I’M GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB THIS MORNING AND SAY THAT I’LL BET NOT ONE OF YOU IN THIS ROOM WANTS TO LIVE IN A PERPETUAL STATE OF ANXIETY. NOBODY CHECKS THE BOX THAT SAYS I WANT TO LIVE IN A STATE OF ANXIETY EACH AND EVERY DAY. BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW ANXIETY CAUSES ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS AND NEGATIVELY IMPACTS EVERY AREA OF OUR LIVES. IT DAMAGES US SPIRITUALLY BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN ENJOY THE ABUNDANT LIFE JESUS CAME TO GIVE US AND ENJOY AN INTIMATE LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM IF WE ARE FULL OF ANXIETY; IT DAMAGES US EMOTIONALLY BECAUSE IT STEALS OUR JOY AND OUR PEACE AND LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO FULLY GIVE OURSELVES TO OUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, WORK AND SCHOOL AND IT DAMAGES US PHYSICALLY BY CAUSING HEAD ACHES, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE; LOSS OF SLEEP; ENERGY; APPETITE; ULCERS; STROKES;
BUT THE GOOD NEWS FOR US IS THAT GODS WORD HAS A SOLUTION FOR ANXIETY AND THAT IS WHAT WE’VE BEEN LEARNING IN THIS SERMON SERIES ENTITLED ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING FINDING CALM IN A CHAOTIC WORLD. THAT’S WHAT WE ALL WANT RIGHT; THAT’S THE GOAL; CALMNESS AND PEACE; THAT’S THE LIFE WE WANT TO LIVE. AND HERE’S THE DEAL; THAT PEACE, THAT CALMNESS IS NOT GOING TO COME BY BRINGING ORDER TO THE CHAOS; IT’S NOT GOING TO COME WHEN JUPITER ALIGNS WITH MARS AND THE MOON IS IN THE 7TH HOUR. BECAUSE THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. AS LONG AS WE ARE IN THIS WORLD WE WILL ALWAYS DEAL WITH CHAOS; DISORDER; TROUBLE; TRIALS; PRESSURE; OUR BODIES ARE DECAYING; PEOPLE DON’T TREAT US THE WAY WE THINK WE SHOULD BE TREATED; WE DON’T TREAT PEOPLE THE WAY THEY OUGHT TO BE TREATED; THAT’S BECAUSE THIS IS NOT PARADISE; THIS IS PARADISE LOST.
AND SO PEACE IN THIS WORLD WILL NEVER COME BY FIXING EVERYTHING OUT THERE. PEACE IS AN INSIDE JOB. SAY THAT WITH ME: PEACE IS AN INSIDE JOB. IT HAS TO BE FOUND ON THE INSIDE; IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS. THAT’S EXACTLY THE POINT JESUS WAS MAKING WITH HIS DISCIPLES WHEN HE SAID IN JN. 14:27 “I AM LEAVING YOU WITH A GIFT—PEACE OF MIND AND HEART. AND THE PEACE I GIVE IS A GIFT THE WORLD CANNOT GIVE. SO DON’T BE WORRIED OR AFRAID.” AS WE HAVE SAID BEFORE THE PEACE JESUS GIVES IS LIKE A THERMOSTAT AND THE PEACE THE WORLD GIVES IS LIKE A THERMOMETER. IF 70 DEGREES EQUALS PEACE WE SET IT AND IF IT GETS COLD OR HOT THE TEMP STAYS ON 70; BUT A THERMOMETER JUST REGISTERS THE TEMP. SO IF 70 IS PEACE YOU ONLY GET IT EVERY NOW AND THEN.
SO WHERE DO WE GO TO FIND THIS KIND OF PEACE? AS WE HAVE DISCOVERED IN THIS SERIES WE GO TO THE WORD OF GOD.
SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE BEEN ZEROING IN ON PHILIPPIANS 4:4-8, WHERE THE APOSTLE PAUL TEACHES US HOW TO LIVE A LIFE CHARACTERIZED BY PEACE. IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WE HAVE LOOKED AT VERSES 4 AND 5 YOU CAN WATCH THOSE ON YOUTUBE AT LFCOG. TODAY WE ARE GOING TO DIG INTO VERSES 6 AND 7 BUT BEFORE WE DO LET ME REMIND YOU AGAIN THAT PAUL IS NOT LIVING A LIFE OF COMFORT AND EASE WHEN HE WRITES THIS LETTER. BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW IT IS EASY TO TELL SOMEBODY ELSE NOT TO BE ANXIOUS WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE TO BE ANXIOUS ABOUT.
