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Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] I'm going to have you turn in your Bibles this morning to the book of Philippians.
[00:00:06] Philippians 4, one of my favorite books of the Bible. I love the book of Philippians. And actually this is my favorite chapter in the book.
[00:00:16] And I'm excited to talk a little bit about something that I think we all have moments in our lives. Anxiety.
[00:00:25] And some of us probably struggle with anxiety more than others.
[00:00:28] You know, in every life, I think there are moments and even situations that fuel anxiety. Yeah. We were just coming back from our vacation. When we're on our way, we flew into Montreal and then we headed down to Vermont and we spent four hours on the plane and two and a half hours waiting for our luggage.
[00:00:47] It was creating a little moment of anxiety, not just for myself, but for all our fellow passengers. Like, when is this luggage going to show up? Right.
[00:00:57] Long story.
[00:00:58] Challenges come and sometimes they overwhelm us.
[00:01:03] We're perplexed by what to do, and we often resort to our normal coping mechanisms. But when the intensity arises, we can easily be overrun. Isn't that true? Sometimes we just are stressed right out. We just don't know where to turn. We're beyond ourselves.
[00:01:21] And so I want to just focus in on this issue of anxiety.
[00:01:26] Read an article years ago from the Christian magazine of a mother dealing with her struggles with a college aged daughter who was, you know, into drugs and in a state of rebellion. And if you're a parent, you know how painful that can be when your children are just, you know, going in the opposite direction that, you know, is not in their best interest.
[00:01:46] And she said, I knew what I had to do.
[00:01:49] Abandon everything in my life and start worrying, fixing and controlling things.
[00:01:55] Most of us don't do that, I'm sure she said. I spent my days on the phone evaluating every reaction of my daughter, Allison. What if she never stops? What if I never see her again? What if she overdoses? What if she went to jail? What if? What if? What if?
[00:02:10] Ever had the what ifs.
[00:02:12] I lured Allison into therapy with a promise of eating out at her favorite restaurant. I wanted to go into the counselor's office, but I wasn't allowed to. I probed my daughter, trying to find out what was happening. No answers were forthcoming. This went on for weeks. Just when I thought she was no longer using, her younger sister inform me she still was.
[00:02:31] Of course, she denied it. What was I to do? I called a friend whose child had gone down a similar path. I hadn't slept now for a few months. Not very well anyways. A quick look in the mirror revealed that I looked like an addict. Those dark hopeless circles under my eyes.
[00:02:46] Arriving at Linda's place, the first thing she said was, you need help. Yeah, you haven't heard the whole story. I said, I'm fine, but my daughter's a mess.
[00:02:55] That's when she confronted me. You're addicted to worry and control. I know, I've been there. The possibility that she might be right terrified me. She later brought me to a support group that had learned to trust God and allow God to work in their loved ones lives.
[00:03:14] That night when I arrived home, I prayed, God, I need your help. I can't do this without you. I purposely and daily turn over every fear, every concern, and surrender control of every situation.
[00:03:27] What was she doing? I'm going to stop playing God. Two years later, meeting my daughter for an impromptu lunch. Laughing, she stated, it's a lot easier to study when you're not high on drugs. And then she surprised me by thanking me for what I said.
[00:03:42] When you didn't try to fix my problems, it scared me. A few times. I had to dig for change out of my seat of my car for gas money. Some days I didn't have enough food. Now I'm doing well in school and even have money in the bank. Recovery actually defies logic. It means doing the opposite sometimes of what I naturally feel When I took care of my life and my own addictions to worry, fear and anxiety. God help my daughter take care of hers.
[00:04:11] You know, the Mayo Clinic reports that the causes of anxiety disorder are not fully understood.
[00:04:18] I want you to hear that a number of factors such as genetics, trauma, stress and lifestyle related issues can be underlying factors. We all suffer moments of anxiety at various times in our lives.
[00:04:35] But how should we respond to it?
[00:04:37] You know, a lot of times we could sit down and try to figure out why is this happening? I want to talk about. But what can we do about it this morning? How can we overcome this in our life? Does the Bible actually have anything to say about anxiety?
[00:04:53] Peggy Noonan, in a Forbes magazine article, shares how 11 men and women were asked to answer the question why are we so unhappy? And they all agreed that we're unhappy because we've lost our moral and spiritual cent.
[00:05:06] Noonan stated. Poet A.W. auden called this era the Age of Anxiety.
[00:05:13] I think what was at the heart of the dread in those days was that we could tell we were beginning to lose God.
[00:05:21] Banishing him from the scene and from our own consciousness, losing the assumption that he was part of our Daily drama or its maker. It's a terrible thing when people lose God.
[00:05:32] Life is difficult. People are afraid. To be continually without God is to lose man's greatest source of consolation and coherence.
[00:05:40] Poet Auden describes his time as an age of anxiety. Why?
