Reverend Ben Cooper's Podcast
Reverend Ben Coopers podcast, offers an inviting space for listeners to explore Christianity and spiritual growth with wisdom, humor, and a deep commitment to biblical truth. Through Rev. Ben's engaging conversations with guests, the podcast not only explores the timeless wisdom of the Bible but also tackles the pressing issues of life, faith, and hope in a way that is accessible, thought-provoking, and enriching. Whether you’re seeking spiritual nourishment, answers to life’s big questions, or simply a place to reflect on your faith, the Rev Ben podcast is a valuable resource on your journey.
In each episode, Rev. Ben guides listeners through profound theological reflections, personal stories, and practical insights drawn from the Bible and the broader Christian tradition.
Reverend Ben Cooper's Podcast
Unshakable Series - @2 - Breaking Anxiety's Grip
Anxiety doesn’t discriminate. It visits the pulpit as often as it does the pews. In this deeply personal episode, I open up about my own struggles with anxiety—even as someone rooted in faith and active in ministry. This isn’t a polished sermon. It’s a real conversation about what happens when the truths we believe feel at odds with the battles inside our minds.
What do you do when Scripture says, “Do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6–7), yet your heart races and your sleep disappears? How do you cast your cares on the Lord, as urged in 1 Peter 5:7, when those cares seem stuck in your chest?
This episode doesn’t offer quick fixes or platitudes. It offers something better—honesty, vulnerability, and biblical truth. It’s an invitation to explore how we reconcile God’s promises with our very human experiences. I share from a place of lived tension: the reality of anxiety and the resilience of grace.
We also address a wider concern within the Church today, particularly here in the UK. Far too often, spiritual formation is shallow, leaving believers ill-equipped to face the rising tide of fear and cultural instability. The prosperity gospel may promise peace, but it lacks the depth and grit that true discipleship offers. We need a Church grounded in Scripture—one that boldly teaches the power of Christ’s blood, the urgency of His return, and the courage to face fear head-on.
Whether you're struggling with personal anxiety, questioning your faith in the middle of your emotions, or simply longing for a more grounded walk with God, this episode is for you. Come for the transparency. Stay for the truth that endures: You are not alone. God cares for you deeply, and He has not abandoned you to your fears.
Join me in a time of reflection, Scripture, and honest prayer. Because perfect love doesn’t ignore fear—it overcomes it.
https://www.pastorbencooper.co.uk/
https://www.rbchristianradio.net/
Welcome to Unshakable. I'm Pastor Ben Cooper, and this is where real life and real faith comes together. In a world that shifts, we stand on the rock that can never be moved, whether you're on the mountaintop or you're in the middle of the storm, wherever you are. This space is for you to grow, to stand strong and to live in unshakable faith. Let's get into the scriptures, wherever you are. We thank you for joining us for this podcast, whether you're listening to this on RB Christian Radio or on podcast through Spotify, through Apple and through many, many platforms. May God bless you and welcome into Unshakeable.
Speaker 1:Come on, let's get straight in. Let's not mess around. Anxious, are you anxious? Is there anxiety sitting in the bones that you walk in? Are you fearful? Are you doubtful? Yes, some days I get anxious. Shall I tell you that? That some days I in the role that I do and everything that goes on, and I just want to let you know that we are all human beings and, yes, we get anxious and we get fearful, we get doubtful. Certain areas of life trigger certain things, you know. But anxiety is a strong old weapon that the enemy uses. So let's see what the scripture says let's not mess around. Let's get straight in. We've only got 15 minutes with these quick-fired, unshakable podcasts.
Speaker 1:So here we go, and the scripture is that good old, faithful one on this subject Philippians 4, verses 6 through to 7. Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to god, and the peace of god, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in christ jesus. Come on, that's a banger. What a scripture. You know. Jesus is telling me, jesus is telling you, wherever you are at this moment in time, do not be anxious. But isn't it easy just to say that line? Isn't it easy to have that put before your very eyeballs in scripture or have it in your ears? You know, isn't it easy to say it? But to actually turn, to turn the anxiety into joy, that is something that is so difficult. You know, anxiety.
Speaker 1:How do I deal with this? The bible is very clear. I thank god for the word of god. Obviously I do, but what I'm just trying to say is, you know, I thank god that there are so, uh, many real scriptures, real life scenarios. Let's put it like that real life scenarios. You know, it is not ramped up like religion, it's not messed around, it is real life. Yes, yes, I'm a pastor. Yes, I'm a vicar. Yes, I'm a chaplain. Yes, I am whatever I am under the label of what the world puts over me.
