Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Application:

Paul provides the antidote to worry. Prayer is relational communication with God. It seeks to draw resources from the invisible spiritual realm into visible, physical reality. Every time we begin to worry, we should interpret that as a call from God telling us that it’s time to pray. This is an important principle: the more you worry, the less you pray. The more you pray, the less you worry.

Prayer serves as the umbrella term under which Paul includes “petition with thanksgiving.” Our petitions must be specific. We need to tell God what we’re worried about and ask for His help. A moment when you are plagued by worry is not the time for one of those general prayers for God to bless the world. To address anxiety, ensure your petitions are precise. Get real with God.

Prayer can often feel frustrating—like when you go to a soda machine, put in your money, punch the button, and nothing comes out. However, thinking of it in those terms causes us to miss how prayer works. God wants us to make requests “with thanksgiving.” Of course, when you have a problem and it isn’t going away, giving thanks is not at the top of your priority list. But Paul’s telling us to give thanks, not for the problem itself but for the God we are inviting into our specific problem. Offering thanks is a demonstration of faith in God’s goodness and provision despite what we see.

What can you expect when you pray in this way? The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. In other words, you’ll experience calm amid chaos. You will know God heard your prayer, not necessarily because the problem is solved, but because of the peace that God gives you. Paul calls it a peace that “surpasses all understanding” because even we won’t entirely understand how we are able to have peace in light of some of the troubles we experience. Nevertheless, this peace guards our “hearts and minds.” It’s as if God puts soldiers and sentries around our feelings and thoughts.

Reference: Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 1175.

To God be the glory!

Our Lord Jesus Christ created everything! By Him, For Him!

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26

Disclaimer

When God inspires me, I write blogs. Consider this writing as a Bible study. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, search the Scriptures to determine whether what I write is so. Always consult with your church ministers about biblical matters. I am also not a professional writer, so some grammar or spelling errors may be present. I try my best to write as efficiently as possible. Your brother in Christ, Ricardo

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

My book, “Battle Strategy: God’s Plan Amid Chaos.” It’s packed with helpful insights into Bible study and understanding. You can get a free digital version on my website. Fifty percent of the proceeds from this book go to helping children. The book covers the main biblical points and salvation, so you’ll find something valuable. 

#Jesus, #God, #HolySpirit, #Israel, #battle, #faith, #spiritual, #prayer, #wisdom, #Bible