Anxiety has a way of forcing itself into the driver seat. It can take control of a person’s movement, and even their progress. If this is not probably dealt with, the spirit of anxiety will attempt to consume the purpose of an individual. We’ve all seen someone with an incredible gift, idea, or personality detained or detour because of their own anxieties. You might be that one, who halted your natural grace and authentic gift because of rejection, resentment, disappointment or fear.
There are events in our life that cause the normal response of stress. I categorize this as natural/expected stress. When you stand before a crowd of people to give a speech, the body has a natural response. Sweating and experiencing an increased heart rate are completely normal. The problem begins when anxieties have the power to control your actions or stops process and completion.
The symptoms of anxiety are an enemy to progress, especially during a time like this. More gifted individuals are facing an increase in procrastination, loss in drive, and a blockage of creativity. When anxiety becomes overwhelming you begin to feel restless, irritable, and unfocused. For some, these symptoms begin to make physical manifestations in the form of muscle tension or digestive issues. Overwhelming anxiety can be both mentally and physically paralyzing.
It is a trick of the enemy for you to remain frustrated. When you can’t think clearly, your decisions are quick and the accuracy of your effectiveness is weakened. Here are two strong principles to combat anxiety:
1. Prioritize
Anxiety can be the result of overwhelming assignments, calls, text, emails, family problems, bills, and plans that all seek the fullness of your attention at the same time. By prioritizing, organization is brought to what needs your attention. This structure allows for more time to be directed to the completion of work, rather than worrying over the totality of the work load.
2. Prophesy
Confession out of the mouth tempers the heart, so some truths must be continuously rehearsed until completed. The mouth of the gifted are weapons during warfare. That is why the spirit of anxiety will attempt to strip the gifted of the original word spoken over them or over the season they are in. What you don’t remember, you won’t anticipate. By recalling the word, you call the natural into subjection to the will of God’s word.