4:6-7 Stop worrying and experience the Peace of God which surpasses all understanding

Goal: That we would all be able to stop worrying
and experience “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding”

Stop Worrying and Experience the Peace of God

1. Phil 4:6–7 Worry and Peace
2. Practical Examples
3. How we can live this

Philippians 4

6. Stop worrying about anything
   • but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving
     • let your requests be made known to God.
7. And the peace of God [his own peace]
   • which surpasses all understanding
     • will stand guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

…with thanksgiving

It may be, however, that the real accent of this sentence is not on Paul’s command for the Philippians to pray
but on his instruction that they are to do this “with thanksgiving”

Hawthorne Philippians

Peace of God

The expression “the peace of God,” is found nowhere else in the NT.

…not the peace with God as a result of being justified by faith
…Nor “inward peace of soul which comes from God”
…Paul seems here to be referring to the tranquility of God’s own eternal being, the peace that God himself has, the calm serenity that characterizes God’s very nature and that grateful, trusting Christians are welcome to share.

Hawthorne Philippians

…stand guard over your hearts and your minds

“heart,” very likely has its meaning narrowed to the “seat of one’s emotions or deepest feelings”
“noēmata”, however, are the products of the “mind,” and hence “thoughts”.

Together these words refer to the entire inner being of the Christian—emotions, affections, thoughts, and moral choices. This inner part of a person, then, so vulnerable to attack by the enemy, is that which God’s peace is set, like battle-ready soldiers, to protect.

Hawthorne Philippians

Romans 8:31

“What then shall we say in view of these things?
Since God is for us, who can be against us?”

1. “For since he did not spare his own Son, but gave him over for us all”
2. implied that his own Son is the most precious gift he could give
3. “how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?”

Robert Rainy

In 1904, after the House of Lords ruled against his church—resulting in the legal loss of their buildings, funds, and colleges—many expected Rainy to be crushed.

Witnesses recorded that in the midst of this storm, Rainy remained remarkably serene. When asked how he could be so calm while his life’s work seemed to be crumbling, he reportedly replied that he had already “passed the matter into higher hands” and felt a peace that “the House of Lords could neither give nor take away.”
This illustration is often used to demonstrate his practice of “practicing the presence of God” even in the highest levels of institutional leadership.

Choice

A key turning point is the decision to trust.

It is a choice we have to make.

A step of faith!

John 14 CSB

27. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.

• He will send us his presence through the gift of the Holy Spirit...

John 14 – Jesus’s presence through the Spirit

18. “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.
19. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live too.
20. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, you are in me, and I am in you.
21. The one who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I also will love him and will reveal myself to him.”

Romans 15 CSB

13. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5 CSB

22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control.

Philippians 4

8. Finally brothers and sisters
   • whatever is true,
   • whatever is honorable
   • whatever is just
   • whatever is pure
   • whatever is lovely
   • whatever is commendable
   • if something is excellent or praiseworthy,
     • think about these things.

Learn from encouraging testimonies

9. And what you learned and received and heard and saw in me
   • put these things into practice,
     • and the God of peace will be with you.

Seven steps

1. Bring everything to God in prayer, continuously
2. Make a practice of giving thanks to God
3. Make a choice to trust God with your worries right now, taking a step of faith (rest)
4. Be continually filled with the Spirit, through the community of God’s people
5. Keep thinking about good things, not going down a rabbit-hole of bad stuff. (Mental hygiene—not negative thoughts)
6. Learn from encouraging testimonies (4:9)
7. Bring everything to God in prayer, continuously, trusting in his love

Philippians 4

6. Stop worrying about anything
   • but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving
     • let your requests be made known to God.
7. And the peace of God [his own peace]
   • which surpasses all understanding
     • will stand guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus