Anxiety

Intro

I’m pastor Keenan, next gen pastor here at first

During November we are going to go through Philippians 4

It’s the anti-anxiety chapter

As we are in a crazy world today with a lot of decisions to make and a lot of things making us lack peace, this Scripture has been incredibly beneficial for helping me with my anxiety and finding peace where I didn’t have any

So let’s get into our Scripture and pray

Philippians 4:2–7 CSB

2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Pray

The worry killer is prayer and thanksgiving

Explain

Paul is writing this letter to the Philippian church

in it he gives a lot of advice and help for people to help them follow Jesus better

Along with this he gives updates on his life and the other Christians with him to help the church grow from his situations he’s in

But here in chapter 4 he starts off talking to the overseer or the pastor of the church or whoever he knows will read the letter.

He tells them that he wants to help these two ladies, Euodia and Syntyche who are having some kind of disagreement.

He says that both of them are saved but need some help with their conflict

after Paul asks for their help he says to rejoice, meaning that he would be expecting this person to not be happy with getting involved in the conflict.

So Paul tells them to rejoice in the Lord always and to handle this situation with graciousness because God is near to them.

Meaning they can handle it with grace because God is with them.

But Paul knows that conflict is not fun.

Who thinks that getting involved in conflict is very fun?

Who here tends to worry or anxious about conflict?

After this Paul tells them that they shouldn’t worry about anything

it’s not just random but he knows that conflict resolution is not fun

and not to worry but to do two things, pray about the things you need and thank Him

then he says if you do this then God’s peace which doesn’t make sense to our human brains in the moment will come

POINT: The Anxiety killer is prayer and thanksgiving

Apply

Who struggles with anxiety here?

Why is that?

Who has a hard time playing scenarios that will or have gone bad out in your head?

How do you handle that now?

What does God’s word say to handle them?

We often pray about the bad situations that we are in but who takes time to give thanks to God?

Why do you think giving thanks to God cures anxiety?

If you struggle with anxiety or worry or have something this week that is worrying you, what will you do to put thanking God as a priority in your God time?