Anxiety attacks on Christians.

Greetings brethren from Florida. I'm sorry that this is my first post but I came on here seeking help. I hear only great things about this website and I've been a spectator long enough but now I have a question.

Has anybody on here suffered or know somebody close who is a believer but lives under the weight of anxiety/panic attacks. This is new to me and I don't know how to handle it.

Every time I google it, the scripture says "don't worry or be anxious about anything"...but is it that easy?

Thank you my family.

Very good advice in your post brother Greg!

Here are a few scriptures to read.

Psalms 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalms 55:4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

Psalms 55:5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

1 Samuel 21:10 And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

1 Samuel 21:12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

2 Chronicles 20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

2 Corinthians 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

2 Corinthians 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

2 Corinthians 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

2 Corinthians 7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.

2 Corinthians 7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

Psalms 118:13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.

1 Samuel 21:12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

2 Chronicles 20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

Ezra 3:3 And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.

Nehemiah 6:9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

Psalms 9:2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

Psalms 27:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalms 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

Psalms 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Psalms 31:13 For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

Psalms 31:14 But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.

Psalms 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalms 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Psalms 64:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

Psalms 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Jeremiah 18:19 Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

2 Corinthians 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Blessings...from brother rbanks

I use to get panic attacks and have various phobias.
I have been freed from them all, and wholeheartedly agree with brother Greg and the previous posts.
If you think that repeating bible verses doesn't help, don't lose heart. Remember who God is and that His word is truth whether you "feel" it or not.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Montecarlo77 has raised a topic that I think many can relate to on various levels. I've been very blessed personally by the members responding here, both by your hearts, and your intelligence.

In a time of great prolonged stress, I developed a habit of keeping the bible, and some trustworthy devotional next to my bed at night...just to be able to lay hold of the assurances of Christ at any hour. And the books themselves were a comfort. Some might think it is childish, but I found that my bible became a precious physical reminder of the promises contined therein, giving my mind and hands something tangible to hold. In my own desperate season it was at night when I was tempted to feel most alone...and I found that then my fears seemed more real. What a wonderful device to be able to grab hold of my bible, turn through its worn pages, read familiar passages, and once again draw close to the Lord.

Blessings,

MC

Hi MonteCarlo,

I don't have anxiety attacks but my personality is such that i can get rrrrrrrreally worked up about things on occasion. I also have a delayed reaction to events(a longtime survival response), not experiencing any emotions until i am removed from the area or the event is over and when i am all alone then all the emotions i never knew i had come flooding in and overtake me. I think the devil may know this and take advantage. I think of one such event in which i never felt any anger or upset until i got home and then i was bouncing off the walls and even Valium could not calm me down for 2 whole days; it had no effect whatsoever. And all that had happened was that someone had fluffed my feathers by abusing his authority and making me feel unsafe. Throughout my life i have had problems feeling unsafe and even into my 20s i spent my life walking around on eggs shells around everyone due to abuse and continual revictimization. I did not begin to become a Christian until i was 24 and i was a messy baby with a lot of things to work thru.

I think the thing with anxiety is one either gets too worked up to pray about what is bothering them OR they pray but they are so anxious they have no faith; the prayers do not get answered due to lack of faith while praying. I know that in the example i gave above i could not even think to pray cuz i was so worked up. I had also not been praying much prior to the incident because i was regularly exhausted from lack of sleep and completely worn out...so my prayerlife was
gasping for air.

One thing i highly recommend in dealing with any anxiety you may have is to get a good large radio of some kind and keep CHristian radio on at all hours of the day if necessary; keep the praise music playing. It will help to calm your nerves even if only a little.

Hi Brother,

I too have had this same issue and thank God for the link that Greg already provided you. Here is another link as well, it's with Dr. Michael Brown and Cr. Howie Morgan, I was at the same point that Dr. Howie talks about in the interview and the Lord was very merciful to me and put this in my path on the VERY DAY that I needed to hear it.

In my office I have sticky notes all over the place, I have one on my alarm clock so that when I wake in the morning I see it, on this is the phrase that Dr. Howie talks about in the interview "Expose the lie, and the fear will die..."

Deliverance for Crippling Fear

http://www.lineoffireradio.com/2012/03/06/dr-brown-interviews-dr-howie-morgan/

Fear was such a part of my everyday life that I didn't even know that it was there, it was like the default setting in my brain. Thankfully the Lord shined His light out of love for me, I'm so thankful.

I know exactly where you're coming from brother. I never knew the devastating effects of depression until I experienced it first hand. An easy answer would be to pray and study Scripture. However, when you feel like you're at the bottom of a sea of anxiety, that's often easier said than done. The toughest thing for me to fight was the seeming absense of the presence of God from my life. I think that was probably Job's toughest fight as well. He lost everything he had, but when He looked right and left for his one Comfort, He was nowhere to be found. Yet Job determined, "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Hold on brother, and pray through your pain. God always makes available a way of escape. In the mean-time, many have given good advice. Saturate yourself with Scripture. Put your hands to work in serving God and others. It also might help to find a person of God that you trust and confide in him. It's hard to make it through these struggles alone.

Thank you for all the comments here. The enemy is able to get to me quite often in the nighttime hours when my prodigals are doing their nighttime folly. The Christian walk is a continual battle and sanctification process until we see the Lord face to face. I HAVE had victory when speaking some of the verses mentioned OUT LOUD...Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world...

Just wanted to say a big thank your for all those who posted. Things are getting better. I even printed out all those verses and read them out loud from time to time.

I didn't realize how much your emotions/thoughts can effect you physically. I have to learn how to control my thinking so I don't fear so much.

But seriously, thanks guys. I love this website because it only points you to the cross.