When Anxiety Attacks

James Greer: 00:00 Woo. Hey, today is one year. Let me give you some idea, listen, they have had 58 new members in one year. Amen? Baptized 25 people, and as of today we just went under the $400,000 in the Say Yes campaign. Woo Wee. So we’re excited, and congratulations Alexandria campus. I know you’re excited, and thank God for what he’s doing there. I mean, hey you all see this? That is bright, amen? I had to sneak out before my wife saw me. She wouldn’t let me wear it. So, I eased in with the lights turned out and I said, honey, here’s a little coffee. I usually turn the lights on, and I say, honey, how do I look? I didn’t do it today because she wouldn’t want it. But see, purple is for the king, and the king is coming. Amen?

James Greer: 00:47 But I’ll tell you what, there’s something I want you to know about Easter. Easter was all about what happened in Israel, there in Jerusalem. And there’s a trip coming up if you might be interested in going there, there’s going to be a table in the back, there it is. Next year, and I think it’s about $2,300 plus the airfare. If you’d like to go, you can get the information back here. I mean, when you see some of the pictures that’ll come up here, that’s me and my wife. That’s the real [inaudible} right behind us. And there she is, she’s welcoming us there to Israel. And looking in the back, and there we go into the beginning of where the March starts for Christ. And I felt safe, that was the Israeli army, and they said, hey, you all come over here and we took a picture. I’m telling you what, there the…I tried to walk on that water, it did not help. But some people went and said hey man, it’s like seeing the Bible in 3D. So if you’ve ever wanted to go there, I think it’s in September of next year, there’s some information in the back and you can look at that.

James Greer: 01:52 Well, you know, God created us in a way that when anxiety and panic comes, it’s simply a reminder that we have to humble ourselves and depend upon God. One of the main reasons for anxiety and panic is because we don’t understand what’s going on in the present, and we’re worried about what’s going to happen in the future. And so therefore we allow our minds will start running away with us, and we have anxiety and we panic. But I’m going to tell you what, God never panics, and God always has a plan.

James Greer: 02:27 And in fact, starting Wednesday nights we’ll be preaching on, are we living in the end times, which I think we are. In a couple of weeks we’re going to preach about the Lord’s supper, and we’ll be having the Lord’s supper. And it’s right there at the Lord’s supper. God’s plan just went into action about how the death, the burial, and the resurrection.

James Greer: 02:47 But God has a plan for you right now. If you read Philippians 1:6, it said, “You can be confident of this very thing, the good works that God started in you, he’s going to complete it.” Have ever said something great is starting in me man, my life has begun to change, my behavior has begun to change, and then it just doesn’t seem like it’s coming about. Can I tell you something? Anything good that God’s started in you, he’s going to bring it into completion. Amen. I mean, God has a plan for your life. I mean, if you looked at Romans 8:28, it says, “All things work together for them who love the Lord and to those who are the called according to His purpose.” I mean, God says, listen, I’ve got a plan even for the bad things that come into your life. I got to plan, and I can turn it around, and make something good come out of it. Amen?

James Greer: 03:28 So God, you don’t have to panic, God has a plan for you. God wants you to know that in Ephesians chapter two in the amplified version it says, verse 10, “For we are God’s own handiwork.” Man, did you know that you were created, you’re God’s masterpiece., you are his workmanship, you were created in Christ Jesus. You are born anew, that you may do his good works. I want to tell you from now to the end of this message, we’re not saved by works. Amen. But when we are saved, we do good works. In fact, your works helps prove to you that you’re saved. People all the time will say, well, how do I know I’m saved, how do I know I’m saved? Man, you will know you’re saved. Amen? Because everybody’s going to come to a test, and everybody’s going to face this test, and if you fail this test, you’re going to panic and have anxiety the rest of your life. So you want to know that you’re saved, and one of the ways you know that you are saved is after you saved, you save unto good work. You actually have a desire to have good work. Once you’re saved, you’re not the same person you were before. That doesn’t mean you don’t sin, you just don’t sin like you did before. Amen?

