Victory over Worry
Book of Joy: Book of Philippians • Sermon • Submitted
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· 133 viewsWorry is a choice, don't choose worry, Let's talk about the solution
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Worry is a choice
Worry is a choice
Worry, anxiety can consume us and it can take away our joy. But worry is a choice, today we will look at the secret as revealed through the scripture for victory over worry.
(Insert “worry” slide already saved on computer)
Everyday we have situations arise that can try to cause us to worry, or to have anxiety about. (expand briefly)
Paul surely had things he could worry about, he was in prison and his friends in Philippi were having problems
Strife bringing division (Php1:14-17)
Unknown bickering, fighting bringing division (Php4:2)
Even his uncertain outcome in prison (Php1:21-24)
But he did not choose to worry, but to explain the secret of victory over worry.
Worry translated from Greek comes from anxious and as we see in (v.6) today it means to be pulled in different directions.
Our hopes pull us in one direction; our fear/worry pull us the opposite direction so in hence we can be pulled apart.
In the old English translation it means to strangle. Worry can bring headaches, ulcers, back pain.
Worry affects our thinking, our digestion and even our coordination. Now that is just the physical effects, what about the spiritual?
Worry is wrong thinking (you know your mind); wrong feeling (that encompasses your heart) and it is the greatest thief of your joy.
We can try to tell ourselves all day long “I’m not going to worry.” In reality it takes more than good intentions to get victory over worry.
I will expand on that momentarily but need to bring in the outline for today and then we will break it down.
Here is the breakdown.
Paul’s thoughts, Paul’s challenge (vv.1-5)
Paul’s instructions (vv.6-9)
Right praying (v.6-7)
Right thinking (v.8)
Right living (v.9)
1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord.
3 Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
Php4:5
I. Paul’s thoughts
I. Paul’s thoughts
Look at what Paul thinks, what he put’s across in these verses. How he addresses them, how he encourages them and how he instructs them.
1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord.
3 Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
My beloved, stand firm (v.1; 1The2:19-20; Php1:27)
19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
Paul calls them his joy, his crown and encourages them to stand firm in the Lord.
27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Standing firm in the Lord, in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel
Live in harmony (vv.2-3)
We don’t know what the problem is between the two gospel workers, these two women, but it was bringing division within the church and the urge goes out to bring harmony to them and to the church.
Who is a true companion? One who serves the Lord and brings unity to the body of Christ. Ones who share in the struggle of the gospel for the cause of the gospel. .
This is those whose names are written in the book of life.
Rejoice always (v.4; 1The5:16)
Rejoice, not just rejoice in itself, but rejoice in the Lord then look at
16 Rejoice always;
That is rejoicing always in the Lord, a constant state of rejoicing
It was once said “rejoicing is really an application of faith!”
Let your gentle spirit be known (v.5) also used Jm4:8
Let your gentle spirit be known (v.5)
In your rejoicing your gentle spirit will be known. In your standing firm in the Lord you have settled knowledge that the Lord is near.
Is it His return? Could be
Is it He is near to us because we draw near to Him?
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
So as his jay, as his crown those who are standing firm who are encouraged to live in harmony, in unity. They are called to rejoice so that their gentle spirit may be known.
I know I said we were going to talk about worry, victory over worry, over anxiety and the solution, antidote to it and we are getting there.
The antidote to worry is a secure mind (Php4:7, 9)
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
When we have a secure mind, the peace of God guards our hearts and mind in Christ Jesus and then we havce
9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Not only do we have the peace; that peace will guide us and lead us when we practice these things we are abut to look at.
To conquer worry/anxiety, to have victory let us look at the conditions God gives us.
II. Right praying
II. Right praying
How many times have you heard “pray about it?” Paul takes it much further than saying that, he describes what right praying should consist of.
Praying in and of itself is known for making our requests known to the Lord. It should have the elements of adoration, devotion and worship.
Step One: Adoration (v6. Mt11:28)
If you are weighed down by worry or anxiety, get alone with God. Stop and look; the greatness, the faithfulness of God. Look at His majesty, His holiness, His creation. Stop and contemplate that He is big enough to solve any problem that we may have worry or anxiety about.
Don’t rush to wants, start with acknowledgement and adoration. Remember when we worry to come to Him! Come to the person Jesus, know who He is and what He promises.
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Step Two: Supplication (v.6; Mt6:7-8; Mt7:1-11; Heb5:7)
Supplication is earnestly sharing our needs, problems, worries, anxieties, concerns with the Lord. Not a lot of words are needed (Mt6:7-8) for our Father who is in heaven just wants us to be honest with Him (Mt7:1-11). This is the kind of earnestness we saw exampled in Jesus in the garden.
7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.
While others were sleeping, He was praying.
Supplication is not about carnal energy but of spiritual intensity (Rom15:30; Col4:12)
30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,
12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
Urge, strive, labor, stand perfect and fully assured. No room for half-hearted insincere prayer!
