Prayer and Thanksgiving

Philippians 4:6-7
Gerrit Buddingh’ | Sunday, November 24, 2019
Copyright © 2019, Gerrit Buddingh’

This text could be paraphrased, “Don’t worry or fret or have anxiety about anything. Instead, make it your practice in every circumstance to pray about everything, whether great or small. Continually tell God your specific requests and needs, and don’t forget to thank him specifically for his answers. And if you keep on doing this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can comprehend.”

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones noted that this text is one of the noblest, greatest, and most comforting statements which is to be found in literature—not just in the Bible, but in literature—anywhere. From the standpoint of practical experience, nothing has greater comfort for God’s people than these two verses. Why? Because few, if any of us, are strangers to anxiety. It creeps in over big and little things. It gnaws at our insides. We often hear people say, “I am totally stressing out,” or, “I am having a panic attack.” But few people live dealing with fear and anxiety in a biblical way.

We stress out about being married. We stress out about not being married. We stress out about finances. We stress out about being unemployed. We stress out about the job we have. Couples stress out about being infertile. Couples then stress out when they have children.  We stress out about local politics. Some stress out about possible impeachment. Others stress out about not having impeachment. Other stress out that there may not be peace with Turkey or China or Iran. We stress out about not connecting to the Internet, and we stress out about not connecting to people in person. We stress out about not having friends, and we stress out about our friends. And the list goes on and on.  There is nothing about which we will not stress out about, so let us consider “The Problem,” “The Prescription,” and “The Promise.”

The Problem  

The problem is the sin of being a worrywart. That is an old, old term. It essentially means someone who is totally distraught and overwrought with care and concern about life. They have no peace of mind.

The mind is the ultimate battlefield of life. The mind is the place where the conflicts we face in this life are fought and won and lost. The Holy Spirit, our own flesh, and the devil are each battling for control of our minds. Why does this battle rage there? The Bible notes, “For as a man thinks in his heart, so he is.” A person is as he thinks. Our thoughts are “Exhibit 1” as to who we are in Christ.

Thus, we need to understand that this battle is raging in our minds, and it is a spiritual battle. Ultimately, it is a battle between good and evil for control of our lives. And since this is a spiritual battle, we must fight it with spiritual resources. Paul writes, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3–5, NASB).

So this morning I want you to know that you do not have to lose the battle for your mind. You do not have to be defeated in your walk with the Lord. You do not have to be a worrywart, a slave to worry and fear. You can control your life under the control of the Spirit of God and you can win this battle.

Now, what is a worrywart? The English word for “worry” comes from an old High German word “wyrgan” which means “to strangle,” which is exactly what worry does to the joy in your life. It strangles it.

Webster adds that the old Middle English “worry” means “to choke or strangle.” The first definition in Webster is “to harass, tearing, biting, snapping especially at the throat.” It came also to mean “to vex,” “to afflict with mental distress or agitation.”

The Greek word for “worry” in the present context means to have a dominating, anxious concern based upon an apprehension of possible danger or misfortune, and is characterized by extreme uneasiness of mind or brooding fear about some contingency, whether real or imagined, and emphasizes a fear of frustration, failure, and disappointment.

So Philippians 4:6 is a caution against disquieting, perplexing care about perceived dangers. “Be careful” it says in the King James. “Be anxious for nothing.” The Greek places the word “nothing” at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis. “Nothing” is a very interesting word. It means “not even one little thing.” If you are worried about something, that is not nothing. That is not good grammar, but it is accurate. Nothing is nothing, and you are to worry about nothing.

The verb “to be anxious” is a present imperative; it is a command. It is not just an exhortation and not something optional that would be nice to do if we decide to do it. The present tense, in fact, calls for this to be a habitual practice in the life of every true believer.  The negative preceding the command means that we are to stop doing this, implying that we are already worried. Paul says, in essence, “Stop worrying right now, and do not under any circumstance start worrying again about anything.”

Jesus gave this command in Matthew 6:25–34. “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life.” In other words, do not be anxious. This is another present imperative with a negative: Stop doing this! So, “Do not be anxious about what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or store away in barns. And yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” We should say that “heavenly Father” here means our heavenly Father, not the birds’ heavenly Father. Yes, he is the Creator and Provider. But it is his redeemed elect people that our Lord is talking about, those who have been adopted into his family. This is why we are more valuable than the birds. And can any one of us by worrying add a single hour to his life?

