Jun. 30, 2024

“OVERJOYED”

“THE SOURCE OF POWER (JOY)”

PHILIPPIANS 4:1-9

*So What Is The Cure For Anger And Anxiety?

1. “Stand fast in the Lord!” Precedes Relating Well In The Family Of God- Philippians 4:1-3 

But what does it look like to “stand fast or stand firm?”

Psalm 1:3 “He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”

Ephesians 6:11,13 “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

In chapter 4 of Philippians, Paul unexpectedly applies standing fast in relation to the expectation of anger and anxiety.

Paul tackles these problems head-on in Philippians revealing how we can “stand fast in the Lord” against anger and anxiety.

Philippians 4:1 “Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.”

Stand fast in the Lord precedes relating well in the family of God. This isn’t the first time Paul mention this principle:

Philippians 1:27 “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

Standing fast includes following the Lord’s commands, believing His Word, embracing His priorities, loving His people, and following His example.

So the key to this is “in the Lord,” because again in verse 2 he says “be of the same mind in the Lord.” In other words, the principle is to stand fast in the Lord by living in harmony in the Lord.

Philippians 4:2 “I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.”

*First, They are both members of the same church in Philippi.

*Secondly, They Are In The Midst Of A Disagreement.

Romans 15:5 “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus.”

2 Corinthians 13:11 “Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

*Thirdly, Paul Expects Both Of Them To Respond Positively To His Exhortation.

*Finally, Paul Calls On Others To Help In The Reconciliation.

Philippians 4:3 “And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.”

Paul reminded the disputing parties they are to be “one in the Lord” with the community of co-workers focused on the same goal.

*Standing Fast In The Lord Relieves Our Anxiety-Philippians 4:4-9

No wonder Jesus took worldly worry head-on in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:25-34). Five times in this famous passage the Greek term meaning “to worry” appears.

Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”

Matthew 6:27 “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”

Matthew 6:28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;”

Matthew 6:31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?”

Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

To combat this dangerous trajectory, Paul recenters our focus:

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”

In vs.5, Paul relays two more dimensions of the joyful life in the Lord, both of which can help combat anxiety:

Philippians 4:5 “Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.”

*First, when we let our “gentle spirit” shine through in our words, attitudes, and actions, it will have a transformative effect on our hearts and minds. 

Comfort in Christ’s promised return smothers the smoldering anxiety fed by fear of the future:

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

2.   Right Praying- Philippians 4:6-7

Another cure for worry is to bring our concerns to God in prayer. Instead of living uptight, tense, uneasy lives, we need to bring everything to God.

Philippians 4:6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”

“Anxiety” or worry. What is worry? The Greek word translated “anxious” means “to be pulled in different directions.”

Paul then says, “supplication”- an earnest sharing of our needs and problems. There is no place for half-hearted, insincere prayer! 

Paul then says, “with thanksgiving”- giving thanks to God:

Ephesians 5:20 “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

So many times we are eager to ask God but slow to appreciate God.

*The Result of Praying: 

Philippians 4:7 “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The peace of God guards our hearts and our minds.

Daniel 6:10 “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.”- He prayed

Daniel 6:11 “Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.” He made supplication.

Daniel 6:10 “… and gave thanks before his God,” He gave thanks before God.

3.   Right Thinking- Philippians 4:8

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Peace involves the heart and the mind.

Isaiah 26:3-4 “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is [b]everlasting strength.”

We must bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ:

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

Psalm 19:7-9

The Christian who fills their heart and mind with God’s Word will have a “built-in radar” for detecting wrong thoughts.

Psalm 119:165 “Great peace have those who love Your law,
And nothing causes them to stumble.”

Right thinking is the result of daily meditation on the Word of God.

4.   Right Living- Philippians 4:9

Philippians 4:9 “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”

You cannot separate outward action and inward attitude. 

Isaiah 32:17 “The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.”

James 3:17 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

Paul balances four activities: “learned and received” and “heard and saw.” It is one thing to learn a truth, but quite another to receive it inwardly and make it part of our inner man. 

1 Thessalonians 2:13 “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”

Paul’s experience ought to be our experience. We must learn the Word, receive it, hear it, and do it:

James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Whatever your present situation, external conflicts or internal unrest, Paul gives us some practical principles to begin fighting for peace in your life:

1. Rejoice
2. Relax
3. Rest