James Greer: 04:35 So it says we’re saved into good work, which were predestined. See, it was planned beforehand. God said, listen, you’re my handiwork, I created you to look the way you do, I created you to have the intellectual ability that you have, or that you don’t have, like me. But he said, I predetermined, I planned beforehand, for us taking a path which he prepared for it. God said, listen, not only are you saved, he said, when you get saved, you’re my handiwork. Not only are you my handiwork, you’re saved to do good work. Not only are you saved to do good work, he said, I predetermined, I planned beforehand taking the path that he prepared for you, that you should walk in them and have a good life. God said, I pre-arranged a path for you to walk, and for that walk to be a good life. And the question is, whose path are you going to take? See when we don’t know the path, and we don’t know the plan, we walk through life with unbelievable anxiety and panic.

James Greer: 05:35 But I want to tell you, there’s a test coming up. There’s a test coming that I’m going to take, everybody in the world is going to take. And what happens so much now we live so much for the present, we often forget about the future. If the devil can do anything, he’ll get you to focus on your present problems, where you forget the future for eternity. You understand that we see our problems through our purpose. When you really understand your purpose, it changes the way that you see your problems. So when we take this test, if you don’t pass it, you’ll have anxiety the rest of your life. Because anxiety and panic often comes because we don’t understand the future. Amen? Or what’s going on, I mean, you know, if you really know what’s going on you don’t panic. Now I do something at the house sometimes, I don’t do as much as I used to, but I’ll stand behind the door. I’ll be perfectly still. Especially when Debbie doesn’t know I’m home. I’ll sneak in, I get behind the door and when she walks in I scream, and she screams. She says, quits doing that. It scares the fool out of her man. And then sometimes I try to do it with Tory sometimes, but sometimes my granddaughter already knows I’m there, and I stand out and scream. She says, oh pop pop. She just kind of ruined the fun. I mean, but what happens is if you know they’re there, you know what’s going to happen, it doesn’t really scare you. But when you jump out, and something comes right in front of you, and don’t know what’s going to happen, you panic, you scream, you holler.

James Greer: 07:05 What I’m going to tell you is there’s going to be some tests, there’s going to to be some things that come into your life. And if you know what it is, it can bring some peace, if you don’t, you’re going to panic. We’re going to all face it. One of them is going to be the test of life and death. I want to read in Romans chapter fourteen verses nine through eleven, and it says, “Christ died and rose again for this very…” The word is purpose, I told you, you need to know your purpose. Amen? When you know your purpose, you see your problems though your purpose. Man, I’m going to tell you, if you want to radically change your life, you find your purpose in life. Every other problem will change the way you look at it. Because see, most people think their purpose is some job, or maybe my purpose to be the best dad. That’s good, but that’s not your ultimate purpose. Maybe my purpose is to sing, that’s good, but that’s not your ultimate purpose. Your ultimate purpose is to bring honor and glory to God in whatever you do.

James Greer: 08:01 But Jesus said, I died and rose again for a very purpose. What’s Easter all about? Jesus’ death, burial and what? Resurrection. He says, [inaudible]. But he said, my purpose that I can be the Lord both over the living and the dead. God said, I want to be the Lord over living and the dead. When he said the Lord, I want to be the ultimate authority. I want to be not only the authority in your life, I want to be the one that’s in control of your life, I want to be the ruler of your life. God says, I want you to let me rule your life when you’re here, but he said, when you’re dead, I will. See, I’ve heard people say, I’m ready for my life just to die, where it’ll be over, uh oh, that ain’t going to happen like that. When you die, your life is not over. Are you all ready? Your life has just begun. Now it’s just determined, how you lived your life here, is how you going live your life in eternity. And Jesus said for the very purpose I came, I died, and I rose, because I want to be the Lord of the living when you’re here, and I want to be the Lord of the dead when you die. Because see, he said this isn’t the end, death is only the beginning. But the choices you make now, will greatly determine the choices you make at the end.