So why do you worry about these things? Because you do not see God. We worry, we are anxious. We are anxious, in some cases, about yesterday, that it may catch up to us. We worry about tomorrow, although we should not, because there is nothing we can do much about it today. And we worry about today. But today is where this battle is fought. We are to live without anxiety. Why? Because we are in God’s family, and God is our Father. It is his duty to look out and care for us.

Paul is not making light of our troubles. He faced them. We face them. But he is saying that God is greater than all our troubles. So the expression in Matthew 6:25 “Take no thought for your life” means “Avoid anxious care and vexing thoughts in the problems and difficulties of life.”

Even in the church, there is much to worry about. People anguish in pain and sickness. But, worse, we worry about the enemies of the cross who may be in our midst—people whose glory is their shame; people who may disrupt our unity; people who may sow discord. And so we may even worry about Philippians 4:5, which says we should act with gentleness and considerateness. We may worry about that because someone might take advantage of us, and this worries us no end.

The truth is that we wrongly worry, whether about something imagined or real. Worry is injurious. People rarely die of hard work, but they often die of vexing anxiety. Feelings of anxiety and panic will interfere with you doing your daily duties and are difficult to control. Anxiety will turn your hair gray before its time. Anxiety will cause you to feel depressed. It may lead you to drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and can result in other mental health concerns. Chronic anxiety can even lead to suicidal thoughts or behaviors. It can lead to heart disease and diabetes, thyroid problems, respiratory disorders, chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome, and rare tumors that produce certain fight or flight hormones. Additionally, worry will not only take away from your physical and mental energy, but it will also sap your spiritual energy, your spiritual stamina. Simply put, worry is sin.

Worry is just as much a sin as idolatry, adultery, murder, and theft. Yes, we often as believers treat it lightly when we find our stomachs tied up in knots because we have worried ourselves into a nervous frenzy. But we have fallen into sin, and sin must be repented of.

Now, worry can paralyze you so that you cannot function rationally. Worry is painful, as most of us know all too well. This burden of consuming care can make this advice to rejoice seem like a mockery. Worry is unfortunately the most popular pastime of the human race.

But the bottom line is that when we worry, we have ceased to trust the Lord as our Father, and that is a serious sin. So today has enough concern about itself. We should act prudently in it. Christianity does not favor indolent, lazy do-nothings. We are to work hard in the calling God has given us. But we are not to worry. We should take care for the future, but carelessness may well result in despair. And it certainly is not the cure to anxiety. It results in a ruined life. The Bible says, “Take care of yourself, but do not worry.” The poet Robert Burns wrote, “Human beings are such fools, for all their colleges and schools, that when no real ills perplex them, they make new ones to vex them.”[1]

So we are left with dealing with worry in the present. Failing to look to God causes panic, but with God’s help, we can face anything that arises. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through [Christ] who strengthens me.”

The story is told of an elderly woman who was very, very nervous and anxious about her first airplane flight.  When she landed and returned, her family members joked and asked, “Well, did the plane hold you up all right?” To which she grudgingly replied, “Yes, but I never did put my full weight down on it.”

We as Christians are much like that lady. The truth is, we are being completely sustained by God. But we are afraid to rest and put our weight fully on him. As a result, we are plagued by anxiety and unable to enjoy the flight of life. This is because we take our eyes off of God. We forget his promises to be with us and to sustain us always.

The Cure for Worry

Victory over worry and anxiety does not happen automatically. You have to take certain steps if you are to obtain victory. First Peter 1:13 says, “So prepare your minds for action.” You could say, “Be alert, think straight and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is to be revealed in the world.”

Peter is calling us to get a grip on our minds. We are to put ourselves in a position to receive the ministry of the Lord as he renews our thinking. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” Be transformed in your thinking. “Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Ephesians 4:23 says, “Be made new in the attitude of your mind.” So if you are a true Christian, you must think aright—that is, think God’s thoughts in the Bible after him.

There are three simple steps that we can do to fortify, to strengthen, our minds. And if followed, these will help to build a wall of protection around our minds and achieve the victory God calls us to.

1. Be Rooted in Christ

First, we need to be rooted in Christ. In Philippians 4:1, Paul exhorts us, “Stand firm in the Lord.” This means, first of all, that we must be “in Christ.” You cannot be rooted in him if you are not actually born again from above by the sovereign act of the Holy Spirit and adopted into Christ’s family. So if you are not certain that you are in Christ, then call out to him this morning for salvation. Look to him, O sinner. Look to him and be saved. Then, embrace what the prophet Azariah told King Asa, “The Lord [the Lord by solemn covenant] will be with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you” (2 Chron. 15:2). This is summed up in the hymn we sang: “Christ is near, refuse to fear. Enjoy his love.”

