Do Not Be Anxious About Anything

PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
”‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6-7‬ ‭NKJV‬
‬https://bible.com/bible/114/php.4.6-7.NKJ

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Worry, anxiety, and stress, hits most of us at some time or another, and is so damaging to our health, our natural ability to heal, and even has negative affect on our ability to think straight.
So it’s not surprising Paul tells us, don’t worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication (to plea, appeal, or petition God), with thanksgiving.
To not to worry about anything seems like an impossibility; but Paul’s advice is to turn our worries into prayer.
The more we pray and trust God, the less we will worry, and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds through Christ.
Paul’s choice of words suggests our hearts and minds are in a battle zone, and are in need of military protection. In deed, Jesus came to save our souls (LUKE 19:10), our mind, will, and emotions.
Only Christ can “guard” our hearts from the attack’s of the devil; only Christ can give us God’s peace, which by the way, is different from worldly peace; it “surpasses all understanding.”
His peace doesn’t come from positive thinking, or by the lack of conflict, or by good feelings. But rather, it comes from knowing that whatever situation we face, God is in control and that our citizenship in God’s Kingdom is certain, and our destiny is set.
But why is prayer so important?
In the very beginning, God made us in His image and gave us humans “dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.””
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
This is a gift from God that was given to us as physical human beings; therefore our physical body is like a vessel to operate from in this physical world.
Since Christ has gone to be with His Father in heaven, He has no physical body of His own to operate from here on earth; therefore, to intervene in our affairs without being asked would be breaking His own Law. That is one reason why the Hoy Spirit wants to live in His people (see JOHN 14:15-18), that He can continue His work here on physical earth using our bodies to operate from; He gives not only the desire to do what pleases Him, but the power to do it (PHILIPPIANS 2:13).
“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Jesus said, ““Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:12-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
“It’s not me that does it, but Christ in Me that does it.”
Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to help and guide us through our lives here on earth with a promise that He will never leave us orphans (JOHN 14:15-18), not to do our will, but to do His; to continue His work of saving His people. He said, “go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10:6-8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
It’s not in our strength or ability, but in Christ who lives in us; It is His authority, ability , and power that does it all; that is the same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead.
Life can be distressing and difficult at times, and we don’t win every battle, but it’s all temporary and the day is coming when God will wipe every tear from our eyes, and even death, sorrow, mourning, and pain will be no more (REVELATION 21:3-4), because our ultimate victory in Christ is sealed (EPHESIANS 1:13-14; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:22), and we have a wonderful future ahead of us regardless of what happens to us on the way.
Paul, said, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Like Paul, we must learn to accept our situations with all or nothing, and continue to serve regardless, giving thanks and trusting God in all things with the ultimate victory (1 CORINTHIANS 15:57), for our purpose here on this earth is to share the Good News in service to God.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭31‬-‭39‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.