[00:05:45] Because people had abandoned God. And we're living in a culture today that people, you know, as a culture, generally speaking, there are people moving away from God rather than moving towards God. So the people moving towards God, you're moving towards the light. People moving away from God, you're moving towards darkness. There's only two directions you can be going in one or the other.
[00:06:07] Ephesians 2 says, Remember that at that time you were separated from Christ. Talking about our past condition, if you're a believer, this is where our past was excluded from citizenship in Israel, foreigners to the covenant of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
[00:06:24] So one of the chief causes of anxiety is a loss of hope.
[00:06:28] This happens quickly when we're depending on ourselves and we lose sight of God in our situation.
[00:06:35] Yet even believers experience moments of anxiety. So what should we do in those moments?
[00:06:41] And I believe that Paul is going to challenge us to displace anxiety by changing our focus.
[00:06:48] How many know that we have a tendency to be problem focused? How many here would like to, you know, not maybe like to. But you have to admit you tend to be problem focused. You see a problem, you want to fix it. Anybody that. Okay, a few of you are being honest. You're saying, yeah, that's kind of where I'm at. I want to help you today move away from that. You're always going to have problems, okay? So don't sweat the problems. That's a shocking statement. But a lot of us, you know, we think if I solve this problem, I'll eventually get to the end of them. You know, I've been living for a long time now. You know what I've discovered? New ones arise.
[00:07:23] They just change. I can guarantee you we're always in a perpetual state of change, and there'll always be issues and challenges to be faced. So how can we live, regardless of what's happening in our lives, so that you and I can live with a quiet confidence and a peace that literally helps us rise above life's uncertainties, life's challenges.
[00:07:46] That's what we're going to look at this morning.
[00:07:48] And I think there are three activities that you and I can practice that will help us overcome anxiety and challenging situations. So hopefully today you may want to note these. You may want to put them down. You may want to. Actually, I'm hoping you're going to put these in your toolbox called life and pull them out when you need them. How's that? You're going to take stock of what is being shared today. And this will help you have a better mental outlook in life. You'll help you deal with your fears and anxieties and will help you to become an overcomer rather than being drowned in these things. So let's take a look at these activities. The first one, this is a beautiful one, is to learn how to rejoice in the Lord. Learning to rejoice in God. Then this immediately speaks over my relationship in Christ. Am I delighting in him?
[00:08:43] Is he my joy? Am I living as a worshiper? Are my eyes upon him rather than allowing life situations to define me? And I would add learning to not lean to my own understanding, not depending solely on myself, but rather trusting in God. Actually, I like that verse, Proverbs 3, 5. Trust in the Lord, what with all your heart. And then what's the next part say?
[00:09:10] Don't lean on your own understanding. Stop trying to figure it out.
[00:09:15] You know, sometimes there isn't an answer. This is going to shocking statement. There is no answer and we're racking our brains trying to find an answer.
[00:09:23] Sometimes we have to learn how to say, okay, God, I just don't know and I'm going to be okay with that. I don't need to know everything. I'm going to trust you that you're going to take me through this season of life and when I come out on the other side, whatever you had in mind for me, I will be better off than what I was before I went into the situation.
[00:09:44] Something will have transpired. There will be a refining, a transformation, a change, a maturing, a development happening in my life. So Paul begins here in chapter four, Paul says, rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice.
[00:10:00] How many said, that's my attitude. I live this way. I'm full of joy. I worship God, I'm a worshiper. I love praising God. My focus is on him.
[00:10:10] Worship not only impacts our lives, it impacts the lives of other people.
[00:10:15] One of the amazing conversions in the city of Philippi, the one that Paul is now writing this letter to, was a jailer in his household. This man had either personally or oversaw the beating of Paul and Silas and was the person that put them in prison and strap the chains around there and put them in a stocks in the basement or Whatever place that that prison was. And later he could hear them singing praises to God. How many go, that's not your normal response to an adverse condition. How many say, that's probably not the normal response. You know, singing and praising God. Is that your first response to trouble? Oh, I'm just going to praise the Lord?
[00:10:56] Or do you walk around, where's God? I feel abandoned. God doesn't care about me. Or else you're grumbling and complaining about the situation you're in. Or are you just going, I praise you, Lord. It doesn't matter what situation I'm in.
[00:11:08] You know, he fell asleep and he was awakened by an earthquake and the cell doors were open. He thought the prisoners had escaped. That was a capital offense for a jailer to let his prisoners get away. He was shamed. He thought of committing suicide. He was about to impale himself on a sword when Paul said to don't harm yourself. Nobody's left.
[00:11:28] And the man rushed in and saw that the prisoners were still there. And Paul was able to present the gospel to him. He and his entire family became believers in Christ. Worship not only helps us address our own fears and anxieties, but it becomes a powerful witness to other people. Isn't that beautiful?