This means to not rely on your own strength alone or even primarily. It is foolish to do so, since you are weak of character and the test is greater than your strength is at its strongest. Look to Jesus. Seek God.

What does it mean to seek God? First, it means to be under his covenant care as your covenant King. (GJB) It means he speaks to you through his written word and through his delegated authorities appointed over you. So seeking God means to live a life of hearing and doing. You cannot say you are with God if you do not obey him. And you do not seek God if you have no intention of obeying him.

Relatedly, if you ignore or forsake God, God will forsake you. May your successes in life not make you arrogant or self-confident, as many of the kings in the Old Testament. God is ready, willing, and able to help his people in every trial if they seek him.

2. Lean Fully on Christ

Seeing that Christ is near, lean fully on him. Paul in verse 6 reminds us as saints of God about God’s nearness to us. He is present for our good. And Paul follows this truth up with the exhortation that we should not fear or be anxious or wavering. There is no source of spiritual stability outside of Christ our Lord, who is near.

Not only will he hear our cry for help, but he will provide help and strength that are needed for the moment. Deuteronomy 31: 6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be terrified of them,” meaning the enemy, “for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Witness that Paul was in dire straits, and in his confession to Timothy in 2 Timothy, he says, “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me” (2 Tim. 4:17). The Lord helped him do his job of evangelism. The Lord helped him in his work of overseeing the churches. The Lord helped him when he encountered fair-weather Christians like Demas who deserted him and abandoned Paul and the faith.

Yes, there are false brothers who have never considered the cost of genuine commitment to Christ and who leave Christ’s cause when it becomes too costly to them. But that should not make us anxious. The Lord is with us, and not with them.

It may help to consider the end of these traitors. Psalm 73:17 says, “Until I came into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end.” God is just, and he will certainly deal with such false brothers at the right time. So there is no reason to worry. Psalm 73:28 declares that the nearness of God is our good. This Asaph, who came close to stumbling, came into God’s presence and was able to say the words, “But as for me, the nearness of my God is my good. I have made the Lord my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” Christ taught us to conquer anxiety thus by trusting in our heavenly Father, and by transforming and transferring our care and concern to more worthy objects, such as seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

Because of God’s faithfulness and nearness to you as his adopted child, you should trust in him and stop worrying. James 4:7–10 says, “Submit, therefore, to the Lord. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord and he will exalt you.”

3. Calls to Action

There are three calls to action. First, we must each build a wall of rejoicing around our lives. In light of the fact that our names are in the book of life (Phil. 4:3), meaning that we are irrevocably made God’s covenant children, Paul commands Christians that we are to rejoice in the Lord always. And he underscores this point by again saying, “Rejoice!”

This word “rejoice” means “to be glad.” It is in the present active voice, imperative mood. It means that the believer is commanded to keep on being glad.

Let us be honest: Much of life does not lend itself to giddy happiness. In fact, Paul, when he penned these words, was bound between two soldiers in a Roman prison. Still, he knew that regardless of the circumstances of life, God never changes nor does his covenant commitment to his people. So we can be glad in this.

Since this is true, we learn to rejoice in what God is, and in what he has done for us, and what he is doing for us in our lives now, knowing that he works all things together for our good, for the good of those who love him. Our job is to love him. Even if the road is hard, remember that your covenant Lord has planned your path and he is with you. He has promised you abiding victory. First Corinthians 15:57 says, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 8:37 says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” So, then, should we not rejoice in the Lord, since this is true?

Additionally, God has promised us that our destination will be worth every mile of our trip in this life. Romans 8:18 says, “I consider our present suffering not to be comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us.” Second Corinthians 4:17 says, “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” So continually remind yourselves of these truths and rejoice. You must build a wall of praise around yourself—praise to our God.

Second, we must build a wall of contentment. In verse 5 it says, “Be considerate of others.” If the focus of our lives is on ourselves and on what others may do and think, then we are guaranteed to be anxious. Discontentment is a sin towards God and towards others. So have a gentle and gracious spirit towards others, no matter what your circumstances. Do not be a malcontent.

This carries with it the idea of being instead considerate of others and considerate in your dealings towards them, yielding your rights for the good of others and for the sake of peace in the family of God, his church. It does not mean to compromise in doctrine. It does mean that you have a willingness to take a back seat in favor of other people. It does mean rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn. Do this, and it will take the anxiety out of your relationships with others. Then learn to be content in your circumstances, no matter how adverse they might be.

