Anxious?
Notes
Transcript
Philippians 4:4-9
Philippians 4:4-9
Philippians 4:4–9 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” These few verses are loaded with helpful truths that address anxiety. Let’s begin with verse 4, Phil 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Here Paul emphasises the importance of rejoicing in the Lord by repeating it emphatically in this verse. However, he didn’t just say “rejoice,” no Paul said, “rejoice in the Lord always.” When we encounter situations that generate anxious thoughts, those thoughts are met with a heart attitude of inner joy. This doesn’t happen because our circumstances demand that we be happy, these are not rose colored glasses moments. No, we rejoice because of who Christ is, and who we are in Him. We rejoice as we remember our salvation and celebrate our victory over sin and death. And we rejoice as we remember God’s promises to us that are found in Christ. Promises like Romans 8:31-32
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
If God is for us, who or what can stand against us? 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
So we rejoice in the Lord always and map the truths of God onto our anxious thoughts. This enables our spiritual realities to influence how we deal with our present physical realities. In verse 5 Paul said, Phil 4:5
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
When rejoicing in the Lord one can’t help but to display a gentleness that can be evident to all. This is especially recognized during times of trouble, when things are not going our way. Instead of reacting out of anxious thoughts, which usually leads to anything but gentleness; we respond gently out of a spirit of joy that comes from rejoicing in the Lord. Paul says it this way in Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Do you know someone who exudes gentleness, isn’t it amazing how they handle everything with a sense of calmness and care. Gentleness opposes anxiousness and this helps us to function in healthy ways. Paul ends this verse with a very short but powerful sentence, “The Lord is near.” This is one of the most helpful spiritual realities for us to remember. We are never left to ourselves in this life, the Lord is with us. And not only is He with us, but He is in us, and you can’t get any closer to somebody than that. Psalm 145:18
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
The Lord draws near and meets us in the midst of our anxious thoughts. Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Thank you Jesus that our God is not aloof! Amen? Let's pick up at verse 6, Phil 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Since we are rejoicing in the Lord always, remembering His nearness to us, and living a life of gentleness, Paul said we are not to be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation we are to turn to the Lord in the following four ways: Prayer, petition, thanksgiving, and requests. I appreciate how the Bible Knowledge Commentary defines our communion with God using these four words from Paul. They say, “Prayer describes a believer’s approach to God. Petition emphasizes requesting an answer to a specific need. Thanksgiving is an attitude of heart which should always accompany one’s prayers. Requests speak of definite and specific things asked for.” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary). Turning to the Lord like this consistently guards our hearts from anxiousness, because we are confirming that He is the One who is in control of all things. When we remember to keep God in His rightful position as the almighty One, that frees us from trying to be the ultimate authority, and falsely believing that we somehow are in control of all things. And that right there eliminates probably more than half of the anxiety we experience. Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
And 1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
We turn to the Lord, and help others to turn to the Lord so that the cares and concerns that we harbor in our hearts can be given over to the One who cares for us. And when this is accomplished, verse 7 says, Phil 4:7
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
God’s peace is opposite to anxiety, and this peace is greater than anything we can imagine. The Lord desires that we be at peace through an intimate personal relationship with Him. As we grow in our love for and trust in the Lord Jesus, we are then able to receive His peace. One of the greatest benefits that God’s peace provides for us is that it guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. We are protected from anxiousness when receiving the peace of God that is found in Christ. If you are a believer, a Christ follower, then you are in Christ, united with Him in His death and His life. His death counts for our death Romans 6:6-8
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—
because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
And His life give us new life Colossians 2:13
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
Finally, His righteousness is counted as ours 2 Corinthians 5:21
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Jesus is, therefore we are! How is that for the peace of God that transcends all understanding. Paul’s concluding remarks begin in verse 8, Phil 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
This verse speaks directly to our thought life, and encourages us to spend our time thinking about six different things. First, we are to think about whatever is true.
Whatever is true
Whatever is true
This is incredibly important because anxiety is often fueled by fatalistic thinking that works itself out through the what if’s that we meditate on. It is necessary to always ask the question, “what is true about this situation?” It is helpful to seek counsel from others in these moments if you are finding yourself unable to find an answer to the question of what is true. We have opportunities to serve one another in this way, speaking truth into each other’s lives.
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
We are also to think about things that are noble. Psalm 63
Whatever is noble
Whatever is noble
These are things that are worthy of respect like our God. Just think about how our anxious thoughts would be kept in check if we were to think about the Lord the way David did in Psalm 63
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.
Those who want to kill me will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth.
They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals.
But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God will glory in him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced.
Think on whatever is noble and worthy of respect, meditate on God and cling to Him. We are also supposed to think about whatever is right.
Whatever is right
Whatever is right
There are so many things wrong with this world and with our own bodies that it is easy to focus on all of these things rather than meditating on the things that are right. So what exactly are the things that are right? Well, they are all the truths about God’s character and His ways. Truths about the Lord’s promises, presence, and power. 2 Peter 1:3-4
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Our hearts and our minds are guarded from anxiety when we ruminate on the truths of God. Next we are to think about whatever is pure.
Whatever is pure
Whatever is pure
This word pure can also be translated as innocent, or holy. Again, what is the one entity that we know to be pure, innocent, and holy? Yes, God! The more we think about the Lord’s holiness, the less time we have thinking anxious thoughts. 1 Samuel 2:2
“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
And Exodus 15:11
Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?
God is truly the only pure and holy thing we have to fix our thoughts on. Let’s spend more time gazing upon the Lord so we can have a more pure thought life. We are also encouraged to think about whatever is lovely.
Whatever is lovely
Whatever is lovely
There are many lovely things that each one of us can think of off the top of our heads, but how often do we find ourselves actually thinking about them? Unfortunately, we are a people bent toward focusing on things that are unlovely. We dwell on our hardships, and allow ourselves to be consumed by anxious thoughts. But it doesn’t have to be that way, it is possible to address our hardships while keeping those lovely things in the forefront of our minds. And we praise the Lord for all the lovely things that He has given us. A heart of praise and thanksgiving brings light to our darkest of days. Psalm 150
Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe,
praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
Think of whatever is lovely and praise the Lord for He is worthy of our praise. Finally we are to think about whatever is admirable.
Whatever is admirable
Whatever is admirable
This word admirable relates to all things positive and productive. Again, Paul is encouraging us to reflect on positive and productive things, rather than negative and destructive things. Thinking about the goodness of God is the best way to achieve this. In this way we keep our hope in the Lord, and not in someone or something else. And that keeps us from disappointment and despair. Psalm 146
Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul.
I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.
He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free,
the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord.
In order to accomplish this it will require less time spent focusing on the things of this world, and more time spent with the Lord in His Word, and in prayer. Take breaks from watching the news, and take that time to think on the goodness of God, those things that are excellent or praiseworthy. Paul makes his final remarks in verse 9, Phil 4:9
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Here Paul is exhorting the Philippians to live out the things they learned, received, and heard from him. This is similar to what Paul told the Corinthians when he said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Like the Philippians and the Colossians, we too are called to follow Christ’s example, and, 1 John 2:5-6
But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:
Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
“This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” Those of us who are Christ followers are in Christ; therefore, we must follow His example and live as He did. I am convinced that if we abide in Christ in this way, and follow the instructions given in Philippians 4:4-9, we will be so much closer to not being anxious about anything. In summary we are to rejoice in the Lord always, and let our gentleness be known. We are to not be anxious about anything, but in every situation pray and petition the Lord with thanksgiving. As we do that the peace of God guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally friends, we are to think on things that are excellent and praiseworthy, and live as Jesus did. Let’s pray:
