For the past year or so, anxiety has been coming at me in wave after wave. It seems like every day, something will make me really anxious, and I’ll have to stop what I’m doing and deal with it.

And I think the whole world is struggling with this, too.

Anxiety is something that we all deal with, but it’s not something that we should deal with as believers in Jesus Christ.

Just because it’s common doesn’t make it normal.

As a follower of Christ, we have been given a new identity as beloved children of the Most High King, authority over the powers of darkness, and a promise of victory.

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7 NASB)

So, let’s claim our victory, shall we?

1.) What’s the root of your anxiety?

Imagine a tree. A big, old, wide oak tree. It rustles with green leaves. It has branches towering through it, solid and rough, a variety of sizes and shapes and lengths. Its trunk is wide and strong, and beneath it lies lengths and lengths of roots that sprawl in every direction.

This is your life.

The leaves represent your anxieties and thought patterns. (Notice how they shift and rustle with the wind and how they fall and regrow with the seasons.)

These leaves stem from a branch which stems from a trunk which stems from roots buried deep within the earth.

So, ask the Lord what the roots of your anxiety are. Find some time to sit with Him and delve into this question. Allow Him to heal and deliver.

2.) Find one Scripture to be your mantra when anxiety comes.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:10-18 NASB)

Something cool about the armor of God is that the Greek word for “sword” in this context actually refers to something more like a dagger. A small, targeted weapon. Something used quickly and precisely.

So, to beat anxiety (or anything, really), you need to find a targeted weapon.

Here are some daggers that I use:

• “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22)

• “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

• “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

• “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

3.) Make a Container of Concern.

One thing that someone told me recently is a bit of an imagination game, but it has helped immensely.

1. Close your eyes, and imagine a container. What does it look like? Feel like?

2. Imagine putting all of your worries in that container, one by one.

3. Now close the container.

4. Ask the Holy Spirit, “Which one do I take out first?”

5. Take out that one, close the container, and focus on that one until it is complete.

4.) Try essential oils.

Here’s a little science for ya:

Essential oils can penetrate cell membranes and cross the brain-blood barrier within SECONDS. This allows them to reach the emotional center of our brain, the limbic system, which is where all of our emotions are stored. In short, what we smell is correlated with how we feel, and essential oils can help balance out emotions. 

If you think of even just a warm day at the beach, one of the first things that comes to mind for me is the smell of the salty air. It makes me feel uplifted just thinking about it. Or remembering the smell of your favorite foods and the fresh tree at Christmas time, memories bring me positive emotions just remembering the smells.

1. The limbic system of the brain is primarily responsible for our emotional life and also controls functions including adrenaline flow, behavior, motivation, long-term memory, and olfaction.

2. Our olfactory (smell) sense is almost directly connected to the limbic system, meaning simply inhaling essential oils can have an immediate and profound effect.

3. A New York University study found the only way to release fear from the amygdala (part of the limbic system) is through smell. So essential oil compounds can actually work to repair and reprogram cellular memory!

After all, God created essential oils -- they’re pure substances straight from the earth and therefore can be used to help us.

Here are some of my favorites essential oils to use:

• Lavender

• Stress Away

• Peace and Calming

• Valor

• Grounding

• Ylang Ylang

If you’d like to grab some oils, you can use my link for a discount! You’ll also get access to all of my team’s educational resources and have me to walk through everything with you, side by side!

Not sure about essential oils? I have a class that teaches you the science of what they are, how they work, and how to navigate that sphere as a Christian.

5.) Journal and listen to what the Lord is saying to you.

One thing that helps me is just taking some time in the morning to journal out everything that I’m carrying — it helps me process and weed through the tangle of thoughts in my mind. After I get it all out, I just sit in silence, turn my gaze upon the Lord, and listen to His response. He is always speaking and wants to speak into our thoughts and burdens. We just have to take the time to pause and listen.