Philippians 4:4-7

a bit of an adventure for me for a number of reasons on many levels as well yet also rewarding as I consider this topic of anxiety.

I had a really great time later Thursday night after Gwen and I had some men's group together with the youth came and had counterculture with us at 8. And during that time one of these students said I really enjoy starting with the scripture and then discussing what the scripture contains. She said. I feel like a lot of sermons that I hear. we disappear a lot of stories about the pastor in his personal life and when she said that I Put a little bit of a double-take because I I am about to talk about my personal life just a little bit. I don't want to do too much with us because there is no glory for myself in this but I told these stories in order that God might be glorified and I'm not only preaching to you today, but I'm also preaching to myself.

Philippians chapter 4 verses 6 and 7 or my father's favorite verses Heather printed on it plain sheet of printer paper and had it framed and put up in his bedroom. And every time that I would go to see him. I would see it there and be reminded of his love for that verse and what it meant to him also reminded that my own father a man I respected much and how many of you knew and new as a man who was calm and collected and loving and kind. Even here to on the surface. Always seems like still water beneath the waters were sometimes turning and back once when I was away for army training. He sent me a letter and he basically wrote me an expository sermon on these verses in a few pages where he extrapolated on all of the concepts contained within them. Why don't you battle with anxiety began when I myself came back from Afghanistan in 2012? I won't lead you into thinking that I was an infantryman who spent a lot of time in battle or in any intense firefighter even had any friends that passed away in my arms. However, I was no stranger to many stresses. When we clean sometimes daily rocket and artillery rounds coming into our base, we traveled and dangerous conditions. We looked under the constant threat of car bombs and riots record our locations, but what we experience. Interestingly the while I was in this place anxiety was not an issue. It wasn't until I returned home that my issues with anxiety and started to manifest slowly. My normally relaxed demeanor. It started to be overtaken by the anxiety underneath and some of that anxiety. I could locate the source of that much of the time. I didn't know why I was feeling the way that I was feeling. And while I might have considered myself the victim ultimately the real victims were those around me had to deal with my irritability in me not knowing where these emotions were coming from. Ultimately went to counseling a few times while in North Carolina and overtime things became manageable. Half of the army and my family tried to cope with working full-time when you graduate school full-time being married with two incredible little boys and participating in the military and a reserve capacity all at the same time. Without moving to McCook might alleviate these things. But it was here that we bought our Dream acreage that proved too much for us to handle.

We're going to Melissa's devastating illness. We sold the dream house and moved into a house with turned out to be an absolute disaster him. Current number of hospitalizations for Melissa and a liver transplant and ultimately is in McCook where we learned of my father's brain cancer that would ultimately take his life in our home. Anxiety I felt as my father was dying was suffocating for me. I tried to explain how I felt to my wife once and I said felt heavy. Is it a literal late waiver on top of me. I seem to be carrying it everywhere. I went I could hardly stand the simple pleasure of being in my own home of playing with my own children and hearing their loud noise. A new my father's favorite verse my heart had memorized it and spoken it to myself many times, but it turns out that I did not yet believe those words. Today we will talk about anxiety peace knowing and believing will read about this to turn their together. If you're not already there Olympians 4 verses 4 through 7. This text as I said is dear to my heart, but also is one that we can memorize and rely upon as we come not only to believe. To act it out to actively participate in what it is to experience the peace of God.

Philippians chapter 4 verses 4 through 7 rejoice in the lord always again. I 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, please bow your heads with me.

Father in Heaven, may your words be spoken and not my own.

God I pray that the spare would cover any of my own inadequacies in this. But this message would be is true to me and is True to this congregation as it was to the church and Phillip. I so many years ago, but thank you for your word and your hope and your Grace & Mercy in Jesus's name we pray amen. Now what I said at the beginning we've been studying the book of Philippians for like 5 months and I don't maybe you guys come in here and you hear a sermon and it doesn't register to you that they were just progressing through the exact same book every single Sunday, but that's what we've been doing it in case you haven't noticed over the last 5 months the title of the sermon series is finding joy in Philippians. This is the Epistle of Joy Paul's letter to the Philippians is filled with numerous references to Joy and in my first incarnation of the sermon I wanted to listen a lot for you. But today I with everything else we have going on. I think that we can look back on our own and see all of the references to Joy Goodwin. But I would like to point out to you is from Philippians chapter 3 verse one where Paul writes finally brothers. And as you all know Philippians 3 is not finally we're now and flipping tour. Finally. My brother's rejoice in the Lord to write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is it safe for you? Paul teaching us to Rejoice is a safe thing. There is no sin in rejoicing in the things that God has given us and invoicing and God himself. We can make Idols of things. We can celebrate the creation over the Creator van ultimately. We are called repeatedly to rejoice in the Lord. I'm not going to spend much more time on this particular part of our section of scripture today because we have talked about rejoicing so much enjoy so much, but I do want to talk to you about 1 enemy of Joy the opposite of joy. We will talk about it later. But an enemy of joy. An enemy of joy is anxiety, which is why is this important concept here immediately after telling the congregation in Phillipi to rejoice. You're so much ink to this point in telling the Philippians they ought to rejoice and now he explains to them how they might do. So and so are true study today will start in chapter or verse 6 chapter 4 where we start our discussion of anxiety and I want you to know that mental health is something I take very seriously and in some Christian circles, this is something that's argued about quite a bit with the origin of mental health problems are the proper Solutions and treatments of mental health problems. I'll tell you I do believe that our brain chemistry can become unbalanced and cause issues in our lives. And help us or cause us to lose our ability to participate in what Society might seem as a normal life. I also believe the life traumas can cause mental health problems PTSD depression anxiety. And so many more how to believe that spiritual. Oppression is a very real thing in a very significant contributor to mental health problems, especially with those who live in bondage to their own sin, and if not yet experienced the freedom that Christ offers from that sing that they are in bondage to What time is the brain chemistry plays a role? God has provided us a very real medical system. Doubles professionals who can help talk us through things and who can help give us medications that might balance things out. But for all times God has provided us with the ultimate healer in Jesus Christ the great physician and the ultimate comforter in the Holy Spirit. I'm very sure that there are people in this congregation this morning that suffer from serious depression. I know there are people here who suffer from crippling anxiety. Are people who see counselors psychiatrists people to attend grief support groups and people who take medication help them overcome those things that plug them and I know that this is true because I'm one of them. It's been difficult for me to want to talk too much about this, but I think that it's necessary for me. If I'm going to come up here and preach honestly to you about about anxiety and about a Biblical response. Did you know that these are things that I both before and after my conversion have struggled with? I've been prescribed medication that help even things out a little bit. But ultimately I know that that is not the end goal. The end goal is not the end goal is not for me to have some sort of worldly reason to quit feeling so anxious and quit being suffocated by those things that worried me most and to not be bedridden anymore when I feel most depressed but then I am to break out and be joyful in Christ and of life is not a burden but life is a joyful experience that leads to more joy.

I know that there are people here who despite all of these things that help.

There are also people here who know that there is only one position comforter and supporter that can ultimately help us the one who promised us that all things work together for the good of those who love him and bless God spoke to the Book of James that we should count it all joy, when we Face trials because the testing of our faith produces perseverance perseverance finishes the work in us that matures us and completes us and through Paul God told the church in Rome to rejoice in their suffering. And by doing so they would have character and endurance produce in them. And ultimately that character would produce hope. I'm here on the final page of the Paul's letter to the Philippians Paul tells his fellow believers. Do not be anxious about anything. This is incredible saving to me. Especially me being a person who has lived in a world where anxiety just riddles every aspect sometimes Bruins things for me where joyful noises of my children have caused me anxiety as things Stack Up and soda considered to be anxious about nothing. blows my mind that makes me a little anxious. Play consider what it would be like for me to little Ivan what I'm free from these burdens and those of you who have experienced this know what I'm talking about where life is heavy where Joy is nowhere.

You notice what Paul says? It does not say anxious only when you have a good reason to be anxious.

Doesn't make me anxious only one that circumstances are out of your control. Or be anxious only at the threat of illness or death. Paul says to be anxious for nothing. I caught a lot of Spurgeon up here. I hear something great in this is a bit of a paraphrase what he says do not fret not making other people miserable by your fretting and fuming and fussing. You cannot turn one hair white or blonde hair black fret as you may you cannot add a cubit to your stature be as anxious as you pleased. It'll be for your own advantage. And for God's glory for you to shake off the anxieties else might overshadow your spirit be anxious about nothing, but be careful about everything about everything as well.

Incase Paul himself is not a good enough Authority for you, and I hope that he is. Piazza because we believe the entire Bible is the inspired and perfect word of God. I'd like you to consider these words of Jesus. So therefore I tell you do not be anxious about your life what you will eat or what you will drink know about your body. What you will put on is not life more than food and the body more than clothing look at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap nor gather into Barns and yet our heavenly father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? In which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to span of life and why are you anxious about clothing consider the lilies of the field how they grow they neither toil nor spin. Did I tell you even Solomon in all of his glory was not arrayed like one of these What if God so clothes the grass of the field which today is alive? And tomorrow is thrown into the oven. Will he not much more clothe you oh you of little faith. Therefore do not be anxious saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink? Or what shall we wear for the Gentiles seek after all these things and your heavenly father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will be anxious for itself sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

As Christians we were not meant for depression. We were made for joy. We were not made for anxiety. We were made for peace. We were not made for fear. We were made to be there less. Perfect love casts out fear and perfect love is what we have. Is obvious that we are not to be anxious and thankfully Paul helps us to understand how we might fight unless I think is ultimately very useful to me personally and sometimes I'll read these commands that are given to us in the Bible and I will say that is great. I would love to not be anxious.

Sometimes there's not a how at least not explicit. Sometimes it's like, you know the truth here it is. Trust me. But we're actually given some good instructions here. And though at first pass. They might not seem terribly explicit or at least not clear. I think that we can make them rather clear together.

I'm going to take things lightly out of order here because Paul likes to do the same thing CS Lewis does where he'll be like, here's this part of the sentence and then here's another thought and then here's the end of that sentence over. Here's another thought but here's the real end of that sentence likes to do this. And so I'm just going to pull it together for us right here. He tells us

Christopher sent a request to God in all things.

Now we have be anxious about nothing and we have in all things. These are not similar for no reason. These are similar for a reason for probably be the proper English.

and every situation present your requests to God ask you if you've ever been too anxious to pray. What's the one thing you need to do is say a prayer I've ever been too much for you to get down on your knees. Have you ever been too depressed to pray? You know your sadness and you know the cure for your sadness and yet. The thing that you ought to do is something that you cannot will yourself to do.

Have you ever thought that you were too overwhelmed with the commitments for time that you've made that you cannot make the time to pray even though that is the one thing which is most desirable for your condition.

When these thoughts occur to you, I want you to know that this is the enemy speaking. You are not too depressed to pray. You're not too anxious to pray and you are certainly not too busy to pray. And when I say that this is the enemy speaking to you on speaking of three enemies actually the first enemy that we are told about in the Bible maybe not chronologically maybe chronologically is the devil the devil desires nothing more than for you to stay in your state of depression or anxiety or whatever else. It might be to be over busy over committed because when you are so concerned with these things that is impossible for you on your own for taking the activities that are most relevant to the solving of your problems. And so the devil will do all he can to keep you in that situation to whisper in your ear that you are too busy to get on your knees that you are too anxious to focus your mind on the things that need to be focused upon.

2nd Avenue's ourselves

and as the devil speaks on to us, so we speak to ourselves sometimes.

We're on an amazing that it is hard for us in our own capacity to fight back in a way that actually makes a difference in our lives. We start to rely on ourselves. And this is something that I have done a lot and is likely how I ended up in this situation. I ended up and I believed that I could work my way out of the predicament that I put myself in. I believed that the lies that I had told. Could be continued on with more lies or if I would just quit lying about it, but then I can act as if it never happened and just continued on in my life. I believe that if I put too many things on my plate. I was smart enough of charismatic enough. I had a strong enough will to do everything I have committed to and work my way out of the hole. But as you all know, you can dig yourself out of a hole that's already been dug. It only goes further down.

number 6 that says

not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving I read that fast, but I'll come back let your requests be made known to God. It says do not be anxious about anything. But now those of you who have studied the coma Bible study method with me or done any of it at some time to find words that connect things or contrasting if you're a teenager and you've been to Counter Culture on Thursday nights, we do it there. We started doing it on Wednesday night to men's group. We study the word and we look for the help us to be able to break down a text and one of those most important words, I think therefore but the most important one of the most important ones is the word but because what this does is takes whatever comes before and it contrasts it to whatever is about to come next or it says this is what is this is what must replace it. And so we have this idea that we have anxiety and Paul know that we are prone to it, but he says we ought not to be anxious but we need to pay special attention to what comes after this word because the Problem is or even stated for us and now we have the solution immediately following but in everything by prayer and supplication in the Bible that I said that I memorized said prayer and petition prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And just like the word Bots one of the important words here that connects things is by by I spelled it up here in case it's difficult. I don't know I made that slide. But by now this this gives us an instruction on how to accomplish that which has been contrasting right by. Drive to work. Jay Street and Norris

so by this is taking this is the application. This is where we are are considering what we actually have to do and three things are less than two of them are very similar. Prayer and supplication in prayer and petition really the word when we consider the Greek language. However, there's a side-by-side there can be connected by a man. So obviously fall wanted is considered two things here, but they're interpret Lee tied. One of them is that prayerful just thinking of your morning prayer you're even if you are a person who says Grace, which hopefully you are Josh and I don't know. Where did you connecting with a God that we can have if not always communicating with God that is the relevance of the Greek word interpreted this prayer and supplication is the idea of us a pleading with God.

pleading the thing that we would need to do when we are most desperate and then our worst situations. I don't know if you personally have ever done this but when you have reached your end and you can do no more often time, the only thing left to do is Fall on Your Knees and plead to God not ask him not make a request not make a wish to Jeanne gotta write a letter to Santa God, but you plead to the God in heaven who has the power over all that he would intercede for you because you cannot do it on your own.

prayer completed

and I will come back to this but the accompanying factor, is that a Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is one of the most important elements of the section of scripture

but because it's so important.

The movie towards the end so that we can remember it together.

We consider this anxiety. We are not have what should we then possess instead? What is the opposite? anxiety it is an all-consuming piece and some of you have noticed. Especially those of you who have been in the deaths of stress and anxiety.

When you come out of it. Maybe not out of the circumstances, but out of the state of anxiousness and those who have known it desire it all of the time.

To paraphrase Spurgeon yet. Again. He says that piece that conscious calm that Divine Serenity which is described. He is not produced by prayer alone, but by prayer with Thanksgiving if we bless our gracious Lord for the very trouble we pray against going to say that one more time. If we bless our gracious God for the very trouble that we're praying against if we bless him for the very Mercy that we need as though it had already come if we resolved the pricing whether we were received the bun or not learning in whatsoever State we are there with to be content then The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and Minds in Christ Jesus. but unfortunately We have an Ultimate Enemy in our own possession which keeps this from happening. For a change the slide and reveal that enemy to you. I want you to be open-minded because I bought a book from John Piper. And I did not read what I expected to read. And when I read it I said no that is not why I feel the way I feel.

First of all, I'm a pastor. This is why I feel what I feel that we've got some serious issues. and second of all I'm certain. That I feel differently than this.

Cuz our number one enemy in this is unbelievably. What I'm telling you is it's not a nun belief in God.

