Don't Worry

Introduction:

Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence - Aristotle

“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.”- The 14th Dalai Lama

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.” TJ

Over 40 million adults in the U.S. alone are said to be “suffering” from “anxiety disorders”. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America claims that these disorders are “treatable” (not curable) through the means of therapy, medication & Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. The Bible provides hope that the world can’t. The Bible commands believers to be joyful always and anxious never and then provides the means to accomplish that ideal, blissful life.

Proposition: 3 ways to live an anxiety free life

Phil 4:4-7 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I. Be Joyful in the Lord v.4

Phil 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”

EXPLAIN:

Paul commands the believer to be (present active imperative) continually joyful, not in themselves but in the Lord, 2 times in 1 verse.

Joy in the Lord is one of the most important aspects to the Christian life.

John Piper “The pursuit of our interest and our happiness is never above God’s, but always in God’s. The most precious truth in the Bible is that God’s greatest interest is to glorify the wealth of His grace by making sinners happy in Him… Therefore Christian Hedonists do not put their happiness above God’s glory when they pursue their happiness in Him.”

Psalm 13:5ff “But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.”

ILLUSTRATE:

I remember being with some friends once and conversation about our waist size came up. We were talking and I said “I’m getting fat, my wasit size has jumped from a 30 to a 32”. And I want to cut calories and stay slim.

The next guy to share felt terrible because he was overweight. My face went bright red and I felt so dumb and mean and couldn’t believe I said that. BECAUSE He had it WAY worse than me.

That’s the same feeling we get when we read this verse

Transition: Paul is sitting in a 1st century prison, likely in Rome. chained up, poorly ventilated, underground. Filthy, dirty and awaiting a verdict.

You are in America, eating chick fil a, drinking coffee, wearing suits, hanging with family, going to the beach, planning vacations, enjoying nature, never hungry, never thirsty, always clothed, and free.

What complaint can you make that is valid. Tell it to Paul AS HE WRITES to REJOICE ALWAYS!

We can always rejoice in the Lord.

Job 1:20-22 “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.”

We can and must rejoice in the Lord always bc like Paul already said Phil 3:8 “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,”

God has saved you from Hell

He is Love

He is Faithful

He is Glorious

He is Kind

He is Righteous

He is Gracious

A relationship with this God towers over any temporal difficulty APPLICATION:

Anxiety cannot live where joy does

Will you CHOOSE to find joy in the Lord

Write down 3 ways the Lord was gracious to you everyday

Spend time with Him every morning in His Word and prayer

Transition: Be Joyful in the Lord and watch anxiety fade away

II. Be Gentle to Others v.5

Phil 4:5 “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.”

EXPLAIN: The gentleness Paul describes is one of humble graciousness that can only come when you take your eyes off of yourself and orient them towards the Lord. The influence of our gentleness is not just family, friends or church but all men.

ILLUSTRATE:

A hyper focus on self will always lead to crippling anxiety.

Consider the difference between a hypochondriac and a soldier

Hypochondriac

Have a headache, it must be a head tumor, schedule and appointment

Soldier

Run get shot in the helmet, get up and keep going

Hypochondriac

Search the mirror for a new freckle and immediately get to the doctor bc it is likely cancerous

Soldier

Has a HUGE gash on their skin and pours alchohol on it, wrap it and keep going

Hypochondriac

Has a stomach ache bc they ate chipotle and it must be appendicitis, schedule a surgery

Soldier

Gets shot in the stomach, applies pressure and evaluates if they can keep going

Whats the difference?

Hypochondriacs have no other focus except themselves. Selfishness leads to anxiousness.

Soldiers are focused on someone else. Who to kill, who to rescue, who to protect, who to attack AND so they have no time or care about themself.

Transition: SO we too ought to get our eyes OFF of ourself and onto the needs of others.

APPLICATION:

Imagine the good you could do if you thought about your spouse as much as you thought of yourself.

PAUSE

Imagine the good you’d do if you prayed for your church as much as you looked in the mirror

PAUSE

Imagine the the impact you could have if you evangelized the lost as much as you scrolled on your phone

PAUSE

Imagine the fruit you would see if you gave to the Lord as much as you spent on your suit.

PAUSE

The new heart you have recieved MUST evidence itself through a humble compassion towards others.