James Greer: 09:14 Well, this test will come in the form of a book, and some books. I didn’t test well in school. I mean I just, I wasn’t a good test taker, but I want to pass this test, and I want everybody at Journey Church and everybody online to pass this test. Because this is the most important test of life, and it’s all climaxing up to Easter, and Jesus said, for this is a very purpose. And in Revelation chapter twenty verses eleven and fifteen he talks about it. He said, “And then I saw a great white throne and one was sitting on it. Earth and the sky, they ran away from him and disappeared. And I saw death, great and small standing on the throne. The books (Okay, you ready? The books, B. O. O. K. S. Plural. Amen.) were open. And then the book (B. O. O. K.) of life was open. The dead were judged by what they had done, which was written in the (What?) books. (Plural, amen?) The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and the dead in Hades gave up the dead and they were in them. Each person was judged by what he had (What?) done.” Each person was judged by what? What he had done. Now that’s with the book’s, alright? “Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire, and the lake of fire was called (The what?) second death.” But that’s not the end, amen, thank goodness. “Everyone whose name was not found written in the (B. O. O. K.) book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

James Greer: 11:00 So he was telling them, listen, there’s two books, and you want to pass the test. You’re going to all come before it, and he said, test time, and lots and lots of books. There’s going to be stacks and stacks of books. And you come, and it says, Tony, guess what? There’s a book, and some books. And in the books, everything you’ve ever done is going to be written in there. Oh, that’s good and bad. That’s scary. Because see, there’s a lot of people who think they’re so good. They say, man, if you just knew how good I was. The truth is if you just knew how bad I was. But they think, you know, that they’re really good. And God’s going to open that book, Jesus says, and he’s going to start reading that book, the books. And all the things you’ve done, all the things that you thought, and you’re going to go from thinking that you are good, you’re going to see how bad you were. And you’re going to see, man, you’re going to actually see that he is the Lord of Lord, he is the King of King. He was a lamb that was slain from the beginning, and he was the one that gave the blood of life. And I thought I was going to get there by what I had done, and I’m going to find out that I can’t. So there were judged by what they had done. They may have come to church, they may have dressed up nice like this, they may have preached, they may have sang, they may have talked, but it was all because of what their good things they thought they were doing. See there’s still people today that think that they’re going to get into heaven by being good, but you won’t, the books. Jesus is going to start reading it, and they’ll bow down before him because they’ll know that they’re not going to make it. But at that time it’s too late to say, hey Jesus, I want to go back and study for the test, is over then. See, you make the choice of where you’ll live and how you’ll live, while you’re among the living.

James Greer: 12:56 But Jesus is going to be the Lord over the living and the dead. So see, Jesus gave us a choice right now, you choose. In fact, See. I believe Jesus courts us. I believe he’s wooing us. I believe he’s almost pleading with us to come to know him, to give our life to him. And then there’s the other one, there’s the book, the book, the test. In Revelation chapter five verse eight. It talks about The Book. And then he had taken The Book, and four beast and four and twenty elders fell down before the lamb. Who’d they fall down before? The lamb. And each having a harp, and golden bowl full of incense, and each one the prayer of the saints. But what it’s going to get to, it’s going to say, and they sang a new song. Singing, you are worthy to take the scroll. See, there was a book, and there wasn’t anybody worthy, and it telling them there was a lamb. And the lamb opened it and see, and he says, you were slain, Huh? For the redeemed, for the God, for by his blood. Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. See, everybody, everywhere, there’s this really funny thing about being precious, everybody’s going stand. Doesn’t matter if you’re black, white, doesn’t matter what part of the world you are, we’re going to all do two things. We’re going to all be judged the same way, and when we’re in heaven we can all be together. So you might as well start enjoying it while you’re here on earth. Amen? But what he said, is everybody is. Now, he says, listen, but he said, there’s a different book. This is the book, the blood of the lamb, and just to confirm that’s Jesus Christ. He said, hey, if he said, how should I get to heaven? And you said, but look how good I am. Look what I’ve done, look how I’ve worked, and look at all the things that I did. And he still say, you’re not going to make it, and you’ll be cast in lake of fire. But some people are going to go and say, hey man, the only way I can get into Heaven is by the blood of the lamb. You know, I knew I sinned, I knew I couldn’t make it, I knew how sorry I was, I knew everything I did. But thank God my sins are under the blood of the lamb. And when he walks in the presence of Jesus, I’m glad he’s not going to be looking at my work, I’m glad he’s not going to be looking at my sins. He’s going to look through the blood of Jesus Christ, and he’d say, man, he is a saint. Amen? You better pass that test. You’re going to want to pass that test.

