Philippians 4:4-7 In Everything Prayer

In Everything by Prayer

Philippians 4:4-7

Introduction: In the letter to the Philippians, Paul instructs the brethren with at least two thematic messages. Considering Paul’s imprisonment, the messages are counter-intuitive. The first is joy, rejoicing, and peace. These three are companions of one another. One would not survive without the other. Paul’s emphasis on these is surprising especially because we can struggle finding joy and peace even in the absence of trials.

The second theme undergirds joy and peace, it is how we think; it is the “mind” we have. Joy and peace cannot be attained without a change in our thinking. Paul stated it plainly in 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” [we will talk about his in another lesson]

First we need to note there is an “other-worldly” focus to joy, peace, and contentment. None of these are dependent on our present circumstances or our present world’s condition. That is the earthly man’s concerns. But our world-view is God’s kingdom and God’s glory. 

• God’s kingdom cannot flourish if his people do not rejoice always. 
• God’s holiness cannot be seen except his people live holy lives. 
• God cannot be glorified if his people are not at peace. 

We often think too narrowly. We usually think of just “us” within a local church. That is certainly good and necessary. But inside these walls is not where the world sees us. They see us living in the same world they do, with the same circumstances, and with the same trials and hardships. It is our response of rejoicing, peace, and contentment that glorifies God. 

To be blunt, we often fail miserably and treat our hardships the same way the world does. When we do this, God is not being reflected through us and we will have no standing when it comes to sharing the kingdom gospel with a friend.

What then is the foundation to rejoice, to be at peace, and to live in contentment? That is our text.

1. What Do We See in the Text?
   1. First we see certain words that ought to alert us to our failings:
      1. Vs. 4: “Rejoice…always” 
      2. Vs. 5: “Gentleness known to everyone” 
      3. Vs. 6: “Do not be anxious about anything” 
      4. Vs. 6: “But in everything prayer” 
      5. Vs. 7: “The peace of God which surpasses all understanding”
   2. The above commands do not allow us exceptions for bad days and times of trial. There are no exceptions for unreasonable people or hardships that lead us through “the valley of the shadow of death.” We are to be gentle with all people, and no matter the trial we are not allowed anxiousness about any of it. After all, Paul is facing death and will be poured out as a drink offering. We can’t argue with him and compare his circumstance to ours.
   3. However, when we hear this there is a voice deep inside that says, “That’s crazy! That’s nearly impossible when I’m in the midst of overwhelming stress! Oh sure, I pray, but like Job the weight of the trial continues to bear down on me.” 
   4. Of course, we clearly see the answer in the text: the remedy, the counterbalance to anxiousness is “in everything prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving.” Again, we read it, we accept it, it is certainly the truth of God’s word, but it seems so far beyond our capability! 
   5. But before we totally give up, we see the promise of verse 7. It is an amazing promise: “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.” Therefore consider, when we are in the midst of trial and anxiousness, we cannot imagine peace! But we must be careful what we read here. Paul does not say the cause of anxiousness will go away, he says the anxiousness will go away. 
   6. Ah! Now we can see more clearly. The mistake is attempting to fix the trial. That will create anxiousness! It is in our minds that the only way I can find peace is by making the trial go away. Oh how foolish we are! Peace is in the hand of God, not us. 
   7. There is one other revelation Paul gives in the text: “The peace of God…will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” With these final promises, we can transition to more specifically how we can bring this into our daily lives.
2. “The Lord Is at Hand”
   1. Now we learn something that goes beyond the act of praying. It is the presence of God. The fact that the Lord is at hand reminds us that he is ready to help and come to our rescue. The Lord does not want anxiousness in our lives. His desire for us is peace, joy, and contentment! 
   2. Remember when Jesus stilled the wind and the sea? Jesus was always calming the disciples: Oh no, we are going to drown! Oh no, we didn’t bring bread! Oh no, how are we going to feed all these people!
   3. Did we know that is what God wants for us? Did we know, not only does he want that for us, he is the only one who can provide it? The Preacher said it well:
      “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy…” (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 ESV)
   4. God is standing at the door waiting to give us peace, joy, and contentment, and we pray as if it is a roll of the dice that God will give it! 
   5. This exposes a major failing in our prayers. We pray, saying all the right words, presenting before God our heart’s desire, but then go on with life still expecting that peace and joy will happen when our hardships end. Why do we do this? Because we don’t trust God’s promise. We think, maybe he will give me peace and maybe he won’t. That is doubt, and you know what James 1:2-7 said about doubt. “Let not that man think he will receive anything from the Lord.” 
   6. Therefore, prayer is not just praying! There are right ways and wrong ways to pray. Praying implies absolute confidence that God will answer according to his promise. Has he ever not kept a promise?  

Conclusion: Final Lessons:

• • Does the knowledge that God will help you, urge you to “pray without ceasing?” Certainly! Well, does it help you pray about everything you could be anxious about? That is obviously what God wants.
• While we are given permission to pray that our trials and hardships go away, that is not the primary focus of this text, nor should it be the primary desire of our prayers or even our expectation! As Romans 5:3-5 reminds us, our trials are necessary to teach us endurance and a proven character. Nearly every NT text reminds us of that. Our prayer is an expression of trust in God that he will  “grant us to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in you inner being” (Ephesians 3:16). By this, God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds.
• Since God is called “the God of peace,” our anxiousness and inability to live in joy and peace is destructive to his kingdom and to the gospel. Our need to be like Paul in this matter is not optional. This is critical if we are to fulfill God’s purpose through us in this world.

2. 7. The question was asked by the disciples in Luke 11. The question was answered by two parables, “The Friend at Midnight” and “The Persistent Widow” or “Unjust Judge” in Luke 18. Both stories deal with a person in need who is a grate annoyance to a person who is able to provide for their need.
      1. The friend at midnight does not want his house to be disturbed even though he is a friend. The only reason he gets up from his sleep and gives what is needed is he wants the annoyance to go away.
      2. Both parables are similar in that the person in need understands they are completely helpless to solve their own problems. Each of them further recognizes, there is only one person who can solve their problem. Therefore, in each case, they persist to the point of being annoying in order to get their way. 

Berry Kercheville

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