“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”-{Philippians 4:6-7}
1.The PROBLEM- Anxiety
The way it is grammatically written in this verse is these dear believers were “ habitually worrying.” These dear ones belonged to the LORD Jesus but had a habit of habitually worrying as a way of life. They had carried it over from their old life before they were saved through the LORD Jesus Christ.
Because the LORD Saves us from the PENALTY of sin, we often forget He ALSO saves us from the POWERof sin, INCLUDING submitting to and being a slave to anxiety. This is where we NEED to renew our mind as Romans 12:2 says, if we are to live in the freedom He purchassed for us. We have to know the truth and apply the truth to our lives and that includes when tempted with the sin of anxiety. ANXIETY comes to our minds and we cannot do anything about that but we can choose not to submit to it and therefore dishonor God.
ANXIETY tempts us by coming to our mind and that IS NOT SIN BUT ONLY WHEN WE SUBMIT TO IT THEN IT IS, for it attacks the character and integrity of God as untrustworthy! It slanders Him to us!
THE POISON OF ANXIETY;
“BUT GOD…” as we apply His Word teaches us HOW To deal with anxiety in Philippians 4:6-7. He changes us, changes the way we think, seeing life through the lens of Scripture and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live out what God has worked in us. It is a process. It’s not instantaneous perfection, but a lifelong process of being changed, conformed into the image of Christ in thought, word and deed. We will never be perfect until we go be with Him, but His Spirit is conforming us more and more like Him as we spiritually grow. And part of that growth, and being spiritually stable as what Paul is teaching in Philippians 4:1-9 is to know how to deal His way with anxiety.
And how about this, you can say “NO” and “stop” being anxious!! That is how the verse starts off, “Be anxious for nothing…” The way it is written is “stop habitually worrying….” but How? He goes on to say do so by Praying with thanksgiving and as you do God promises peace to guard your MIND nd heart in Christ.
The truth is you no longer have to yield to worry, but when the posionous destructive dishonoring thought comes speak to yourself that Christ has set you FREE , therefore by faith apply His Word and live in that freedom!
Turn those anxious thoughts into prayer and receive His peace for your MIND – where the battle is- and He will guard your heart! Good news, God’s news you are free apply it when tempted to be anxious!
Some of us when we come to the LORD certain sins seem to drop off, it seems they no longer hold us like they once did, and yet there can be others it is a fight to reject them and not yield to them. Why? This can be an area where we realize our great need for the LORD Jesus to make TO us what is true OF us, that we have the power from the Spirit of God and as we lean in by faith on the LORD we again see our need for Him and need for His enabling in these areas, they keep us dependent upon the LORD Jesus Christ.
Even these things God can use for good if it causes us to turn to Him and truth Him by receive from Him what He says is true and applying to our lives. We are forever and always in need of the LORD to enable us.
These dear believers had a habit they were habitually worrying, and this would be one thing that would forfeit spiritual stability which Paul is teaching them about, but he kindly shows them how they can overcome anxiety as a habit n their life and when anxious thoughts would come up again- they can be but opportunities to train them to apply God’s provision for them as Philippians 4:6-7 shows. Those areas where perhaps you or I are tempted or struggle in, we can know God will work all things including these “things” to work out for good, by training us to trust Him, change the way we think, applying His Word to our lives, realizing we do not have to let any sin master us, because Jesus CHRIST IS OUR master AND HAS SET US FREE from the bondage of sin! Trusting Him to fulfil His promise in Philippians 4:7 as we apply Philippians 4:6!
ANXIETIES EVIL TRAVEL COMPANIONS;
Luke 12 teaches that anxiety does not travel alone but with Fear. Have you noticed that in your own life, when anxiety comes it is accompanied with fearful thoughts, and the goal in Luke 12 is to deter from seeking the kingdom of God in their, your and my life!
Anxiety attacks the character of God, saying He cannot be trusted, though He means well, He just can’t be relied upon.
Anxiety lies to us!
Anxiety unchecked also can lead to depression!
Proverbs 12:25 reads, “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.” Note the word “BUT”.…there is an alternative a “Good word” and Philippians 4:6-7 is a good word for it is God’s Word! See Anxieties travel companions, Fear and Depression and to attack the character of God tempting you to succumb to it and in doing so divert from seeking as the priority of life, the Kingdom of God in your daily pursuit. -{Read Matthew 6:33}.We live in enemy territory for this is not our home, we are the Bible says aliens and strangers, our citizenship is in heaven,.-{1 Peter 2:11; Philippians 3:20}. And the evil one uses “anxiety” as one of his weapons in this spiritual warfare. “But God…” has given us everything we need for life and Godliness, and precious and magnificent promises to be applied to life’s situations we encounter as we live in this world as Ambassadors of Christ!-{Read 2 Peter 1:3-4; 2 Cor 5:20}
2.- The PRESCRIPTION – God- and His Ways!
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests TO GOD.”
We often turn to different things, places rather than “ TO GOD,” when anxious things threaten our mental, emotional welfare and peace . Sometimes it is out of learned HABIT , where when anxious Thoughts come we usually turn first “ TO______” We each can fill in the blank. If we examine how we handle anxious thoughts, there is always a turning “ TO____”. And GOD is not always our first response to TURN… TO GOD. And this is where the LORD wants to have us TURN…TO HIM!
