The Soul of Prayer - Part 6

Philippians 4:4 ESV

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

Philippians 4:5 ESV

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;

Philippians 4:6 ESV

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Philippians 4:7 ESV

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:8 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

SERMON TITLE

PRAYER: THE ANTIDOTE AGAINST ANXIETY

TWO REALITIES PAUL HIGHLIGHTS IN THESE VERSES: JOY AND PEACE

Philippians 4:4 ESV

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

Philippians 4:7 ESV

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

BOTH ARE FRUITS OF WHAT THE GOSPEL TEACHES US THAT WE HAVE IN CHRIST BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN HIM:

WE ARE TO REJOICE: IN THE LORD

Philippians 4:4 (ESV)

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

IT IS THE PEACE: OF GOD…IN CHRIST JESUS

Philippians 4:7 (ESV)

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

HEAR AND EMBRACE THIS TRUTH: GOD WANTS US TO HAVE JOY AND PEACE. HE WANT US:

TO LIVE IN THE EXPERIENCE OF THESE -

REJOICE …ALWAYS

PEACE OF GOD…WILL GUARD...

ONE OF THE BIGGEST THREATS TO OUR WALKING AND LIVING IN AND EXPERIENCING THESE IS ANXIETY.

THIS IS WHY PAUL SAYS

Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

do not be anxious about anything,....”

ANXIETY IS BEING SO CONCERNED AND CONSUMED ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IT BEGINS TO CONTROL YOUR BEHAVIOR AND PREOCCUPIES YOUR THINKING

THE BIBLE TELLS US TO NO BE ANXIOUS BECAUSE THE LORD KNOWS THAT LIFE CAN BE DIFFICULT AND MANY THINGS ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL.

ANXIETY IS VEILED REBELLION: WHEN WE OVERWHELMED WITH ANXIETY WE ARE LACKING TRUST IN THE LORD.

HERE’S WHY:

ANXIETY NOT ONLY MAKES ISSUES LARGER THAN THEY ARE BUT BEING ANXIOUS ALSO MAKES US BIGGER THAN WE ARE. FROM ANXIETY WE BEGIN TO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE DIVINE SOLUTIONS TO HUMAN PROBLEMS WITH HUMAN WISDOM

PAUL IS ECHOING JESUS’ TEACHING IN MATTHEW 6 WHERE JESUS SAYS

IN MATTHEW 6:25-34- JESUS SHOWS US THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF ANXIETY:

Matthew 6:27 ESV

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

1. Physical Life (Matthew 6:27)

Matthew 6:28 ESV

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,

2. Clothing (Matthew 6:28)

Matthew 6:31 ESV

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

3. Food and Drink (Matthew 6:31)

Matthew 6:34 ESV

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

4. The Future (Matthew 6:34)

TO COUNTER THIS THREAT PAUL TEACHES US SOMETHING: V6READ AND THEN V 6 REFRAMED

Philippians 4:6 ESV

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

i want you to read it as I sense Paul wants it to be understood

“By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, do not be anxious about ANYTHING but in EVERYTHING let your requests be made known to God”

ANXIETY IS GOD PROMPTING US TO PRAY

The range of prayer.“In everything.” This counsel is often neglected, for men carry their great misfortunes or their great anxieties to God, but keep their trivial vexations to themselves. A good man has paraphrased this passage thus: “Be careful for nothing; be prayerful for everything; be thankful for anything.” 2. The variety of prayer. The word “prayer” here points to the frame of mind, the word “supplication“to the actual asking of blessing, the requests point to the various parts of the supplication, while the thanks-giving marks the subjective condition of acceptance. 3. The effects of prayer[4]

I. PRAYER IS THE REMEDY THAT FIGHTS AGAINST ANXIETY

A. The Extent of Prayer (Phil 4:6a)

Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything

B. The Kinds of Prayer

Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

1. Prayer: to approach the Lord with REVERENCE and DEVOTION

2. Supplication: To approach the Lord with a deep and genuine sense of NEED for DIVINE intervention.

IT IS THE PRAYER FOR THE GENERAL BLESSING OF THE LORD IN THE TIME OF NEED

3. Thanksgiving: Approaching the Lord as being FOR us even though life is AGAINST us

4. Requests: Approaching the Lord with SPECIFIC and PRECISE LISTS and ways of how we are asking Him to do for us

C. The Promise of Prayer

Philippians 4:7 ESV

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

THIS IS INTERESTING: MEANS GOD WILL BRING PEACE TIME; PRAYER BRINGS ORDER

SIGNIFYING THAT

WE ARE AT WAR

THIS MEANS THAT THROUGH PRAYER WE WILL MASTER THE MESSINESS OF THE WORLD THAT BRINGS ANXIETY - NOT BY MASTERING ANY OF IT, BUT BY BEING MASTERED , CONTROLLED AND PROTECTED BY THE PEACE OF GOD

THIS IS THE PROMISE OF PRAYER: YOU WILL PREVAIL EVEN IF WHAT IS CAUSING YOU TO PRAY DOES NOT CHANGE OR MOVE

II. PRAYER IS THE REFLECTION THAT FIGHTS AGAINST ANXIETY

Philippians 4:8 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

POTENTIAL TITLE: “PRAYER: THE PURSUIT OF PEACE AND JOY AS (HEAVEN’S HOPE) AS THE ANTIDOTES AGAINST ANXIETY.”

