might speculate how I've tried it.
• 17:42
  Sometimes we have to be more tenacious. I think we're in a season in our lives that it's like what you said. It's not just always a one time. Just because, you know, if I exercise today, next week I will not have the same. I will not have known that I worked out this week.
• 17:57
  It is a continuation and continual thing. So what is it that we would not think that the word of God, because it is alive, it's the same thing that we're trying to exercise. We're changing our patterns that you're talking about, changing the thought process, and we're moving it into his thought process. He's literally directing us how to have a thought process that will lead us into the peace he's trying to offer us.
• 18:20
  Everything we're thinking about or we took in and we read, maybe we need to stop and listen to something that has those negativities. Well, look at the effect that it has you. I mean, many times people will say, well, I saw this and I said, okay, so stop. I mean, just recently I was at a birthday party and I was talking with someone. I mean, I'm not going to say that.
• 18:36
  Let's be honest. There's a lot of stuff out there. Is it real news? Is it fake news? What's going on? And so they were talking about these shortages and these different things and all this race. They said, and I could tell, I mean, their, their voice was getting higher and they were, and they were also talking faster. And I just stopped and I said, okay, so tell me after you heard that, what did you feel? Did you sense the peace of God? And they're like, no. And I said, what was the spirit that was behind that? They said, fear.
• 19:04
  I go, and that's exactly what they wanted to loosen to you. When God gives you a direction, even a correction, he confirms it with peace. He doesn't scare you into obedience. So if something, you know, sometimes people are trying to go, I don't know if it's God or it's not. And I'm like, is it peace filled?
• 19:20
  Because even if it's a precise direction, he confirms his will, his word with peace. He's not going to scare you. He's not trying to, you know, scare you into doing something. And so you have to go back. So then I have to say, okay, it wasn't peaceful. It loosed fear in you. So.
• 19:39
  What are we going to do with that? Taking it back to taking responsibility. Then do I believe that over that? I believe that God will meet all of my needs according to my riches in Christ Jesus. And I began in that scenario. I began to take that young woman back. And I talked about, you know, Noah. And I said he made provision for his people.
• 19:58
  Even Sodom and Gomorrah, there was always this place where there was opportunity to bring out. He's not a God that's just going to wipe people out. You know, I mean, you've got to look at, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Yes. Do what he's telling you to do, but don't allow that spirit to overtake you. No matter what the scenario. Because you could follow it up with her is when you heard the news that's gloom and doom happening,
• 20:26
  Whether it's truth or not, we still don't know exactly. Yeah. But even if it triggers fear, the new norm is what you just shared here. Yeah. What do you do? You pray. Yeah. So you turn that where you, like you're saying, you're stopping it, but you also can pray, well, Father, I don't know if that's true, because I also know when we can read in the Word, even it says in the time of famine,
• 20:49
  that God's people would prosper. So worst case scenario, okay, there might be a shortage of something. However, my God supplies all of my needs according to my riches and glory. I'm still the righteousness of God in Christ. He's still my provider. He's still going to lead and he's going to guide me. But the difference is our hope and our faith is in him.
• 21:09
  Yes. And I'm going to tell you, I didn't just wake up one day and was like this. This has been years of allowing the word of God. You know, OK, well, wait a minute, Debbie, I don't have years. Well, let me just tell you, with the word of God, it doesn't take years. All it takes you making a choice to say, I'm going to live according to the word.
• 21:29
  And that's when that sweet Holy spirit who's in you anoints you and equips you to say, there's a desire. I mean, I remember years ago as the word of God, as I studied it or Robert university. And even when I went through Bible school at Raymond, this word, because it's alive, it just produces this excitement in this life in you. And I was like,
• 21:50
  I'm going to live this. I'm going to saturate myself with this word, and I'm going to allow it to change me. Because you spent that time in it. And let's be honest. If you're not in the word as often, we would say daily, but...
