Southern Hills Baptist Church
February 23 2003
Philippians 4: 6-7
“How to overcome worry”
Pastor, Mark Hensley
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Introduction: An average person’s anxiety is focused on:
40% -- things that will never happen
30% -- things about the past that can’t be changed
12% -- things about criticism by others, mostly untrue
10% -- about health, which gets worse with stress
8% -- about real problems that will be faced
Transition: Worry and anxiety seem to always wait for an opportune time to pounce on us, when were the least bit ready. We have all heard reassuring, stirring sermons from preachers and evangelists and other reminders from Sunday School teachers, parents and friends that tell us that worry is a waste of energy, anxiety is in fact doubt ….doubt that the God who created you can care for you!
Life can be a thrilling adventure a short walk across this planet then the ultimate of experiences for Christians the fulfillment of heaven. It’s not that the prospect of heaven doesn’t motivate us…it does, we all long to know God more fully to share in a reunion with love ones who are not gone…but wait for us just a short journey from here.
It’s a long way from here to heaven in many ways….those two places are like bookends and the years of our lives are in between. It’s in the day to day pressure and exhilaration of living that makes us all candidates for worry. Worry and its twin anxiety seem to wait patiently in the shadows….waiting relentless waiting…to rob our joy and security in the provision the care of God.
The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. George Muller.
I need today’s sermon! We can overcome worry! Philippians 4:6-7
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
I. There is nothing to worry about
II. Prayer releases burdens
III. Gods peace is promised for our hearts and our minds
I. There is nothing to worry about 6Do not be anxious about anything
Paul is speaking to a church where worry was common. When Paul states: “Do not” In the construction of the original language He is prohibiting worry, because the Christians in Philippi were worrying!
We many times think early Christians because of the presence of the Apostles or disciples were somehow shielded from worry…they were not!
Paul declares: 6Do not be anxious about anything”
The word “anything” means what it says…we are not to worry, not even over one thing, not at all!
You not only don’t have to worry, He is telling you not too. He is telling you that if you have something to worry about to give it to Him!
Oswald’s Chambers’ book My Utmost for His Highest was first published in 1935, 13 years after his death. Other than the Bible, it is one of the most widely read Christian books in the world.
In that book He asks this question "Are You Obsessed by Something?" Oswald Chambers says we are to be obsessed only by the presence of God.
He gave this example. "A child’s awareness is so absorbed in his mother that although he is not consciously thinking of her, when a problem arises, the abiding relationship is that with the mother. In that same way we are to "live and move and have our being" in God (Acts 17:28), looking at everything in relation to Him because our abiding awareness of him continually pushes itself to the forefront of our lives.
If I am obsessed by God, nothing else can get into my life - not worries, not concerns. That would be a magnificent obsession!
God emphasized the sin of worry over and over in the bible. Do you want to worry less? Then pray more! You see my friend you can know freedom from anxiety freedom from worry in everything, if you pray about everything.
II. Prayer releases burdens 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
A companion verse is found in 1st Peter 5:7 “Cast all your cares upon him, because He cares for you” Literally cast all your anxiety your worry on him! Prayer is doing just that…it’s the relinquishing of our concerns to God, confident that He hears and He answers and He is actively moving in our life toward a conclusion that we could only hope for!
In His book Experiencing God Day by Day, Dr. Henry Blackaby writes, "As you no doubt have discovered, becoming a Christian does not make your problems go away. But it does give you an advocate to whom you can take every concern."
"Casting our cares is a choice. It means consciously handing over our anxiety to Christ and allowing Him to carry the weight of our problems. At times this is the most difficult part of trusting God.
We don’t like turning over the responsibility for our problems." "God asks us to turn over all of our problems - big ones as well as little ones."
Dr. Blackaby writes, "God sees you as His frail child, burdened with a load that surpasses your strength. He stands prepared to take your load and to carry it for you. Will you let Him?" 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
May I ask you a question? How many of you would vote right now to discontinue the mid week prayer service? When you don’t attend when you are physically able you cast a vote for that service to cease! I know you can pray at home, and I know many of you do. My dear friends, this church or any other will never begin to realize what God wants to do in this city, unless prayer becomes a strategic dynamic soul stirring passion!
I want to be quick to add that I have been praying and dialoging with the leadership in this church about regional prayer groups, where instead of one meeting here, there could be five meetings in homes throughout this city!
It’s in my heart to see us truly become a family, where we really know each other, I know of know better way of doing that than meeting in homes, sharing each other’s lives, building relationships and being able to pray for one another with real depth, because we know ….really know each other.
Why develop relationships? Because we need each other! Am I speaking to someone today and your thinking pastor I am stressed out, I am anxious and worry has me so frustrated. For some people stress overload becomes a more severe and prolonged problem.
They don’t just experience stressful seasons from time to time they live a continuously stressful lifestyle, living under constant pressure, anxious all the time. Their life is marked by some of these characteristics:
• Always in a hurry.
• Using adrenaline or caffeine to sleep less
and get more done.
• Expecting perfection.
• Unrealistically high self-expectations.
• Self-critical.
• Short-tempered.
• Taking life too seriously.
• Denying their feelings,
Anxious all the time.
Does this list describe where you are right now? I plead with you, to seek the Lord, to find a quiet place where you can pour your heart out to God in prayer. Do it every day….consistently and I promise you on the authority of God’s Holy word you will find release from your burdens!
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
I. There is nothing to worry about
II. Prayer releases burdens
III. Gods peace is promised for our hearts and our minds
III. Gods peace is promised for our hearts and our minds 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Living a life of peace is a choice. Nothing can rob you of your peace--you freely relinquish it when you allow your circumstances to cloud your vision and cause you undue concern. God wants peace to be the fabric of your being and to encompass every aspect of your life. He wants you to learn to trust His heart even when you cannot trace His steps.
True peace is a calm assurance coupled with a quiet joy that God has your life under control and that He is continuously yet mysteriously working to accomplish His purpose. God knows your unfulfilled desires, your broken dreams, your disappointments, and your defeats. He can bring about peace in your life in the midst of these challenges and He longs to do that for you today.
Simply pray for God to grant you the perspective you need on your circumstances and ask for His help to maintain your reliance on Him and dependence on His power despite the difficulty you are facing. Studying His word and allowing it to transform you will enable you to find that peace He longs to give you.
Psalm 31:15 says, "My times are in your hands."
Your life is under God’s watchful care so you can rest under the shadow of His wings. He wants to fill your life with even greater peace--so that it may overflow into the lives of others.
You are His vessel sent into the world to be a channel of His love and grace. Keep your life plugged into the true Power Source; for it is only there that you will discover the refreshing and revitalizing peace that awaits those who rest in His presence. KnowJesus.com - Devotionals
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
The words “Will God your hearts” is from a military word meaning Shall mount a guard. The meaning is that God’s peace mounts guards, and patrols before the hearts door keeping worry out! Kenneth Wuest Word studies in the Greek New Testament pg. 110
Listen with your heart, through the pain and anxiety of life to a literal translation of what Paul is saying to us today:
“Stop perpetually worrying about even one thing, but in everything, by prayer whose essence is that of Worship and devotion and by supplication which is a cry for your personal needs let your requests with thanksgiving for the things asked for be made known in the presence of God, and the peace of God which surpasses all power of comprehension, shall mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” Kenneth Wuest Word studies in the Greek New Testament pg. 110
There is nothing to worry about.
Prayer releases burdens.
God’s peace is promised for our hearts and our minds.
