Jesus Takes Away Worry Series

6 Meditate

Bill Johnson: In Eastern occult religions, meditation means emptying the mind. But Biblical meditation is the opposite - it's filling the mind with God's truth. Some Christians don't like the idea of meditation because they've only seen it demonstrated in a corrupt way through the diabolical religions. But if you have ever worried about something, you already know how to meditate.

Paul lists 8 good things to think about – positive things, not negative anxious things that all come ultimately from Scripture. It is so easy not to think about Scripture, to get consumed with the circumstance. Paul urges to think about the good.

Ask yourself some question based on Paul’s list in verse 8

Is this true or is it lies?

Is this noble? Would I be ashamed or glad about this?

Is this right? Just or injust? Seeking reconciliation or revenge?

Is this pure? What about my motives here? My words, actions and thoughts?

Is this lovely? Is everything about this situation and what I am considering beautiful or ugly?

Is it admirable? Would mature Christians see good change in me? Or would they be confronting me – you always do this, freak out, blame others, despair, loose sight…?

Think about Jesus, about Scripture, about how to respond…

7 Respond instead of react

Verse 9 “Whatever you have learned, or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice ” Respond not react. Often we think or act in way that makes it look like anxiety gives us a blank cheque to do what we shouldn’t. “I was angry”, “I was anxious”, “I was frightened that…”

Anxiety does not let us off the hook. Our response is our responsibility. We need to live according to our theology not anxiety. If God is sovereign, act like it. If God works out for our good, act like it. There is always something we can rejoice about, always something we can use to get closer to Jesus.

8 Plug into the Church

Euodia and Synteche were fighting. Paul didn’t as far as we know send them a personal letter each. He wrote to the church, because it was pretty public anyway. He wrote to the Church, asking someone in the Church to be a mediator, to act like Jesus the ultimate mediator to sort it out.

We need Christian community –small groups, because anxiety is diminished in community. Where you are loved, supported, affirmed, rebuked and admonished. Where people do not just agree with you, but help you examine your motives and challenge your behaviour.

Wiser to begin in community before life gets tough!

9 Accept the peace of God.

Just as gentleness is part of the miracle of God working in you growing the fruit of the Spirit where there is a lack of gentleness around you. So too, peace is gift of God. It will not make sense, you are not getting as stressed and anxious when life presses is, but God is working in you bringing a peace that transcends all understanding in v7