• 22:07
  I eat daily. Yeah, no kidding. We could probably do it a few times a day. More than one time a day. But I mean, that's the exercising. And here's your thing. It's about what are you going to do to change your thought process? Because she's given us life lessons right here.
• 22:23
  But it's about are you going to make a choice? And that means what do you sacrifice to get you into that place? What are you going to say no to to say yes to the truth of his word? That means I'm going to have to get up earlier or I'm going to have to turn off the TV. I'm going to have to say no to someone so I can spend time with the father because he wants to download these truths and get them in within us so that he can speak to us.
• 22:49
  Because that's one way he's speaking to us. Absolutely. Is this life getting worse? Yes. Yes. And you know, it takes really when you will humble yourself before God. And what does that mean? I'm just saying, God, I want your will for my life. I want to live this. I'm listening to these two ladies talk about you in such a personal way. And I'm hearing how the word is alive to them. Well, it's not to me. Well, then stop and ask him.
• 23:14
  Stop in first before you even open your Bible. Say, Lord, I'm going to activate my faith and I'm going to believe everything in here is true because you said it was. But Proverbs 4 says it's life, it's health to every part of our being. So, Lord, I believe when I'm going to read it today, it's going to produce that abundant life in me.
• 23:32
  And if there's symptoms in your body, I'm going to believe that as I read the word, it doesn't even have to be a healing scripture, that it's going to produce that life in me. And it's going to wash and water and change and Romans 12 to transform me so that I'll know what the good, the perfect, pleasing will of God is.
• 23:50
  When you know what that truth is, the word says, when that truth is acted upon, it sets you free. When all of a sudden you began to read, this is, God doesn't want me living under all these circumstances, under taking on all this care, you know, being so fretful that you're turning gray headed or your hair is falling out or, you know, all the different other physical symptoms that can come from stress and worry. If that's not what he intended, then I'm going to do everything in my natural being to submit my life to God and,
• 24:19
  So that he can anoint me that I can walk out what his word is. I want to be a living testimony to the goodness and the faithfulness of God. And so with that desire and you bring that to him, trust me, because he's so faithful. He is going to.
• 24:34
  eliminate by his spirit, enlighten this word, and you're going to fall so in love with it, you are not going to want to go a day without being in it and allowing it to change you, transform you, and give you that abundant peace. And it's so good. And if you don't understand a particular translation, she has given you multiple translations. But read it. And I like it, though, too. It helps me maybe understand even a particular verse and read it from multiple. What you're doing.
• 25:02
  And I think all those things together that you'll watch the transformation happen within you as you're consistently in the word and allowing. And then I like to remind myself before I start reading in the morning, like, Lord, this revealed to me the mysteries of your truth. Help me to understand. Be my teacher.
• 25:19
  And allow him to just teach you. Like he will, if we ask him, he said he would give to us generously. And I believe that he wants us to have an understanding of his word. Absolutely. If we're open to, like you said, being humble. Yeah. You know, because I think there's some, sometimes there's some beliefs that we have. And I, my husband and I both have, I've had family in our life that, you know, worry has been a big part of their life, but I think they misunderstood worry as a love.
• 25:47
  I really care. So I'm really worried. Or I'm so concerned. So I need to tell you, well, that borderline is gossip. And are you really concerned? Because if you're really concerned, I'm not going to be able to change it. But God can. So let me take it to the source. And so I think sometimes we can misinterpret or we can just say, well, you know, God really sees and knows my heart. I'm really trying.
• 26:08
  And I'm like, yeah, he really does see your heart probably more than you do. And the truth is he's given you truth to say, hey, let me help you with this. Let me help you because I don't want you to be full of the world's care. I want you to have his abundant peace. So the scripture goes on and on in this. We can also look. There's another passage I want us to turn to in first Peter. New King James says it this way. Casting all your care. All your care.
• 26:37
  anxiety, your worry, your fears upon him, for he cares for you. From the very get go, he's saying, I don't want you to carry this. I don't want you to be full of care. I want you to give all these things to me. Amplified says casting the whole of your care, all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns. Okay, wait a minute. All your concerns. All your concerns.