[00:11:46] See, when you and I allow Christ to rule and reign in our hearts, the peace of God will begin to sustain us, and it becomes a powerful witness. See, we think witnessing is always sharing with people. Well, that's part of it, but I think witnessing is how we live. It's what we're practicing in our lives. We are bearers of the presence of Christ. And when you and I are walking in victory and joy and peace, we're bringing the presence of God into these situations. And, you know, when people see that, you and I are walking through very challenging moments with joy and gratitude and thanksgiving in our hearts. And it's a powerful witness, and it certainly was in this case.
[00:12:27] We see also that we're commanded by Paul. This is not option.
[00:12:31] Rejoice. It's an imperative. It's, you know, this is what we need to be doing. This is what's going to help us. Isn't that funny that we praise God, but it's actually part of the solution to our problem?
[00:12:44] Isn't that interesting? Once the focus moves off of us, off of our problem and onto God, something begins to shift inside of us.
[00:12:56] I've already told you that, you know, when we praise, we're actually thanking God for who he is.
[00:13:03] You know, a lot of times we thank God for what he's done. That's great. But you know, it's really. How many say, it's really nice when people tell you, thank you for doing this for me. But it's far more meaningful when someone says, thank you for being who you are.
[00:13:18] Isn't that amazing?
[00:13:19] That's really powerful stuff.
[00:13:22] God wants us to have an impact in people's lives.
[00:13:27] Now, the psalmist encourages us to praise God when life is good.
[00:13:32] Well, that's true.
[00:13:34] But you know what? He also wants us to praise God when life is difficult. As a matter of fact, the psalmist learned the secret. He said, you know, as we're commanded to praise God, he said, here, I will extol the Lord at all times. I will. I'm going to praise God. I'm going to exalt God at all times. His praise will always be on my lips.
[00:13:55] I have no bad things to say about God.
[00:13:58] I don't blame God for things. I have nothing bad to say about God. God is good and God is loving.
[00:14:06] And I believe God's the most caring, kind, generous, selfless person I've ever met.
[00:14:14] He's amazing.
[00:14:16] Here's one of the reasons why the psalmist actually praises God. He said, I sought the Lord and he answered me, and he delivered me from all my fears.
[00:14:29] Do you know anxiety is a state of emotional unrest caused by real or imagined fears?
[00:14:35] You know how many have ever gotten worked up and you know how many can look back in your life and you say, you know, I was worked up about a lot of things that later on didn't mean a hail of beans. It didn't imagine manner at all. I was worked up for no good reason. It all worked out anyways. Why was I so worked up? Anybody want to admit that that's the situation?
[00:14:57] Come on now, don't tell me. You know, we get worked up for what?
[00:15:05] It always works out. If you're a child of God and you're looking to God, he works these things out.
[00:15:11] Well, you go, you know, God doesn't always do what I want him to do. No, because he's God and you're not.
[00:15:17] And you and I think we know what's best for our lives. And God actually knows what's best for our lives.
[00:15:24] And you can't just take the good things in life and think that anything that's negative in your life isn't something that God is going to use to do something good in your life. We got to get a hold of that thought because God's going to use all things to Work together for good to those who love him.
[00:15:41] You know, the issue is our focus needs to shift from us and our problems to him. I've already said that Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, shares the same truths at this congregation. He says, rejoice always, pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances.
[00:15:59] He doesn't say, give thanks for all circumstances. He just says, give thanks in all circumstances.
[00:16:05] How many know there's a difference between thanking God for something and thanking God in something?
[00:16:12] You know, I don't thank God for tragedy. I thank God in tragedy because God's still in the place. He's there. I'm looking to him. My hope is in him.
[00:16:23] You know, we got to stop trying to figure it all out.
[00:16:27] Why is this happening to me? I don't know.
[00:16:31] You know, there's things that have happened in your life and in my life. I never know why, but I do know this, that God is there and that God will comfort us and God will see us through these things, and God will teach us things, and God will allow us to grow and mature in these things. And later on when we look back, we'll say, you know, I'm not the same person I once was because God brought me through this experience. And now I have something to share with you, with other people who are walking through a difficult experience to say, God will take you through it. You know, I love the way Isaiah says, he will take us through the fire, he will take us through the flood. God will be with us. He's there with us. Think of the three Hebrew boys that were in the fire when Nebuchadnezzar had a revelation. What did he see? He saw a fourth man in the fire.
[00:17:19] Isn't that beautiful? The fourth man in the fire was God himself. It was a theophany. It was a pre incarnation appearance of Christ. Christ was there in the fire. Christ is there in your trial.
[00:17:36] But you and I may not always notice it or see it, but other people can see something.
[00:17:43] Living with an attitude of gratitude directed toward God helps us overcome these moments in our lives.
[00:17:52] I notice in the book of Acts how joyful they were. This is a church under great persecution. But there was a spirit of joy. Why was there a spirit of joy? Because the fruit of the Spirit is joy, one of the expressions of it. And here we see In Acts, Psalm 16:11, it says, you make known to me the path of life. You fill me with joy in your presence, boy. I love being in the presence of God because it brings joy.
