A Refuge For The Anxious

I love the worship of God's people in singing. It's always encouraging, is it not? Before we look into God's Word, let's pray. God of Heaven, we come to you, the Lord of hosts, Almighty God, and ask you to work in our hearts. Lord we're not here just to read a text of scripture and then give some kind of a speech about it we're here Father to listen to your word as it addresses our hearts as it addresses our lives, as it addresses the circumstances in which we live give us hearts right now that are willing to hear you and find hope in you knowing that you are our mighty Father.

Give us ears to hear now, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Anxiety, worry, panic. Have you ever experienced anxiety? And don't bother to deny it right now, because as one of the shepherds in this flock, I've mingled with the sheep and I know for a fact that there are many many many more than I would like to admit many of you in this congregation who struggle with anxiety I know you do so let's not deny it let's deal with it in the Sundays allotted for me to preach we're going to tackle this issue of anxiety.

I have a very, very personal interest in this because at one time I was captivated, captured, a prisoner of anxiety. And God in His Word worked in my heart and gave me great grace. And so I always have a personal stake in this. I love to preach about this because I know what it is and what it can do. anxiety means you're afraid, but it has so many reasons for fear, it's hard to locate a specific issue.

You have no idea where to start. The basic theme is the same, danger, threats, something foreboding that demands action. So you pace, your mind flits from one thought to another. You feel like you're going to jump out of your skin, and sometimes you feel like you're going to scream. Some of us are subject to panic attacks. Some are intense and sudden, shortness of breath, chest pains, rapid heartbeat, dizziness.

Some are quieter, numb fingers and toes, chest tightness, restlessness, irritability. I remember the first time I ever had a panic attack It was bizarre I can't even put it into words It was like hitting a wall It was crazy Some identify the problem as stress Stress usually has the circumstances of life in view You feel stress when you bear responsibility For things that are challenging for things very important to you or for things that are just too numerous and you're overwhelmed. The threat is that you could fail.

You could disappoint others and that strikes fear in you. It produces anxiety. So where do we start on this whole issue? In the Sundays that I have to talk to you about this, where are we going to start? Let's start with our goal. Our goal is wisdom or skill in living.

Fear and anxiety demand immediate relief. But wisdom lays out a path to take changes every step of the way. That means we're not talking about spiritual growth, not magic bullets. or as one dear pastor who was one of my teachers put it, the Bible doesn't give us any magic whiffle dust. Here it is. And you don't have to worry. I wish I had a box of that.

For when people came into my office struggling with anxiety, I could just reach in my drawer, take it out and go poof. No more anxiety. If that's what you're looking for, that's not what happens. We're talking about spiritual growth, maturing. learning, growing, growing in wisdom as you take steps of growth, as you battle this, what I would call, you know what I call worry and anxiety?

Practical atheism. We believe that God is there to help us. We believe he's all powerful. But in our moments of anxiety, we forget all about that. Practical atheism. Practical atheism is conquered, not by a magic bullet, but by carefully taking steps of growth.

Now, I can tell you this, it's not going to take forever, but it means you have to take those steps of growth as you work through your Christian life. And little by little, sometimes great steps, sometimes a little not as great, but you conquer anxiety as you grow in the word of God and as the spirit works through that word. How will we achieve that spiritual growth that leads to the wisdom that quells, that conquers fear and anxiety?

Let me remind you of the words from 2 Peter chapter 1 verses 3 through 4. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises so that through them we may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. we will have the power to deal with anxiety as we engage with God in Christ he's given us all things that we need through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and grace or to his own glory and grace we deal with that as we grow in our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ as you get to know him more you take steps that will deal with that anxiety we must have faith to grasp the promises we have in Christ that we escape the corruption of sin that is in the world that's what he says here in that power he's granted us promises great promises that through them we may become partakers or become in fellowship with the divine nature so as we as we believe the promises of God have you ever thought about that you know we talk a lot here about spiritual growth. We talk a lot about progressive sanctification here.

Many of you know that. You've been here for a while, you know that's a major theme running through the preaching of the word here. But also understand this, that that happens as we believe promises, not just kill sin, not just put off and put on, but as we also put on faith in the promises of God. If you want to conquer sin, start believing the promises of God.

That's what we're going to talk about as we engage in this topic. Now I want to begin this morning by laying a foundation for our studies, the foundation of God himself. This morning I want you to turn to that familiar psalm, Psalm 46. Psalm 46. We just sang a song. A mighty fortress is our God that is entirely based on this song.

Martin Luther, reading this psalm, wrote that song. Let's hear it together. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.

God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter. He utters his voice. The earth melts.