It is a sin to complain about the cards God deals out to you in life. A complaining spirit of impatience does no good, remedies no evil, and supplies no want. God can provide for you in a way which you cannot foresee. He promises to abundantly sustain you in all that you need, in every circumstance. A contented mind is an invaluable blessing, and it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your soul. It arises from the belief that God is right in all his ways. Why should we be impatient, restless, and discontented? What evil will be remedied by it, what want supplied, what calamity removed? The cheerful heart does good like a medicine (Prov. 17:3).

One of the antidotes to worry and anxiety and not having a mind of happiness is to be satisfied with the allotment God has given you in life. Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is all within yourself as you see God seated on his throne. Hence, Paul advises his spiritual son Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:6–8, “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and we can carry nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” Every Christian should pray, “Lord, give me a mind that is always contented in my present condition.” No prayer can be offered which will more deeply usher in our happiness in this world.

Third, we should build a wall of prayer and thanksgiving in our lives. The King James Version reads, “Be careful for nothing, but in everything with prayer and petition.” The Old English phrase “be careful of nothing” means to be not inordinately consumed or occupied caring about problems. Do not be anxious, in other words.

“Careful” used to mean “being full of care,” “being full of anxiety.” The story is told about a family that was wrapped up in fear. They cared about everything inordinately, and the parents passed it down to their children. So the problem with anxiety is it becomes a generational problem. Thus, we should be clear-minded and self-controlled so that we can pray.

Worry is very dangerous because it allows the mind to entertain false notions of who God is. Worry says, “God is dead,” or, “If there is a God, he is enfeebled and incapable of helping me in my present situation,” or, “If there is a God, he does not care about me or my situation.” Each of these statements are false, if you are in Christ. God is alive, and he does care for his children. Philippians 4:5 says, “The Lord is near,” and we can correctly add “near to hear.” Hebrews 13:5–6 says, “Be content with what you have because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.’ So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.’”

Philippians 4:6 commands us to pray. And this is not some vague way of generally praying. It is a specific and detailed methodology of praying. This calls for trusting in a big God, the God of the Bible. A. W. Tozer noted that in his generation, “The Church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and has substituted for it one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking, worshiping men. This she has not done deliberately, but little by little and without her knowledge; and her very unawareness only makes her situation all the more tragic.”[2]

The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us. The result of the church’s failure to equip believers with the knowledge of the holy attributes and character and works of God leads ultimately to a lack of confidence in him. Hence, God is no longer trustworthy for us to trust in. If he is not able, why trust in him? If he is not aware of our situation, then he is not able to act. And if he is not truly a Father to his children, then he cannot be depended on to provide for us. So why bother praying to him?

But our God is almighty, all-powerful, all-knowing. He is altogether able and fully knows all our needs. Furthermore, he is our Father, and we are his responsibility. He cares for us, and he promises to provide for us, and he keeps his promise. So we must pray, and we must pray in faith. Our habit should be to pray in everything by prayer and petition. Paul says “everything,” and that means in little things and in big things alike. Our life each day is to be filled with prayer. It should begin with prayer. It should continue throughout the day with prayer, and it should end with prayer. First Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray continually.”

“In everything by prayer” means we must not only set up particular times for prayer, but we must learn to pray throughout the day when we encounter particular situations. When anything is burdening our minds, we must ease our souls by prayer. When our life situation becomes perplexing and distressing, we must go to God and seek his direction and help. “Oh, what peace we often forfeit all because we do not pray!”

Prayer is the remedy for worry. But it is not just vague prayer. Prayer does have the idea with it of worshiping God, and we should adore him. We should express our devotion to him. We should express our love for him. We should come to him as our powerful, loving Father. We should then leave our cares with him and get lost in him. It is when we take our eyes off our troubles and focus on the face of our heavenly Father that he grows larger in our hearts and our problems grow smaller.

We should come with petitions. That means specific prayers. It is not some flippant prayer, but a prayer that arises out of the heart. It is a fervent prayer about needs that moves our soul. We should present these requests to God in a detailed fashion. We need to learn specifically and not in generalities. Sometimes we pray so generally that you would never know if God answered your prayer. In Jeremiah 33:3 the Lord says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

But additionally, we must join to our prayers thanksgiving. First Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray continually,” but it adds in verse 18, “Give thanks in all circumstances.” So our praying must be done with an attitude of thanksgiving. We must not only seek God’s help, but we must be grateful. Grateful acknowledgments of God with thanksgiving show him that we have a right disposition of mind toward him. They show that we have no grudge toward him. They show that we do trust him as able. They show that he is our God, and we are his dependent subjects. They show that he owes us nothing, but we call upon his promise to help. If God acts, we should then make it our habit always of thanking him, not just in this Thanksgiving season, but every day.