[00:18:18] And he says, and with eternal Pleasures at your right hand. God says there's good things in God's presence.
[00:18:26] What fascinates me, as I said about the Book of Acts, is the response of these early followers of Jesus had towards persecution and difficulty. God was alive in them, empowering them despite persecution. And we read of their joy. It says the apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the name.
[00:18:47] Would that be our attitude? Lord, I just thank you that I was persecuted, I was shamed, I was disgraced just because I'm a follower of you. I thank you for the privilege of suffering.
[00:19:00] It's getting quiet in here.
[00:19:03] You know, what's true of them is equally true for us. It's the life of Christ, the indwelling presence of the living God and the person of the Holy Spirit in our life that empowers us to overcome what's happening around us and to us.
[00:19:16] Is Christ in you? If he is, you know what? If God be for you, who can be against you?
[00:19:24] You know that's true.
[00:19:27] God is greater than your trial right now, again, I remind us the fruit of the Spirit is love. And I believe that these are expressions of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and last one, self control.
[00:19:44] James tells us to consider it pure joy.
[00:19:47] You know, I preached out of the book of James. Consider pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
[00:19:59] So here's what you need to know. God is not allowing you to experiencing anything that's not going to help you. Ultimately, you got to know that about God. He's not doing this to be mean. He knows exactly what he's doing. And as a matter of fact, the challenge for us at that moment is to have the right attitude.
[00:20:18] Okay, so here's the right attitude. Be joyful. You say, well, how can I be joyful in this, Pastor? Get in God's presence.
[00:20:27] Be like the disciples, wake Jesus up in the boat. You know what I mean? Does he care for you? Of course he does. Look what he does. He stands up and he deals with the situation. Now you're saying, well, yeah, but I've been trying to wake him up and nothing seems to be changing. Pastor. Well, you know, we're impatient.
[00:20:43] How many know we're impatient?
[00:20:45] We want everything yesterday.
[00:20:47] Well, how's God going to teach you patience?
[00:20:50] It's going to take a little while. How do you, you know, if you start answering every beck and call of your children, you're going to just teach what?
[00:20:58] Total dependency on you. Total impatience and total self absorption. Absorption, right. You're actually teaching them all the wrong things. How many know in life some of the best things are worth waiting for? You have to be patient.
[00:21:12] Goes on to say, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. That word, mature and complete. That's actually the idea. You know, sometimes it's, you know was translated, you'll be perfect. But it's not perfection in that sense. It's the development of your faith. God is interested in developing you. And you say, well, what's he trying to develop in me? Christ in you? He's trying to make you more like himself. That's the goal. You become the person God designed you to become.
[00:21:49] So that's how faith in God is fashioned. That's why we can rejoice. The enemy of our soul tries to use trials as a wedge between ourselves and God, if we'll allow it.
[00:22:00] But they're a tool designed to help us to grow spiritually.
[00:22:04] And we read in the book of Romans, Paul says this. Who can separate us from the love of Christ?
[00:22:11] Trouble, hardship, persecution.
[00:22:14] Listen to me really carefully. It grieves my heart to see believers fall away because they've allowed trouble, hardship, offense, persecution. See, the difficulties in life are not designed to push you away from God. It's designed to reveal what's inside of you and to develop the person of Christ within you. That's what it's designed to do. He says, for your sake, we face death all day long. We're considered as sheep to be slaughtered. Let me ask you a question.
[00:22:45] Is your life more about you or about Christ in you?
[00:22:49] See, if it's about you, then you're going to always feel like God owes you.
[00:22:54] I don't think God owes me anything. I think I owe him everything.
[00:22:58] When you make that shift in your life, it changes the whole direction. You know, you just say, hey, that's the way it is. You know, people that are not believers go through all kinds of hardships.
[00:23:08] That's true.
[00:23:09] I look at it this way. At least I have God in my hardship.
[00:23:14] A lot of people, what do they have in their hardship? Very little.
[00:23:18] Let me move on here.
[00:23:22] The second activity is self restraint. I think we need to learn how to control ourselves. But that takes the help of God's spirit. When we're surrendered to God, the result will be self controlled. Let me say that's true.
[00:23:34] Rather than allowing the circumstances of life to define us, we're looking to God for help to respond to the challenges, the difficulties, and these distresses that come into our lives.
[00:23:45] Let your gentleness, Paul says, King James says, moderation be evident to all. The Lord is near. This is the idea of forbearance.
[00:23:53] The word, the Greek word, is to be kind and tolerant of others, which means that we're not easily offended.
[00:24:00] You know, one of the verses that really helped me was in the Psalm 119.
[00:24:04] I think it was. I forget which verse it was. I think 165, but it doesn't really matter. It says, they that love your law are not easily offended.
[00:24:13] So, you know, if we're easily offended, that's an indictment against us.
