Lesson 21
Don't Worry, Be Happy (Part 2 of 2)
Philippians 4:5-9
ILLUSTRATION: A black lady was celebrating her 90th birthday. Her family and friends asked her of the secret of a long life. She said, "When I works, I works hard; when I sits, I sits easy; when I worries I falls asleep.
ILLUSTRATION: Another man said that the way to overcome being anxious about life's troubles, was to wear a pair of tight shoes.
ILLUSTRATION: A man got a traffic ticket for double parking. He explained to the judge, "I always double park when I go to the dentist, that keeps my mind off my mouth!"
I wish it were that easy. Unfortunately, it isn't. "Most of us are crucified between two thieves; on one side the regrets of yesterday, on the other the anxieties of tomorrow."
How can we be free from anxiety and full of peace?
Is there a secret to a life of peace? What does the Bible say? God's Word does have the answer to winning over worry and enjoying a life of inner peace. This is the subject of Philippians 4:5-9.
REVIEW: Subject = The Peace of God, v.7.
I. God's Peace Explained
A. The Marks Of God's Peace -
1. An Attitude of Moderation, 5.
2. An Awareness of God's Presence, 5.
3. An Absence of Anxiety, 6a.
B. The Meaning Of God's Peace -
1. It is supernatural, 7
2. It is securing, 7.
II. God's Peace Experienced, 4:6b, 8-9.
This text not only explains the nature of the peace of God, it tells us how to have the peace of God.
A. This Peace Comes From God.
It makes sense that the peace of God comes from God! Verse 7 tells us that this peace is beyond human comprehension. It's source is God himself. In fact, verse 9 describes our God as "the God of peace."
· Romans 15:33 "the God of peace be with you".
· Romans 16:20 "the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly"
· I Cor.14:33 "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace"
· I Thess.5:23"The very God of peace sanctify you wholly ..."
· II Thes.3:16 "the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means."
He is the God of peace; the Lord of peace; the author of peace. Real peace comes from God.
B. This Peace Comes Through Christ, 7b.
The unsaved man cannot know peace. · Is. 48:22
"There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked." (Read) James 4:1-4 describes the constant conflict of man. At war with others (v.1a); at war within himself (v.1-3); at war with God (v.4). James speaks of being an enemy of God. In Philippians, Paul spoke of the enemies of the cross of Christ. Before you can ever experience the peace of God, you must first be at peace with God! How do we make peace with God?
· Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Peace with God comes from being justified by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, salvation makes us to have peace with God. * Col. 1:20-22 (read).
C. This Peace Comes By ...
1. Praying right, v.6.
a. Don't worry about anything; instead ...
b. Pray about everything (nothing to small or too great for God)!
1) Prayer = adoration
2) Supplication = plead
3) Appreciation = thanksgiving "let your requests be made known unto God" = talk to God personally.
2. Thinking right, v.8.
The word "worry" literally means to have a "divided mind". Worry is wrong thinking. Our mind is a battleground. Satan wants to mess up your mind. Your thought life can steal away your joy and your peace. The peace of God comes from right thinking. The command is to "think (meditate; fix your thoughts on; let your mind dwell on) these things. What things? Things that are true (truthful); honest (noble; honorable); just (right); pure; lovely; of good report (admirable; of good reputation; gracious); virtuous (moral excellent); praise (praiseworthy). Do you allow your mind to dwell on things that are lies and errors; dishonorable; wrong and unfair; impure; ugly; or bad reputation; immoral; shameful. *Proverbs 23:7 "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Your thought- life is key to having inner peace and tranquility. * Romans 8:6 "To be carnally minded is death; to be spiritually minded is life and peace. *Ps.119:165 "Great peace have they who love thy law and nothing shall offend them." *Isaiah 26:3 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee."
It is not enough to just pray about the right things an think about right thinks, you must also do the right things. The command in verse 6 is to pray, in verse 8 it is to think, in verse 9 it is to "do". Jesus said, "If you know these things happy are ye if you do them" (John 13:17). Outward obedience and inward peace are related. *Isaiah 32:17 "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever." *Isaiah 48:18 "O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea ..."
Paul tells these Philippians exactly what to do. They are to do those things which they had ...
1. Learned from Paul
2. Received from Paul - that is handed down or passed down from Paul to them.
3. Heard - Paul say
4. Seen - Seen Paul do
Paul life was an open book (see II Tim.3:10-11). Paul welcomed them to follow his example, 3:17. "Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves" (James 1:22).
The peace that God gives surpasses human understanding It is incredible, supernatural. It completely secures our feelings and thoughts. It produces an attitude of sweet reasonableness, an awareness of God's presence, and a absence of anxiety. This peace can be yours. It comes to you from God. It comes to you through Christ. It comes to you by praying right, thinking right and doing right.
Are you experiencing the peace of God in your life?