Speaker 1:But I want to tell you now, yes, I suffer with anxiety and I deal with that in a very odd way, you know. And how do I deal with that? You know, it makes me cry, honestly, it makes me cry a little chuckle there, because I have to try and man up about it. But you can't man up about it, can you? You know, anxiety gets you, you know, in the pit of your belly. It might be finances, it might be life, it might be children, it might be work, it might be school education, it might be ministry. Have you ever felt overwhelmed? How do I deal with it? You know, know, I don't know how to tell you that, how I deal with it, because it sits in my gut for such a long time.
Speaker 1:Yes, I'm a bible believing believer. Yes, I am saved. Yes, I go to church. Of course I do. Yes, I'm in ministry. Yes, I get fearful. Yes, I get doubtful. All the yeses under the sun. But. But I just try.
Speaker 1:In the weak moments, in the scary moments, in the anxiety, to say Lord, please, because that's the only prayer that I can actually pray. You know, lord, please, will you, lord, will you please, lord, will you help me? Do you wake up in a pool of sweat? Do you wake up, you know, really exhausted? Do you find that there are certain hours from when you go asleep that maybe when you get home from work you can first of all, just, you know, tend to disappear into no man's land and just get some sleep, but then suddenly wake up and then you find your body, your heart.
Speaker 1:Have you ever woken up like in the middle of the night, early hours of the morning, and you can feel heart palpitations? You know it's not a nice feeling. I know what it feels like. I know what it feels like to be anxious as soon as you wake up and you feel very restless. You know I've had that a lot and sometimes I still get that I wake up really, really restless and I get very agitated in the morning I don't know what happens and goes on through the midnight hour and all the way through the night shift itself.
Speaker 1:But I just pray that God over the journey of my life as a minister, as a Bible-believing believer, as a son of the living God because that's the first and foremost that I am I'm a child of the living God. Labels mean nothing. It doesn't matter what labels over us. We might be the greatest preacher in the world, but when anxiety comes in, it's going to come in, like myself, with all the labels and all the bits and pieces, the bells and the whistles strapped on all the way around. It doesn't stop the anxiety. Even being a Bible believer, I believe in genesis to revelations, but I still get anxious.
Speaker 1:But philippians says four through to six, you know, um, in in chapter four sorry chapter four, verses six through to seven. It says be anxious about nothing but lord. How do I do this, lord? What do I do? You know? One, peter, you know. Let's move on to another scripture. One peter, chapter 5, verse 7.
Speaker 1:The bible says cast all your anxieties onto him because he cares for you. I think that's a great little scripture there. Cast all your anxieties. How do I do this? What is casting? How do how do I cast? Well, automatically, I go to thinking of a fisherman. You know someone fishing. What do they do? They cast the nets and they cast the hook. And when you think about it casting in the world of fishing, you know you've got to throw it out. That's how I would depict that. That's how I would say that You've got to throw it out. That's how I would depict that. That's how I would say that You've got to throw it out. But it's easy to say, isn't it? But even when I say it, lord, will you remove this anxious thought? It still resonates with me. It still sits in the skin that I walk in. It still fills my belly. It still gets in my head and my mind, you know. But the Bible says cast all your anxiety onto him because he cares for you. Jesus, jesus is calling you. Are you anxious? Jesus is calling you. Are you fearful? Jesus is calling you.
Speaker 1:I believe the church, the church especially in the UK, the church in the UK, the preachers and the leaders really, really need to deal with fear and the second coming of Jesus. It's critical where we sit in the UK the second coming of Christ. You know it's no good getting ready. We're in April, you know it's Saturday, it's the 12th of April here in the UK and you can imagine there'll be meetings already in certain areas of ministry talking about Christmas. It's not the baby Jesus I'm looking for, it's the coming king. You know the church really needs to sort itself out here in the uk spiritually, fundamentally scriptures. You know and I'm speaking to myself here, I really am speaking to myself that us, as church leaders across this nation, you know we really need to dig into the word and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ because there are so many believers globally, nationally, locally. There are so many people, there are so many leaders that are suffering with anxiety and fear and doubt. There are so many people in congregations that are suffering with fear and doubt.
Speaker 1:Now, why is this? What is it? Is it because I'm weak? It's not because I'm weak. It's because the church hasn't done what it should have done over the generations and preach the word of god and prepare us for such a time as this society and life is so powerful and so strong. You've only got to look at parliament in the uk. You've only got to look at Parliament in the UK. You've only got to look at everything that's happening through the political window. There are scary things happening. Then you go onto the global platform of what's happening around the world and you see what's happening globally as well. You know that can be scary.