BUT WHAT’S FASCINATING ABOUT PAUL’S ADVISE TO US HERE IS THAT HE IS LOCKED UP IN A COLD, DARK, DAMP, DUNGEON CHAINED TO ROMAN SOLDIERS WHEN HE WRITES IT. KNOWING THAT GIVES HIM AUTHORITY AND CREDIBILITY BECAUSE HE IS PRACTICING WHAT HE IS PREACHING; HE IS WALKING HIS TALK. IN FACT, IN THIS ENTIRE LETTER NOT ONCE DOES HE EVER GRIPE, GRUMBLE OR COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SITUATION HE FINDS HIMSELF IN.
LETS READ VERSES 6,7 TOGETHER: DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD. AND THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS.
WHEN PAUL SAYS DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING WHAT HE REALLY MEANS IS DO NOT LIVE IN A PERPETUAL STATE OF ANXIETY; DON’T LIVE YOUR LIFE CONTSTANTLY FULL OF ANX. BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN AVOID THE FEELING OF ANXIOUSNESS. BECAUSE THE FEELING OF ANXIETY IS EXACTLY THAT; IT IS A FEELING, AND WE HAVE VERY LITTLE IF ANY CONTROL WHEN THAT FEELING OF ANXIETY WILL HIT.
ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU READ THE EMAIL; RECEIVE A TEXT; GET A PHONE CALL; GET THE NEWS THAT SOMETHING ISN’T RIGHT WITH YOUR BLOOD WORK; YOU GET A CALL FROM YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL; YOUR SPOUSE SAYS WE NEED TO TALK; YOUR BOSS CALLS YOU INTO THE OFFICE; THE FLASHING BLUE LIGHTS PULL UP BEHIND YOU; AND BAM IN A SPLIT SECOND THE AMYGDALAE IN YOUR BRAIN SENDS A MESSAGE TO YOUR BODY THAT CAUSES YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE TO RISE; YOU START BREATHING HARDER, YOUR HEART RATE INCREASES, YOUR PALMS GET SWEATY, YOU CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT, AND IN A NANO SECOND YOUR IMAGINATION HAS TAKEN THAT PIECE OF NEWS TO THE WORST CASE SCENARIO; TO THE DEEPEST DARKEST PLACE WITH THE WORST POSSIBLE OUTCOME. CAN ANYBODY SAY BEEN THERE; DONE THAT!
IT HAPPENED TO ME A COUPLE OF TIMES THIS PAST WEEK. I FOUND OUT LAST WEEK SOMEONE IN MY FAMILY IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH DIZZINESS AND THEIR BALANCE AND IN A MATTER OF SECONDS I AM THINKING INOPERABLE BRAIN TUMOR. I HEARD LAST WEEK THAT MY MOTHER IN LAW HAS COVID AND A MINUTE LATER I AM THINKING MY FATHER IN LAW, MY WIFE KATHY AND I WILL SURELY GET IT; HOW WILL WE ALL QUARANTINE? WHO IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYBODY.
AND WHAT’S FASCINATING ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS THAT EVERYTHING I HAVE JUST DESCRIBED HAPPENS IN A MATTER OF SECONDS AND WE HAVE VERY LITTLE IF ANY CONTROL OVER IT. WE RECEIVE THE NEWS; OUR MINDS AND BODIES REACT AND WE ARE OFF TO THE RACES. HAS THAT HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE THIS PAST WEEK? LAST NIGHT? THIS MORNING?