Step Three: Appreciation (Eph5:20; Col3:15-17; Lk17:11-19)
Appreciation, oh this is our giving thanks to God
20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
For all things, for all things come from Him . This should a natural expression after adortion and supplication. Everyone loves to hear a “thank you”
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
When Jesus healed the 10 lepers (Lk17:11-19) only one came back to say thank you; don’t you be one of the 9 who did not. You want victory over worry, over anxiety, come to the Lord in prayer, in supplication with thanksgiving.
Right praying is not an easy thing to do, it does not just come naturally. It starts with the right mind
Having the single mind (Php1) - then we an give adoration
It is having submissive mind (Php2) - so we can come with supplication
And having the spiritual mind (Php3) we can show our appreciation.
So practicing these things helps us to come a place of the secure mind in chapter 4 that can be free from worry.
Don’t just bring the big things to God in prayer, bring all things to God in prayer. Prayer is the first condition in overcoming worry/anxiety.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The results are seen here of the sincere praying heart, the peace of God that will guard our heart (wrong feelings) and our mind (wrong thinking). since we already have peace with God (Rom5:1) we can experience peace of God (Php4:7) that frees us from chains of worry and shackles of anxiety.
This now brings us to the second condition
III. Right Thinking
III. Right Thinking
Right thinking comes from what you think about, what you set your mind on, those things can bring you worry or bring you peace. Wrong thinking brings wrong feelings and wrong feelings bring wrong outcome, worry that strangles you or pulls you part.
Right thinking comes with the peace that involves both the heart and the mind. (Php4:8; Isa26:3; 2Cor10:5)
8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
Look at what Isaiah had to say
3 “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.
Thoughts are real, thoughts are powerful. Thoughts are what we need to take into captivity too.
5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
A poetic look at that verse could read
“Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.”
So what we think about matters!
Whatever is true (v.8; Jn8:44; you can also look at 2:cor11:3; couple with truth found in Jn17:17; 1Jn5:6)
survey reported by Dr Walter Cavert reported that when it comes to worry only about 8% is about legitimate maters of concern. The other 92 percent involved matters that were imaginary, never happened or people had no control over anyways. so why worry. Worry oftentimes comes from the liar, the father of lies, the corruptor
44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
So don’t be lead astray; set your mind on the truth and the Spirit of truth will be with you and will lead you through His Word.
3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.
6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
1Jn
Whatever is honorable (honest/just)
Whatever is worthy of honor, meaning worthy of respect. In a world where respect is not a common virtue, for the Christian it should be what we set our minds on, what is honorable, what is just, what is true, what is respectable. Don’t let your mind be led astray by this perverse and crooked generation. Focus on these things.
Whatever is pure, lovely and good report
In the midst of a perverse and crooked generation we are to focus on the truth of the word which brings moral purity. It brings to mind the things that are lovely (you know beautiful, attractive) those things which are of good report (things worthy of being talked about)
Whatever is is worthy of praise (also see Psm19:7-9, 119:165)
If something has virtue, if it is worthy of praise it will have our motivation to strive to do better.
Look at what David had to see and see if you see any parallelism here
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
m
and then look at
165 Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.
so here we have Gods word has virtue and it brings about adoration, exaltation, supplication of our God and helps us not to stumble in worry, anxiety. Great peace to replace worry!
Having the secure mind we can have the right actions
IV. Right Living
IV. Right Living
You cannot separate outward action from inward attitude. You want victory over worry, get the mind right and that will lead to getting the actions right and the peace of God will work in and through your life.
17 And the work of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
So you want peace, do works of righteousness! Right living in a condition for experiencing the peace of God. For peace comes from God (Isa32:17; Jam3:17)
7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
Notice Paul balances 4 attributes, activities in this verse. See if you can pick them out
9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Things earned and received (1The2:13)
Things heard and seen (Jam1:22)
One thing to learn a truth, to have knowledge of something, but another to receive it an make is a part of our inner man
13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
Facts in the head do not equate to truths in the heart, you need to put them there.
Paul did not only teach the truth, the Word, but he also lived it. so the listeners could hear the truth and see the truth applied in his life. He proved out Jam1:22
22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
If we are walking with the Lord, in the will of the Lord then the peace of God that comes from the God of peace will exercise their influence over our hearts.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Right praying, right thinking, right living are conditions for having a secure mind and having victory over worry.
Almost done, but not quite yet, where Php4 is the peace chapter in the N.T. you can look at Jam4 and see the war chapter. (high-lighted Jam4:1, 3, 8, 4)
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?
Wrong praying
There is quarrels, conflicts (wars) among you that come from wrong praying
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
wrong thinking
Jam4:8
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Wrong living
4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
You want victory over worry, there is no middle ground it comes from
THere is no middle ground, either we
right praying, right thinking, right living with right results- peace! and there is no need to worry so remember
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
(lead to encouragement)
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