James Greer: 15:19 And you’d say, well, I know I’m going to pass the test. Well, how come the Bible says so many didn’t? How many people gave the wrong answer? Well, I know in Matthew 7:21 it says, “Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord is going to enter the Kingdom of heaven.” Not everybody’s going. “But those who do the will of the father in heaven.” Man, when I first read that, I said, man, how do I do the will of the father? I can’t do what’s right all the time, but I can teach you later on, and John’s said, the will of the father was to accepted his son. But many are going to say in that day, Lord, Lord, have I not uh oh. Have I prophesied, have I not preached, have I not come to church? Did I not serve, in your name even, have I not cast out demons in your name, have I not done many wonderful things in your name? You see, it’s all about them. It’s all about what they did. I mean, God, I even talked about you, I even came to church. But listen to this, and then Jesus declared to them, I never knew you. Did he know them, and then not know them. He said, I never knew you, depart from me those who practice lawlessness. This is really important. In another translation, those who practice iniquity.

James Greer: 16:40 See, there’s people that count on going to heaven because they joined the church. My goodness, I hope if you hadn’t joined and this is where God calls you, I hope you join today. There’s people that I baptize, and I love the baptize people. Man, it’s one of my favorite things to do. But don’t go to heaven and say, God says, [inaudible] I got baptized, by Brother James at Journey Church, that will not work. Amen? Don’t even bring my name up, or you’ll be in trouble, leave me out of it. I got to get in myself, okay? But if you haven’t been baptized, you should be baptized. Amen? But here’s the danger, you came and prayed a prayer, you joined the church, and you got baptized, and you went home the same way you came. You have practiced lawlessness.

James Greer: 17:30 Did you know how I know when I got to be about 30 years old that I wasn’t saved when I was younger? Because when I joined the church, and when I got baptized, I didn’t get better, I got worse. But the Bible says, any man be in Christ, he is a what? New creation. Old things pass away, and behold, all things become new. I still sin man, I mess up all the time, I say [inaudible]. But God knows I have an unbelievable desire to be in the presence of God. I have a drawing to hear from him. I have a drawing to talk to him. I never had that before, and so I became a new person. Understand I don’t believe it’s that big a percentage, but I do understand why Billy Graham one time said, I believe I’m afraid 80% of the people maybe are not saved, but they think they’re going to get to heaven because of something they did or something they said.

James Greer: 18:26 Do you understand that Jesus said, the very purpose of my death, burial, resurrection? Because I’m going to be the Lord of the living, I’m going to be the Lord of the dead. See, death it’s not the end, it’s the beginning of eternity of wherever you spend. I don’t want anybody at Journey Church to appear before Lord, and go to the books about all they had done. I want them to go straight to the book, so there’s a book and there’s books. And he said, well guess what? I got saved. Amen.