[00:24:18] You know, don't take offense.
[00:24:21] The devil uses offenses to do all kinds of damage in people's lives. We're always like, I'm offended. I'm offended. I'm offended.
[00:24:31] Well, I'm crucified with Christ.
[00:24:34] How many know it's hard to offend a crucified person?
[00:24:39] How many know it's hard to offend a dead person?
[00:24:44] I'm just pointing something out to us.
[00:24:47] So if you're easily offended, you need to ask God for help.
[00:24:52] You need to say, lord, help me to get out of that track.
[00:24:56] Because the Devil, that's a tool he's using to drive a wedge between you and people and you and God.
[00:25:03] You know what the tool for offense is? Forgiveness.
[00:25:09] Hello.
[00:25:11] If more of us practice forgiveness, there'd be less problem with offenses.
[00:25:17] Oh, I forgave you.
[00:25:19] We got to let it go.
[00:25:22] How many here say, God, I deserved to be forgiven by you?
[00:25:28] None of us could say that we don't deserve God's forgiveness. Listen, forgiveness is the gift God gave you and me that we did not deserve. And every time I give someone forgiveness, I'm giving them the gift they don't deserve.
[00:25:43] So if you're waiting for people to come back to you and say, oh, would you please forgive me?
[00:25:48] You may wait a long time, forgive them, move on.
[00:25:55] Don't camp there.
[00:25:58] You know, there's a lack of anxiety. When we have the right attitude towards other people, we stop trying to be in control, to make others do what we want them to do. Even if it's a good thing, a God thing, or the right thing, let's stop playing God.
[00:26:16] I can't change one person.
[00:26:21] All of you that are trying to change people, you're going to fail.
[00:26:25] It's never going to happen.
[00:26:27] It's not your job to change people.
[00:26:32] How's that?
[00:26:33] You want to change somebody, cooperate with God and work on yourself.
[00:26:38] That's who you got to be changing.
[00:26:41] Amen.
[00:26:42] That's it, you know?
[00:26:46] Well, whenever we start stressing about how those we love are not doing healthy, godly things, we make the situation worse by our frustration and anger.
[00:26:56] Can I just point something out to us? If I'm a Christian, should I be living an angry, frustrated life?
[00:27:03] Thank you. That's the right answer. No.
[00:27:06] If I'm a Christian, I should be trusting God, full of love, you know, working to please God, loving everybody, and forget about trying to control the government.
[00:27:18] Now I'm meddling.
[00:27:25] I'm just pointing this out.
[00:27:28] I want you to know something. I don't have a lot of confidence in humanity's ability to govern itself.
[00:27:36] And you say, well, why is that, Pastor? Aren't we smart enough? I go, no, it's not us. There's also demonic powers at work trying to distort and defile and rebel against almighty God. And they influence those people that are in leadership. And we need to understand that. So God is telling us as believers pray for those in leadership.
[00:27:57] They need your help.
[00:27:59] The one gift we could give them as a church is praying for them.
[00:28:03] Amen.
[00:28:04] We should be doing that.
[00:28:06] We should be praying for them. Okay.
[00:28:09] Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones says it's always easier to express ourselves than restrain anger. How many go? That's true wisdom. Literature speaks much of those who are able to control themselves and show self restraint, which by the way, is biblical wisdom. This is what Proverbs says, better a patient person than a warrior, one with self control than the one who takes a city.
[00:28:33] That's pretty strong language. What is he saying? He said, you know, you don't have to go out there and beat everybody up. What you need to do is control yourself.
[00:28:43] You know what meekness is? It's power under control.
[00:28:46] I have the ability to maybe change something, but I recognize it's not going to do any good. So I don't do anything. Rather I just start praying. I let God work on that person. That's what we should be doing.
[00:28:57] The previous verse in Philippians calls us to focus on the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord. Always here we're called upon to be like our Lord.
[00:29:05] How many know Jesus had the power to turn that whole region into around like that? You go, why did he do it?
[00:29:13] God chooses not to manipulate human beings.
[00:29:17] God gave you and I a gift.
[00:29:20] The gift to love or not to love. The gift to obey or disobey. God's given you and I the ability to make a choice. God is not bringing anybody to heaven who doesn't want to be there.
[00:29:32] I want to say a shocking thing. You know, a lot of people go, oh yeah, when we're in heaven, everybody's in heaven, right? How many know that I officiate funerals? I just did one yesterday. Everybody thinks they're going to heaven. Or some of them say, I don't care if I go or not. Do we really understand what heaven is?
[00:29:47] Heaven is actually the place where God exists.
[00:29:50] It's the presence of God. That's what heaven is. The presence of God. Isn't that beautiful? See, so if you love the presence of God, you'll want to be in heaven.
[00:30:00] But if you don't love the presence of God, you won't want to be in heaven. I love the presence of God. I love God's goodness. I love God's kindnesses. I love God's goodness, mercy. I love God's peace. I love God's joy. I love who he is. I love what he does. I just want to hang with him.
