Fear, Worrying, and paranoia. What does the bible say?

[HappySoul]

I worry a lot. Even when I think I shouldn't, I still do. I guess this is paranoia. I fear satan sometimes. Mainly because of the story of Job.

For instance, I'm on probation for a drug related offense. And I take drug tests randomly. I don't do drugs. I didn't do any illegal drugs to get me on probation, it was ambien (a sleeping medicine). I got a dui because I had that in my system when I rear-ended a car. Anyway, I got placed on 3 years probation and if I fail a drug test I could go to jail for up to 5 years. I never take illegal drugs and I don't drink, and I've stopped taking all prescribed medicines that I once took. However, I know that there can be false positives. I fear that satan could make these false positives happen and get me sent to jail. Will God protect me from such an event if I don't take any medicines. God let Satan kill Job's children. Of course, my situation isn't quite to that extreme. But would God protect me from failing a drug test if I knowingly abstain from abuse?

I know this is kind of a weird thread, but I'm just looking for some hope. I really need to stop worrying so much. It's really ruining my enjoyment of life. Thanks.

 

[El Hombre viejo]

I worry a lot. Even when I think I shouldn't, I still do. I guess this is paranoia. I fear satan sometimes. Mainly because of the story of Job.

For instance, I'm on probation for a drug related offense. And I take drug tests randomly. I don't do drugs. I didn't do any illegal drugs to get me on probation, it was ambien (a sleeping medicine). I got a dui because I had that in my system when I rear-ended a car. Anyway, I got placed on 3 years probation and if I fail a drug test I could go to jail for up to 5 years. I never take illegal drugs and I don't drink, and I've stopped taking all prescribed medicines that I once took. However, I know that there can be false positives. I fear that satan could make these false positives happen and get me sent to jail. Will God protect me from such an event if I don't take any medicines. God let Satan kill Job's children. Of course, my situation isn't quite to that extreme. But would God protect me from failing a drug test if I knowingly abstain from abuse?

I know this is kind of a weird thread, but I'm just looking for some hope. I really need to stop worrying so much. It's really ruining my enjoyment of life. Thanks.

Happy Soul Fear is the opposite of faith. What does the Bible say about fear? For one, it says "Fear not! It says..."
2 Timothy 1:7 (King James Version)


<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-29817">7</sup>For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."


If you have fear, where did it come from, since it did NOT come from God?

 

[The Robster]

We're not supposed to fear and we are to cast all our cares on the Lord. We are to guard our hearts. The glory of the Lord is our rear guard. I know its tough sometimes to not fear the uncertainty of troubles we have in this life but we have to be doers of the Word and do what the Lord requests we do, for our benefit. Our bodies were never designed for stress, anxiety, fear, etc. Its not healthy to hold on to those emotions. The devil is not as mighty as the church has made him out to be. God is far greater and the devil isn't going to be able to create some false positive brother if your system is clean. That's just him running his big, fat, stupid mouth in your ear trying to breed fear in you. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. When he comes at you with that kind of crap just say out, "In Jesus name I resist you thoughts of fear, "I resist you thoughts of doubt. I will not accept any throughts of fear or doubt or unbelief." We need to use the Word and put it into action.

<SUP id=en-AMP-30343 class=versenum>James 4:7</SUP>
<SUP class=versenum>7</SUP>So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.

 

[HappySoul]

Thanks for the response. I know this isn't the best topic to have on this forum, but I felt a need to post it anyway.


The story of Job really disturbs me. Job was a good dude and God allowed Satan to kill his children. Why would God protect me from having a false positive drug/alcohol test while on probation? It would be nice to know that I won't get one of this false positives, but they do happen. And in my case, I would be completely ruined. I can't help my paranoia. It's naturally apart of me...I always tend to fear the worse. And the internet has me scared that I could get a false positive just by using hand sanitizer among zillions of other things...I know this is hard to explain. Especially if you don't have the anxiety I have.

 

[El Hombre viejo]

Thanks for the response. I know this isn't the best topic to have on this forum, but I felt a need to post it anyway.


The story of Job really disturbs me. Job was a good dude and God allowed Satan to kill his children. Why would God protect me from having a false positive drug/alcohol test while on probation? It would be nice to know that I won't get one of this false positives, but they do happen. And in my case, I would be completely ruined. I can't help my paranoia. It's naturally apart of me...I always tend to fear the worse. And the internet has me scared that I could get a false positive just by using hand sanitizer among zillions of other things...I know this is hard to explain. Especially if you don't have the anxiety I have.