• 27:01
  Wow. All your concerns. Any little tiny thing. Will I have enough money for the end of the month? Will this happen? What about this? I've got some lab work. What if this comes out? You know, the enemy is great at giving you a symptom and then,
• 27:18
  And your brain just goes everywhere, right? Isn't it amazing? Your brain just had a story, like a movie, like, pew, and you're up to the verse. I'm gone. I'm in eternity. I mean, I just want you to hear it's not just you. I mean, you know, and the more mature you get, you know. Yeah, he really wants to bombard you. And I want you to see it's from the, it can be really something that's not even reality. You know? I mean, I think back...
• 27:46
  because I've had some loved ones that are in heaven and there was some, you know, obviously medical things that were going on in their life. The enemy tried to plant that same seed. You know, my, um, I had a dear friend from college who ended up being a part of our family, um, who went to be with the Lord at age 28. And through that difficult situation, you know, the enemy tried, there was an open door there. He really tried to plant that fear. Hey, I did it to her. I can do this to you.
• 28:16
  I had to, like I'm telling you,
• 28:19
  take those thoughts captive. We read that in the word, but what does that mean? That means I'm going to not think on this thought and I'm going to replace it. I'm not just going to say, I'm not going to think it. I'm not going to think it. But now I replace it. Like I said, quickest way to stop the thoughts with words. I'm going to speak out what that truth is. But I had to combat it. I had to come against it with what God's truth is. That's the real truth. And I want to tell you, that didn't just end. That was several years ago. You know, no matter what it is,
• 28:48
  You know, there was medical tests, you know, that you're having to take. And then all of a sudden, you know, certain ages, they want you to do this test. Certain ages, you get this test. And all of a sudden, your mind could go. And you have to wait a long time. It's always like it's an abnormal test. And guess what? We're going to make you wait for a week or two. I'm like, what? Yeah. So your brain thinks everything. Yeah. We've all been in there going, I just went for a regular whatever. And now I'm going. Yeah.
• 29:13
  Okay, so see, I want you to say there was all of this emotion that came up, but what did I have to do in the middle of it? What did you have to do or anyone else? I have to take those thoughts captive. I have to go back to, you know what? What if there was that symptom there? What if there was that natural diagnosis? His word still says, by the stripes of Jesus, I've been healed. I thank God for doctors, medical doctors, and I know that he says be anxious for...
• 29:39
  Nothing. So even in that, he doesn't want me to take on anxiety and fear, but I'm going to go back to the source and he's healed me all these other times. He's going to heal me this one. So you remember, you just have to, you know, bottom line to it. You know, don't allow the enemy to torment you.
• 29:57
  And to go worst case scenario. Well, devil, I am already a believer. I know where I'm going. So you can't skimmy with heaven, right? I don't want to go early. I'm going to believe to stay here, but I'm not going to allow you to destroy my life, my peace, my season right here with the what ifs. Exactly. The negative what ifs. So let's take the, because you can just as much choose the positive what ifs. Yeah, that's true. And sometimes we want, we're not saying be so positive.
• 30:27
  that it's fake too. Because, I mean, you know, I know I've heard condemnation of some things where they're like, oh, you're declaring, don't give it way to certain things. I'm like, okay, there's a reality. We need to know what truth is. I don't deny what's there. Right, so it's knowing what our health journey is. But what does God say to that, what you're walking through? So whatever our health is, our issues are, ask God. There was a time when I actually had an abnormality in my body and I wasn't feeling good.
• 30:55
  And I'm like, it went south fast. And I'm like, okay. All I knew, I didn't pray for scripture of healing. I just felt, I'm supposed to say, I trust you, God.
