Peace - Philippians 4:6-7

do not be anxious about anything.

Now you might feel a little anxious about a doctor visit or perhaps anticipating final exams or being forced to work on a project with someone who doesn't get along with you or maybe someone who very much dislikes you. But in Philippians 4, anxiety goes beyond what we would consider proper concern for things. For example, proper concern for Paul would be expressing his, quote,

daily concern for all the churches

in 2 Corinthians 11, 28. Now regarding Corinth, Paul had legitimate concern for real problems in the church and his flock. But anxiety in Philippians 4 is when legitimate concern becomes panic and distress. And so the word for anxious here means It means to be pulled apart internally. You're separated from the whole inside. This is when the inner man is overwhelmed with worry and dread because worry is a constant weight on his heart and his mind. So Paul addresses the urgent condition of the inner man and tells believers not to be pulled apart with worry. And what should we do instead? Well, look at verse six with me. Paul says,

do not be anxious about anything, but

Or instead, in everything, that is in all of your difficulties, from the most urgent need to the least,

by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God.

And here we find point number one, and that is bring everything to God in prayer. Bring everything to God in prayer. He wants us to bring all of our needs to him. Furthermore, he wants us to supplicate, to be specific with our needs. So as believers living in a fallen world, as believers living under constant threats against our health, our families, our finances, our children, our faith, Paul says, in everything, to bring our needs to God. And he also says we are to do this with thanksgiving, and that is our second point. To give God thanks, which means when we come to God in prayer, we come with a thankful heart filled with gratitude for all his provisions, even in the midst of our turmoil. Everything we have in this life, our salvation by faith in Christ and all the blessings therein, all the blessings of every circumstance and all spiritual needs, especially during difficult times, all of it is from our generous Heavenly Father. Now one commentator says, quote,

that thanksgiving is always in place if one only considers what he has from God and realizes that whatever he has, he has received from the hands of divine love. Thanksgiving is appropriate in any circumstances,

end quote. And so when we give thanks to God in everything, we demonstrate that we trust God with everything. But when we do the opposite, we express distrust in God. And to not trust God is a sin. Now, we might not say out loud, I do not trust you, Lord, but being overrun with worry is a symptom of distrust. And so when you pray, you might want to begin by simply praying,

search me, oh God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me.

Psalm 139, 22. An urgent prayer can have a tremendous weakening effect on prevailing sins. And so the more you commune with God in prayer, the more you put to death your distrust in God. And now to examine ourselves, let us consider this question. Do we truly trust God in everything? Do we trust that he is working in everything for our good and his ultimate glory? Because there is no trial too great or too small beyond the scope of God's reach and control. So pray and give him thanks in everything. because gratitude is the closest companion of a genuine prayer, and God is surely worthy to receive it. So during our difficult times, and with an attitude of thankfulness to a kind and good God who supplies everything that we need, let us not be anxious for anything, but instead bring everything to God in prayer and give him thanks. Now what happens when we do this? What happens when we bring everything to God in prayer, trusting in him with a grateful attitude? God's word promises that We receive peace that guards and protects our hearts and minds. Look at verse seven with me. Paul says,

in the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

So point number three, God gives peace that guards and protects us. Now here, peace means the wholeness of the inner man. It means to be tied together when all the essential parts are joined tightly together. Now as opposed to being ripped apart with fear, peace of God is when the inner man is whole, complete, and at peace. Despite all the difficulties of life bearing down on the believer, he is at peace, trusting in God in every circumstance. Now from the practical standpoint, what does this look like? Well, let's consider the Apostle Paul. As he writes this letter Paul is a prisoner under house arrest in Rome for two years and most likely he is chained directly to a Roman guard as was common in the first century. And yet he writes to the believers in Philippi to comfort them. How is that possible? How could Paul do that? Only peace from God could do that for Paul. And this is why in verse 11 Paul says,

I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

God supplied all of Paul's needs And that ongoing trust and peace taught him to be content. And it also taught him to be thankful. Which is why Paul begins more than half of his letters giving thanks to God. And there are seven, I'll just give you three examples. 1 Corinthians 1.4,

I give thanks to my God always.

