Here’s one definition of stress: “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.”

Stress has many forms and can be caused by a variety of things. Trying to pin down the causes of stress may be difficult because it varies from person to person. What may be stressful for me may not be stressful for you. It’s a very personal experience, but often has very common results.

Stress and Panic

I have found in my own life that stress is a key trigger for anxiety and panic attacks.

For the past few years, I have not struggled with panic attacks. But today, when things get stressed in my life because of work or other issues, I can sense what I call “adrenaline zaps”. It’s those small, little adrenaline dumps into my body that temporarily get my heart racing. In the past, it would often result in panic, but today, I recognize those “zaps” and immediately take steps to keep the panic from hitting.

Recognize Stress

When those “zaps” hit me, I first deal with that excess adrenaline to make sure it doesn’t turn into full blown panic. But, I don’t just stop there. I start to think through the past few days and weeks. What is going on that is putting my body and mind under stress? Is it a project deadline? Too much caffeine? Am I worrying about something that’s out of my control? What am I doing to trigger this “zap”?

Almost always, I am able to pinpoint the stress trigger and deal with it accordingly. Most times, it’s a work project that demands 12 to 14 hours a day of work and much less sleep. I find in those times, that I have to slow down, rest and find healthy ways to release that adrenaline, like exercise.

Dealing with Stress

The first thing you have to do is recognize what is causing the increased stress levels. Once you have done that, the next step is to deal with it.

The problem is that we have an incredibly adaptable mental state. We can easily adjust our lives and our thinking around an increased stressed state. We grow more desensitized to this increased stress level, and instead of dealing with it, we numb it with busyness, food, alcohol and other means. I believe full-blown panic hits when our desensitized stress level reaches a point that it triggers the “fight or flight” mode in us and we don’t know why. You need to quickly respond to stress and get to the root of it as fast as you can.

While you are working through the mental and emotional causes of stress, it’s important to deal with it physically as well.

Get some Rest

Stress is often caused by overwork and long hours on the job with few breaks and lots of pressure.

When your work day is over at 5pm, then don’t work anymore. Turn the email off. Shut down the computer. Take time every evening to rest, recuperate and reenergize.

Sleep is God’s natural way for us to heal our body and mind. Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep, if not more. Your body wants to sleep. It’s how it heals itself. Just last week, when I was fighting some serious bronchitis, I slept 14 hours straight because my body was healing itself through rest. So, get some sleep.

Get Moving

For me, exercise is an amazing way to deal with stress. I need to get moving. Everyday, I need to do something. Even if it’s a 15 minute walk, I must get moving at least once a day.

Much of our stress comes from sitting at a desk all day, working on computers and not moving very much. I don’t believe we were created to sit still. Our body just starts to shut down after sitting for a couple hours.

The more you can get your heart rate up, the quicker you can dump that excess adrenaline that’s been building up in your body. Often, I’ll go run or bike for an hour at the end of a work day to burn off that excess stress and adrenaline. And, exercise also releases endorphins into your body, giving you a natural relaxant.

Stress can come in many forms, but the key is to recognize it and deal with it as best you can. Stress is a very personal, unique experience. I encourage you to pray and let God show you what’s causing the stress. He is faithful and wants to help you.

Prayer: Father, show me what’s causing this stress in my life. Give me the wisdom and understanding I need to deal with it.

Back in the 80′s when I was really struggling with panic attacks, there was no diagnosis for this condition, not even a term called  panic attacks. I was often diagnosed with nerves or stress. Later in college, a psychiatrist diagnosed me correctly with “chronic panic disorder.” It finally had a name. I was prescribed tranquilizers, sleeping pills and other treatments for stress. While these worked temporarily, they didn’t really solve my problem. I was still held captive by fear often resulting in panic attacks.

I started to believe that maybe I would have this condition for the rest of my life. Or, I would have to take medication everyday for the rest of my life. There was even a time I thought God was telling me I would have panic attacks till the day I died.