Happy Your covenant with the Father is not the covenant Job had. You are God's son. Job was not.

 

[HappySoul]

Happy Your covenant with the Father is not the covenant Job had. You are God's son. Job was not.

I didn't realize that. Who was Job to God?

 

[HappySoul]

I know it's just semantics, but when I think of God's son I immediately think Jesus. Then I realize Jesus is the Father and we're his children. :wink:

 

[The Robster]

Thanks for the response. I know this isn't the best topic to have on this forum, but I felt a need to post it anyway.


The story of Job really disturbs me. Job was a good dude and God allowed Satan to kill his children. Why would God protect me from having a false positive drug/alcohol test while on probation? It would be nice to know that I won't get one of this false positives, but they do happen. And in my case, I would be completely ruined. I can't help my paranoia. It's naturally apart of me...I always tend to fear the worse. And the internet has me scared that I could get a false positive just by using hand sanitizer among zillions of other things...I know this is hard to explain. Especially if you don't have the anxiety I have.

<TABLE style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=420 bgColor=white align=left valign="top"><TBODY><TR style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none"><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.8em; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; FONT-SIZE: 12px; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none" bgColor=white>Job was not different from a lot of Christians today. He constantly feared that God would punish him and his family because he kept thinking that his sons had sinned against God. He would get up early in the morning to offer burnt sacrifices, saying, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” And the Bible tells us that he did this “regularly”. (Job 1:5)</TD></TR><TR style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none"><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.8em; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; FONT-SIZE: 12px; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none" bgColor=white>

</TD></TR><TR style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none"><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.8em; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; FONT-SIZE: 12px; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none" bgColor=white>Job was doing something that he shouldn't have been doing, but he was at a serious disadvantage not having the Word. Job kept confessing the sins of his sons and kept fearing that something terrible would happen to him and his family. In fact, his sin-consciousness didn’t just produce fear, the Bible tells us that he “greatly feared”. (Job 3:25)</TD></TR><TR style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none"><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.8em; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; FONT-SIZE: 12px; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none" bgColor=white>

</TD></TR><TR style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none"><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.8em; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; FONT-SIZE: 12px; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none" bgColor=white>It is important that we understand that it was Job’s sin-consciousness that opened the door to Satan. His preoccupation with sins that his family may have committed gave Satan the opportunity to bring death and destruction into his life. God had a hedge of protection around Job. But when he started being sin-conscious and having a fearful expectation of judgment, the hedge was removed and Satan could attack him. (Job 1:9–12)</TD></TR><TR style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none"><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.8em; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; FONT-SIZE: 12px; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none" bgColor=white>

</TD></TR><TR style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none"><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.8em; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; FONT-SIZE: 12px; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none" bgColor=white>My friend don't concerned about the devil or any of your failings and what he'll do. The devil can't do as much as Christians think he can do. if you have sinned, don’t say, “I have failed again. I deserve to be punished by God or the devil is going to get me.” Know that you already have forgiveness of sins because Jesus was punished and condemned in your place! (Ephesians 1:7) So say, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ. Jesus, You are my holiness and perfection.” (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21) Know that with God on your side, who can be against you. Trust God for your protection and rest knowing that He will insure that no funny business happens down at the lab.</TD></TR><TR style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none"><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.8em; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; FONT-SIZE: 12px; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none" bgColor=white>

</TD></TR><TR style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none"><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.8em; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; FONT-SIZE: 12px; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none" bgColor=white>We must be mindful of what we believe and say regularly because “death and life are in the power of the tongue”. So when you hear of a deadly virus taking many lives, don’t say, “I’m next because I have not been a good Christian!” Instead, say, “Jesus, You are my righteousness and protection. Surely You shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence!” (Psalm 91:3) Apply thisn example for anything in your life.</TD></TR><TR style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none"><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.8em; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; FONT-SIZE: 12px; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none" bgColor=white>

