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True Peace in
Your Life
Philippians
4:6-9
Do 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. 8Finally,
brothers, 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. 9Whatever
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. (NIV)
Peace of mind is something that we all
want. We all want to be able to rest, to not have to worry, to feel free to
enjoy life, family, friends, work, church, hobbies, entertainment, etc. We
want to be able to enjoy ourselves and not be burdened down with worries that
rob us of vigor, life, and purpose.
Sometimes when we can’t find peace of mind, we get depressed. We often
get angry and lash out at God or someone else near to you.
What do you do to get peace? I mean real peace in your life. Where do you
start? What do you do?
Well, the best place to start is with God.
Turn with me to Philippians 4:6-9.
- God wants you to have true peace by
having you not worry - about anything (act of thinking)
- Worry is sin. It means you are not
trusting in God.
- God says in verse 6, "Do not be
anxious about anything." That means don’t worry. The word for
"anxious" in the greek here means to be troubled with cares
- He hasn’t given you that command without
you being able to carry it out.
- He said to the man with the
withered hand, "Stretch forth your hand" (Mark 3:5)
- But the man could not--yet He obeyed
and did it!
- Because the Holy Spirit is in you, you
are able to live by faith, and not worry...no matter what happens.
Because the Spirit empowers you to be faithful, to trust, to yield to
the Lord’s will.
- With the Spirit you are able to trust
God beyond your ability to know what will happen in your life.
- Matthew 6:25,27,31,33,34 25"Therefore
I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or
about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food,
and the body more important than clothes?
27Who of you by worrying can add
a single hour to his life? 31So do not worry, saying, `What
shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 32For
the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that
you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore
do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each
day has enough trouble of its own.
- 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety
(same word) on him because he cares for you. (NIV)
- John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be
troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. (NIV)
- God doesn’t want you to worry because
worry means you do not trust God, that you are not taking Him fully at His
word.
- God has been providing for
you all along - look at the cross.
- God wants you to have true peace by
praying - about everything (act of doing)
- v. 6 "But
in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known to God."
- All things in your life are of concern
to God
- The big and the small: where
to move, who to marry, what job to get, even your hobbies, and leisure
times.
- The peace that God gives you will guard
your minds.
- The peace that God gives you will
strengthen you.
- Because of the cross you have access to
the throne of God.
- which is why it says "with
thanksgiving," because of the cross, the proof of God’s
faithfulness.
- In the presence of God there is peace.
- Romans 15:13, "May
the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so
that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
- Psalm 16:11
You have made known to me the path of
life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures
at your right hand.
- Practice the presence of God - pray!
- In prayer you are transformed
- By praying you will intern want to
think about holy things. That is why...(next point)
- God wants you to have true peace by
meditating on what is holy (act of thinking)
- Your minds have been set free from
slavery to sin.
- Romans 8:6
The mind of sinful man is death, but the
mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; (NIV)
- God wants you to fill your heart with
what is good.
- Phil. 4:8, "whatever is true,
honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent worthy of
praise. Let your mind dwell on these things." (NASB)
- God wants you to think, to meditate on
truth, purity, and excellence.
- Psalm 119:78
"...I will meditate on your precepts."
- The precepts of God, the Word of God,
is truth, purity, and excellence.
- Meditate on the Word of God so that
you might be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
- God wants you to have true peace by
putting into practice what you have learned. (act of doing)
- He wants you to...
- trust Him for everything
- Philippians 4:6a "Don’t
be anxious for anything."
- pray to Him for anything
- Philippians 4:6b "but in
everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your
requests to God." (NIV)
- meditate on what is holy
- Philippians 4:8 "Finally,
brothers, 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.
(NIV)
Conclusion
These things are written to you so that the God of peace will be with
you. Not simply peace...but the God of peace will be with you. Ultimately
this is about God dwelling with you. He wants you to be holy, pure, right.
Will you trust Him and not worry? Will you pray about everything in your
life? Will you meditate on the Word of God? And finally, will you practice,
will you do, what God calls you to do?
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