Biblical plan for anxiety
Phil. 4:6-8 2kings 19:14-19
1 Peter 5:6-11, 1 Chronicle 4:9-10
Prayer-
Father today, I pray that we would see our future through the eyes of our savior Jesus Christ.
I pray Lord that we may have our times of anxiety, but we will not live there. It may be something we go through but it is not a place that we will stay.
I do not know Lord what each of us has ahead of us but I know who does and I pray that we each seek Him out to be Lord of our lives and that He will give us victory to live our lives according to His riches and glory.
According to the power that is given to a believer to accomplish all that is given us and that we see the future as a positive instead of a negative.
We would become who we are supposed to be in a time that we are to be it.
I feel like I have been to church already! If we would come to this altar of God with that kind of boldness, this community would be set free by the power and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Believers would be set free by the power of Jesus Christ.
Introduction-
This morning as we look at Philippians chapter 4, I want each of us to be encouraged by the words the Apostle Paul shares to the church concerning anxiety and the power there is in prayer for our lives.
I want to tell you this morning, if we did more praying and less worrying, there would be less anxiety in the world.
Paul tells us in Colossians 4 to be devoted to prayer. Be watchful. Thankful. Praying for others and praying that doors would be opening for the gospel and chains f bondage would come off believers.
Text- Philippians chapter 4:4-7 read from the Bible
People worry about things that never happen-
People worry about things out of their control
Stress is at an all time high
More medicines are given today for anxiety now than ever before.
This generation which is supposed to be more connected technologically than ever before seems like we struggle for inner peace and time for ourselves.
We never disconnect. That mini -computer in your pocket called a phone never lets you have a moment to decompress.
Don’t believe me, we check our phone for messages on average of every 6 minutes.
I have turned around and drove back to get my phone, even if we are only going to be away for a few minutes.
Some of you sleep with the phone on your bed with you and never get a good night’s sleep.
We text someone and they do not get back to you right away- you become agitated.
We have information at our figure tips, but we don’t have a pause button for our life to take a breath. It Is 24/7.
We go on vacation and feel like we are strapped to the phone because someone would be mad or needed you and you weren’t there.
Everyone is busy. I don’t care who you talk too. “I am busy” BUSY, BUSY, BUSY! What are you doing with yourself, why are you so busy?” I don’t know I am just busy. Never shut down.
Multi tasking on every level of your life. Not being able to just sit and relax.
I never hear someone say that they have free time and just living the dream.
I do not even hear retired people say that- they say things like, I have been so busy that I don’t know how I found time to work.
When you get that busy, you know what suffers first?
Devotion time with god
Prayer time with God
Fellowship with your friends
Church/ Sunday instead of a time of worship at church and a time of fellowship with friends becomes a time of exhaustion.
Paul in much conversation with the churches is telling them to slow down and make sure they are praying and seeking the Lord in the midst of ministry and working.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again rejoice!” he says it twice so you would listen at least once.
It is hard to rejoice when you cannot get a breath!
It is hard to be gentle like Christ or Christ-like when the weight of the world is riding on your shoulders and most of the time, we are putting it on ourselves.
Let your “being in Christ” be evident to all who you come into contact with.
Paul calls us to Joy and peace in all circumstances.
He commands us to rejoice in the Lord
As a verb, he says that we are not to have spontaneous outburst of joy but live in an attitude of joy and praise and live a lifestyle of the Lord working in our lives. Would that not be a welcome relief?
He is speaking to the church that has seen outside persecution and he tells them that the “joy of the Lord” will come from the inside.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.”
Instead we read that as “Do not be anxious about (something) anything, but in (most) every situation, by (worry and complaint) prayer and petition, with (ungratefulness) thanksgiving, (whine) present your request to God.”
Maybe we would not have as much anxiety in our lives if we did not fill our plates to overflowing with activity and do things in our own strength. Anxiety is being overwhelmed by the circumstances that you are facing.
I am not a doctor, I am not saying you don’t need some help.
If you need it, please do as the doctor tells you.
I am saying that if it is that our plates are to full and we are not asking God through prayer to help us. We are missing the main ingredient for having our anxiety lifted from us.
Praying believers can live the dream because the dream is wrapped up in Jesus. Some dream the dream but never live the dream because they have never sought out God and what He thinks or has never looked at God as being the God of the impossible.