The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Come behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes war cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear. He burns the chariots with fire.

Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Well, what does this psalm tell us?

First of all, it says this to us. We have much to fear. We have much to fear. Do you see what the psalmist says about the troubles that we face? He says, your troubles seem like cosmic destruction. Is that not true?

Your troubles seem like cosmic destruction. Verses 2 and 3, therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Imagine standing on your porch, the porch of your cabin, in the Rocky Mountains. The most secure place in the world, right?

You're on your front porch, you're enjoying the sunshine, you're drinking your cup of coffee, and all of a sudden the mountains start to shake. And then they drop away. And here you are on your front porch with a hole that you can't even see to the bottom of. The mountains are gone. It's almost beyond comprehension, but that's what he's describing. Suddenly the earth starts quaking and trembling and your entire front yard just drops out of sight.

Nothing remains but that bottomless hole. The mountains around you start sliding away. The snow-capped peaks begin to disappear as they slide off. And it slides into the ocean. The rest of the continent has disappeared. And so these rocky mountain peaks crash into the sea with a great roar and the waves foaming.

Your troubles are not small things, are they? your troubles are like an attacking army laying siege against you he mentions that in verse six the nation's rage the kingdom's totter he utters his voice the earth melts the nation's rage he says your troubles are like an attacking army laying siege against you you now think of yourself as the psalmist does in a walled city when you when you look back at ancient history they they were in walled cities, right? This was their defense. This is where they took refuge.

They were in these cities with walls around them. And the nation's armies rage outside the city walls as they lay siege to you, seeking to starve you out. That's what a siege does. It starves you into submission as they keep water, as they keep food from entering. They're battering the gates with their battering rams their hurling fire over the walls Guess what Your troubles seem dangerous to you don they Your troubles are like the weapons of war arrayed against you Verse 9 he mentions these weapons He talks about the bow and the spear and the chariots and mentions all those things.

Your troubles don't seem mere irritants to you, do they? That's how our troubles feel. Just all these descriptive phrases. They're not small. They're dangerous. And they go beyond mere irritants.

I mean, do you not feel that way? When you're in the midst of anxiety, do you not feel that way about the troubles that surround you, about the things that you're worried about? Does it not seem like it's described here? Someone else looks at you and wonders, what in the world is your problem? now those of you those of you who are worriers right um or those of you who are not worriers you don't get it okay you know you you deal with other sins you got your problems that i will look at you and say i don't get it you look at some of us who are worriers and you say i don't get it what are you what's wrong with you but to you the world is crumbling around you isn't it To you, you're losing the battle for calmness and tranquility.

You don't know how people aren't worrying. Now frankly, the psalmist recognizes that we have much to fear. We do have much to fear. You face a chronic illness. You're never free of pain. You're always feeling bad.

You're always feeling off. or maybe it's something acute. Chemo is on the horizon for you, right? Strife and violence convulse our nation and we wonder if this means the end of freedom and stability and the beginning of chaos. And let's not forget the everyday anxieties that plague us, the safety of our children, the loss of our reputation, the right decisions that might make life harder for us, making ends meet, having to confront someone about their sin, all the responsibilities that seem to overwhelm us, the unpleasant meeting tomorrow, and on it goes.

There's so much out there. They beat against the gate. They look like the mountains crumbling into the sea. They seem dangerous and destructive. Isn't that how you feel? Isn't that how it is?

But the answer is not to quell the troubles, to rid ourselves of the illnesses and the violence and the everyday responsibilities that produce fear and anxiety? The answer is not to get rid of them. And by the way, those who struggle with worry, that's where you're putting your hope. You're putting your hope in. If it could just be different, I wouldn't worry anymore.

If this wasn't happening, I'd be happy, right? The answer does not involve the sudden disappearance of all our troubles. With the result and elimination of anxiety, The answer is finding refuge in God. That's the answer. God is our refuge when we have much to fear. What is a refuge?

It's anything or anyone who promises to shield or protect you from harm. That's a refuge. And we take refuge in many things. Lying. we'll lie to get out of trouble. We'll put our hope in people, sometimes money, sometimes revenge, even worry. Worry can be a refuge.

You know how? If I think about that anticipated event enough, I will find a surefire way to protect myself when the trouble arrives. activity, busyness, just distract myself from all the worry. Food. Some people find refuge in food. They get worried, they start eating. Entertainment.

I won't worry, I'll just take my mind off of it by binging all night long on a Netflix program. right? There's all kinds of refuges that we produce, that we construct. But he says here, God is your refuge. God is the one who promises to protect you from harm. Verse one, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. God is our refuge.