DESCRIBE PEACE AND JOY

DESCROBE THEM AS WHAT WE HAVE IN CHRIST

DESCRIBE THEM AS WHAT WE NEED TO POSITION OUR SOULS TO EXPERIENCE REGULARLY

THIS IS THE FORMAT, FUNCTION AND FRAMEWORK OF YOUR PRAYING WHEN YOU ARE ANXIOUS:

PEACE: REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS I AM ONE WITH GOD IN CHRIST - THE ONE WHO IS CONTROLLING MY CIRCUMSTANCE

JOY: REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS I HAVE A JOY IN CHRIST THAT CANNOT BE SHAKEN - THE ONE WHO IS CONTROLLING MY CIRCUMSTANCE

WHY THIS ABOVE:

BECAUSE ANXIETY IS A BOAT ROCKER

ANXIETY IS A KILL JOY

ANXIETY SUCKER PUNCHES

ALL OF THIS BY TAKING THE EYES OF OUR SOULS OFF OF THE ONE WHO CONTROLS THE CHALLENGES IN FRONT OF US

WHEN WE ARE ANXIOUS WE DONT NEED THE CHALLENGE TO GO AWAY: WHAT WE REALLY AND TRULY NEED IN THE PEACE OF GOD AND THE JOY OF GOD.

BECAUSE THE CHALLENGES MAY NOT CHANGE!

PRAYER IS ALWAYS THE SEEKING OF THE LORD TO BRING THE SUPERNATURAL POWER OF TRANSFORMATION INTO OUR NATURAL MESS. IT IS ASKING GOD TO TRANSFORM A NATURAL SITUATION SUPERNATURALLY :

REASONABLENESS: SEE RIGHT BELOW

PEACE AND JOY ARE FRUITS OF BEING IN POSITION WITH GOD (RELATIONAL NOT ELECTION SPEAKING)

PRAYER POSITIONS THE SOUL TO BE IN A RIGHT PLACE AND SPACE TO RECEIVE FROM THE LORD HIS ANSWER: BE IT THE MOUNTAIN BEING MOVED OR THE THORN IN THE FLESH REMAINING

PRAYER DOES NOT POSITION THE LIFE: IT POSITIONS THE SOUL. IT IS OUR SOULS THAT NEED POSITIONED AND REPOSITIONED TO DEAL WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT IMPACT THE LIFE.

A LIFE POSITIONED WITHOUT THE SOUL BEING POSITIONED IS A LIFE THAT WILL BE TOSSED TO AND FRO: ERRATIC AND NOT REASON

INTRODUCTION: DESCRIBE ANXIETY

DESCRIBE ANXIETY - BE SURE TO POSITION IT SO THAT EVERYONE FEELS THE WEIGHT OF IT: USE THE DEFINITIONS TO DO THIS

PAUL TEACHES US HOW WE ARE TO VIEW ANXIETY: AS THE DIVINE, YET HUMANLY PERPLEXING, ISSUES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO MOVE US TO PRAYER

NOTE WHAT PAUL SAYS IN VERSE 6

Philippians 4:6 ESV

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

SO IT IS BY PRAYER, AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING THAT WE ARE EMPOWERED TO NOT LET ANXIETY GUARD OUR HEARTS AND MINDS

TRAINING TO RUN THE 5 K A FEW YEARS AGO; COME ON YOI GOT THIS; YOU COME THIS FAR; YOU CANT STOP; TO STOP WOULD BE TO FAIL; GRIND IT OUT” C’MON BURNS DIG, DIG, DIG.... I FINISHED

THAT IS WHAT PRAYER IS: IT IS THE SOUL NOT LETTING GOD GO (ISAIAH 62:7) BUT IT IS ALSO THE SOUL - YOURSELF - NOT GIVING IT: TALKING TO ITSELF ABOUT THE LORD, HIS PROMISES, HIS LOVE FOR YOU; ETC...

how can we not be anxious about anything: it is not the temptation to anxiety that Paul is speaking of, but the giving into it

HENCE PRAYER IS NOT SUPER SPIRITUAL BUT IS, IT A LEVEL HIGHLY SITUATIONAL

PRAYER CAN BE SCHEDULED (MORNINGS,.EVENING) BUT IT IS NEVER TO BE RELEGATED TO THAT : WE ARE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND, THEREFORE, AT ANYTIME, WE MAY NEED TO DRAW STRENGTH FROM THAT RELATIONSHIP AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT: ANXIETY

THE ROOT OF THE BATTLE IS FOR HOPE: THE ABILITY TO LIFE YOUR EYES ABOVE THE

HOPE IS THE GOSPEL: HENCE

REJOICE IN THE LORD

PEACE OF GOD…IN CHRIST JESUS

ANXIETY IS NOT ONLY MAKING ISSUES BIGGER THAN THEY ARE BUT IT IS ALSO MAKING OURSELVES BIGGER THEN WE ARE: BELIEVING THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE DIVINE SOLUTIONS IN OUR OWN WISDOM

SO WHEN WE PRAY WE HAVE TO PRAY USING THE FRAMEWORK OF THE GOSPEL IN ORDER TO CALL OUR SOULS UP TO HOPE

PRAYER IS CALLING OUR SOULS TO SEE WHAT OUR EYES CANNOT OR PRAYER IS CALLING OUR SOULS TO SEE SINCE OUR EYES CANNOT - OUR EYES CANNOT SEE BEHIND THE CIRCUMSTANCE, PERSON OR SITUATION THAT TEMPTS ME TO ANXIETY ; THIS MEANS WHAT THE DIVINE REASONS ARE FOR THAT WHICH IS BRINGING MY ANXIETY AND OR BEHIND

CONTENDING

PRAYER INJECTS THAT WHICH PRODUCES JOY IN THE FACE OF ANXIETY

Rejoice in hope (Romans 12:12) cf 15:13

· Prayer is the souls desperation to see the reality of God’s rule in the midst of what seems to be ruling on earth and causing anxiety

The paradox in joy is no other than that of the eschatological mastering of the world