AND HERE’S WHAT’S REALLY AMAZING AND WHY THE WORD OF GOD IS AS RELEVANT AS TODAYS NEWS; LIVING AND ACTIVE. OVER 2,000 YEARS AGO WAY BEFORE THERE WERE ANY PSYCHOLOGISTS, PSYCHIATRISTS, OR THERAPISTS, WHEN THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE THIS LETTER HE USED A GREEK WORD THAT DESCRIBES EXACTLY WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. THE WORD PAUL USES FOR ANXIOUS IS THE GREEK WORD MERIMNAO. MERIMNAO COMES FROM TWO GREEK WORDS, ONE THAT MEANS TO TEAR OR SEPARATE, AND THE OTHER MEANS THE MIND. ISN’T THAT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ANXIETY HITS; WE GET TORE UP; OUR MIND SPLITS; TEARS; SEPARATES. YOU GET THE NEWS; ANXIETY HITS AND YOUR MIND SEPARATES; DIVIDES; GETS TORN IN TO BETWEEN LEGITIMATE CONCERNS AND THE DEEPEST, DARKEST WORST CASE SCENARIO. AND SO WHEN PAUL SAYS DO NOT BE ANXIOUS HE IS LITERALLY SAYING DON’T LET YOU MIND BE TORN UP; SEPARATED; DIVIDED.
CAN ANYBODY SAY THAT’S EASIER SAID THAN DONE! BUT HELP IS ON THE WAY! THERE’S GOOD NEWS COMING. REMEMBER I SAID EARLIER WE HAVE VERY LITTLE CONTROL OVER THOSE INITIAL THOUGHTS; THAT INITIAL SPLIT; I’M CONCERNED AND THEN WORST CASE SCENARIO. BUT WE DO HAVE ABSOLUTELY CONTROL OVER WHETHER WE WILL CHOOSE TO CAMP OUT THERE, RUN WITH IT, HAVE A FULL BLOWN PANIC ATTACK AND LIVE IN A PERPETUAL STATE OF ANXIETY OR IF WE WILL CHOOSE TO EXPERIENCE THE PEACE OF GOD.
AND SO IF THE PROBLEM IS ANXIETY, A MIND THAT IS TORN APART, DIVIDED, SEPARATED THEN THE SOLUTION IS FOUND IN PUTTING SOMETHING IN THE MIND THAT WILL BRING IT BACK TOGETHER. SOMETHING TO REPLACE THE ANXIETY THOUGHTS. AND ACCORDING TO PAUL THAT SOMETHING IS PRAYER. DON’T BE ANXIOUS; BUT BE PRAYERFUL. V.7 “IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD…THE RESULT…AND THEN THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS.” GUARD YOUR WHAT? HEART AND MIND; REMEMBER PEACE IS AN INSIDE GAME.
BUT IF WE ARE HONEST MANY TIMES INSTEAD OF BEING THE FIRST THING WE DO, PRAYER IS THE LAST THING WE DO. LIKE THE CAPT. WHO ANNOUNCED TO THE PASSENGERS ON A SHIP WE ARE GOING DOWN. WOMAN FRANTIC RUSHES US AND SAYS CAPT. WHAT CAN WE DO? MAM, WE MUST PRAY. OH MY GOSH, IT IS WORSE THAN I THOUGHT. ISN’T THAT WHAT WE DO. OUR IMAGINATIONS RUN WILD AND WE CHASE THE ANXIETY RABBIT DOWN THE HOLE OF DARKNESS AND FEAR; END UP IN A FULL BLOWN PANIC ATTACK IN THE FETAL POSITION WITH OUR THUMBS IN OUR MOUTHS BEFORE IT DAWNS ON US TO PRAY.
BUT PAUL HERE CALLS US TO PRAY FIRST NOT LAST. WHEN YOUR MIND SPLITS PAUL SAYS THE WAY TO STOP THE SPLIT; SHUT DOWN THE IMAGINATION IS TO PRAY. IT’S LIKE SWITCHING THE TV STATION ON YOUR REMOTE WHEN YOU COME ACROSS SOMETHING YOU DON’T WANT TO WATCH.
HE USES FOUR WORDS HERE TO REFER TO PRAYER: PRAYER; SUPPLICATION; THANKSGIVING AND REQUESTS. I DON’T THINK WE NEED TO GET HUNG UP SO MUCH ON THE MEANING OF EACH OF THESE; IT’S NOT LIKE I HAVE PRAYER DOWN; MOVE TO SUPPLICATION; CHECK THE BOXES.