He is your refuge because of his strength. Notice that. God is our refuge and our strength. Who can hold back the arm of God? A Hurricane Katrina is nothing more than a puff of wind, a gentle breeze, compared to the might of God. Look at whatever troubles you and ask, can God deal with this if he wants to?

Could he eliminate it if he wanted to? Can anybody hold back his hand from accomplishing his purposes? Notice as well, he is a very present help. He is with you. He is near you. God comes close to you in all of the troubles that surround you.

Does it seem in your troubles that God is far away? Is that what you feel like? but he's not. He's close. And how do we know that? How is that guaranteed? Because he gave his son who is called what Emmanuel God with us Do you realize you can get any closer to God came and became part of humanity.

Jesus took upon himself all, except for sin, all that it means to be human. Yeah, he's very present. You know what? God knows exactly how you feel. There's many times where I've sat with folks and trying to help them, and this is something I will never say. I know how you feel.

Why? Because every man, as the proverb says, every man knows his own troubles. Right? But I know someone who does know exactly how you feel. He does know exactly how you feel. in all of the happenings of life there is one who knows exactly what you're going through but he was never anxious he is the one that is with us now here's the question and I ask this question because I'm really sensitive about this when I was a young person growing up I would hear people say take refuge in God and I'd say yes and they never told me how.

So, how do you take refuge in God? Taking refuge by faith in Jesus and what He has done. That's where you begin. You take refuge by faith in Jesus and what He has done. Have you ever thought of this? You must find refuge from God in God.

Refuge from God in His holiness and His righteousness and His wrath against sinners and sin. How do I find refuge from that? I will not be able to present a case to God. I'm doomed. How do I find refuge from God? I find refuge in God.

In the Lord Jesus Christ. Who gave Himself for our sins so that we would be clothed in His righteousness. That's where taking refuge begins. And what flows from that is this. God, in Christ, God is always for you, always for you, and never against you. So when the troubles are beating on the gates of the city, you need to remember.

This is happening, but God is not against me. God will never be against me in Christ. God is always for me. Do you take refuge by faith in Jesus? Here's another way you take refuge. Get to know God.

Knowing God. Are the walls strong enough in this refuge? Does he understand my enemies and what they can do? Is he good? Or will he hang me out to dry? What do you think? you got to know God you got to engage with God you engage him in his word you engage him as you pray you engage him as you hear the word of God preached no God I can't tell you how much of a difference that has made in my life right does God love me Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens.

Your faithfulness to the clouds. Is that going to help? When trouble is banging at the wall of the city, what do I need to know? That God loves me. He's not going to hang me out to dry. he actually because of Jesus loves me how else do you take refuge you trust this God and believe his promises here's one right here do you believe he's here do you believe that God is a very present help in trouble when you feel like God's far away?

When you feel like God's far away, are you going to believe that He's near? You've got to believe the promises of God, regardless of your feelings. You say, I know what my feelings are saying, but God has said this, and I must believe it. I must believe it. You've got to believe the promises of God. Find them.

Mind the scriptures for them. Memorize them. But know the promises of God. To me, the bedrock promise of all. This is just me. You may have others, but this is just me.

Right? God is working in everything good. For those who love God, he's working everything for good. One of the things that has helped me is to say, I know this is coming. To me, it was always anticipating something that was coming. And if that is worse than I anticipate, right, if that's worse than I anticipate, I still know that God is going to use that to work something in me, to make me a better pastor, to make me a better dad, a better husband, a better son of God.

He's working it in some way to make me like Christ. So no matter how bad it is that I'm looking at, I know that God's working for good. That's my foundation. There's tons of other promises. Here's one right here. He's a very present help in trouble.

When your feelings say God is far, you've got to believe what God says. You've got to believe what God says. Now notice the vantage point. From inside the walls of this refuge, you can look out on these cosmic catastrophes and have no fear of what they can do to you. If you take refuge in God. So God is our refuge when we have much to fear. we remain secure when we have much to fear verses four through seven notice what he says there is a river whose stream make glad the city of god the holy habitation of the most high god is in the midst of her she shall not be moved god will help her when morning draws the nation's rage the kingdom's totter he utters his voice the earth melts the lord of hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our fortress the scene changes from cosmic destruction to the besieging of a city only this city is the city of God this is Zion she is surrounded by enemy forces attempting to overcome her defenses these forces seek to starve out the inhabitants by keeping supplies of food and water from entering but what do you see but the city verse 5 shall not be moved that's the Same word that's used about the mountains moving.