Believers that have a habit of praying and praying is not the last thing they do in a situation but the first thing watch God do some amazing things.
How much more would we see God do if we came presenting our request to God and believing that He is a God of the impossible?
Prayer of Jabez- 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 2 verses of scripture packed with presenting your request to God.
“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez, saying I gave birth to him in pain. Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, keep me from harm so that I will be free of pain, … “AND GOD GRANTED HIS REQUEST”
Imagine that! God answering prayer. God doing something for a person who is crying out to him and allowing him to be God in their life! Whoa! Somebody ought to be getting excited.
You think God would answer more prayers like that?
Enlarge my territory- Make me a man or women of influence
Let your hand be with me… God let me have your anointing.
Keep me from harm… protect me God!
In everything… present your request to God!
Everything covers a whole lot of ground.
In all your needs and all your circumstances… bring them to God.
R. Rainy
“The way to be anxious about nothing is to be prayerful about everything” (Repeat)
The way to see anxiety fall off is to put your praise on! Anxiety cannot hang around when praise is going on! Attitude brings gratitude!
So, you want less anxiety, don’t be worrying about things that may not happen. Bring the things that cause anxiety to the Lord with prayer, petition, and present those things to God.
Make a habit of prayer- you have not because you ask not!
you have anxiety because you are trying to do some of these things in your own strength and they were intended for you to get it done in the Lord’s strength.
May a hope of prayer- When we come to God with our prayer request, let it begin in praise for what He has already done.
When it gets down to it, come to God with an expectation that the God of the impossible can do the thing that you are requesting from Him.
Centurion officer- I know that you are a man of authority, if you just say the word, my servant will be healed.
You do not even need to show up there, just say yes here and I will go back to him knowing and believing that you have healed him.
You need to come to him humbled and respectful but you also need to come as a child of God to the heavenly Father with an attitude of expectation.
Somebody ought to be getting blessed and believing who God is this morning!
Last thing this morning- power of prayer that brings the peace of God
“And the peace of God , which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
He’s talking to the church here- Pural/ hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
There is power in prayer!
Peace of God is not a place, it is a person and His name is Jesus-
Our power comes from the Holy Spirit of God empowering us to get through whatever it is in His power and His strength.
The peace of God is supernatural! Amen.
That is why we can experience it when we are going through chaos in our lives.
I heard it said this way- “Worry does not take away tomorrows trouble, it takes away today’s peace.”
I am coming down hill- picking up speed. Watch this-
The peace of God that appears in this verse means “the peace that God has” and “the peace that God gives.”
God’s peace is much more than the absence of conflict- it is shalom… the wholeness and complete wellbeing that comes from God.
Paul says it transcends all understanding- I hope not, I want to understand it. It does however say that it is much more than human reasoning. It is beyond what we can do for ourselves. It will go beyond human resources into the heaven realm of doing the impossible. Human reasoning only takes you so far.
It comes unexpected in times that appear impossible.
Apostle Paul in prison for being a believer.
Fighting cancer
Quarrels beyond your control
Enemies you cannot see or those you cannot reason with.
I close this morning centering on verse 7 as a promise- “And the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
I picture God himself standing protecting our hearts and minds as we stay centered on Christ-
A hedge of protection if you will
A perimeter that is protected.
What do I see the Lord protecting us from?
THOSE THOUGHTS THAT TAKE US AWAY FROM HIM.
Anxieties that overwhelm us.
Fusing and fighting with the enemy of your soul.
Colossians 3:15 Get this!
“Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.”
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
When is the last time that you prayed? I mean really prayed? Intentional took time to prayer?
For your self?
For someone else?
Praising God for what He has done for you ?
If it has been a while- today you can change that with God’s help. The altar is open.
Maybe you have been doing everything in your own strength and you would have to say that you are exhausted.
Maybe today, for the first time you are wanting the peace of God to rule and reign in your life.
Maybe you have seen all the things going on in the lives of people you care about and you make a commitment to the lord to bring their names before the throne of God and coming with an attitude of praise for what He will do and believing that God will grant that request you are bringing Him.
Hopefully the Lord has touched each life this morning, we need to be a praying people… to see God do something amazing!