Today, I believe something much different. I now believe with all of my heart that freedom is possible for everyone. God does not favor one person over another (Acts 10:34), and Jesus died so that we can all be “blessed with every spiritual blessing in heaven” (Ephesians 1:3).

I no longer battle with panic attacks. I also no longer take medication for anxiety and panic attacks. You can read my story about medication here.

I remember the day when hope came alive in me, that freedom was truly possible. I was sitting in a counseling office. Again. What questions would this guy ask? I no longer had to rehearse my answers. I had talked about my “condition” so many times before.

But this time was different. Instead of asking me questions, he told him his story about panic attacks. Immediately, he had my attention. He shared how it crippled him for years, how it caused his world to shrink, and how he had no hope for so long. But then, he shared how he was now completely free. No more panic attacks. I was really listening!

That day sparked a new hope in me. It started me on a journey to freedom. I believed I could be free from this crippling condition.

Today, I shout it from the rooftops: FREEDOM IS POSSIBLE!

There is Hope

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise” (Hebrews 10:23).

Hope is powerful! The biggest enemy to freedom is losing hope. It’s too easy to give up and surrender to fear when you have no hope.

I pray that this message will rekindle hope in you, that you will begin to believe that freedom is possible.

Fear and Panic Attacks are Not from God

I used to think this “thorn in the flesh” was from God, to keep my humble and to teach me how to trust in him. I no longer think like that.

In John 10:10, Jesus makes it very clear what his purpose is, and what the enemy’s purpose is:

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10).

It’s very clear. Does fear and panic attacks “steal, kill and destroy”? Or, does fear and panic attacks “give you a rich and satisfying life”? Jesus removed all doubt who is the source of  fear and panic attacks.

With God, All Things are Possible

“Is anything too hard for the Lord? “(Genesis 18:14).

Jesus said, “What is impossible for people is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

I now believe that it is possible to be completely free from anxiety, fear and panic attacks. Nothing is too hard for God. He is able to set you free. I really believe that because I have seen it in my own life, and in the lives of many others.

If you want to read more, below are a series of articles I wrote that chronicle my journey to freedom:

• The Foundation
• Focus
• The Right Source
• Finding the Cause
• Recognize the Lies
• Finding the Truth
• Hearing God’s Voice
• Who is that Speaking?
• Seeing with Spiritual Eyes
• A Spiritual War
• What you Already Have in Christ
• Having Hope
• Learning to Surrender
• Learning to be Still
• The Power of your Words

Prayer: Father, I may have been hopeless for a long time, but today, let your hope come alive in me. Show me that I can experience freedom from fear, anxiety and panic attacks.

Think about water for a moment. It can exists in three distinct states — liquid (water), vapor (steam) and solid (ice). Like water, our being consists of three distinct elements–physical, mental and spiritual. Paul closes out his first letter to the Thessalonians with this encouragement, “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (v5:23, emphasis mine). That is my prayer over you as well, that God would help you find freedom in your spirit and soul and body.

I hear many stories from those struggling, and very few pursue healing in all three areas. Often, people will pursue a bodily solution (like medication and exercise), but neglect the mental and spiritual aspects. Others may combine body and soul (like exercise and counseling), but neglect the spiritual. And, even faithful believers may focus primarily on the spiritual side of freedom (prayer and deliverance) but neglect the physical and mental aspects.

True freedom comes when you address all these areas.

The Body

Panic attacks are a very physical experience. Your body responds with increased adrenaline, rapid heart beat, shallow breathing and increased blood pressure. It’s getting ready to run or fight. Blood is pumped to your arms for fighting and legs for running. (Ever notice your hands tingling or getting cold?) Acid is released in your stomach to quickly digest food for energy. (Ever get butterflies in your stomach?) Your body is responding to a threat, either real or imagined.

There are certain triggers that can escalate that fight or flight mode, like caffeine or sugar. And, there are physical things you can do to reduce the anxiety, like exercise or medication. Early in my struggles, I found some peace with medication, but today I’m medication free by focusing on diet and exercise to help me release that excessive adrenaline. You can read more on my story about medication. (There maybe other medical triggers causing the anxiety and panic attacks. While it’s very rare, you should talk to you doctor.)