James Greer: 18:59 Now I’m just going to be glad, I hear this all time, well, I’m just going to be glad to get into heaven. Well, you are going to be glad, but let me tell you what. Number one, if you’re saved and never had a change, I don’t personally believe you’re saved. God knows your heart, not me. The Bible just said any man being in Christ,, he’s a new creature. Old things pass away, and behold all things become new. But the Bible says you’re saved by grace through faith, not of yourself, but of a gift of God. In other words, if I give you something that’s absolutely free, if I give it to you, you can’t take it back. I, I know people that give stuff to people and say, hey man I’m going to give it to you, and then they tried to take it back. You don’t give something to somebody, and then take it back. Amen. And God doesn’t give you salvation, and then take it back. But then the rest of that verse say this, “Because you’re saved, not by works, lest any man should boast. You can’t boast about how good you are, but because you’re saved, and because of what God did for you. Look what you do, you will work. For I’m his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, unto what? Good work. Unto what? Do you work to get saved? Do you work because you’re saved? Yes. Because God beforehand, he had he ordained that you should walk in Him. See, I believe if you’re saved, I don’t God does, that you understand you are his workmanship. He created you in a very special way, and you are created unto good works. And see you’d now begun, you have a desire to do good works. See, I don’t believe that Christian is truly saved, is really satisfied, without serving. I don’t believe that. I believe there’s a lot Christians that don’t serve, I believe there’s a lot of Christians that commit all kinds of immorality, I just don’t believe they’re happy. I had somebody one time, it wasn’t that long ago, came to the front and they said, man, I don’t think I’m saved. I said, how come? They said, I just feel so guilty and ashamed because of the sin I did. I said, you’re probably saved. Yeah, you want to change, you’re want a different behavior, you want a different life.

James Greer: 21:03 But can I tell you something? There’s going to be another judgment. And if I have time, maybe next week I’ll talk about, but there’s going to be rewards and crowns in heaven because of the way you served. And the Bible says in Matthew 16:27, “The son of man, he comes in his glory, and his angels do, and he shall have his rewards according to their works.” Now, we just told you, you don’t get to heaven because of works. But because you’re going to heaven, and you work, God will reward you in heaven. He said, my rewards are in my hands. He said, you get them by the works that you do. So you’re going to have a test. He’s going to come to you. And he says, first of all, how do you get into heaven? And was it your religion, or was it relationship? Was at your works, or was it by the blood of the lamb? By what you did, or what he did? Amen? Number one, that’s how you get in. You’ve got to. Everybody here, you’re going to have that test, and I want you to pass the test. If you’re not sure that you’re going to pass the test, today is a day to pass the test. Amen? And then he’s going to say, well, what did you do with what I gave you? Well, what do you, what do you? What’d you do with the resources that I gave you? What did you do with your time and your talent and your tithe? There’s three things that every one of us are called to do, we’re called to use our resources to further the kingdom of God, and that resource of course is our money, that’s one thing. But it’s way more than our money, it’s our ideas, it’s our influence, it’s our ability. If you can sing, sing to the Lord, Amen? If you can play, play unto the Lord. Amen? If you can teach, teaching unto the Lord. If you work in the parking lot, work into the parking lot. If you clean, no matter what it is, you use your resources to further the Kingdom of God. Amen?

James Greer: 22:50 God gives us all the same amount of time. Let me give you all a free insight, you’re not any busier than anybody else is. I’m so tired of people saying, why don’t you do that? I’m just too busy. No, you’re not. When you’re too busy for God, you’re too busy. And you better be careful about saying that, because God can remove some of your busyness real quick. So your resources, and your time, and your sharing of your faith of Jesus Christ. See when Satan, are you ready, we’re fixing close in a minute? When Satan can’t have your soul, he does everything he can do to have your service. Did you all get that? When he can’t have your soul, he causes every problem and heartache and stress in your life, he tries to get you to have anxiety and panic, everything to keep you from serving. I know that after 35 years, if I gave up every time I had hell break loose in my life, I’d have given up 35 years ago. I’ve got to know where the attack comes from, I’ve got to know he can’t have my soul, so he wants to have my service. He wants to rob my rewards that are going to last forever, and he wants to rob yours.

