Skip to main content

Philippians 4:6: Do Not Be Anxious About Anything


Philippians 4:6
[6] do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (ESV)

Whoa. Stop right there. That is an incredible command is it not? Do not be anxious about anything? Have you ever been anxious? What about those who have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder? The reality is that we have all experienced anxiety in our lives. Maybe you have a mild fear of clowns. Maybe you were afraid of the dark as a child. Or you may have a crippling fear of death.

The reality of anxiety is why the Apostle Paul addresses it. Paul knows that one of the things that the enemy of our souls uses to effectively distract us from faithful service to the Lord is anxiety. I want to be clear. Paul's command not to be anxious is not a judgment on those who struggle with anxiety. What he wants to do is to show us that we do not need to fear!

Paul moves from a command of what not to do to an admonition on what to do; bring your needs to God! Fear is powerful in our lives when we embrace it and refuse to give it to the only one who can eliminate that fear. The avenue of bringing our fears to God is through prayer. The approach to God through prayer recognizes that God's power is greater than our fears.

Now, I want to encourage you if you are fearful of coming to God. What a terrible thing it would be if our anxiety is a fear to approach God! You need not fear. He longs to hear you. He alone cares about you. Because of what Christ has done on the cross there is direct access to a Heavenly Father who wants to hold you in his lap and comfort all of your fears.

Do not be anxious. Why? Because it is not necessary. Approach your loving Heavenly Father with all of your fears. He longs to hear your call for help.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Romans 8:18: For I Consider That The Sufferings Of This Present Time Are Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18 [18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV) Perspective. What an important word. Let's be honest. We do not like the idea of suffering. We will do almost anything to avoid any kind of suffering. Some churches have gone so far as to preach against the idea of suffering, declaring it to not be a part of the true believer's life. Paul is not shy about the topic. Paul uses the sufferings of this present time as a means to consider the greater glory that awaits us. Perspective. Paul is not in any way attempting to diminish our suffering. A view toward eternity puts our suffering in a proper understanding. Yes, our suffering is terrible. In the grand scheme of eternity it is not even worth comparison. Maybe you are thinking that Paul does not know what he is talking about when it comes to suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes countless beatings, often near death,

Romans 11:24: For If You Were Cut From What Is By Nature A Wild Olive Tree, And Grafted, Contrary To Nature, Into A Cultivated Olive Tree . . .

Romans 11:24 [24] For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree. (ESV) We continue looking at the illustration of an olive tree. The root of the tree is the covenant relationship relationship of God with Abraham. Abraham's faith is what this spiritual tree is built on. The first branches would have been the faithful people of Israel, who like Abraham, placed their faith in God. They believed God, just like Abraham, and it was credited to them as righteousness. There were branches of the people of Israel who never placed their faith in God. Because these branches were not true followers of God they were broken off of the tree. Faith in God was the essential element that made the branches true branches of this spiritual tree. Some branches remained. Others, the faithless unbelievers, were removed. After Jesu

Romans 15:20-21: And Thus I Make It My Ambition To Preach The Gospel, Not Where Christ Has Already Been Named

Romans 15:20–21 [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV) We need to be reminded continually that the message of the Gospel is intended to move all across the world. Jesus said that his followers were to preach the Gospel, starting in Jerusalem, and continue preaching the Gospel to the whole world. Christians have not always been good at delivering the Gospel message as far and as often as they should. In the first century church it took intense persecution to motivate the disciples in Jerusalem to bring the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. Once the disciples fled to new regions they shared the Gospel wherever they went. Would the disciples have preached the Gospel without the persecution? We may never know. Some probably would have stayed in their co