Not enough belief in Jesus is our lack of belief. In the goodness of God promises of God what he has said in his word. He will accomplish and not only will he do it. He will do it in such a way that glorifies still turn off joy out of our worst circumstances. Goodness can be brought out of it. How can goodness he brought out of cancer? How can goodness be brought out of the loss of a job or financial Devastation the death of a child the death of a spouse our own terminal illness. How can goodness be brought out of this doubt? The God is capable The God Who created us to stay with us and saves us the one who holds the entire universe together is somehow incapable of accomplishing the promises he has made for us and his word. This is why our unbelief resides and this is the root of all anxiety. Because if we truly trust in God's goodness and his ability and willingness to accomplish goodness in our lives. If we truly believe this then peace will come over and we will understand. If we are in the hands of a savior who desires goodness and peace for us.

I'm going to reach you and Meredith out of the Gospel of Mark chapter 9.

It's a beautiful story which I far too often can relate to not because I am anything close to Jesus, but because I am so far from him and so close to the unbelieving father that is representative.

Mark 9:17 says and someone from the crowd answered him teacher. I brought my son to you for he has a spirit that makes him mute and whenever it sees him down and he phones and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked her disciples to cast it out and they were not able to and he even Jesus answered them o faithless generation. How long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you bring him to me? And they brought the boy to him and when the spirit saw him immediately at convulsed the boy he fell on the ground and rolled about foaming at the mouth and Jesus asked his father. How long has this been happening to him? And he said from childhood and it has often cast him into fire and into water to destroy him, but if you can do anything Have compassion on us and help us. And Jesus said to him. if you can All things are possible for the one who believes and immediately the father of the child cried out and said, I believe help my unbelief. And when Jesus saw the crowd running together, he rebuked the unclean Spirit sing to him you mute and deaf spirit. I command you come out of him and never answer him again and after crying out and convulsing him terribly it came out and the boy was like a corpse so that most of them said he is dead, but Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up. And he arose.

John Piper says that all of our anxieties are the result of unbelief.

We can simply. Come to believe. I say simply because it ought to be a simple thing. For us to come to not only no scripture about to believe scripture if we can come to have belief and beg forgiveness for unbelief as this father did in desperation for his son.

We can be healed of all that ails us.

So we have an ally in this battle. Oh how I in this battle. That is Berkeley. is our Thanksgiving

Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God with Thanksgiving and his Spurgeon said not just Thanksgiving for the good things that you have not Thanksgiving for the love that you've received all that's important. Not just Thanksgiving for the blessings you've received. Although it's important to give thanks for those things Thanksgiving, even for the trouble that you are currently in because we rejoice in our trials because these trials produce NASA perseverance produces character and hope hope of something more and we give thankfulness in the very instant that is causing our anxiety or anxiety when we are ultimately brought mercy and Grace we can rejoice and we know the promises are true and we know that the hope will abandon us because Of the difficulties that we experienced. And so we give thanks in our prayers. We turned our mind from those things that burden us. We turn our minds away from the negative and we don't put a positive spin on it within the context of what God tells us to expect suffering is a good thing even as Christians. We are to expect suffering. suffering

all says Thanks, Tammy. Paul says finally Brothers. This is immediately following this verse this is the intentional turning our minds away from the negative and turning it towards the positive all you're so amazing. Thank you.

Yeah, we're going to be on one slide. Wednesday was singing a song.

Take me to you still out there.

immediately following this call to pray and to give Thanksgiving. We are called to turn our minds to something else.

Finally Brothers chapter 4 verse 8. Whatever is true, whatever is Honorable, whatever. It's just whatever is pure whatever is lovely. Whatever is commendable if there is any excellent if there is anything worthy of Praise think about such things.

I asked the students on Thursday night. When you lay awake at night, what goes through your mind?

I have to know what I expected. Perhaps they have not yet felt. The crushing burden of adulthood when you lay awake at night and you worried about your financial situation because it's not just about you. You have children who rely on you? You have people who need you to be available. you lie awake at night and Ponder the Deep existential questions of what it is and why it is and who we are and why we are and for some reason we think about these things absent the context of God.