The Soul

The soul is your mind, that part of you that makes choices. The soul is where your memories live and your emotions are experienced. It’s an incredibly complex system of thoughts, ideas, choices and perspectives.

It’s also where anxiety and panic attacks are triggered. Just like the body can trigger those terrifying feelings, so can your soul. Maybe it’s a traumatic memory or a painful parental wound, the soul can initiate those experiences with fear.

When I was in college and the “episodes of fear” were rampant in my life, I made an appointment with a counselor who began sharing with me information about a term I had never heard before: “panic attacks”. A few years later, I began meeting regularly with a pastor who had experienced the same thing, but was now free. He began to teach me about my thoughts and choices, and how to renew my mind (Romans 12:2). But, he didn’t stop there. He began to teach me about…

The Spirit

Understanding the spiritual side of panic attacks changed everything for me. I believe it’s what gave me the edge to find true, complete freedom. Sadly, I believe it’s where most people fall short. The more I began to understand the truth, the more freedom I began to experience. “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” (Romans 8:32).

Regarding the spiritual side of fear and panic attacks, here are a few of the key topics that were incredibly helpful:

Grace

Understanding the finished work of Christ and all he has done for us has revolutionized my relationship with God. Here are a few messages I wrote about grace:

• Grace: How Perfect Love Casts out Fear
• Grace: Moving from the Old to New Covenant
• Grace: From Sinner to Saint
• Grace: Do I Have a Sinful Nature?
• Grace: The Freedom to Laugh and Enjoy Life

Authority

Even today, I don’t completely understand all of the authority that we truly have as believers. God has given us amazing authority here on the earth (Luke 10:19), and I believe the enemy’s greatest strategy is to keep us blind to our authority.

If we truly knew how big and powerful we were and just how small and powerless the enemy was, it would change everything.

Freedom

Combining all that I learned about the spiritual side of freedom, I chronicled my journey in this series of articles:

• The Foundation
• Focus
• The Right Source
• Finding the Cause
• Recognize the Lies
• Finding the Truth
• Hearing God’s Voice
• Who is that Speaking?
• Seeing with Spiritual Eyes
• A Spiritual War
• What you Already Have in Christ
• Having Hope
• Learning to Surrender
• Learning to be Still
• The Power of your Words
• Summary

Prayer: Father, help me understand the importance of all three areas — body, soul and spirit. Teach me to put all my trust in you, and help me to know the truth so that I can walk in true freedom.

It’s actually quite a paradox. When fear strikes, our instinct is to fight hard against the onslaught of confusing and tormenting thoughts. Our body releases adrenaline, and immediately our entire physiology changes to face a threat. Blood is pumped into our arms for fighting and our legs for running. Our stomach releases extra acid to digest food quickly to give us the needed energy to run or fight. Our blood pressure rises. Our heart rate increases. Our breathing gets shallow. Our body instinctively prepares itself for danger.

Here’s the problem: There’s typically no real danger or physical threat. So, our mind starts to search within to find what’s triggering this fear response.

• Maybe I have cancer
• I wonder if this is a brain tumor
• Maybe I’m going insane
• I’m losing my mind
• I’m about to die

Sound familar? Much of our body’s response is a direct results of our thoughts. It’s a vicious cycle. First, we have a thought, then our body responds. The additional adrenaline increases those confusing thoughts, which releases more adrenaline. Then, more confusing thoughts. It grows quickly spins out of control. Wam! A full blown panic attack!

Early in my search for freedom, I read a couple of excellent books on the subject. It was the early 80′s and the term “panic attack” wasn’t even coined yet. Dr. Clarire Weekes wrote two books called “Hope and Help for your Nerves” and “Peace from Nervous Suffering“. There was one thing that stood out from her books that really gave me an edge in this battle with fear was the concept of “floating a thought”.

