Introduction,
Everyone seeks the feeling of peace of mind. Who doesn’t want peace?
Many try to find peace by traveling to places close to nature, with an ardent hope that the aura of tranquility would usher to them a mood of calmness and peace of mind.
Still, others enroll in courses on self-meditation that promise to teach techniques to provide them with inner peace and wellness.
Some seek professional psychiatric help.
Sadly, when overcome with anxiety, many suffer panic attacks and resort to prescribed anti-depressant medications that lead to an even more damaging effect on their mental health. They become dependent and addicted to drug usage which is detrimental to their emotional and mental well being.
Everyone experiences worry or anxiety from time to time for different reasons. It is not a mental disease.
We are exposed to the spasm of anxiety every day and every hour. Just look at the daily news.
o We hear of terrorism
o Worldwide protests and rebellion
o Wars and rumors of wars
o Earthquakes and disastrous calamities
As Christians, these catastrophic events only remind us that we are living in the end times.
o Wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, calamities, and famines shall happen but the end will not come right away. There are just signs of the end times. (Luke 21:9)
o But as Christians, we are confident to meet Jesus when he comes. (1 John 4:17)
17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.
o We have the confidence to face the judgment because we have the Peace of God. (John 14:27)
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.
Isn’t it wonderful that we have a loving God?
o Paul reminds us of the wonderful Peace that God has given us in chapter 4 of his letter to the Philippians.
o He exhorts us to Walk in the Peace of God.
The key verse is found in v 7:
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
I will focus my message on the following points:
1. The peace of God motivates us to REJOICE (v. 4)
2. The peace of God eliminates ANXIETY in our lives (v 6-7)
3. The peace of God promotes CONTENTMENT (v 11-12)
Main Points.
I - The peace of God motivates us to REJOICE. (v4)
Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.
It is amazing to know that Paul wrote this epistle while in prison in Rome. He is suffering incarceration yet he encourages us to rejoice.
1) Rejoice Always (not only on certain times)
o Like a babe in the Christian faith, and still struggling to get free from the cares of the world and burdens in my life, I did not truly experience this “rejoicing” that Paul was talking about. I reckoned that it was easy for him to claim this emotion of “rejoicing" because he is an apostle.
o Until much later, after learning more knowledge of God through His Holy Word.
o I learned that we should rejoice not only when we receive His blessings, but also when:
i) we have trials. James 1:2-
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, [a] when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
ii) In our Sufferings – Romans 5:3-4
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
iii) In Insults – 1 Peter 4:12-14
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange was happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of God and His glory rests upon you.
b) Yet let us not to be insensitive
i) to the harsh realities in life such as those with serious illness (they often complain of their pain)
ii) or those having financial difficulty
iii) but not to let these harsh realities blind them to the radiant joy that is found in the Lord.
2) We Rejoice In the Lord
a) Happiness in the world is temporary
i) Addiction to drugs or substances
ii) Worldly passion and pleasure
iii) The joy of accumulating material possessions
iv) Oftentimes these temporary happiness comes with a costly price:
(1) Serious illness due to addiction
(2) Financial ruin, bankruptcy – when we spend more than what we earn (borrowing money to sustain our lustful desires)
(3) Ruined family relationship, (divorce, etc.)
b) But Joy in the Lord is lasting and enduring
i) Our Joy comes from a permanent living and fruitful relationship with the Lord through his Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things, there is no law.
ii) The kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking but of peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
II – The Peace of God Eliminates Anxiety (v 6-7)
6 do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
1) Other terms to describe anxiety:
a. Stress
b. Worry
c. Fear
d. Depression
e. Like being pulled out into different directions
f. Hope in one direction and fear on the other. (don’t know where to go and what to do)
2) Do not be anxious for ANYTHING
a. Constant worrying and anxiety will result in depression which adversely affects:
i. Our health
1. Stress is the number one cause of illness
2. Sleeplessness, headaches, ulcers, and others.
b. Jesus exhorts us not to be anxious because He provides for our needs. Clothes to wear or food to eat (Matthew 6:25-34)
c. Also, apostle Peter said that we can get rid of our anxiety by Casting our burdens on Christ (1 Peter 5:7)
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
3) But in everything by Prayer and Supplication.
a. That is why we need to pray
b. Prayer is the antidote to anxiety
c. Anxiety arises when we focus on ourselves, and not on God.
d. Sometimes we pray only for big things
e. But small things will become big things later
f. God knows our needs, but we need to express our needfulness. This glorifies God.
4) Pray With Thanksgiving
a. Sometimes we are eager to ask but slow to appreciate or be thankful
b. Let us be thankful that we have a
Father who listens to our supplications, pleas, and requests.
5) The peace of God which surpasses understanding guards our hearts and minds in Christ.
a. No other peace offered by the world can be greater than the peace that God has given us.
i. The world around us cannot understand why we have peace even when we do not own all the material possessions that they have.
b. Christ lives in our hearts by his Spirit.
c. Our Lord guards our hearts so that the Devil will not penetrate our hearts and minds with evil thoughts.
i. So that Satan will not rob us of our peace by temptations, burdens, trials and the like.
d. Let Peace rule in your hearts. – Colossians 3:15
15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
e. We make many decisions every day. Although the principles are laid out in the Bible, the Bible does not offer a solution to every particular problem.
i. Examples. Buying a house, relationship with the opposite sex, traveling, etc.
f. Let the Peace of God rule in our hearts. We can make wise decisions when we decide with the Peace of God in us.
g. Making decisions out of fear or selfish ambition lead to ruin and disaster.
h. When the peace of God rules in making our decisions we will not fail.
i. Example: Even when our decision guided with the peace of God does not yield the best benefits, we have the assurance of peace because we have not compromised his teachings and his will.
III – The peace of God promotes Contentment (v 11-12)
11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned
the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
1) Apostle Paul exemplified contentment
a. He was content not because it was a gift given to him. The scripture tells us that HE LEARNED to be content.
2) In his letter to Timothy, he encouraged that Godliness with contentment is of great gain. (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
6 But godliness with contentment is a great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
CONCLUSION.
Paul summarizes his exhortation about walking in the peace of God in verses 8 and 9.
Paul exhorts us to put into practice whatever that we have learned from him. This will help us make the right decisions in our daily walk in the peace of God.
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. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9)
1. Let us then put into practice what the Peace of God has provided us:
a. Let us rejoice always
b. Let us not be anxious about anything
c. Let us be content with what we have
2. A call to share the Peace of God to others.
a. Peace is attractive to unbelievers –
b. that they might see the Peace of God in our lives and be encouraged to seek a relationship with Him.
c. We are called to share the peace of God to others:
i. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9
ii. Having your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace. (Ephesians 6:15)