When we lay awake at night or when we are crushed. With anxiety in the morning or burdened with depression as we try to face our day we are to turn our minds to what is good. And what is righteous and what is commendable and what is excellent and we do so in prayer and praise and with Thanksgiving that we could be overcome with the peace of God and I want you all to memorize these verses important for us to memorize scripture when these events occur and when these things happen and we are prepared to have the word of God is a sword in our hand even if we do not have a physical Bible, but not only do we memorize the scripture we learn to believe it. Because if we do not believe it you can have all of the knowledge and none of the blessing.

This is not the only important promise for us to understand and believe Bible is filled with them. I could spend years going through this and picking them out for you, but have selected a few that I want you to ponder today.

Isaiah 4110 says fear not for I Am With You Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous hand. That sounds familiar cuz we staying at this morning.

Romans 8:28 and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose. Philippians 4:19 says my God Will Supply every need of yours according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. 2nd Corinthians 9:8 and God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times. You may abound in every good work. I hope you notice there's a lot of abounding and a lot of goodness in here the promises that were given though are not the promises that we sometimes work them in.

Talk about that another time. Philippians 4 6 & 7 do not be anxious about 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. And finally, I read to you. from 1st Corinthians chapter 15

Behold I tell you a mystery.

We shall not all sleep. We shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye of the last trumpet for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable and we shall be changed for the perishable body must put on the imperishable and this Mortal body must put on the immortal when the perishable puts on the imperishable. An immortal puts on immortality then shall come to pass the saying that is written death is swallowed up in Victory. Oh death. Where is your Victory? Oh death. Where is your sting?

Even the anxiety of death that can be conquered. without compromises and belief in those promises So I asked this morning. What weighs on you? What for boating events causing stress? problems from your past a locked so into your conscious. If you're unable to let go what worries of this life. Cause you anxiety, I'm not asking these questions rhetorically, I want you to consider it. I want you to think about it. Once you to ponder In This Moment watching your wife is causing all of the unsettled feeling you have.

What promises has God made to all Christians through his word to you in love?

This Love that will cover your fears and cover your anxieties what promises do you know, or have you read but you yet do not believe do your finances cause you anxiety give thanks for what you have already use biblical instructions to make progress in your life and Fall on Your Knees and cry out to the Lord for forgiveness and with Thanksgiving.

Do you have marriage issues?

Give thanks to God for your spouse marriage issues or not. He's biblical instructions to live and love biblically within your marriage vow to God making requests known to him. addiction abuse illness past sin presents and even death praise and give thanks to the God who has saved you turn your heart to him and all of it to him turn your hearts and Minds those things which are pure and honorable and Justin give thanks to the Lord for them and realize fully upon that great physician who can heal you when every psychologist psychiatrist counselor medication friends support group can not only Christ the one who promises are so many beautiful things. Let us fall before him and give praise to him. And if you do not have the face this morning that allows you to do that and you desire that piece that I'm speaking to you out this morning going with us. There is a savior and a God who desires for you not to live a life of Anguish and sadness and anxiety and depression with one of love with fear, but with fearlessness not that you might be blessed on this Earth with a K might be glorified in your healing.

Come to believe in him come before him and make that decision that you will follow Christ when you know that your life has not met the expectations that forest in here and that none of our Lives Tab and you submit that life to Christ and give thanks to him in All Things the peace of God. Which transcends all understanding can guard our hearts and Minds in Christ Jesus, you know that for those who love God, he turns all things to good. I love God you love God come to him and Thanksgiving come to him in prayer pleading knowing you're broken and only he can fix it and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and mind in Christ. Please. Your heads with me. Father in heaven we come before you so thankful for the piece that you are capable of giving us and not just capable the willing to give us God, please turn our hearts and Minds you let us say is that father said Lord, we believe forgive our unbelief. Take it from us Lord that we might trust in all of your promises. The week be the lights you desire for us to be shining on a hill Lord and that you might be glorified him that work God help us. In Jesus's name we pray amen.