Perspective of Praise

ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING—3

THE PERSPECTIVE OF PRAISE

Anxious for nothing series – as a church we want to be real, pressure to be perfect, we wont do that here, honest heart of Stuart and Emma and their own battles with anxiety

Anxiety - Hot topic – mental health, Crash the chatter box, battle that no one see, in the mind,

A personal battle, I am not stranger to anxiety either –

Speaking from a spiritual perspective – other factors physiological, brain development , power of the mind , I

Different forms – postnatal depression

We have been using one scripture as a foundation to this series..

—

Philippians 4:4 ESV

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Verse refrigerator—Greeting card—Coffee mug. Easy to quote to someone 􀀀 Harder to receive!

What are you talking about Paul….. don’t you just hate it something goes wrong…

Someone pipes up “rejoice in the lord always…”

Always? Rejoice spouse lies you? Battling cancer? Have no idea how you are going to feed your family this week? Boyfriend cheated? Kids are running away from God? Leave house? when your car breaks down again, when the pressure to perform, pass the exam, fit in , succeed ,stand up to the mocking of your peers?

when the anxiety is so pressing that you feel completly numb , and complete anguish at the same time you are crippled and weighted down so much you cant breathe you are vomiting and cant even leave the house … then rejoice????

Really Paul???

Someone pipes up “rejoice in the lord always…”

Context … Philippians written by Paul prison top goal to Rome – leader, influence got to the source big dream – preach in Rome.—

Gets to Rome not as preacher but a prisoner – under 24h house arrest

Locked to guard-awaiting trial no knowledge of future…….

Chained Imagine Discouragement—Anxiety!

Out of that he writes……

Philippians 4:4–7 ESV

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

How could Paul rejoice when locked up? How could he PRAISE when dream PREACH—Goes bed in PRISON?

It’s all about—Perspective. “The Perspective of Praise” stu - hearing the still small voice- emma - prayer

We are given the instruction

What not to do

The solution and

The result

Perspective very simply means—“How you see something.”

Look at same thing—See something different: piece of paper

(Magic Eye) stare until you see

Dad bringing home this new thing all excited - trying to catch us out - i was the last one to get it! dolphins look through 2 dots join stare!

Same root word in Latin—Word Perceive—“Look through!”

Bad Perspective version - Paul could have said.......... Craig Grochel-really BPV - how we look at the situation

Now i want you to know brothers and sisters that hat has happened to me really sucks, God let me down, I have been abandoned, i’m overwhelmed with anxiety, depression, hopelessness, i am so alone, Because of the hell I’ve been through , I’m quitting my restore group and never going back to church.

Perspective of Pain! Dreams over. Stuck here. Can’t sleep. Breathe.

we can look through a perspective of praise..

Look at situation thru 􀀀 Perspective Fear & Anxiety! Perspective Praise!3

Paul was using the very thing that could stop him to catapult his vision, dream,mission.

Perspective of Praise! Didn’t see when arrested—Tempted to think bad.

Never leave me—No weapon—In all things, good!

Chained Roman guards—Influential leaders—New every 8 hours. Who is the real prisoner?!

Cold calls, give me some of your time!! .. no no let me go first....

Chained Roman guards—Influential leaders—New every 8 hours. Who is the real prisoner?!

Wasn’t 1st time Paul praised in prison!

: Paul and Silas going to Place of Prayer—Riot broke out.

Acts 16:22 ESV

The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.

Stripped and beaten! (Clothes) Stripped 􀀀 Confidence—Peace—Joy! Beaten down 􀀀 Discouragement—Doubts—Worries!

Stripped and beaten! (Clothes) Stripped 􀀀 Confidence—Peace—Joy! Beaten down 􀀀 Discouragement—Doubts—Worries!

Serving God—Severely flogged and thrown into prison! Bloody, Bruised, Black eyes, Broken nose, ribs, Cold hard prison floor. Wrongly accused, Violently beaten! (Worship Night).

Acts 16:25 ESV

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

Guards made big mistake! 􀀀 Should have separated Paul and Silas! Enemy wants to isolate you—Devil’s a sniper—Easier to pick off alone.

Best thing you did—Go to church—Crazy people who’ll 􀀀 Pray! Praise

Paul and sials.... guess what we are still alive not dead not done!!!!!! God has plans for you yet whatever your situation

Devil wants to keep your perspective down… inward… on the issue

Notice: Praising God 􀀀 While they were in prison Wasn’t praise for the WHAT—WHO God was! Praise Before the Provision!

Spoiler alert—During middle of worship—Earthquake Doors open—Chains come loose!

Why this matters to me so much! When Paul wrote Philippians—Prison God could have delivered—Didn’t—Rejoice always!

Praise him when he delivers me—Praise him when he doesn’t!

What makes you Anxious, Through a Perspective of Praise—This what it takes help!

Praying—Singing hymns—Worshiping WHO God is!

Violent earthquake—Every corner of prison shakes! Prison doors fly open—Chains come loose! Find that sometimes…

Key that unlocks your miracle is the Sound of your praise. Are you going to break free today?

When you come back to Him in Praise you are reminded of Who He is and who you are in Him.

What does that look like? Life churches example of the worship band coming up - leader being Silas.... Expectation Verses reality:

driving to see stu - spent, low … i do not feel like praising. sound in the car

writing this cleaning oven choking i am no victim....

What would your life look like if you changed your perspective......... not emotion.... perspective

A perspective of praise leads to Peace that makes no sense at all that will guard your heart and mind

When we praise Him, is your perspective changing, hands in chains to a heart free to Praise. If he breaks me out—Praise him—If he doesn’t—Praise him!

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Praise him when the world fights against me!

Praise him when I’m waiting!

Praise in the Prosperity and Praise in Pain!

Not praising him for the WHAT—WHO!

I will praise him when every emotion is screaming the opposite

I will raise a hallelujah in the presence of my enemies.