How to Attack Anxiety and Win, Part 3

By Robb Brunansky

Published January 23, 2026

As we continue to study Christ’s teaching on worry and anxiety from the Gospel of Luke, we might wonder what it is that brings these emotions out of our hearts.

One of the most fascinating things about various studies on this issue is that worry is not confined to a particular group, topic, or economic status. People – even Christians – worry about virtually everything! While someone who is extraordinarily wealthy might have different worries than someone who is homeless, every study indicates that the presence of wealth does not diminish worry; it only shifts it into different categories.

So, worry is not primarily a function of our circumstances, attacking us from the outside. Rather, worry wells up within us, and what causes us to worry is the result of the condition of our faith (Luke 12:29). Worry afflicts our souls when we don’t believe what God says to us through His Word. It is predominately a spiritual problem in our hearts.

If worry is a spiritual problem, then we would expect a spiritual solution. This solution is precisely what Jesus gives His disciples (Luke 12:22-34). In this passage, Christ lays out a battle plan to attack anxiety and win. He begins by addressing the problem of little faith, reminding us of four truths about God and two about worry. He teaches that God has a purpose in our lives, that He will provide food and protection to accomplish this purpose, and that He loves us as our Father. He also informs us that worry is both pointless and pagan.

Now, as believers, do we believe these truths? The answer we should give is, “Yes!” However, the response is not meant to be given in words but works. We have seen what we need to know and believe, and now we want to understand what Jesus says we must do to defeat worry. There are three things Christ gives us to do as a response to the truths we are called to know and believe.

First, we must seek God’s kingdom (Luke 12:31).

“But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”

Here, Christ asserts that a proper understanding of God’s character will result in seeking the Lord’s kingdom rather than the things of the world. The pagan world pursues things that matter in the temporal sphere, but the believer must instead seek the kingdom of God.

As followers of Christ, our lives must be shaped by this command. Seeking the kingdom is to be a relentless and consuming passion for believers, no matter how easy or how difficult or what it costs us – even up to and including our very lives. Christians should have the spirit of Martin Luther, when he wrote, “Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also, the body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever.”

All Christians can live our lives in such a way as to seek God’s kingdom in everything we do and say. The husband and father who works a 40-hour week in secular employment to provide for his family seeks first God’s kingdom by remembering that his job is not his life, identity, well-being, or ultimate purpose for existence. The mother of little children seeks God’s kingdom first by loving her sons and daughters and teaching them God’s Word, modeling godly character for them, and loving her husband by respecting him.

Seeking the kingdom as believers means that we model it in the here and now. If we are seeking the kingdom, then we demonstrate that we want to be in the kingdom. With the Spirit dwelling within us as followers of Christ, we can experience the realities of the glorious kingdom of God in the here and now, seeking those in our lives, churches, families, neighborhoods, and places of employment. Scripture calls us to long for peace and joy in the Spirit and heartily chase the blessings of the kingdom of God wherever we happen to be.

Second, we must stop being afraid (verse 32).

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”

Fear is one of the more prevalent feelings among American Evangelicals. So, what can ease our fears and anxieties about the future, our freedom, nation, children, economy, and so on?

Jesus tells us two things to ease our minds, and to help us stop being afraid, worried, and anxious about the things we worry about. He knows we are little. He assures us that He is still sovereign, and that we need not fear though we have small significance in the world’s eyes. Jesus isn’t afraid about our status and place in the world, so we should not be worried about it either. Christ also tells us not to be afraid because God’s delight is to give us the kingdom. Here, the picture is one of a Father who loves to give His children all the blessings He can possibly bestow. God does not begrudgingly give us the kingdom; He gives it to us with a full, divine joy.

This truth is significant because it resolves the question of God’s purpose. The Lord’s purpose is not for us to survive in this world, but to give us the kingdom! Our salvation is about more than just our bodies, food, and temporal lives; our salvation is about God gladly bestowing a kingdom upon His people for His own glory. Oh, how we sell ourselves short when we worry and fret over temporal affairs when the Lord is doing so much more than keeping us alive! If we seek God’s kingdom, then we cannot fail because He has chosen gladly to give it to us.

Third, we must secure heavenly treasure (verses 33-34).

“Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Here is where Christ’s teaching is really fleshed out: Are we attached to the kingdoms of this world, or do we seek the kingdom of God? One tangible test to answer this question is how we use our money. Do we make more bank deposits on earth or in heaven? A key to overcoming worry is to detach ourselves from things we tend to worry about most, and finances are at the top for many people. So, if we have something we don’t need, then consider giving the proceeds to someone who doesn’t have what they need.

Jesus ends by saying that our hearts follow our treasure. If we invest in heaven, our hearts will be drawn there. However, if we invest in earth, our hearts will be drawn there. The test for all of us today is where our heart is drawn. The things that most occupy our thoughts or cares will tell us where our heart and treasure is.

What a gracious gift from our Savior to lay out a powerful plan of attack to defeat worry, fear, and anxiety. The plan starts with knowing the truth about both God and worry. We also are called to act in response to those truths: seek God’s kingdom, stop being afraid, and secure heavenly treasure.

By the way, Christ’s plan works. These steps are not some ivory tower philosophies with no connection to the real world. Scripture’s exhortations are enough to convince us that if we do this, we will attack anxiety and win. We might not overcome anxiety overnight. However, if we persevere, then we will learn to attack the sin of anxiety and win by God’s grace and the power of His Spirit.