Paul’s “therefore” in verse 1 connects us again to the great hope that awaits us in the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ. “Therefore,” says the apostle, “since you have such a great hope, don’t let anything destroy the firm foundation upon which that hope is resting.”
In this last chapter of Philippians, Paul moves away from his explanation of the great purposes of God in Christ, and begins to exhort the believers to live in a way that is in keeping with the great truths they have been taught. In the early church there were men who had the title of “exhorter.” These men were gifted pastor-teachers, and used their gift of exhortation to encourage and motivate their listeners toward holiness in their walk
Said the robin to the sparrow:
“I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.”
Said the sparrow to the robin:
“Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no heavenly Father,
Such as cares for you and me.”16
Three times Jesus forbade worry: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious [worry] about your life” (v. 25)—“Therefore do not be anxious [worry]” (v. 31)—“Therefore do not be anxious [worry] about tomorrow” (v. 34). And Paul cuts to the chase: “Stop worrying about anything!”
Heaven's cure for earth's care" is, according to Philippians 4:7, "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding." "The peace of God" (verse 7) is the remedy that "the God of peace" (verse 9) offers for corroding care, anxiety, fear and worry.
The difficulties and uncertainties of life have always afforded men and women abundant opportunities for worry, but never have the temptations to worry and anxiety been so great as in the days in which we are living. On every hand there is confusion, suffering and loss, and the words of our Saviour are being fulfilled – Luke 21:26. But the true child of God, the one who is "in the Lord" (verse 1), and whose name is in "the book of life" (verse 3), should not be overcome with the distressing maladies of fear and worry – yet many of us are!
With some of us, our fears and anxieties arise from experiences which have to do with the past, maybe years ago; others are anxious, fretful and worried about the future, about old age, health or finance; and still others are over-burdened with care about the present. Many of our fears are imaginary, and many of the things we worry about never happen! For the Christian, fear, anxiety and worry are useless, unnecessary, unseemly and even sinful
It is useless for a Christian to worry, to be fearful or to be anxious. See what our Lord said about this – Matthew 6:25-27. What do our worries and fears accomplish? Nothing! Nothing accumulates so quickly as worry, which is why it is positively dangerous. It harms us physically, mentally and spiritually. Physically, it can destroy our digestion, send up our blood pressure, cause insomnia, paralyse our body and seriously affect our heart. "Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained."
It is unnecessary for a Christian to worry, to be fearful or to be anxious. Why? Because we have a heavenly Father who is all-powerful and all-loving, who knows what His children need and who is able to supply that need (Matthew 6:28-32). And where is this loving heavenly Father? Verse 5 tells us that He is "near", and though this reference may refer to the Second Advent, it most certainly also refers to the presence of the Lord – Matthew 28:20 and Hebrews 13:5.
It is unseemly for a Christian to worry, to be fearful or to be anxious. It is, of course, a lack of trust. A worrying Christian is a contradiction – look up 1 Peter 5:7. This may be literally translated, "It matters to Him about you". How unworthy it is for a Christian to worry!
What then is the cure for anxiety and fear? Many psychological remedies are offered, and some of these are helpful, but none of them goes to the root of the problem. God's prescription contains three ingredients, and these are mentioned in Philippians 4:6; they may be stated thus: (1) Be careful for nothing; (2) be prayerful for everything; (3) be thankful for anything.
The accrued force of Paul’s imperatives produces a sublime result: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (v. 7). The boon is incredible. It includes “the peace of God.” This is the peace that God himself possesses, “the serenity in which he lives,” so to speak.17 In this sense it is the same as the peace that Christ embodies and gives: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27). This peace transcends all rationality, which is, to borrow a phrase from Ephesians, far more “than all that we ask or think” (3:20).
Moreover, God’s own peace that transcends thought and imagination “will guard [garrison] your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This is an apt metaphor because the Philippians daily saw the Roman garrison and their gleaming military hardware, just as we view today’s peacekeeping forces on televised world news.18 The “hearts and . . . minds” (the whole inner person) of those in union with Christ are garrisoned by the
"By prayer…" means not just talking about it, but actually praying.
"…and petition". This includes the idea of earnest intensity. Surely, if worry and anxiety are so destructive to us, our prayers for deliverance from these 'demons' should be earnest and urgent!
"…present your requests to God", and this implies definiteness. We are not to pray in a general sense but in a specific sense.
BE THANKFUL FOR ANYTHING
Verse 6 says, "In everything…with thanksgiving…" But surely there are some things for which we cannot be thankful? Are there? Does anything ever happen by chance in your life or without God's loving permission? Is Romans 8:28 really true? – then we can and should thank God for anything and everything. Compare verse 4 and verses 11-12 in this chapter. Praise will soon chase away worry.
Now notice the result of mixing together these three ingredients in God's prescription – verse 7: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Notice:-
The certainty of this peace – "will…"
The quality of this peace – "…of God." Can you conceive of God being worried, flustered or fearful?
The nature of this peace – "transcends all understanding." It is beyond logical explanation, but not beyond personal experience.
The appropriateness of this peace – "…will guard your hearts and minds." God's peace will mount guard like a sentinel to keep away fear, worry and anxiety from our heart and mind – the two places where they seek to enter (Isaiah 26:3).
The channel of this peace – "…in Christ Jesus." We have peace with God through Him (Romans 5:1 and Colossians 1:20), and the peace of God through Him (John 14:27 and Romans 15:13).
It is in Christ Himself that we find "heaven's cure for earth's care."
Isa 26 reminds us
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee because He trusteth in Thee . Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the Rock eternal.
It is the peace that Jesus promised to His followers:
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
Norman Harrison’s comments on this passage in John 16 provide a good summary of all that we have written in this chapter:
Note the contrasting experience: “In Me … peace. In the world … tribulation.” Jesus gives us peace. The world gives us worry. Which is to prevail? And what is to decide the issue? How fully Jesus understood, and how faithfully He characterized the world in which we move. It is a world of worry and vexation of spirit.…
So when the problem is worry, the prescription is prayer. When prayer has cleansed the mind from the anxious thoughts, the program is to think and do those things that are commanded of us in God’s Word. The promise for all who follow this counsel is peace … the peace of God and best of all the God of peace.
So when the problem is worry, the prescription is prayer. When prayer has cleansed the mind from the anxious thoughts, the program is to think and do those things that are commanded of us in God’s Word. The promise for all who follow this counsel is peace … the peace of God and best of all the God of peace.
Years ago, in the pioneer days of aviation, a pilot was making a flight around the world. After he was two hours out of his last landing field, he heard a noise in his plane, which he recognized as the gnawing of a rat. He realized that while his plane had been on the ground a rat had gotten in. For all he knew the rat could be gnawing through a vital cable or control of the plane.It was a very serious situation. He was both concerned and anxious. At first he did not know what to do. It was two hours back to the landing field from which he had taken off and more than two hours to the next field ahead. Then he remembered that the rat is a rodent. It is not made for heights; it is made to live on the ground and under the ground. Therefore the pilot began to climb. He went up a thousand feet, then another thousand and another until he was more than twenty thousand feet up. The gnawing ceased. The rat was dead. He could not survive in the atmosphere of those heights. More than two hours later the pilot brought the plane safely to the next landing field and found the dead rat.
Worry is a rodent. It cannot live in the secret place of the Most High. It cannot breathe in the atmosphere made vital through prayer and familiarity with the Scripture. Worry dies when we ascend to the Lord through prayer and His word.