• 31:06
  And that's all I knew in my spirit. And I was in pain and I couldn't move without pain. And it was, I trust you. And that is where God is wanting. He'll take you to places when you say, I trust you, because his heart is, then he wants to give to us. So I began to put Oral Roberts and teaching tapes in my ears and started listening to that when I'd go for a walk.
• 31:31
  I just heard the word and it had nothing to do with anything about healing, but I just had the word going in my spirit. And when fear was trying to take a hook, I'm like, oh, this is going to be just like your mother. You've got 14 years and you're boom in the grave. Right? I mean, you know, so what did I, I did exactly what you said. I said, I trust you, God. And that was my prayer. That was it. That's good. And over time, they're God. And then my doctor will testify that, yes, I did get healed.
• 32:02
  But I never prayed for the healing. He told me to trust him. So it's about taking those crazy thoughts and we were like, man, I had an incredible funeral too. It was just amazing.
• 32:14
  So I hope what you see is we're just as normal as you are. And we have feelings and thoughts like you and the enemy. So, you know, Dad Hagen used to say it this way. You can't keep a bird from flying over your head, but you can keep it from building a nest in your hair. So the thing is, those thoughts may try to come, but I have a choice whether I'm going to let them stay, think on them, meditate on them, and allow them to grow.
• 32:42
  OK, because that thought's a seed and it's going to produce after its own kind. So that's the letting it build the nest. I'm not going to let it do that. I'm going to make sure. Is it true? Is it just? Is it pure? Is it noble? If they're not those, I'm not going to think on those. And I'm going to allow I'm going to trust God. I'm going to trust him and his word. And I'm going to allow that word to produce that life in me.
• 33:03
  You know, and it's just so good. I mean, I pray if anything that you become more in love with him and more in love with this word and allow his word to bring you that life and that peace and that joy. Because he never intended for any of us to live under the circumstances. And that's even in the last days.
• 33:22
  Hey, what am I saying? I really believe we're in the last of the last days. What does that mean? I believe that our generation could very well see the coming of Christ. I'd love that. I think that would be awesome to go in the rapture. If it's longer than that, I'm still going to be diligent doing what he's called me to do. But I'm not going to live in fear. I choose to not live in fear. Amen. I would love for you just to recap and just highlight what you wanted to share to our listeners. Yes. Where we're at at this point.
• 33:51
  So bottom line, I pray that you realize God really loves you and he doesn't want you to be full of fear or anxiety. And he sent his word to bring that life to you. We looked at some key scriptures in John chapter 14, verse 27. You can go back and meditate on Philippians chapter four, verses six through nine.
• 34:10
  He doesn't want you to be anxious for nothing. That means no matter what, don't take on that care or anxiety or that fear. But he says through prayer supplication with Thanksgiving, bring your request, bring that specific request in prayer to him. And with Thanksgiving, then his peace that passes all understanding is going to mount guard.
• 34:32
  It's going to protect from the stuff coming in, even you going out. But he's going to mount guard against your heart and your mind and allow that peace to truly fill every part of your being. No matter what you're facing, he's bigger than that. And he's here for you. He's never going to leave you. He's never going to forsake you. And then go on and meditate on verses eight and nine.
• 34:55
  that if it's true or just let that be your little point of, okay, am I thinking the right thing? Let me look. Okay. Don't need to think that thought. Now I'm going to replace it with a great thought and watch and see what this incorruptible, alive word of God,
• 35:11
  will do in you the change that it can bring because it can completely transform you. And it does it from the inside out. And all of a sudden you're going to be thinking different. You're going to be seeing the world different. You're going to be seeing your life different. And it's all because you made the choice to allow the word of God to reign first in your life.
• 35:30
  That's wonderful, Debbie. I appreciate all. It's fun to hear because it is life-giving, and it oozes out of you. And we will continue this because there's much more she wants to share in the Word, not only about anxiety, but some other topics as well. So stay connected with us. If you haven't subscribed, please do so. Connect with us at iRefresh.net. We want to pray for you. If you will, let us hear from you soon. Until then, have a blessed day.