Right? This city will not be moved. Mountains may slip into the sea, but God's dwelling place will always remain secure. Again, do you believe that? That's where it has to start. You must believe that.

To take refuge in God is to be in the city of God, the most secure dwelling place. you find security because God dwells there God dwells there verses four and five you find security because God dwells there God is close God is near can I point out something here as we progress through this verse one God is our refuge and strength the very present help in trouble verse 7 the Lord of hosts is what with us okay God of Jacob is our fortress you find security because God is close he is near he dwells in this city you find security because God provides sustenance and refreshment look at the river flows through the city of God The troubles will not drain you. You find refreshment. You find refreshment and help in your troubles as God reveals Himself in His Word.

I would challenge you, start reading the Bible, not just, oh, I've got to read my Bible, but read it and say to yourself, there's something here. God is here. God inhabits His Word. And when I read His Word, I'm going to engage with the living God. He will speak to me through the text of Scripture. If you want refreshment, engage the Word of God and you will find that God reveals Himself to you.

What's amazing to me is that through the written Word of God, I draw close to God. He becomes real to me. It's a relationship that comes from the very text of Scripture. This is a book like none other. I engage God as I read it and say, what are you saying to me here? You find refreshment and help in your troubles as God reveals not just himself, but his promises in his word.

Look for the promises. What can I make my hopes on? You find refreshment and help in your troubles as you fellowship with God's people. Can I tell you something? You will lose the battle if you do not make a habit of fellowship with God's people. You know how much, you know how much of a help it is when, and you know what I could say to folks, hey you know what, I know what you're going through.

I understand that to a certain degree right I a veteran of the worry wars I used to be there I used to be a prisoner Let me show you what God used to help me Right You fellowship with God's people and you draw encouragement. You find security because God deals with your enemies. Notice what he does. He destroys the weapons. He burns the chariots. All those things happen.

You're in a besieged city surrounded by all your enemies, all your troubles. It's the last watch of the night. It all seems lost. Notice and at the dawn verse 6 and verse 5 God will help her when morning dawns. At the dawn your enemies surge toward the city but collapse before the gate as God's voice rings out. You can conquer your anxiety as you believe that God is the God who will bring an end to all those troubles.

He will bring an end to them. I remember my friend Greg Cook. Greg was in our very first counseling class at Clear Creek when we taught. And Greg became the one who led the counseling ministry at Clear Creek Chapel down in Dayton. I got to be real good friends with Greg. He was a dear friend.

And one time they were on a trip and something happened. He had some kind of a seizure and that affected his brain. And he seemed to make some progress, but slowly but surely. he was a musician but after a bit he told me this he said I can't read music it just jumbles on the page I don't know what to do with it anymore I mean can you imagine that being the lead musician in the church and then not being able at all to read music and slowly but surely he went deeper and deeper and deeper not remembering things and so forth and one time he said you know it's just one of those there's no light at the end of the tunnel.

There's no light at the end of the tunnel. There's no way I'm going to get out of this. I'm just going to keep going. He knew that. But you know what? There is light at the end of the tunnel, and that light is glory.

That light is glory. You can conquer anxiety when you know that God is the God who will bring an end to all those troubles. Maybe not in this lifetime, but you know there's coming a day in glory when there will be nothing to trouble you. Have you ever thought that thought? Have you ever thought that thought? Have you ever tried to imagine what life is going to be like in glory?

It blows my mind. I can't imagine a life with no troubles at all. None. They're all gone. A perfect environment. Everything operating the way it should. but you see you can conquer when you believe that God's the one who's going to destroy all those troubles look again at this God in verse 7 the Lord of hosts the Lord of hosts by the way okay footnote not in my notes you always wonder why we sing in a mighty fortress is our God when we say Lord Sabaoth.

Right? Have you ever wondered what that is? That's the Hebrew word for mighty. Lord Almighty. Or, as often translated, Lord of hosts. In other words, Lord of these armies.

Speaking of his might. That's what Sabaoth means. So whenever we sing this song again, you know what we're saying. Right? Lord Almighty, the Lord of the heavenly armies. He's the Lord of hosts, powerful beyond imagination.

He is the God of Jacob. He has covenanted in Jesus to be our God, and he will use his armies on our behalf. Again, he is with us. God comes close to us. Last thing I want you to notice, that God will be exalted when we have much to fear. God will be exalted when we have much to fear.

Verses 8 through 11. Come behold the works of the Lord how he has brought desolations on the earth He makes wars cease to the end of the earth He breaks the bow and shatters the spear He burns the chariots with fire Be still. There's something. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.