Praying for others

Giving to others

Washing the dishes

Take in the neighbors trash cans

Pay for that persons coffee

Let that person merge

Whatever it is, your gentle spirit ought to be known by ALL MEN and as you do those things dependent on the Lord you will begin to be free from anxiety...

Transition: Anxiety free living is a result of selflessly living.

III. Be Confident in Your God v.6-7

Phil 4:5-7 “bThe Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

a. When we recognize the fact that God is near to us, then we have no reason to be anxious.

QUICK Illus: It may be scary to walk down a dark road in the middle of a city in El Salvador BUT when you have a 6’5, 230lb LOCAL walking with you, theres not much to fear.

When we have The creator of heaven and Earth, the King of Kings & Lord of Lords, the one who upholds all things, the one who controls all things NEAR US and FOR US - we have no need to or validity fear.

In fact, we have all the more reason to go to our God who is near with everything we need because He hears us.

Prayer = wishes

Supplication = needs

Thanksgiving = joy (same word as above)

BE MADE = imperative

You not only should, but you must GIVE IT ALL TO THE LORD. The only other option is relying on yourself which is synonymous w/ anxiety.

Thats why Paul says Be anxious for nothing BUT in everything … pray

The opposite... Be anxious for everything and don’t pray

You See for a Christian, anxiety & fear is foolishness.

b. ILLUSTRATION: If anyone fears foolishly, it is children. I remember when my family got a pool and my Dad began teaching me how to swim. He put floaties on my arms and then told me to jump into his arms and He would catch me. What danger was there? Practically none. Yet I couldn’t and wouldn’t jump. I wouldn’t obey my Dad. Because I was scared. I feared drowning, I feared pain, I feared death. Yet none of those could possibly happen! So my family would come around and encourage me to just jump. Yet I would let them all down, let myself down and push off the joy that would come from learning to swim. Too many of us are like this today. Our heavenly Father is there to care, provide and protect us. There us nothing for us to legitimately fear and yet we get anxious as if He wasn’t sovereign. It’s foolishness and sin because it shows that we don’t trust Him.

Anxiety isn’t just a terrible feeling or a chemical imabalnce... but a gross sin that shouts at God and tells Him that He isn’t in control, He isn’t good, He isn’t loving, He isn’t caring and ultimately that He isn’t actually God and shouldn’t be trusted.

Anxiety is a disbelief in the God of truth and a belief in the father of lies - Satan -> who is perfectly content with you not trusting our trustworthy God

So let me make 1 thing clear - it is sin to not trust God BUT you will never trust God if you don’t first know God.

You must give up control, let go of the wheel, and recognize that your anxiety is rooted in your desire to PLAY GOD and control your life.

You must repent of your pride and TRUST in the God who cares enough to send His only son to be the substitution for the wrath you desrve. Sumbit your life to Him and find your CONFIDENCE in Him.

Then...

c. APPLICATION: Think logically and Biblically about the thing causing anxiety in your life. Does the Lord have control over it? Is He good? Does He love you? Than stop worrying Go to Him in prayer and stay there until your heart comes to a supernatural peace.

And that peace which comes is in fact supernatural, and to the non-beleiving world it is unfathomable.

Conclusion: Story of Rowland Taylor’s martyrdom. In the face of death and in the midst of flames, Taylor’s mouth didn’t utter a distrust in God but Psalms and Prayers displaying a profound peace that the human mind cannot comprehend. Will you have that same joy in the Lord, that same gentleness towards others, that same confidence in God – even in the worst of circumstances?

Rowland Taylor was the 3rd martyr under the reign of Queen Mary in 1555. He was trialed and sentenced to death for His faithful preaching of the gospel.

Rowland was reported to have said these final words to His wife “I say to my wife and to my dear children, the Lord gave you unto me, and the Lord hath taken me from you and you from me. Blessed be the name of the Lord. I believe that they are blessed which die in the Lord. God careth for the sparrows and for the hairs of our heads. I've ever found Him more faithful and favorable than is any father or husband. Trust ye therefore in Him by the means of our dear Savior Christ's merits. Believe, love, fear, and obey Him”

On Feb 9th, Rowland walked to the stake with His whole family present. He wasn’t being dragged, forced, he wasn’t plotting an escape - he was said to be singing and praying peacefully.

When you find your joy in the Lord, devote yourself to serving others and are confident in your God - you can and will experience this joy which surpasses all understanding and live an anxiety free life.