And so Paul in this passage instructs the worrying believers to “ STOP HABITUALLLY WORRYING…” but he doesn’t leave them there. For that would be cruel and unkind.
Something has grabbed their attention that is disturbing and causing anxiety, but note he tells them not only WHAT NOT TO DO, BUT… WHAT TO DO,…
“Prayer – Supplication – Thanksgiving – Requests…” – but note each of these are specifically be made known “TO GOD!” Sounds simple, straightforward, but then, there is … us…,Ourselves, our old Habits, where when stressful times comes to us, we first often turn “TO____” and it is not necessarily “TO GOD…”. Though we may eventually get there.
Though we don’t often say it – we live with the attitude ,”I guess There’s nothing else for us to do, I guess we need to pray!” The new Habit TO BE DEVELOPED , AND IT TAKES PRACTICE AND DEPENDENCE UPON GOD TO HELP YOU DEVELOP IT…IS TO TURN…TO GOD!
In the passage of Philippians 4:1-9 it is dealing with SPIRITUAL STABILITY as the words “STAND FIRM “ in verse 1 is the foundation and Paul works his way through on HOW TO STAND FIRM… to be SPIRITUAL STABLE, and he deals with Anxiety and how to handle it HIS WAY, which is to turn “TO GOD” in those temptations to anxiety.
The PROBLEM with Anxiety when we choose to yield to it is that we end with it dominating our thoughts, displacing God and His Word as our goal and guide. We keep going over and over the PROBLEM as though God doesn’t exist and if He does, He either doesn’t care or is unable to help! That’s how we live when we END with The PROBLEM PREOCCUPYING our mind rather than the PROBLEM SOLVER! GOD, and HIS WORD!
ATTACK the anxious though with Thankful Prayer!
When an anxious thought comes to mind, immediately turn to God and pray with thanksgiving, knowing He will GUARD your mind and heart with His peace just as He promises! Ask Him to remind and teach you to do so and He will! By doing so you are exercising faith in Him as you are choosing to do what He says when anxious thoughts come to mind- it is an expression of your confidence in Him to do as He says! And you will develop a new God honoring habit!
It takes faith in Him and His PRESCRIPTION to stop worrying instead through prayer- supplication – with thanksgiving – requests be “…MADE KNOWN TO GOD.” As you do so, you are giving evidence of who you are trusting. And the outcome, the fruit will be – GROWTH and GROUNDING in SPIRITUAL STABILITY…. and THE PEACE OF GOD GUARDING YOUR MIND AND HEART!
Anxiety is a temptation to distrust and so dishonor God, It is not your master, You do not have to bow down and accept it’s evil. “For sin shall not be master over you.”-(Romans 6:14)
It comes down to A CHOICE to obey Anxiety or the Almighty. Trust our feelings or His Word- the Facts!
3.- The PROMISE- Peace Of God.
“ …the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your HEARTS and your MINDS in Christ Jesus.”-( Phil 4:6-7)
God bless and may by His empowering Spirit help you to RECOGNOZE THE PROBLEM of anxiety and immediately to Turn “TO GOD,” for He is your PERSCRIPTION . And the evidence you are trusting Him is that “… IN EVERY SITUATION, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests TO GOD.” –
A good question to ask in those anxious moments is “Who or What am I TURNING TO AND TRUSTING?”
* For who we TURN TO is who we are TRUSTING IN!
The circumstance embracing and holding onto and nursing anxiety reflects our hearts focus and condition!
Anxious thoughts will come to us, the evil one will see to that, seeking to disrupt our peace and to attack the character of God that He cannot be trusted, and so we are tempted and if we choose- and it is a choice- to believe our anxious thoughts and let them rule our thinking, and not Him as He says in His Word, anxiety will rule.
Those things that seek to engulf you with anxious destructive, fear fueled and depressive thoughts, GOD can use to work for YOUR GOOD! HOW? He gives us the ability to RECOGNIZE, identify the PROBLEM and REALIZE that our position “In Christ” is that we are not slaves to anxiety where we have to submit and embrace those thoughts and think wrongly as though there is no way out, for HE IS OUR WAY OUT, through turning “TO GOD,”- COMING TO HIM- and by faith DOING things His Way as Philippians 4:6 lays out !
The Anxious things that seek to be DESTRUCTIVE for you God can use to DEVELOP SPIRITUAL STABILITY in your life!
Those things that are gnawing away at you can be a springboard for you to IMMEDIATELY TURN TO GOD WITH THANKFUL PRAYER, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO YIELD TO THOSE ANXIOUS THOUGHTS AS GOD HAS MADE PROVISION FOR YOU! Acknowledge those anxious thoughts to God take them to Him and leave them with HIM, and as you follow His PRESCRIPTION in Philippians 4:6 Know He will fulfil His PROMISE in verse 7 of “ PEACE “…the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your HEARTS and your MINDS in Christ Jesus.”
Anxious thoughts attack and seek to influence, dominate our MINDS and HEARTS… our emotional well-being, to seek to influence our choices …. His PEACE is the option and is ours as we TURN “TO GOD..” and follow His PRESCRIPTION in Philippians 4:6-7!
Problem- Anxiety
Prescription- GOD
Promise – Peace of God!
PRACTICE and develop a New Habit-Philippians 4:6 when anxious thoughts come to your mind! And as you PRACTICE this new Habit… THE PEACE OF GOD AND…SPIRITUAL STABILITY results!
God bless,
Aidan