The Lord of hosts, note again, what? is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what God has done and will do. He talks about the works of the Lord. Ed Welch has written, now look around, says the psalmist, the empires that once brought terror are rubble. The injustices of those that take their place will not stand before his power and justice.

You don't refuge in the midst of fearful and anxious things, then look at what God has done. Look at how he delivered you from the captivity of sin and gave you a new life. Some of you need to look back and say, do you remember what I was like before and how he has transformed me? There's no other explanation that God is powerful. Look at his history recorded in the scripture of how he delivered his people.

Levi read to us God challenging his people saying, go in and take the land. By the way, do you remember what I did for you? I brought the plagues on Egypt. I brought all these plagues on Egypt. I delivered you through mighty works. Why do you think you're not going to conquer these people?

I'm telling you, you're going to get it done. Look at what I've done in the past. Not just his might, but his grace as he fed them in the wilderness. He took care of them. Look at what God has done. He delivered them from Egypt.

He vanquished their enemies and the judges. He destroyed the Assyrians and the Babylonians. He helped them even as they went into exile and he returned them home. Look at what God has done. And I would say this to you, and you've heard me say this a thousand times because it really helped me. Look at God's history with you.

Look at God's history with you. what has he done in your life can you look over the stretch of your life as a christian and see all the things that god has done in my worry days i would be so terrified okay this is going to happen i know it's going to happen it's going to go bad and most of the time you know what i found out it wasn't as bad as i thought i can look back at a whole history of god within my life where, wow, I was worried for nothing. But you know what? Sometimes it was worse than I'd anticipated.

Right? Well, I can look back at that as well and say, wow, that really turned out bad. But look at where I am now because of that. Look back at the history of God working in your own life. And then verse 9, God will speak someday and all that troubles will be gone in judgment and forcible disarmament. He's going to deal with all of it.

Look to the works that God will do as well. You know what's helped me so much in my years? And I can remember when God forcefully brought this home to me. It's found in 2 Corinthians chapter 4. 2 Corinthians 4 is what I call the do not lose heart chapter where God says do not lose heart and he ends it in these three verses 2 Corinthians 4 16 through 18 so we do not lose heart though our outer self is wasting away our inner self is being renewed day by day for this and I can't get over this phrase a guy who's been beaten and shipwrecked and and mauled and abused.

What does he say? For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen For the things that are seen are transient but the things that are unseen are eternal You want help Then look at what God will do You know you can look at your troubles right now and say, when I get to glory, I'll see two things. How those troubles worked in my life, and frankly, compared to glory, they're light and momentary.

Oh man, that has helped me so much. Looking at what God will do. You can handle today's trouble with that promise in mind. Verse 10, God will be exalted. To our enemies, God says, be still. cease your useless warfare and know that I am God God will be exalted notice the end in view is not stated in terms of your deliverance but it's stated in terms of God's glory but that is our longing and that is our deliverance to exalt God that is our deliverance where do you see God exalted? can I suggest you two?

Two places. In the humiliation of the cross, when trouble seemed to defeat God, seemed to defeat Jesus. In the humiliation of the cross, God was exalted because at that moment of defeat, sin and the powers of darkness were actually defeated. And then there's the resurrection of Jesus. There's hope. There's resurrection. how can this be you ask verse 11 we hear the refrain again the lord of hosts is with us the god of jacob is our fortress god will exalt himself because he is powerful he has covenant to be our god again i love what ed welch says here there is a repeated refrain in the psalm where God is identified as the God of Jacob a perfect choice Jacob preferred to respond to hard times with clever manipulation yet he was allowed to see God if God comes close to Jacob you can be sure he'll come close to you once more you see that God comes close to you he is with us he is our fortress and so we want to begin this journey of wisdom the wisdom God will provide to deal with our fears and our anxieties and the first step is to know God the first step is to know God the one who comes close.

You may think that promise is too much and under delivers. Yes, you believe in the ultimate end to the threats of life. You believe in that final peace when we are with Jesus and he reigns over a perfect world. But what about today? Well, the psalmist is not naive to the troubles of life and the tragedies of life. He wants us to walk with our eyes wide open.

He wants us to see that the Lord of hosts, God, is yet our fortress. And so we must walk with God and to learn how he becomes our fortress in the midst of all our troubles. Thank you, Father, for your marvelous word that speaks to us. Lord, this book is unlike any other. It's a book that understands us. We pray, Lord, that this week your people would take hold of this truth. they would exalt you in their lives and they would find help in their troubles help them this week to begin a journey that will help them to know you better thank you for your word thank you for the lord jesus who guarantees everything in this word thank you for the holy spirit who works these things in our lives and we'll thank you forever in jesus name amen Thank you.