I THINK WHAT PAUL IS SAYING IS THIS: THE WORD PRAYER LITERALLY MEANS TO WORSHIP; SHOW DEVOTION TO. ADORE. PAUL IS JUST REPEATING WHAT JESUS SAID WHEN HE LAID OUT A PATTERN FOR PRAYER: BEGIN BY SAYING OUR FATHER WHO ARE IN HEAVEN HALLOWED BY THY NAME. START WITH WORSHIPPING GOD. KIND OF LIKE REJOICING IN THE LORD;GOD YOU ARE AWESOME; YOU ARE GREAT; YOU ARE IN CONTROL; YOU ARE ALWAYS WITH ME; YOU ARE WORKING FOR MY GOOD AND YOUR GLORY. BECAUSE HERE’S THE DEAL; IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO WORSHIP AND WORRY AT THE SAME TIME; YOU CAN’T ADORE GOD AND EXPERIENCE ANXIETY SIMULTANEOUSLY. WORSHIP STOPS ANXIETY DEAD IN ITS TRACKS.
AND THEN RIGHT ON THE HEELS OF WORSHIP IS THANKSGIVING. THE TWO GO HAND IN HAND. WE DO WHAT THE OLD HYMN SAYS AND COUNT OUR MANY BLESSINGS. AS WE COUNT OUR BLESSINGS GUESS WHAT HAPPENS TO ANXIETY? IT STOPS. JUST LIKE WITH WORSHIP ANXIETY AND THANKSGIVING CANNOT COEXIST.
SO WE ARE BEING AS PRACTICAL AS WE CAN HERE. YOU GET THE CALL FROM THE DOCTOR; WE FOUND SOMETHING ON YOUR CT CAN YOU COME IN MONDAY; THE TEACHER CALLS AND SAYS WE NEED TO HAVE A CONFERENCE; YOU HEAR YOUR COMPANY IS LAYING OFF; AND WHAT HAPPENS; YOUR MIND SPLITS; YOU HAVE A LEGITIMATE CONCERN; I WONDER WHAT IT IS; THERE COULD BE SOMETHING WRONG ALL THE WAY TO I HAVE A BRAIN TUMOR; MY CHILD HAS A SEVERE LEARNING DISABILITY; I AM SURE I WILL GET A PINK SLIP…INSTEAD OF RUNNING WITH IT, INSTEAD OF LETTING ANXIETY GRAB A HOLD OF YOU…YOU CHANGE THE CHANNEL. YOU PULL IT BACK IT…YOU UNITE IT BY CALLING OUT TO GOD…THE NEWS HITS….GOD YOU ARE IN CONTROL, GOD YOU ARE ALL POWERFUL; GOD YOU KNOW EVERYTHING; GOD YOU ARE WORKING FOR MY GOOD. GOD, YOU HAVE BEEN SO GOOD TO ME; GOD YOU HAVE ANSWERED PRAYER SO MANY TIMES; GOD I THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING FAITHFUL; FOR THE TIME YOU….
WHAT DID YOU JUST DO? YOU BROKE THE ANXIETY CYCLE; YOU BEGAN TO REWIRE YOUR BRAIN; YOU CREATED A NEW NEURO PATHWAY…THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO RENEW YOUR MIND; THIS IS HOW TRANSFORMATION OCCURS. YOU ARE BEING TRANSFORMED FROM A PERSON CONTROLLED BY ANXIETY TO A PERSON WHOSE MIND IS GUARDED BY THE PEACE OF GOD. THAT IS WHY THE PROPHET ISA SAID IN 26:3 “YOU WILL KEEP IN PERFECT PEACE WHEN YOU KEEP YOUR MIND FIXED ON GOD BECAUSE YOU TRUST IN HIM.” LITERALLY PEACE PEACE; THE EPITOME OF PEACE WHEN YOU ARE FIXED, FOCUSED, WHEN YOUR MIND STAYS ON THE LORD.
BUT WE DON’T JUST LEAVE IT THERE. ONCE WE HAVE LAID THE GROUNDWORK BY WORSHIPPING AND THANKING GOD PAUL SAYS WE MAKE OUR REQUESTS KNOWN TO GOD. IN OTHER WORDS, WE ADDRESS THE ISSUE; THE CONCERN; THE PROBLEM OR CHALLENGE THAT IS CAUSING THE ANXIETY BY TAKING IT TO THE LORD; AS I LIKE TO SAY WE HAND THE STRESS BALL OVER TO JESUS.