Speaker 1:Yes, I'm a Bible-believing believer. Yes, I believe in eschatology. Yes, I understand thatesus christ is coming back. But yes, also I am anxious and I am fearful because life is so fierce. Life is so fierce, it takes no prisoners. You know, if you tell your workspace or your college friends or, uh, you, wherever you live, your life and whatever your life reflects like and however you're woven together in certain areas of life and business and school and education and even family, you know, when you tell people that you are a Bible-believing believer, you know, almost the rug gets pulled from under your feet in certain areas of life and it is a very lonely place. Now I'm not saying that God has left us because he says that I will not leave you. Jesus says I'll never leave you as orphans. But you know, when you tell the world around you and you start living and you start believing and you start walking in the gospel of Jesus Christ, it can be lonely. It can be lonely because the world is completely anti-God, anti-christ, so that will bring anxiety, even when you go to church.
Speaker 1:You know how many people go to church on Sundays and prayer meetings and Bible studies, walk in the building and walk out the building exactly the same, because the ministers and the preaching doesn't deal with the root. What is the root? The root is fear. You know the church in the UK really needs to preach the gospel of hope. You know I'm talking about the gospel, not the prosperity gospel. I'm not talking about that fake name it and claim it gospel. Have you seen what's happening on certain platforms, on the social media, where a certain amount of pastors are shaking their jackets and congregations are falling over and all these ridiculous things? You know that is just. That is the devil doing his best work. That is the devil doing his best work.
Speaker 1:I don't know where you are and what nation you're in, but as I speak as a leader and as a pastor and whatever labels over my back today, you know, I really believe that this nation, the UK, is so spiritually thin, it is so dangerous. We have never been in such a precarious position where we need the church, we need the leaders to preach the word like never before. The blood of Jesus, the blood of Jesus. You know what the scripture says Perfect love drives out all fear. The love of God, the love of Christ. So what does that mean? How do I deal with this anxiety Because the Bible says in Philippians 4, verses 6 through to 7, be anxious about nothing, but in everything, every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.
Speaker 1:Father, I pray right now, lord, that you will take my anxiety in the name of Jesus, lord, and I pray that the church in the UK, lord, will preach Lord, the word of God, faithful Lord, that we will hear messages that will shake the church, shake the foundations of the wall, lord, shake the tiles of this church. I pray, lord, for this church that I'm in here in Swanley. I pray for Elim Church in Swanley. Lord, that you will shake this church, that we will be a Bible-believing church. That's all that matters. God, that we believe in the fundamental truths. Brothers and sisters, wherever you are across the world, I pray that anxiety will be busted in the name of Jesus, because there is power in the blood.
Speaker 1:And what does the sorry, what should, I should say, is what frightens the devil. Let me get like this. I'm getting tongue tied a bit here. What does the devil like? The devil cannot stand anyone that starts quoting the word of God. So start speaking the word of God.
Speaker 1:The UK, you know a massive area of the UK, within the church, is biblically illiterate. It really is. And I'm not talking about congregations, I'm talking about the leaders, because when you listen to what comes across pulpits it's absolutely awful. And I'm not putting myself on any pedestal because I'm the least of the least, of the least of the least, you know. But I believe that wherever we are right now, if the church would deal with fear, fear is the root. So, lord, we pray tonight that the root of fear will be busted at the name of Jesus and the fire of God. The fire of God will rain, lord, let it rain tonight. Let your love rain down over us. Let the fire of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit, lord, just stretch down from glory tonight.
Speaker 1:Lord, and anyone that is anxious, father, break the anxiety. Father, we thank you that your word is power and we stand on the rock because, lord, we believe in the blood of Jesus, we believe in the word of God, we believe that there is power in the name of Jesus. We believe, lord, in the scripture of God. We believe that there is power in the name of Jesus. We believe, lord, in the scripture. So, lord, we're going to be anxious for nothing and we're going to believe that. That word tonight, your word, your scripture, lord, according to you, lord, we believe who the son sets free is free, indeed. So, father, we thank you.
Speaker 1:Philippians, sisters and brothers, I want to declare freedom over your life. Let's break anxiety in our lives. Remember what 1 Peter 5, 7 says Cast all your anxiety onto him because he cares for you. So, lord, we're going to take that scripture and we're going to cast it right now. Everything that is worrying us, we are going to give it to you in the name of Jesus.
Speaker 1:So, wherever you are across the world, I would encourage you to talk to God tonight, to talk to the everlasting Father and tell him all your anxieties, because he cares for you and he loves you. You know, wherever you are, we thank God for your life. There is power in the greatest name in heaven and earth. You've been listening to Unshakable here with myself, pastor Ben Cooper, just reminding you that, no, wherever you are at this moment in time, you're never alone. God is your strength, your refuge and your foundation. Keep walking by faith. Stand on the word Above all else. Stay unshakable Until next time. God bless, we'll see you soon. Take care, bye-bye, unshakable until next time. God bless, we'll see you soon. Take care, bye.
