A Proper Place
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Last week we began this series by talking about healthy and unhealthy fear. I hope that you are able to recognize the difference so that you can respond appropriately.
Remember what Paul told us in 2 Timothy 1:7
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Today, I want us to look at how we should respond to unhealthy fear.
I can honestly say that I have not always responded to unhealthy fear very well. But there have been times when I did respond well and God shone me that he was in control.
Some of you have come here today and you are struggling with fear and anxiety. Some of you, it is so ingrained in your thinking that you could say fear has become a habit for you. The good news is that like any other habit, you can develop new ones in place of the old.
If you have your bibles with you or you can follow along on the screen, I am in Philippians chapter 4. Let’s look at verses 6 and 7.
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
In these two verses Paul is giving us a formula on how to deal with Anxiety and Worry.
When we hear Paul say, “Do not be anxious about anything...” some of us might think, “that is easy for him to say, this is the Apostle Paul.” And then we begin to think of all the things that we are anxious about or have to worry over like: Traffic, has the mortgage been paid, I need to go to the doctor am I able to pay my deductible, has somebody hacked my credit card account, I lost my job today now what am I going to do, and on and on.
But Paul can relate to us. His might be a little more extreme but listen to what he says in 2 Corinthians 11:24-28
24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.
27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
If there was anyone more qualified on how to deal with fear and worry and anxiety it was Paul. Paul had faced terrible trials and tribulations. He’s had many opportunities to be scared out of his mind. And not only was he dealing with what he was going through but he was also dealing with daily concerns for the churches that he worked with.
So, if there was ever someone to listen to it was Paul and look at what he says to do.
He says after telling us to not be anxious about anything, and notice he includes but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Do you notice the formula that Paul is giving us? It looks something like this.
Thanksgiving + (prayer + petition) - anxiety => PEACE OF GOD
Thanksgiving + (prayer + petition) - anxiety => PEACE OF GOD
It sounds too simple doesn’t it. This is just too Christian sounding. It feels like the answer should be more complicated for such a complex and destructive problem. But it’s true.
I truly believe that we, as believers, don’t pray enough. We have proven it time and time again that we would rather worry and let our anxiety get the best of us instead of taking it to God. Paul gives us a formula on how to deal with it.
Paul gives us three words in this formula. Here they are: Prayer, a worshipful attitude; Petition, a need; and Requests, the specific concern. There is only one cure for your fears, worries, your anxieties and all these things and that is prayer. Prayer is the only cure.
Paul tells us that our fears, our anxiousness, our worries, all belong in the hands of God - not yours. And it is given to God in gratitude laced prayer in every circumstance and situation that you find yourself in. It’s not that they don’t exist, it’s that you put them in their proper place.
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Everybody put your hand out in front of you. Now take your other hand and take all the thoughts of worry, fear, and anxiety and place them in the hand out in front of you and you tell them where to go. You can tell those thoughts to go straight to hell where they come from because those thoughts are not of God. (I guess this is the one time that it is okay for you to tell something to go to hell)
But you need to make those thoughts that you have submit to the obedience of Christ. And you do it with thanksgiving.
One of the things I love about God is that He’s not surprised about the way you feel. He formed you and knit you together in the womb, he numbered your days, and he knows every hair on your head. I can guarantee you He doesn’t think your irrational fear of clowns is silly, or that your anxiety about getting cancer someday means you somehow have less faith then others. But I also know He wants to hear from you. And you need to give the God that loves you more time than you fears and worries that you have.
And after you have taken those thoughts captive and made them submit to Christ and you have gone to the Lord in prayer with thanksgiving, then a peace that transcends all understanding guards your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
It is the peace of God that brings power to endure. This peace is different from the world’s peace. It is peace that Jesus promised his disciples and all those who would follow him.
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
True peace is not found in positive thinking, in absence of conflict, or in good feelings; it comes from knowing that God is in control. Believers are given peace with God when they believe.
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
We have the inner quiet of the peace of God as we walk with Him.
God’s peace is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. Our text says, “which transcends all understanding...” Such peace cannot be self-generated; it comes from God alone; it is his gift to us in a difficult world. As with so much of God’s dealings with humanity, we cannot understand it, but we can accept and experience God’s peace because of his great love for us.
And why does God give His people peace? Because it will guard their hearts and minds. The Greek word for “guard” is phroureo. It is a military term that means to surround and protect a garrison or city. Why was it important that Paul use this word? It is because the Philippians could relate to this. They lived in a garrison town. They were familiar with the Roman guards who maintained watch. Guarding the city from any outside attack.
So, think of God peace this way. His peace is like soldiers surrounding believers’ hearts and minds. God is securing us against threatening and harmful outside forces.
Remember when I told you to take every thought captive and make them submit to the obedience of Christ. Paul then in verse 8 tells us what to think on.
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.
Guess what? Those thoughts that tell you you aren’t good enough. Or those thoughts that tell you you are going to die. Or those thoughts that suggest you won’t make it another day. Or those thoughts that tell you you’re a failure or stupid or have no business being who God made you to be. Those thoughts must flee and let the peace of God that transcends all understanding come upon you and think on these good thoughts.
Fear, Anxiety, and Worry YOU MUST GO! In Jesus name.
Closing
I know there are some of you here today who have your doubts. I know there are some of you who are facing impossible situations, maybe it’s a terrifying medical diagnoses or some kind of adversity. I know that a life free from fear and anxiety seems completely ludicrous. All I can ask is that you commit this coming week to developing a more faith-filled response in every circumstance and situation.
They say it takes 21 days to turn something into a habit. So, it may take 21 days of you taking your worries and anxieties and fears and giving them to God before you start naturally giving them to God every day, but it has to start somewhere. Of course, I believe that God can do it immediately.
Here is what I suggest. If you are struggling with fear, worry, or anxiety, take time every morning to write out a few prayers. Begin and end each prayer with gratitude. In those prayers name your request to the Lord, and then you must trust the process.
Throughout your day, as trouble comes, practice the same thing by audibly thanking God and naming your request to Him. I am believing with you that these small steps will lead to big breakthroughs for you over time.
We live in a world that has way too much unhealthy fear in it. I believe that it is time we as believers recognize it and start putting it all in its proper place. That proper place is in the hands of the Almighty God.
I want to pray for you this morning. And tomorrow when you get up I want you to put into practice what I have told you to do. Write out these prayers and use them throughout your day.
Let’s pray!