And we must not be like the nine lepers that we read about in Luke 17 who were healed by Jesus. All nine went on their merry way without thanking Jesus. But it was only the tenth person, the Samaritan leper, who came back to thank Jesus.

So when we approach God with our worries and fears and burdens, we should do with a thankful heart, knowing we have a Father in heaven who cares about us, who hears us, who loves us, who works all things together for our good, and who has promised to answer our prayers when we call upon him. Prayer with thanksgiving must be our habit. We should always be giving thanks to God the Father in everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:20). After all God has done for us in Christ, the least we can do is to be thankful to him. If he never did another thing for you and me, we have enough reason to praise him for all eternity. Ingratitude is a great sin. So let us learn to be habitually thankful in his presence.

God’s Promise of Peace

Then God promises us peace. He promises us a peace that is mind-blowing. In John 14:27, which is written to those who follow him, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled; let it not be fearful. Let it not be afraid.” Jesus spoke these comforting words on the most difficult night he faced on this earth, the night before his crucifixion. And he promises us peace.

Seven times in the New Testament our God is called either the God or Lord of peace. Peace can be a constant experience of every Christian who prays constantly with thanksgiving, looking to God.

What is peace? Peace is tranquility of the soul. This kind of peace passes all understanding. In a certain sense, it is a mind-blowing experience. It is not dependent on getting the answer from God that you want, but it is rest in your soul no matter how he answers. It is a state of being where you are calm in the heart and mind, despite the fact that turmoil and strife swirl all around you. It is a mysterious thing. But it is God’s gift to those who trust him in everything.

This kind of peace is what Jesus promised his disciples in John 14:27. He said, “Let not your heart be troubled. Do not be afraid.” He was saying, “Peace, peace, peace to you.” It is a peace that is not disrupted by problems and disturbances and difficulties. It is a peace that cannot waver, that cannot be shaken, that cannot be destroyed. Daniel in the lions’ den enjoyed this kind of peace such that he went to sleep calmly with the lions. Daniel’s three Jewish friends had this kind of peace, both before being thrown into the fiery furnace and while they were in the fire, and especially when Christ walked with them. God promises us that he is walking with us.

This is a preserving peace. It keeps our hearts and minds from anxiety. So what is worry? It is wrong feeling and wrong thinking. When we see our burdens, our problems, and our fears, through human eyes, we will always develop anxiety. But when we see God and cry out to him in thanksgiving, he keeps us. He guards our hearts and minds. “Keep” means “to stand over.” God stands over us like a Roman soldier who was standing over Paul. I don’t know if you need this, but I do.

So the effect of praying with thanksgiving at all times in every situation will result in God’s keeping peace in your heart. First Corinthians 2:9 says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” This peace will keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus in Christ Jesus.

Conclusion

In conclusion, don’t worry or fret about anything. Instead, in every circumstance, pray about everything. Continually tell God your specific requests and needs, and don’t forget to thank him specifically for his answers. If you do this and keep on doing this, and make it your habit, you will experience God’s peace which is far more wonderful than your or my mind can understand. Then you will be able to lie down at night and sleep restfully.

But this command and promise is only to people who are in Christ. If you find yourself outside of him, you should worry and fret. You should worry and fret about your sin and your eternal future, for God is opposed to you. But the solution is essentially the same. Rejoice that Christ came and died for the sins of his people, and then pray to become one of his people. Pray specifically, “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me a sinner. Change my wicked heart and give me a clean heart and mind to love and obey you in all things at all times and with thanksgiving.” Do this sincerely, and God will do this today for you. And you will be at peace with him.

Heavenly Father, we sing about, “Peace, peace, wonderful peace, coming from the Father above.” I do pray that you would sweep over our spirits. Quicken us to the truths we know. Quicken us to live them out. Quicken us to dwell in your presence, to be in the shadow of the Almighty, and to rest in your goodness, that you will work all things out for our good and your glory. Do this, O Lord, we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.  

 

 

 

[1] “But human bodies are sic fools, for a’ their colleges and schools, that when nae real ills perplex them, they make enow themsel’s to vex them.” At http://www.quotehd.com/quotes/robert-burns-quote-but-human-bodies-are-sic-fools-for-a-their-colleges

[2] https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/146061-the-church-has-surrendered-her-once-lofty-concept-of-god