[00:30:17] I don't understand people who don't want to hang with God. I don't get it. Don't you want all the good things that life has to offer? Because every good and perfect gift comes from God the Father.
[00:30:29] We need to learn to trust God, to change things.
[00:30:32] So, you know, so often we try to, you know, manipulate.
[00:30:36] I'll just give you an example. Here's a good example of this moderation and having self control is David. Now, I don't think he always modeled that. We know that's not true. He lost it at times. But here's a great situation. He's being chased by his father in law, King Saul. He's being threatened. And he has opportunity to actually kill his father in law because his father's trying to kill him.
[00:31:03] Here's David's response. In First, Samuel said, he said to one of his men, abishai, don't destroy him.
[00:31:10] Who can lay hand on the Lord's anointed and be guiltless as surely as the Lord lives? He said, the Lord himself, listen to me, will strike him. Either his time will come. In other words, it's his time to go home to die.
[00:31:24] Or he will die. And he will die. Or he will go into battle and perish.
[00:31:29] But the Lord forbid that I should lay hands on the Lord's anointed. It's not my job to do that.
[00:31:35] Notice the Expression says here he goes on to talk about the Lord is near. And here's two thoughts. It talks about the moderation and then the Lord is at hand.
[00:31:47] First of all, the one idea is simply this. God's presence is near, which certainly is true, and he's there to help us.
[00:31:54] So you and I, you know, when you and I can just say, okay, I'm not going to act on this right now, I'm going to just trust God.
[00:32:01] That's actually an active stance, by the way. See, how many know in conflict the natural response is what? Flight or fight.
[00:32:09] But the biblical response is stand still and see the salvation of your God. How many know it's really hard to do nothing in those situations. That's called self restraint, you see, why are we doing that? Because we know God is in the situation.
[00:32:26] See, when you're a person of faith, it's not, I'm just going to be passive. That's not what we're talking about here. The second idea is that he's soon going to come. He's going to rectify injustices. So this, as I said, this does not. This idea of moderation or gentleness means not indifference to evil or falsehood. It's not peace at any price.
[00:32:45] It's not talking about compromising truth for the sake of relationships. Rather, he's talking about mastering our own spirit and maintaining self control in the situation, then we need to know what's worth contending for and what's not.
[00:33:01] How many know? A lot of times, you know, people say or do things, you just go, it's not even worth responding to that.
[00:33:07] Nothing good is going to come from an argument here.
[00:33:10] Just say nothing, just walk away.
[00:33:14] Right?
[00:33:17] It means trying to understand where the other person is coming from and yet maintaining what's right. In other words, I want to hear what they have to say, I want to listen. That doesn't mean I have to agree with people.
[00:33:28] Sometimes we have to agree to disagree. But you don't have to say even that. You just listen and you listen to their point of view and you think, I don't agree with that point of view. But they don't have to argue and say my point of view is better than their point of view.
[00:33:41] It's allowing God to address things rather than taking things into our own hand and exasperating the situation is about trusting God rather than being in control.
[00:33:53] And when we know that Christ comes back, he's going to deal with every injustice. How many know that's true?
[00:34:02] You see, God is a Just God.
[00:34:05] I love the fact that God is a loving God, but he's also a just God. And when people have been victimized and violated, there needs to be a sense of justice.
[00:34:14] And I want to declare to you today that our God is not just a loving and forgiving God, but he is also going to hold people to an account when. When they refuse to repent and change. God will address that.
[00:34:27] And we have to leave it in his hands. And he can do it. Believe me, I've read the Bible carefully many times, and I've noticed people don't get away with things. Ultimately, they do not. The third activity to overcoming is to request God's help with the proper attitude.
[00:34:46] So we're going to bring all of these things that create anxiety in our soul to God. We gain a proper perspective regarding our problems by praying.
[00:34:53] This is why prayer is so important.
[00:34:56] He says here, this is one of my favorite verses, and I've practiced this verse a lot.
[00:35:02] Do not be anxious about anything. But in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.
[00:35:13] Okay, so here we're challenged not to allow anxiety to control our lives.
[00:35:18] Rather, those things that create anxiety are to be brought to God.
[00:35:22] That's how we're to overcome anxiety.
[00:35:25] Yet in the text it says that we're to bring every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving.
[00:35:33] Wait a minute. Isn't prayer and petition saying the same thing? Well, there is a slight difference, and I think the order is very critical. So what's the difference between praying and petitioning God, you might ask? Well, prayer is primarily communing with God, which begins in a certain manner.
[00:35:51] Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones says prayer is the most general term and it means worship and adoration.
[00:35:56] Now, I'm going to point something out to us. Let's go back to the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples. How many here actually have it memorized? The Lord's prayer. You have it memorized? Okay, I'm going to explain this prayer to you. It's not saying it over and over again, okay? It's actually teaching us the nature and how to go about communing with God.