THE APOSTLE PETER SAYS IT LIKE THIS IN 1 PETER 5:7 “CAST YOUR CARES UPON GOD BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU. THE WORD WE TRANSLATE CARES IS THE SAME GREEK WORD FOR ANXIETY; MERIMNAO; CAST YOUR DIVIDED TORN UP MIND ON GOD; CASTING IS AN ITENTIONAL ACT. IT MEANS YOU THROW YOUR CONCERNS TO GOD BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING OUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD WE NEED TO BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE WHEN WE PRAY. ONE OF THE THINGS GOD HAS BEEN TEACHING ME IN THE LAST YEAR ABOUT PRAYER IS THAT MY PRAYER REQUESTS HAVE BEEN TOO VAGUE; THEY’RE NOT SPECIFIC ENOUGH.
IT'S ONE THING TO PRAY “GOD HELP MY DAUGHTER AT SCHOOL TOMORROW; IT IS ANOTHER TO PRAY GOD MY DAUGHTER HAS A CONFERENCE WITH HER COUNSELOR TOMORROW AT 10:00 ABOUT WHICH CLASS TO TAKE; PLACE GIVE HER WISDOM.
1. A SPECIFIC PRAYER IS A SERIOUS PRAYER. IF I SAY TO YOU WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER SOMETIME YOU MAY NOT TAKE ME SERIOUSLY. BUT IF I SAY WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER TUESDAY AT 12 THEN YOU KNOW MY REQUEST IS SINCERE. WHEN WE OFFER SPECIFIC REQUESTS, GOD KNOWS THE SAME ABOUT US. MANY TIMES WE PRAY VAGUE PRAYERS BECAUSE WE ARE JUST PLAIN LAZY AND DO NOT EVEN TAKE THE TIME TO REALLY ARTICULATE WHAT WE WANT OR NEED NOR DO WE TAKE THE TIME TO AKS OTHERS HOW WE CAN PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR THEM.
2. SPECIFIC PRAYER IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SEE GOD AT WORK. WHEN WE SEE HIM ANSWER SPECIFIC PRAYERS OUR FAITH GROWS. SO MANY TIMES WE PRAY ABSTACT, GENERIC PRAYERS (GOD BLESS HIM; TAKE CARE OF HIM; BE WITH ME;) NOTHING INHERENTLY WRONG WITH HIM BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN GOD HAS ANSWERED; IF YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW GOD ANSWERS PRAYER IT IS NOT A GREAT MOTIVATOR TO CONTINUE PRAYING NOR IS IT A GREAT FAITH BUILDER.
A GREAT EXAMPLE OF PRAYING SPECIFICALLY IS FOUND IN GEN. CHAPTER 24 WHEN ABRAHAM SENDS HIS SERVANT TO MESOPATAMIA TO GET A WIFE FOR HIS SON ISAAC (GENESIS 24:10,11 AND THEN IN 12-14 LISTEN TO HOW SPECIFIC HIS PRAYER REQUEST IS. COULD THE SERVANT HAVE BEEN MORE DETAILED? HE ENVISIONED AN EXACT DIALOGUE AND THEN STEPPED OUT IN FAITH. AND THEN LOOK WHAT HAPPENS IN V. 15-20. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED TO THIS SERVANT’S VIEW OF GOD! DO YOU THINK HIS FAITH GREW? DO YOU THINK HIS PRAYERS BECAME BOLDER AND MORE EXPECTANT? YOU’D BETTER BELIEVE IT.
I HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE THIS PAST WEEK ABOUT A CONCERN MY DAUGHTER AMANDA HAD. I WAS TALKING TO HER ON TUESDAY AND SHE SHARED WITH ME THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT THAT SHE WAS HOPING TO HEAR ABOUT THAT DAY. I GOT OFF THE PHONE AND EXPEREINCED ANXIETY; THE SPLIT MIND; I AM CONCERNED BUT THEN I GO TO WHAT IF SHE DOESN’T HEAR; WHAT IF IT DOESN’T WORK OUT; SHE COULD BE HURT; YOU KNOW THE DRILL. SO I AM WORKING ON THIS SERMON I AM REALLY TRYING TO PRACTICE WHAT I AM PREACHING; I SAY GOD YOU ARE IN CONTROL; YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT HER; YOU HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN CARE OF HER; AND GOD I AM ASKING YOU TO PLEASE LET HER HERE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE TODAY. THAT’S SPECIFIC RIGHT; NOT JUST LET HER HEAR; BUT GOD LET HER HEAR TODAY.
I DIDN’T HEAR ANYTHING BACK FROM HER THAT DAY. SHE TEXTED THE NEXT MORNING AND SAID SHE TOLD ME SHE HEARD WHAT SHE NEEDED TO HEAR. I ASKED HER WHEN DID SHE HEAR THE NEWS? SHE WAS LIKE WHY? I SAID BECAUSE I PRAYED YESTERDAY THAT YOU WOULD HEAR THE NEWS YESTERDAY; SHE SAID SHE HEARD IT THAT NIGHT. BINGO!!! THANK YOU LORD. MY FAITH GREW. GOD ANSWERS OUR SPECIFIC PRAYERS.
OBVIOUSLY WE DO NOT ALWAYS RECEIVE IMMEDIATE ANSWERS LIKE THAT TO OUR PRAYERS. BUT OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO LAY DOWN THE REQUEST AND WAIT ON GOD’S RESPONSE. AND HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS: WHEN WE CALL ON HIM HE PROMISES TO ANSWER: JER. 33:3 “CALL UPON ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOU AND SHOW YOU GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS YOU DO NOT KNOW.” HIS ANSWER MIGHT BE YES, IT MIGHT BE NO, OR IT MIGHT BE WAIT. BUT HE WILL ANSWER AND THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS FOR OUR GOOD AND HIS GLORY.
AND SO HOW PRACTICAL IS THE WORD OF GOD. IN THESE TWO VERSES WE HAVE EXAMINED TODAY THE APOSTLE PAUL WHO IS IN A HORRENDOUS SITUATION; A SITUATION THAT LOOKED HOPELESS; A SITUATION WHERE HE DOESN’T KNOW WHETHER HE WILL EVER GET OUT OF PRISON OR WHETHER HE WILL BE EXECUTED; TALK ABOUT A SITUATION THAT COULD PRODUCE A PANIC ATTACK; PAUL TELLS US IT IS POSSIBLE TO LIVE ANXIETY FREE AND EXPERIENCE THE PEACE OF GOD BY TURNING OFF THE POWER OF THE RUNAWAY TRAIN CALLED ANXIETY AND TURNING OUR MINDS TOWARD GOD.
AND SO WHAT IS AT THE TOP OF YOUR ANXIETY LIST TODAY? AN IMPORTANT DECISION REGARDING YOUR FUTURE? YOUR JOB? YOUR FINANCES? YOUR MARRIAGE? YOUR CHILDREN? YOUR HEALTH? AGING PARENTS? INSTEAD OF LIVING IN A PERPETUAL STATE OF ANXIETY HOW ABOUT DOING WHAT PAUL SAYS TO DO HERE. WHEN THE FEELINGS OF ANXIETY HIT CHANGE THE STATION. INSTEAD OF LETTING YOUR MIND GET TORE UP LOOK UP TO GOD; PRAY; WORSHIP GOD AND THANK HIM FOR EVERYTHING HE HAS DONE FOR YOU. AND THEN TAKE THE CONCERN TO HIM WITH A SPECIFIC PRAYER REQUEST. AND LEAVE IT THERE. AND HE SAYS THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING WILL GUARD YOUR HEART AND MIND IN CHRIST JESUS. LET ME ASK YOU: WHO GUARDS YOUR PEACE? GOD HIMSELF WILL GUARD OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS. THAT’S IS JOB; HIS REPSONSIBLITY; YOURS IS TO PRAY; GOD GUARDS. TRY IT TODAY; YOUR BEHAVIOR WON’T CHANGE OVER NIGHT; BUT AS YOU PUT IT INTO PRACTICE YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF LESS ANXIOUS AND MORE AT PEACE.