</TD></TR><TR style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none"><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.8em; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; FONT-SIZE: 12px; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none" bgColor=white>Brother this kind of believing and confessing not only please God, but it also shuts the door on Satan so that he cannot make any inroad into your life! Don't give him any way of getting in. And beware of Christians telling you that God made a deal with the devil and allowed Job to be taken down by the devil. The devil is not someone of his word. And God is not a fool. The devil is a liar, a thief, a murderer and a destroyer. If something is being robbed from your life, God isn't doing it! Jesus came to bring life and life more abundantly. I too once believed that God made some kind of deal with the devil to harm Job. But I was very ignorant of the Word. I was victimized by erroneous and legalistic teaching. God will bail you out of any mess in life. Ask Him to and believe for it. And learn to be led by the Holy Spirit so you don't repeat your mistakes. God is your father and you are His son. He will pull you out of the ditch and protect you. If that devil starts talking in your ear, resist him and give him a good kick in Jesus' name. You are seated with Jesus, far above these dumb demonic powers. Don't play their game. Jesus defeated them already. The only fight you have to fight is the good fight of faith. That's it!</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[HappySoul]

I really appreciate this post! Thanks Robster!

 

[El Hombre viejo]

I know it's just semantics, but when I think of God's son I immediately think Jesus. Then I realize Jesus is the Father and we're his children. :wink:

LOL Ready for this? You are just as much God's son as Jesus is. God does not love Jesus any more than He loves you. Job was a 'people of God' He was a covenant man but a different covenant. You were adopted by God. Job was not.

 

[HappySoul]

LOL Ready for this? You are just as much God's son as Jesus is. God does not love Jesus any more than He loves you. Job was a 'people of God' He was a covenant man but a different covenant. You were adopted by God. Job was not.

How was I adopted by God and Job wasn't. Weren't we both created the same?

 

[El Hombre viejo]

How was I adopted by God and Job wasn't. Weren't we both created the same?

Job was 'Gods man' You are God's son by adoption. Job lived under the Abrahamic covenant,whereas you live under the Jesus covenant. That's a new and much improved covenant. The difference? Like this...Job lived under this covenant.....
Exodus 6:7
And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God:....

You on the other hand live like this...
Romans 8:16
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:


You may be interested in doing a study on covenants and how they work. Fascinating!!

 

[jiggyfly]

LOL Ready for this? You are just as much God's son as Jesus is. God does not love Jesus any more than He loves you. Job was a 'people of God' He was a covenant man but a different covenant. You were adopted by God. Job was not.

Really? Job was a people of God? A covenant man?
Which people? Which covenant? Got any scripture to support your opinion?

 

[jiggyfly]

Job was 'Gods man' You are God's son by adoption. Job lived under the Abrahamic covenant,whereas you live under the Jesus covenant. That's a new and much improved covenant. The difference? Like this...Job lived under this covenant.....
Exodus 6:7
And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God:....

You on the other hand live like this...
Romans 8:16
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:


You may be interested in doing a study on covenants and how they work. Fascinating!!

Are you sure that Job was under the Abrahamic covenant? Please give some scriptural support.

 

[jiggyfly]

How was I adopted by God and Job wasn't. Weren't we both created the same?

Excellent question Happy, I am curious to see the response.

 

[JDFree]

Happy Soul, I think this is a perfectly good thing to post as a thread, because every single person has some kind of fears they deal with. Maybe overpowering their life as an obsession, or just for a fleeting instant, everyone lives with fear. Robster makes some real good points, from James 4:7, and I agree 100%, but there's another half to that verse, it being every bit of and even more important:

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7

That's the proper order, that we first be in total submission before our Lord with our whole lives, then, within that submission to Christ, we may resist the devil and he WILL flee! Regarding the submission, when you get to worrying: STOP! Immediately grab up your Bible and read, anywhere, just dive into the Word and put your mind on God, not on things of self.

Remember, He tells us to cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us. It's real easy to make a decision for Jesus, because that's just a personal opinion you agree with. Likewise, to 'believe' in Jesus is rather ho-hum, as it is written, even the devils believe. I prefer to cut that 'believe' in two pieces, and full caps: BE-LIEVE! By that my heart, soul, mind & spirit will BE in Jesus, and my life is 'LIEVED' for Jesus!

Be & Live totally in Jesus, that the two shall be one flesh with every breath of your spirit of life and there's no room for anything else to intrude. The inordinate fears though loosely based in fact are not based in Truth. Father/Jesus/Spirit is our New Life, putting away the old life. In that our Faith should speak to us that we may Trust our Lord God in all things, without measure.

We either BE-LIEVE that He is our Loving God, Sufficient in all things, the Master of our destiny, the Keeper of our souls, the Guide to our Spirit, the Light to our spiritual eyes that we may know Truth, the Mighty Warrior with a two-edged Sword of our defense, the Loving Provider to our EVERY NEED, our Counselor in every question, our Strength in every weakness, the Spirit of Life to nourish our souls and our very best friend for all of our eternity: or we do not!

