LIFE PRINCIPLES FROM THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS Life

LIFE PRINCIPLES FROM THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS

Life Principle 11 Letting go of anxiety – Part 2

Part 1 Review of our anxiety study from last time

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4

3. God’s Anxiety Management Program

Fourfold aspect of prayer �Prayer has to do with the overall right of approach of the child of God to throne of grace �Supplication emphasized petitions to specific needs �Thanksgiving is the baseline attitude of appreciation for all God has provided which is to underscore every request �Requests are clear-cut and specific things ask for

The teacher has a question Is there something in this text that we may have overlooked that might be in itself the most significant help in time of stressful anxiety? The teacher believes the answer is yes!

Instead of… 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4. 5 -6

It could be (and I believe should be)… 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. 6 The Lord is near, be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4. 5 -6

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23

Part 2 God’s promise of peace to His children

If we take refuge in the presence of the Father, and take our burdens to Him in prayer, then we are promised… 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4

What is this peace that Paul is referring? The peace of God is not some new blessing first seen in the New Testament, but rather has it roots in the rich tradition of the Old Testament word “shalom. ” In the Hebrew tradition, shalom meant so much more than just tranquility, rather it was used as a salutation in desiring wonderful blessings for another. Included was the desire that God would pour out total wholeness, safeness, harmony, security, spiritual well-being, completeness, and rest. It was much more than just a psychological term.

In the New Testament Jesus because of the impending cross and the coming of the indwelling Spirit, the Lord makes this promise… “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14 27

The promise of peace in Philippians 4. 7 �This promised peace is the antithesis of life’s anxiety and means spiritual tranquility and calmness granted by the Lord in the midst of life’s storms. �How does the Christian explain to the unbeliever what this peace is? He can’t because it surpasses human reasoning.

What is the benefit of God’s peace? In the same way that a military guard is sent to protect someone, God’s peace protects both our… Hearts – Center of emotions Minds – Our reasoning faculties

Gap Theory 2 What is the time gap between verses 6 and 7? What are factors that widen the gap?

7 Reasons why after praying that anxiety may still be present

1. Limited faith Is this a accurate statement? “The more true faith a believer has, the less anxiety that will be present. ” And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can? ’ All things are possible to him who believes. ” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief. ” Mark 9 23

Faith is not stagnate but grows in the believer’s life… We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; II Thessalonians 1 3

Understanding the BOS in faith… Understanding the true meaning of faith is imperative in the believer’s life. It is more than agreeing with a set of facts regarding God as James points out in James 2. 18. True biblical faith is comprised of three essential aspects. �Belief – Romans 10. 17 �Obedience – Hebrews 3. 17 -19 �Submission – Matthew 8. 9 -10

Trusting no matter what… 17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. ” Daniel 3

2. The battle of the wills The conscious or subconscious desire that your will supersedes God’s will

In order for God’s supernatural peace to replace our anxiety, we must trust Him. In order to trust Him, we must submit to His will trumping our own will. Most of the time we are not willing to do this. As we pray to God our requests, in the background we are locked on to God fulfilling our requests our way and not His way. At a subconscious level we fear He will answer our prayer differently than how we want it answered.

This tension of the wills is most magnified at the cross saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done. ” Luke 22 42

3. Consequences may still be present Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. Galatians 5 7

Does this apply both to unbelievers and believers? When people make willfully bad or sinful choices, and then experience anxiety over the impending consequences, and then pray that the consequences be avoided, does that prayer work? For example, if someone has purposely cheated on their taxes for many years and are now being audited by the IRS, is the anxiety they are experiencing part of divine discipline?

What enters into the question? Whether they have repented or not seriously plays into the equation. If they have repented and are right with God, then one’s prayers may be used to help the experience work out for good in God’s overall purpose as described in Romans 8. 28. If this is the case, the anxiety can turn to peace as they hold God’s hand face the consequences.

4. The issue of time We may have the erroneous belief that our prayer is a quick fix. In God’s timing He will answer our prayer and give us peace, but the resolution to our need is a process. When the Lord doesn’t answer our request in short order, we interpret it as the Lord is either impotent or uncaring. 8 Thus says the Lord, “In a favorable time I have answered You, And in a day of salvation I have helped You; And I will keep You and give You for a covenant of the people, To restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages; Isaiah 49

Perhaps Paul’s darkest hour… 8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; 9 indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10 who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, II Corinthians 1

In this passage, Paul describes a level of persecution and pain few people have ever encountered. From the passage, it appears that he was wrought with anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. Why didn’t he just pray the anxiety prayer in Philippians 4. 6 -7 and make it all go away?

Best answer Even though many can testify how God gave them instantaneous peace after claiming Philippians 4. 6 -7, perhaps the norm is that it is more of an ongoing treatment for anxiety rather than an instantaneous cure.

5. Conflicting promises For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. II Peter 1 4

Here is one of many believer’s favorite promises… 28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. ” Matthew 11

But here are several that are not generally found stitched on pillows Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. II Timothy 3 12 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? Hebrews 12 7 “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. Luke 14 27

The lesson! We tend to gravitate to those of God’s promises that tend to bring us comfort, love, and a release of discomfort. Although the Bible are filled with these promises, they are also filled with promises that God will chisel you into the image of Christ. Oh yea, chiseling hurts!

6. The reluctance to be willing to suffer 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; I Peter 1

The Christian life requires courage to face pain and hardship. Our most common prayer in a time of trial is, “Dear Lord, please take away the problem and the pain!” rather than a prayer for courage.

7. For the love of this world But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Genesis 19 26 Mrs. Lot violated John’s admonishment… Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. I John 2 15

Luke 17. 32 Remember Lot’s wife We all have a little of Lot’s wife in us, valuing the world and its pleasures just a little too much. Anxiety comes when we become fearful of losing some of the world’s stuff.