Irrational Peace

Philippians 4:6-8

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable - if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise - dwell on these things.”

This is a wonderful Scripture! Let’s take a look at it again starting with verse six.

When we read this we must realize that it is a conditional statement.

This Scripture contains and instruction followed by a promise, followed in the next verse by another instruction that will keep you in the promise! We have a very thorough God! PTL!!

First the condition, this promise is to those who are born again, Bible believing, committed Christians. The children of God. The “saints” of the church. Saints in the Biblical sense.

If you are not a born again, Bible believing child of God you need to find out what it takes, do it and then this Scripture will pertain to you.

So, if you are a child of God and this instruction applies to you let’s jump right in!

Philippians 4:6

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Do not be anxious about anything! ANYTHING!

Paul wrote this letter to the church in Philippi while he was a prisoner in Rome facing possible and probable execution.

Paul and Silas had formerly been in prison in Philippi on an earlier visit there.

They had been surrounded by a mob.

The magistrates had ordered them to be stripped, beaten with rods and placed in stocks in an inner cell.

Man were they worried? Not one bit!

Acts 16:25 says,

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

Apparently Paul and Silas either were not worried or anxious or they did not understand the meaning of the words!

What makes you anxious? Would being in prison make you anxious?

The KJV says, “Be careful for nothing.”

The word that is translated as “careful” in the KJV and “anxious” in most other translations means, “to be troubled with cares.”

Troubled with cares. Well we can certainly be troubled with cares!

One person who has an extravagant amount of possessions can be worried about losing them. A person with nothing can be worried about not having as much as someone else.

Some people just seem naturally wired for worry.

Listen to this description of worry

Worry is the misuse of imagination. - Unknown

In the parable of the Sower or Planter Jesus says that the cares of this world can actually choke the spiritual life out of a Christian!

For a Christian anxiety is actually a trust issue.

So, if we’re worried or anxious or filled with cares what should we do?

“In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Man, that section of Scripture is HUGE!

“In every situation”

When a burden comes to your heart you don’t need to go to the Bible and search through the pages in order to see if this is something you should take to the Lord or not! If it is troubling your heart! Take it to Jesus.

Are you worried about anything? What is it?

An old hymn of the church says:

Are you weary, are you heavy hearted?

Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.

Are you grieving over joys departed?

Tell it to Jesus alone.

Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden?

Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.

Have you sins that to men’s eyes are hidden?

Tell it to Jesus alone.

Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow?

Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.

Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow?

Tell it to Jesus alone.

Are you troubled at the thought of dying?

Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.

For Christ’s coming kingdom are you sighing?

Tell it to Jesus alone.

“Oh what peace we often forfeit! Oh what needless pain we bear!

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!”

So, in Every Situation what should we do? “By prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

“By prayer and petition” some versions say “by prayer and supplication”. Most people on the street do not know what the word supplication means and they’ve probably never even heard it.

I was raised hearing the word supplication in that verse in the KJV and I had a general idea of what it might mean but I had to look it up and it means,