Philippians 1.3,

I thank my God in all remembrance of you, always in every prayer.

And during his final imprisonment as he awaits his execution, 2 Timothy 1.3, he says,

I thank God whom I serve. as I remember you constantly in my prayers, day and night.

Despite all sufferings, betrayal from fellow workers, beatings, floggings, chase from one town to another, three times shipwrecked, multiple imprisonments, he never wasted an opportunity to give God thanks. Now what about when a believer receives a difficult diagnosis or when another is hospitalized for a prolonged period? It is only peace from God that can calm his spirit and carry him through that trial, through that illness, no matter the outcome. Or when a family member or a dear loved one becomes ill and passes away, and you feel like you are being pulled apart, there is only one place you can go, and that is to God in prayer. You bring everything to him, trust completely in him, and he gives you peace in exchange. Your heart and your mind are at rest, you're content, you have real peace. You bring everything to him and he gives you peace in exchange. And to the pastor who bears the burdens, his own burdens, but the burdens of his entire flock, it is the peace of God that sustains, protects, and guards him. And this is the kind of peace that according to verse seven, surpasses all understanding or all comprehension. That means there is no other explanation for this peace, because it goes far above and beyond all human insight and wisdom. This peace transcends all things and has its origin in God. And you might ask, well, what about medications, doctors and healthcares? Can these things be helpful? Sure they can, of course. And they have their place as God's common grace, but only this peace can guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, verse seven. Now Paul uses a military term here, is to guard, it means to deploy whatever defensive and offensive means necessary to protect. And so as a soldier stands guard over his unit, or a military unit stands guard to protect against an invasion, so Christ stands guard and keeps watch over believers. Guarding and protecting their inner man from invading fears, worries, doubts, and dreads. He keeps watch over your inner man day and night. And so as we consider everything that causes us worry, let us not be anxious. but let us bring everything to God and leave it there. Don't bring your worries to God only to take them back five days later, five hours later, or five minutes later. No, bring it to God and leave it with Him. You can trust Him with it. You can trust Him. Alexander McLaren, a 19th century Baptist preacher, says this about peace from God. He says, quote,

The Christless heart is like the troubled sea that cannot rest. There is no peace for it. But in him, you can get it for the asking. The chastisement of our peace was laid upon him. For our sakes, he died on the cross, so making peace. Trust him as your only hope, savior, and friend, and the God of peace will fill you with all joy and peace in believing. And bow your wills to him in acceptance of his providence and in obedience to his commands. And so your peace shall be as a river, and your righteousness as the waves of the sea.

" End quote. Now, if you're a believer, you have peace with God. And because you have peace with God, you can have the peace from God. But if you're not a believer, your greatest need is peace with God. And that comes only through faith in the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peace from God is divine, transcendent, it is heavenly. It comforts, it guards, it protects your inner man. God's peace protects you from invading fear, dread, doubt, and sin. The peace of God protects you through Christ who is in you and always keeping watch over you. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, We humble ourselves before you now and we give you thanks for all that you've done in and through your son to reconcile us to yourself. You called us to yourself and you've regenerated us. You brought us to repentance and faith in your son. You've given us your word, your son and your spirit and you provide all of our needs. And so we come to you tonight with overflowing gratitude in our hearts. We thank you in our troubles. And we thank you for strengthening our faith through troubles, adversity, and even in persecution. And should our difficulties increase, may our thankfulness increase all the more as you fill us with your peace. And Father, we know that in this world we will have trouble. But we take comfort in Christ who said,

I have overcome the world. In me, you may have peace.

And so we ask now for your peace as we leave here tonight. And as we go, we leave our worries with you in exchange for your peace, peace that surpasses all understanding, peace that completes, guards, and protects our inner man in and through Christ our Savior. We ask these things in the name of your son, to the praise of your eternal glory. Amen.