8 Arguments Against Anxiety Compiled by John Piper

#1 Life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Matthew 6:35

#2 God feeds the birds and you are more valuable than they are. Matthew 6:26

#3 It's pointless, it adds not one hour to your life. Matthew 6:27

#4 If God clothes the ephemereal grass, he will clothe eternal you. Matthew 6:28-30

#5 Unbelievers are anxious about stuff, and you are not an unbeliever. Matthew 6:32a

#6 Your father knows that you need all these things you are anxious about. Matthew 6:32b

#7 When you seek first God's kingdom and righteousness, what you need is added to you.

#8 Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Tomorrow's trouble stays there. Matthew 6:34

Royal Access

"Likewise the spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches our hearts knows what is the mind of the spirit, because the spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:26-27)

Imagine that your prayer is a poorly dressed beggar reeking of alcohol and body odor, stumbling toward the palace of the great king. You have become your prayer. As you shuffle toward the barred gate, the guards stiffen. Your smell as preceded you. You stammer out a message for the great king: "I want to see the king." your words are barely intelligible, but you whisper one final word, "Jesus. I come in the name of Jesus." At the name of Jesus, as if by magic, the palace comes alive. The guards snap to attention, bowing low in front of you. Lights come on, and the door flies open. You are ushered into the palace and down a long hallway into the throne room of the great king, who comes running to you and wraps you in his arms.


The name of Jesus gives my prayers royal access. They get through. Jesus isn't just the savior of my soul. He's also the savior of my prayers. My prayers come before the throne of God as the prayers of Jesus. "Asking in Jesus' name" isn't another thing I have to get right so my prayers are perfect. It is one more gift of God because my prayers are so imperfect. Jesus' seal not only guarantees that my package gets through, but it also transforms the package. (Excerpt from A Praying Life by Paul Miller)

The Treasure Test

A couple of nights ago, at caregroup, my pastor talked about where our hope lies. He discussed counting all things as loss in order to gain Christ (Philippians 3:7-8). One thing that stood out to me, was his challenging question of what is my treasure. If (fill-in-the-blank) did not happen in my life or work out, how would I react? There are many things I hope will happen in my life, but there is a tendency in me, and I wager other Christians, to put my hope in those good things. I've seen how i react when God denies me things (it's never pretty) and it reveals how much of my heart is wrapped up in those things. It's so subtle, and sometimes I don't see how subtle. Which is why I need to ask myself this question: "Will I be ok, if (fill-in-the-blank) Does Not happen?". Can I truly say, "All I have is Christ?". It's a question that reveals my treasure, what am I hoping in and looking towards. It's ok to want good things, and we should pray about them, it is when you feel like you will be unhappy and unsatisfied if you don't get those things, that it becomes idolatrous.

I want to echo Paul, and sincerely be satisfied in Christ alone, I want to be able to say with Job when everything was stripped from him: "Though he slay me, I will hope in him (Job 13:15).

So ask yourself this question, test your heart. If the things you want in life will never happen, how will you react? Anger, frustration and resentment or peace and contentment? How you react to the loss of things (or potential loss of things) is indicative of where your treasure lies. Are you coveting that which won't last, or resting in the sufficiency of the savior?

Location:E Elford St,Greenville,United States