[00:36:17] Now let me point it out to you this way and you'll see how this works.
[00:36:22] Remember how we taught him to pray? He starts out with the idea of reminding us of our intimacy with God, our Father.
[00:36:30] Now, how many know that if you've had a loving father. I know not everyone has. But if you've had a loving father, caring, concerned father. Listen to me carefully.
[00:36:40] It speaks of he's going to listen with great interest in what we have to tell him.
[00:36:47] I want you to see that prayer is an invitation to have God as your father, who's a loving father, who's interested in what you're going to say.
[00:36:56] Then it says, hallow, God's name, Hallowed be your name. Well, what does that really mean? Well, that's just telling God. Listen, I want to just tell you how appreciative I am of this relationship I have with you.
[00:37:10] I'm in your presence now. The moment you and I get into the presence of God. And I think it's a state being, you know, we come to this place where I recognize God. I'm looking to you, and I'm so thankful I can come to you.
[00:37:25] I'm inviting you.
[00:37:27] I'm spending time with you. My focus is now moving away from what the problem.
[00:37:32] And now my focus has shifted towards the solution to the problem.
[00:37:37] My father, he's got the solution to whatever problem I'm faced with.
[00:37:43] A shift begins to happen inside of us. I love that.
[00:37:47] I think we need to set aside our problems initially and just enjoy God's presence. And then that shift occurs and we gain a proper perspective, and it settles us down.
[00:37:57] You ever see a little child, they hurt, they run to their father and they're all upset and they're weeping and crying, and the father picks them up and he holds them and the child just starts settling down. Okay, maybe somebody took his toy, Somebody pushed him down.
[00:38:13] Problem, big problem in the toddler's life. Father picks him up, father holds him. Child starts settling down.
[00:38:20] It'll be okay. I'll take care of it.
[00:38:24] Child goes, good, you know what? We need to come back to that as adults. Father, this is beyond my pay grade.
[00:38:33] I say that to God. This is beyond my pay grade. Not only that, this is beyond my capability.
[00:38:38] I don't have the competency to deal with this issue. This is way outside of my control.
[00:38:43] I just want to let you know I need your help.
[00:38:46] God is very interested in that. He recognizes something that's changing inside of us. When we begin to worship God, we sense his nearness. And immediately there's a sense that all is well. God is here. He's greater than all of our problems.
[00:38:59] But what do we normally do when we have anxiety? Well, we pray. But we just begin to blurt out all our problems and we short circuit the solution to our problem because we, in a sense, it's like a grocery list. You know, we come in demanding, you know, this is my right. You know, God, this is what you got to take care of. You know, our attitude is not affected when we just bring the grocery list. That's what I'm trying to get across here.
[00:39:25] Jesus is telling us the real power is not focusing on our problem, but rather gaining a greater perspective of God's power and ability.
[00:39:33] Now, I don't know about you, but I like Isaiah, chapter 40.
[00:39:37] I'm going to give you one of my favorite verses out of that book. Here it comes. You're going to laugh.
[00:39:42] Not this verse, because I think this one is normal. Why do you say, O Jacob, complain, O Israel, my way is hidden from the Lord. My cause is disregarded by my God. How many have ever felt that way? You know, I'm praying, but you're not paying attention.
[00:39:54] Come on, let's be honest.
[00:39:56] Okay, but this is earlier. This is his response. He's saying, surely the nations are a drop in the bucket.
[00:40:05] Now, I don't know if you guys get the imagery in your mind here, but you know, sometimes I've spoken on this text. I bring a five gallon pail. I put one drop in and you know what it represents? That one drop represents all the nations of the world.
[00:40:22] That's how big our world is before God.
[00:40:27] It's like one drop in a bucket.
[00:40:30] That's all the problems in the world are in that one drop. I got to ask you a question. Do you think your problem is so great that God can't handle your part of that one drop?
[00:40:51] I like that vision.
[00:40:53] You know what that tells me? God, you're powerful. There's nothing impossible for you. This is not above you whatsoever. Whatever problem you're experiencing right now, God is greater than your problem this morning.
[00:41:07] And when you and I begin to focus in on how good God is, how great God is, kind of like the disciples. God, would you please wake up and do something? God says, peace, be still.
[00:41:20] That's powerful. We need to have peace in our soul.
[00:41:27] Well, why does God allow suffering?
[00:41:31] How many have ever had that question answered? Why, if God is so good, does he let suffering happen? And Randy Helcorn in his book if God Is Good, says suffering reminds us to stop taking life for granted and start contemplating a bigger picture, the larger picture.
[00:41:44] Number two, Paul insists that our sufferings will result in our greater good. God's people will be better off eternally because they suffer temporarily. That's what Paul is saying in 2 Corinthians. Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
[00:42:01] You know what our problem is?
[00:42:04] We're nearsighted, we're in the moment.
[00:42:08] The problem is before me, I'm in pain. I don't know what to do. God goes, I'm going to give you a broader perspective.
[00:42:15] It's not just about this life, people.
[00:42:17] It's about what's about to happen for all eternity. What God is doing in your life now is going to affect your entire eternity. And so though you're going through these incredibly challenging earthly pain and difficulty in this temporary life, you're going to get through all of this. You're going to come to the end of this life, you're going to step into eternity and then you're going to go, it was worth it all.
[00:42:41] It was worth every single moment of difficulty. I'd rather suffer temporarily and have eternal bliss than to do my thing on earth and to suffer for all eternity.
[00:42:56] Eternity is a long time.
[00:42:59] This is temporary, that's eternal.
[00:43:02] So what is significant about Thanksgiving to our prayer?
[00:43:06] He says, with Thanksgiving, petition is actually asking.
[00:43:10] So I've got my focus on God, not on my problems. I'm asking God, my petition. He says, with Thanksgiving. You know what Thanksgiving says? God, I'm thanking you because I already know you got it.
[00:43:20] I'm a person of faith. I believe is going to get done.
[00:43:24] You're going to do it. I don't know how you're going to do it. If you ask me, I go, I have no idea.
[00:43:29] If I knew that I'd be God, but I'm not God. And I don't know. It's way beyond me. But I know he's going to do it.
[00:43:37] How encouraging is that?
[00:43:40] So let me close with this.
[00:43:44] Then he goes on, here. He says, and the peace of God. This is the result. The peace of God which transcends that means it gets beyond you all. Understanding you can't figure this out will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. But he doesn't stop there. He goes on, here's the problem.
[00:44:00] How do you stop fixating on problems?
[00:44:05] Because that's where the root of anxiety is coming from.
[00:44:08] Right here.
[00:44:09] Finally, brothers and sisters, I want you to put your mind on these things.
[00:44:14] Whatever's true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy, that's what I want you to think about. It's not denial.
[00:44:26] I'm going to tell you right now. I rarely listen to the news. It's too depressing.
[00:44:31] It's the same stuff over and over again. Any major. I'm going to. This is going to shock you. Any major thing that's happening in the world, people tell me I don't even need to spend time watching, listening or anything. I get told it comes so fast. Any major thing comes down, boom, I get it right away. So I don't even look for that stuff. So where is your mind at, Pastor God's word?
[00:44:54] My mind is there. I want to spend time there because it affects the way I think, my outlook. And then he closes with this, oh, by the way, not just think about these things.
[00:45:05] Whatever you've learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put into practice, you got to apply it, and the God of peace will be with you.
[00:45:16] Now he's writing a letter to the very people that he was beaten in jail.
[00:45:23] And they saw how Paul behaved in that moment and situation, worshiping and praising God, and they knew that it was what brought them to faith in Christ.
[00:45:35] How many say, can you see the connection now in the story? Isn't that beautiful?
[00:45:43] This is the most important part.
[00:45:46] We're going to close with a prayer, and I'm going to ask you to be honest with yourself before God. You say, how many? Right now you're struggling with anxiety. Just raise your hand.
[00:46:00] You're struggling with anxiety. A lot of people. I knew there would be a lot of people.
[00:46:05] I want to pray for you today, God.
[00:46:11] Today. God says, if you hear my voice, don't harden your heart.
[00:46:15] God says, I've given you now an antidote, a means of addressing this anxiety.
[00:46:22] I want you to start rejoicing, praising God.
[00:46:26] I want you to not allow your emotions to run wild anymore. I want you to submit yourself to the spirit of God. I want you to learn to spend time in his presence, enjoying God, bringing your concerns to him with a thankful heart. You've got it, God.
[00:46:43] I'm going to let it go now. All this worrying, all this anxious thinking. I'm not even thinking about it. I'm not going to worry about it.
[00:46:51] I get tempted to be anxious, believe me.
[00:46:54] You know, I've got a lot on my mind right now. We're doing some major stuff in our church, and I'm going, wow, how is this all going to happen, God? I'm just going to go, I don't know.
[00:47:05] But you're bigger than this.
[00:47:07] Remember our problems. Oh, look at that bucket. Oh, there's that drop. Oh, there's my problem.
[00:47:14] It's nothing for God.
[00:47:16] Nothing for God. It's big for me. Yeah, but nothing for God. Dropping a bucket.
[00:47:22] Dropping a bucket. Problem for God. So Lord, I pray today, right now, that you would lift our spirits, move our focus away from our trial, our circumstance, our situation, our anxious thinking.
[00:47:35] I pray, Father, that you would help us realign our minds to think on whatsoever things are good and pure and lovely.
[00:47:43] Help us to focus in on you, the answer to the problem.
[00:47:48] Help us, like the disciples, Lord, appeal to you and to see you still the storms in our soul and in our lives.
[00:47:58] And we thank you for that, Lord. In Jesus name, amen. God bless you as you leave.
