When I began having panic attacks back in 1988, I never dreamed I would be traveling all over and ministering to people about anxiety and fear. But literally, what the enemy meant for evil, God worked for good.
I can remember feeling so afraid to even go out of the house to get groceries or go out for dinner. But as I learned more and more about panic disorder, I realized that a big part of it was a spiritual battle against fear. So I set out to combat it with the Word of God.
In studying about anxiety and fear, I noticed that much of the time when the subject was addressed in the Word, it was mentioned in conjunction with our thoughts and our words. For example, Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6-7 to “be anxious for nothing…” Then in verse 8, he is telling us to “think on these things.” And when Jesus is talking about being anxious in Matthew 6, about what we are going to eat or wear, He says, “Therefore take no thought, saying…” So it would seem then, that our thoughts and our words are important if we are going to be victorious over fear and anxiety.
Along with learning how to combat the physical symptoms that accompany panic attacks, I learned how to win the battle in the mind. When a fear-filled thought would come to torment my mind, I would follow the directions mentioned in 2 Corinthians 10:5 and “bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” And after daily submersing myself in the Word of God, I began to be able to recognize instantly when a thought was not coming from Him. For instance, if the enemy would throw a fiery thought-dart like: “You’ll never be able to finish your degree…all that time and money you spent going to college was a waste.” I would say, “Oh no you don’t…I bind that thought in the name of Jesus. The Word of God says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, and greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world!”
Sometimes I would have to do that again and again when the fear and irrational thoughts were relentless. But after a while, the thoughts would be more and more intermittent and eventually they passed. It’s a matter of renewing your mind and literally cleansing it with the Word. When you constantly make deposits into your spirit, and meditate on God’s Word, fear can’t stay!
I need to be sure and point out though, that fear must be confronted. You can’t just hope it goes away. Because it doesn’t retreat. In fact, it brings reinforcements like despair, hopelessness, depression, worry, doubt and unbelief. So it is a conscious thing that you have to “on-purpose” stay prayed up and encourage yourself like David did. Command your soul (mind, will, and emotions) to bless the Lord, to praise His name, to be at peace and move forward in Him. Fear wants you to run. The literal meaning of fear is “to run from.” The enemy wants you to run from the purpose and destiny in your life. But God says, “Fear not,” or “Don’t run from it.” He says, “I’ll be with you and will never leave you or forsake you.” Feeling the fear and doing it anyway is the best way to confront the enemy and press on toward what God’s called you to do. It keeps you from being isolated and takes the power away from the fear.
Another thing I’ve noticed about fear is that it has no boundaries. Fear exists in every country, race, and socioeconomic level. I’ve had visitors from more than 90 different nations of the world to my website, and fear always operates in the same way. Its motive is to torment and keep you in bondage, preventing you from fulfilling the call on your life. It wants to keep you from discovering and using your gifts, talents, and abilities.
That is why I am so honored to be a part of the war on fear, teaching God’s people, and those who aren’t yet in His kingdom, how to rise above it and take hold of everything that Christ has purchased for them. The doors God has opened for me are incredible, and at times, I find myself saying, “God, I’m not qualified to go there.” But I’ve learned you can’t run or hide from His will for your life. He has a way of pulling you back to that place where you got off track and accomplishing what He wants to in you.
So if you are finding yourself going through a difficult situation, having to fight one battle after the other, don’t give up! If you will look hard enough, you’ll see that God is in it somewhere. And if you give it to Him, you might just find yourself in a situation like mine – where your pain has become your passion and your platform. I heard it said once that, “Your past is someone else’s present.” And my life is a literal example of that statement as I have gone from panic to purpose!
Angela is the author of Don’t Forget To Look Up: A Christian’s Guide to Overcoming Anxiety and Panic Attacks, and The Don’t Forget To Look Up Workbook: Uncovering the Root of Anxiety, Panic and Fear. She received a bachelor of science in public relations from Kent State University, and is pursuing a master of arts in professional counseling from Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. As director of Fear to Freedom Ministries, Angela helps those suffering from anxiety and panic disorders via her website and ministry events. She has conducted an anxiety support group at Mercy Medical Center, and presented at the First and Second International Conference on Panic Attacks at the University of Westminster in London, England. She has also worked with the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA), presenting at the organization’s National Conferences. Angela also had the privilege of conducting a series of stress briefings for the soldiers of the 3rd Chemical Brigade at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, and spoke at the 2nd Annual MarineParents Conference in St. Louis. She is a speaker at churches and events, and a frequent guest on television and radio programs including It’s a New Day in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and 100 Huntley Street’s Full Circle in Burlington, Ontario.