Therefore I say, dive into the Mighty Fortress of His Word of Truth, and lose yourself there, taking it up to immerse yourself in it as you read it cover to cover, to then discover the innermost parts of His Love for you!

On that other matter, it is thought by some that the story of Job may be the oldest of any in Scripture, save for Adam & Eve's times, it being after that. I see the story quite possibly pre-dating the flood! Part of the reason for that is the creatures described there, not exactly common barnyard moo-cows! I personally believe 'leviathan' to be what we now call a dinosaur, yet it's described as if it were common, "Why, just look at leviathan..." obviously assuming he and his friends have seen such a creature commonly! To me it would thereby stand as a sort of prophecy, because bones of dinosaurs and identification of the creatures were not known until the much later centuries! In addition, where he acted as priest for his family it is clear that his time pre-dates Mosaic Law. It appears to me by verse 32:16 that Elihu must be the story's teller, and not Job himself.

It is beyond noteworthy that within the Name and words of 'Eliyhuw' as 'Elihu', and seeing His keen insight as if He knows of things the others have no comprehension of, let alone mastery in, it may possibly be an Epiphany of Jesus Christ, Elihu translated: 'God of him'! I do not say that it is so, but rather something to consider, where it does no harm.

The key point of the story overall, is that despite Job's view of his suffering, and his unhappines in that time, God Almighty was able to provide for his every need, and sustain him through it, clear to the other side where wondrous blessing awaited. Not only that, for once he was finally away from that wife of his, a blessing in itself! So again, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding."

 

[El Hombre viejo]

Are you sure that Job was under the Abrahamic covenant? Please give some scriptural support.

Uh....Which covenant do you think he was under?

 

[El Hombre viejo]

Are you sure that Job was under the Abrahamic covenant? Please give some scriptural support.

Yup Jigger you're right. Job would have been under both the Edenic and the Adamic covenants. I got that wrong in the time line. It appears that Job did live long before Abraham. In the time of the patriarchs
Thanks for pointing that out

 

[El Hombre viejo]

Excellent question Happy, I am curious to see the response.

Jigger I answered this question already

 

[Brighthouse]

Hi Happysoul It is funny how most people put brother Job up there, as if he was some great man! LOL Don't get me wrong bro,he was as you said a good dude!! hehe But Job like most of us had some serious problems!! Lets take a close look at our good friend Job.( job 1:1) blameless upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. Very nice, so far so good! Now in verse 6-12 the enemy makes a proposal to the Lord. notice verse 12 bro!! God did not bring horror to job,satan did! Then Job makes his big mistake!! He blames God for taking his things away!! verse 21 he did not sin!! verse 22.

But Job was to learn something in the rest of the book.Now move to chapter 29:1 onward Job is starting to doubt! Job from here to the highlight chapter which is chapter (38:1-3) God speaks to Job 1-3 Job has been telling God how he should act??LOL oops Bad idea. In chapter (40:3-5) Job's wise silence! 3-5 Again God reminds Job, will you judge me? 6-24. If Job did nothing wrong,then he sure would never have to repent as he does in Chapter 42:1-6 WISE!!! SO!!

Sometimes brother happysoul we get to a point in our life ,where we start telling God what he is, or is not to allow, or do.I have done this to bro! And I, like Job and like so many had to learn a tough lesson. The most wonderful new covenant we as believers live in now, understand just how wonderful, and how important this scripture is to truly believe!( Rom 4:8!) We good brother must believe this,for if we do not,then how can we receive this? And if we do not receive what Jesus himself shed his blood, and died and rose for,then we are in sin because we do exactly what he said in his Word we should never do!( rom 8:1)

For brother as verse 2 says we now follow the law of the Spirit of Christ Jesus who has set you free from the law of sin! BUT We must believe this!!( rom 10:4-13!) The only work for us good brother is to always believe! Jesus did all of the work for us. Like a tall wall.You do everything to get around it,or over it,but you cannot,Jesus comes along and climbs over the top of it,and reaches over to you to pull you over the wall with him! Now through him, you are over the wall,and you did nothing to help.hehe Your work by yourself was vain,but through Jesus you are not only over the wall,but now through him in you, you can bring others to the top as well.

All done by Jesus in you,not yourself,and you remind those who get over the wall of that to! ( rom 12:3-8) Hope this helps encourage you bro!! Blessing!