Phil. 4:2-9; Gal. 5:22-26, Peace (2)

If you were asked how a person can have peace in their lives how would you answer?  You might simply say: “be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  After all peace is a fruit of the Spirit.  So certainly being controlled by the Spirit is essential.  But when we are under His control it means we walk in the Spirit.  Thus we should not be surprised that the word of God gives us truth as to where this walk takes us.  That’s what Phil. 4:2-9 is doing.  There is no specific reference to the Holy Spirit; yet this is truly walking in the Spirit.  Let us continue on that path.

·        4:6-7: Peace in our hearts and minds requires that we present our requests to God.  A primary reason we struggle to be at peace with others is that we are not at peace within ourselves.  We lack God’s peace, the peace Jesus promised to give (John 14:27).  When we are anxious or worried the word of God is choked out of our lives (Matt. 13:22) so that God is not leading us.  These anxieties (cares of life) blind us to hope (Lk. 21:34) so that we become desperate for answers.  This is not good for us personally and it can have only a destructive effect on relationships.

o   How does prayer solve the worry issue?  Prayer casts it upon the Lord (1 Pt. 5:7) who shall never permit the righteous to be moved (Ps. 55:22). 

§  As Paul commands, we cast “everything” on the Lord because there is nothing too hard for Him (Jer. 32:17). 

§  Paul, by the Spirit, uses two terms.  Prayer is the general term and applies to all aspects and circumstances of prayer.  Petitions has to do with specific needs.  In other words we come to God in public and private, by formal and informal prayer, and for both general issues of life (Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done) and the specifics (“I pray for the salvation of my child or friend or neighbor”). 

§  We are not to simply ask but are to pray with thanksgiving.  This is critical to the worry issue.  First, in our worst trial, there will ALWAYS be reasons to give thanks and we must acknowledge these.  This will encourage our faith as we realize God has given in the past.  This will keep us from the grievous error of blaming God for our self-made problems.

o        How does prayer like this help us to be of the same mind?  The answer is that it brings us peace of God, which surpasses all understanding and this peace will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  This “guarding” is critical to every issue of life, as Solomon said: Guard your heart for out of it are the issues of life (Prov. 4:23).  And every thought needs to be made captive to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).  Having our hearts and minds under the control of God’s peace is what Paul had in mind in Col. 3:15: And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.  So we conclude that worrying about nothing and praying about everything is critical to living out our oneness in Christ.