Notes on Agitation, Part I

Last week, I mentioned a pretty good sermon I heard at church on the subject of agitation.

It was good for me, because it is one of my severe problem areas. As a result, it has stuck with me, and I've been thinking much about it.

It was made more interesting because my Pastor said it was one of his problem areas, and he was teaching OUT of his issues, i.e., he had done his research and studying, working through the Bible, searching for what he could use to work on his issue, and then working on shaping it to bring to us so it can help the congregation.

Incidently, someone asked who my Pastor was. Hmm... I go here.

I'm in my 9th year of membership. I've done pretty well under his ministry. I should do a post on my thoughts over the years as being a member. (You would be amazed at the amount of peeps who run up on me and want to discuss this, especially those who know the total arc of who I am and my own personal development over the years).

We've been on the blood of Jesus since late August (for Sundary services). Didn't know there was THAT much concerning the blood of Jesus or blood in general in the Bible, but here it is December, and I think we've only scratched the surface of that subject.

In the midst of all that, this Agitation series has come up in Bible Study, and it only had 3 parts. I imagine we could go further into it, because I know I'll be coming across examples of it in my own reading. I may try to go find a workbook somewhere on the subject. It is a serious topic, and I know there is one out there on it.

Anytime anyone requests notes on something I groan... because my notes are LONG and detailed. But I go ahead and post them, as I know there is a reason and point to it, and that they will help someone else.

Well, I have 7-8 pages of notes. So it may take me 2 to 3 posts just to get through it. And let's not even talk about my own personal thoughts on this subject of agitation. Geez. Like I said, this is one of my nagging problem areas. I may save my personal 2 cents for the weekend.

My notes are detailed, and I'm having to pick through what to post. I missed one of the bible study nights on this subject, but we have the last 7 years of notes on our website, so I will go take a look at the notes for that night, and see if there is anything I may need to add.

I rarely go to the website, but I browsed around this morning and found an interesting article by my pastor on the subject, Overcoming Agitation.

So here you go. Special dedication to my blog sistas Mzinspiredmind and Shai, since they requested this.

Notes on Agitation
(11/25/10; 12/1/10)

[Note: anything in BRACKETS "[ ]", that's not apart of bracket AMP verses - those are my personal thoughts, things I've added in the margin of my notes. I read a lot, and I like to write down a scripture if something is said that reminds me of such. That way, I can go and look it up/ponder/read it later on]

John 14:27 AMP Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]

John 14:1 AMP DO NOT let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me.

In these verses, Jesus is speaking to his disciples.

And these were the core scripture that we will examine.

A definition of agitation:

Agitation: A mental state of extreme emotional disturbance.

We can allow our emotions to become so disturbed that it moves us out of the will of God for our lives.

(That was the purpose of agitation in the first place).

Agitation is connected to fear in some way.

Agitation

-causes you to be unsettled.
-allows FEAR to take over.
-the area of attack is our emotions
-FEAR is the platform where the enemy can operate in your life.

So it's important to deal with the area of agitation, because when you are agitated, you are really operating out of fear.

Everytime you locate what you fear, what you are afraid of, you locate what agitates you.

We can even get over into a state of panic. Panic is defined as groundless fear.

Therefore, if we look closely at the 2 scripture given above, then we can see one thing. Everything has to based on what you believe and what you don't believe.

This is crucial.

-Be HONEST with yourself about when you say you believe something. Don't be saying you believe something just to be religious and sanctimonious. Know what it is that you believe.

-Areas of unbelief in your life ALWAYS produce areas of fear in your life.

-Our greatest fear - it is that God's word won't come to past. It is one thing to read the Word of God, and a whole nother thing to believe what you read.

-Critically important to deal honestly where your unbelief is concerned.

-Ask yourself the question: What is it that I don't believe?

As a result, your prayer will become: Lord, help me with my unbelief.

Examples:

"Lord, I'm having trouble believing You are a healer. This is why I fear that I'm gonna die."

"Lord, I'm having trouble believing You are a provider. This is why I'm afraid I'm gonna get put out."

It cannot be said enough, we have to individually spend critical time examining our areas of unbelief and working on it.

Our lives have to get to a point where, when we face something, that we know it don't look good right now, but I choose to believe God and His Word in this situation.

It is a choice.

Trouble can be all around us, but we cannot let it get in us and infect our heart.

[I wrote in the margin of my notes, Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. A version of this verse that made me go "O_o" is Proverbs 4:23 Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.

Hmm... I think I remember this because I wrote a post on it: Food for Thought: The Ultimate Trump Card.]

2 Peter 3:14 (Amplified Bible) So, beloved, since you are expecting these things, be eager to be found by Him [at His coming] without spot or blemish and at peace [in serene confidence, [a]free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts].

It it important to learn how to hold on to your PEACE when agitation arises.

For:

PEACE is a by-product of FAITH
AGITATION is a by-product of FEAR

Both are based on what you believe versus what you don't believe.

As a result, personal peace is a very valuable asset in the life of a Christian. Have respect for how powerful peace is. And don't lose your peace because everyone around you can't find theres.

Make it a point to identify WHAT or WHO is stealing your peace. Confront and deal with it.

A couple of examples of agitation can be found in the scripture:

Daniel 2:1 IN THE second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams by which his spirit was troubled and agitated and his sleep went from him.

Daniel 4:4-5 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house and prospering in my palace.
I had a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts and imaginations and the visions of my head as I was lying upon my bed troubled and agitated me.

Notice, in the above scripture, the different avenues by which fear and agitation can come into our lives: dreams, thoughts, imaginations, visions.

Make sure that you understand the following: Dreams don't have greater authority in my life over the Word of God.

All of this has potential to cause us to become agitated and to get worried. We can get over into worry.

Definition of Worry: It is negative meditation on the issue of concern; it involes taking a negative thought and holding on to it.

Immediately, go to your Word, find some information on that issue, grab it, and believe it.

[Concerning worry, one of the scripture I myself grab a hold of and believe is Phillipians 4:6-7 (Message Version) Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

This is my worry scripture. I am sure there are many others, but this comes to mind. I grab it, believe it, and work it. Period. I even wrote a WHOLE post on it a while back. (See Sunday Scripture III)

And I find it quite interesting that peace is also mentioned in this scripture. Hmmm]

I think that's a good stopping point. Later on tonight, or in the morning, I will put up notes on concerning maintaining an attitude of Thanksgiving is an antedote to Agitation.

I hope that was helpful. It was helpful to me, even giving me a chance to refer back to some old posts I've written concerning the subject...

Stay tuned for Part II.