James Greer: 24:02 So, what are you doing? They said jokingly early, about let your light shine. But you know in Matthew five it really says, “You are the light of the world.” Not that you might be, you are, you are the light of the world. A city set on a hill. A light on a the hill, you don’t put it under a basket, listen, you let it shine. This is something else that’s a great, great cause of anxiety that most people don’t know. I’ve never heard it hardly preached on it, you get saved, the Holy Spirit’s called you, you’re his workmanship. You know that you’re supposed to be serving, you know you’re supposed to be doing something onto God, and you shove it down. God says you’re the light of the world, and the lights trying to come out, and you’re pushing it down. He’s trying to come up, and you’re pushing down. And you have unbelievable anxiety, and some of you don’t even know the anxiety is coming because God is trying to work in your life like he’s never worked before, and you’re shoving it down. I’m not going to do it, I don’t have the time, I don’t have the energy, I’m not going to get my money. And God said, yes, you are. And so you’re living in anxiety, and you’re panicked, and God said, I came to set you free. I came that you could be free indeed. I came that you could have life, and have it more abundantly. I came that you can live greater than you can ever imagine. But it comes down to this, the choice is yours. It comes down to one word, believe.

James Greer: 25:24 See, in James chapter two, I think verse nineteen, it says, “Even the devil believes and trembles.” So does the devil believe? Yes he does. It’s James 2:19 it says, he believes and trembles. See, the devil believes there’s a Jesus Christ, the devil knows there’s a God. But the devil will not go to heaven, he’ll go to the lake of fire. See, the devil believes in Jesus, but he’s not committed to Jesus, he’s committed against Jesus. And when you’re not for Jesus, you’re against him. Say, that’s good Brother James, woo hoo hoo. I’m about to start preaching in a minute, you better get ready. But then John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that whom so ever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” See, there’s that word. But the devil said, he believes. So see, he believes, he acknowledges there’s a God. The devil says, I believe there’s a god. I believe there’s a Jesus Christ, but I’m not committed to him, I’m not committing my life to him. When you come to get married, you said, hey, I commit my life to my wife for better or for worse, and I’d do it for life. When you commit your life to Jesus Christ, you’re saying, hey, he is going to be the Lord of my life. I’m going to give everything I have to him, I am going to follow him. And see, so did you just say a word, or did you commit your life to Jesus Christ? There’s a test coming, I want everybody here to pass the test.

James Greer: 26:44 So as we get ready to close, Trey, this is it. First of all, make sure, make sure, when God says, why should I let you in my heaven? Not because you said a prayer, and not because you joined Journey Church especially not because Brother James baptized you, like I told you, keep me out of it. It’s simply because you believed, and said hey, I believe that he’s the Lord of my life, I’m going to be a new creature. I don’t get saved by what I did, I get saved in spite of what I did, in spite of my sins, my failures. I got saved anyway because, God, you love me so much, you sent Jesus Christ, and the blood of the lamb shed. But God, because you did that, I love you, and I want to serve you. I’m committing my life to you. You’re going to be the lord of my life. You’re going to be the ruler of my life. I’m committed to you for life And maybe God’s called you to serve, and you really haven’t been. Maybe the light’s been trying to shine, and you’ve been stuffing it down, and you’re here with all kinds of anxiety. And you’re not seeing your problems through you’re purpose, see, you are seeing your problems through the enemy. And he wants to steal, kill, and destroy your life. Jesus Christ today, wants to set you freer than you’ve ever been freed in your entire life. Because see, do you all understand something? If not knowing the future brings anxiety. Are you ready? Knowing the future brings peace in spite of all the problems, and I’ve just told you how you can know your future.

James Greer: 28:33 So would you stand and let me pray with you, and pray for you? God, you’re a great God. You’re such an awesome God. I thank you for the very purpose of the death, the burial, and resurrection, God. That, Jesus, you said, I did it for this purpose, that I’d be the Lord of the living, and the Lord of the dead. God, now you’re the Lord of the living, you’re here right now today. God, I pray the Lord of the living, that we would choose to live for you, so that we can die for you, God. That God, whether you need to come and join this church, rededicate your life, follow through in baptism, settle your salvation, make a decision to start serving, bring your burdens to the altar, whatever God’s called you to do. Not one person here has to go out with unbelievable anxiety and panic unless you choose to do that, or you could choose to give it to Jesus Christ, the choice is yours. It’s in Christ’s name I pray. Amen.

Recorded in Pineville, Louisiana.