Philippians 4:4 7 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:8 9 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. 1
Worry To torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret. Anxiety Distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune: Worry / Anxiety (merimnao) causes us to: Be pulled in different directions. Have distracted thoughts. Lose Focus. o Worry chokes our feelings, and destabilizes our lives. Anxiety in a man s heart weighs him down Proverbs 12:25 2
In this world you will have trouble John 16:33 Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:33 Trouble / Problems are a part of life. To have concern about our lives is normal. If we don t handle our concerns appropriately, it leads to worry. Worry is a form of fear. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all. 2 Thes. 3:16 3
God s Antidote for Anxiety Philippians 4:4 9 Apply Phil. 4:4-9 every time you feel anxious! God s Prescription for Peace Philippians 4:4 9 To be administered in six stages. 4
Stage One Rejoice in the Lord Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Phil. 4:4 We do not rejoice in circumstances, we rejoice in the Lord. We rejoice in the character and attributes of the Lord. Rejoicing is to be perpetual. Joy is more than just an emotion we feel, it s an attitude we develop. Our attitudes influence our emotions. It s hard to worry when you re rejoicing. Stage 2 Put the Problem in Perspective Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; Phil. 4:5 Reasonableness Understood also as gentleness, graciousness, contentment towards others. Consider the big picture, not just the immediate problem. Screen the circumstances through the character and sovereignty of God. Remember God s faithfulness and how He has brought you through tough times before. Display for others your attitude of joy. 5
Stage 3 Revel in the Nearness of God Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; Phil. 4:5 Greek word (eggys) means near in both time and space. Psalm 34: 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Isaiah 41: 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Stage 4 Treat Anxiety with Thankful and Specific Prayer do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Phil. 4:6 I. Do not be anxious It s a command, not a request. II. about anything, but in everything There is no problem to small or big that necessitates us to worry. III. by prayer Approaching God in reverence. IV. and supplication (petition) Praying for an answer to a specific need related to what you re worried about. 6
Stage 4 Treat Anxiety with Thankful and Specific Prayer do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Phil. 4:6 V. with thanksgiving Reflecting gratitude and praising God for the good blessings He s given you, or will give you, even though the situation is bad. Don t skip this step! VI. let your requests be made known to God Lay your specific concerns and worries at the throne of God. Tell God specifically what you re asking and then leave your anxieties in His hands. This requires humility and faith! Stage 4 Treat Anxiety with Thankful and Specific Prayer And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:7 The antidote is taking effect and you re experiencing God s peace even though the circumstances haven t changed. It s a supernatural peace. The peace of God surrounds you and provides a protective barrier that worry can t penetrate. God s peace is protecting your heart (emotions, feelings) and your mind (thoughts). 7
Stage 5 Create an Atmosphere Where Worry Isn t Welcome Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Phil. 4:8 Finally The prescription is not finished yet. There is still important action to take to defeat anxiety. Stage 5 Create an Atmosphere Where Worry Isn t Welcome Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Phil. 4:8 Think on these things... True Opposite of falsehood Honorable Worthy of respect Just Aligned with God's holy standards Pure Moral purity; undefiled Lovely Amiable and pleasing Commendable Well spoken of; reputable Excellent Virtue; moral goodness Worthy of praise Worth admiring and speaking well of 8
Stage 5 Create an Atmosphere Where Worry Isn t Welcome Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Phil. 4:8 think about these things Proactively fill your mind with thoughts that are incompatible with worry. Protect your mind from thoughts and ideas that welcome worry. Stage 6 Model Those Who Exhibit God s Peace What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things Phil. 4:9a Walk in the ways of those who have battled and defeated worry. Spend time with people who give you wise and biblical counsel. Follow the Apostle Paul s examples and advice to overcome anxiety. 9
Stage 6 Model Those Who Exhibit God s Peace and the God of peace will be with you. Phil. 4:9b In verse 7 we have the peace of God, in verse 9 we have the God of peace. First we experienced His peace, now we have His presence. The prescription is complete. God s peace has displaced worry. It is to be applied repeatedly any time worry or anxiety creeps into our minds. God s Prescription for Peace 1. Rejoice in the Lord Vs. 4 2. Put the Problem in Perspective Vs. 5 3. Revel in the Nearness of God Vs. 5 4. Treat Anxiety with Thankful and Specific Prayer Vs. 6 5. Create an Atmosphere Where Worry Isn t Welcome Vs. 8 6. Model Those Who Exhibit God s Peace Vs. 9 o Reapply as needed! 10
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) Worry is ultimately a lack of faith in God. When we continue to worry, we are saying we don t trust God enough to take control of the problem. Is our God to small, or is our faith too small? 11