The concept is relatively simple to understand, but a bit more difficult to apply. When a fear thought comes into your mind, don’t fight it and don’t resist it. Simply let it “float on past”. Let it come and let your body dump the adrenaline, but don’t respond to it. Don’t give in. Just let it float into your mind and pass on through.

I remember my first key victory over panic attacks. I was sitting in a recliner holding my three-month-old son at my in-laws. Fear hit me. My body went numb. The panic attack felt imminent. But, instead of fighting the fear, I decided to just let it come. It did and it passed. No panic attack. It was amazing!

Here are some steps to remember when a panic thought invades your mind:

Recognize

You know that feeling well. A thought hits you and your body starts to react.

The first thing you need to do is recognize that thought. Recognize that it’s a fear thought, and that it’s not a real threat. Once you recognize what it is, then…

Don’t Fight It, Float It

As the fear thought hits you, don’t resist it. Don’t fight it. Let it come and tell yourself, I will not resist the fear thought.

It’s like a campfire. When I was a boy scout, we would make fires by first getting some small embers going. Once they were going, I would blow on them to make them burn hotter. You would think that blowing on them would make them go out. But, that’s not what happens. Instead of extinguishing the embers, you are actually blowing more oxygen into the flame, feeding the fire. The same is true with fear. When you fight it, you are feeding the fear.

It’s very counter intuitive to not fight the fear, because everything in your mind and body says FIGHT! What has helped me the most was learning how to…

Trust in the Lord

When the Moses and children of Israel were fleeing Egypt, Pharaoh and his army were hot on their trail. As they approached the Red Sea, there as no escape. They were trapped by the mountains on each side, the sea in front and the approaching army behind them. They were gripped with fear. Then, the Lord spoke to Moses, and Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD” (Exodus 14:13a).

God said to them, “Don’t fight. Just trust me. Stand still and I will rescue you.”

I know first hand how terrifying and confusing those fear thoughts can be. I know how hard it is to not fight. But, I’ve also seen how the Lord can rescue those who “stand still” and trust in him. He is faithful. He will not let you down!

Prayer: Father, the next time a fear thought hits me, give me the courage to let it come and float on past me. I will not fight. I will stand still and trust you to rescue me.

I believe with all of my heart that peace with God is possible, and that he’s is constantly wooing us to spend time with him.

But, you don’t know what I’ve done, or the mistakes I’ve made. Surely, God can’t be pleased with me.

It’s easy to have those thoughts, because we all make mistakes. We experience sin in our lives and we pull away from God, but we need to know that God is not counting our sins against us (2 Corinthians 5:19). He sent Jesus into this world to become sin, so that we can become the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

It’s not about your obedience

God does not judge your righteousness (your right standing with him) on your obedience or disobedience. God looks to the obedience of his son, Jesus, to determine our righteousness. Jesus took our sin and gave us his righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). It was a heavenly exchange! We are perfect is God’s eyes, not based on what we do, but on what we believe.

And now that God has declared us righteous, we can…

Go boldly into God’s throne

Because of what Christ has done, we can now “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16).

Too often, we pull away from God because of our sins. We don’t feel worthy enough to stand before a perfect God. Sin only separates us from God because we pull away, not because he pulls away. God is always moving towards us, whispering his love to use. He wants you to…

Come as you are, not as you should be

Too often, we think God wants us to clean up our act before coming to him. Wrong! God took away the sins of the world (John 1:29) so that we can come to him as we are–messed up, confused, trapped in lies and in need of his transforming love. God wants to help you with every area of your life. He wants to wipe away your tears, and give you a divine courage to face every fear!

Our peace with God is not dependent upon what we do, but on what we believe. I believe Jesus took away all my sins (past, present and future), and because of that, I can come boldly to the throne of grace in my time of need. There, I’ll find God running to meet me, ready to embrace me, love me and tell me everything is going to be okay.

Prayer: Father, show me how much you love me. Whisper your love into my heart that I may know you are with me always.

Special: For a limited time, I’m offering the full 220-page Season of Peace devotional as a digital download for $2. You can order it here.