Philippians 4:4

Stay standing; we want to pray a blessing on the dads in our church. Father, we thank you so much for the fact that You are our great God and Father in heaven. Lord, we thank You for the dads that we have here in our church, the dads that You've given to us. We pray that You would pour out a blessing on the dads of our church. Help them to know they are appreciated. Help them to know that they are not in this work of fathering alone, because You are the one who enables us and equips us to do the things that we quite honestly don't know how to do on our own. We thank You and praise You, and we pray for a blessing upon them today in Jesus' name. And everybody said, "Amen." You can be seated.

Dads, it's a little bit different now because most every check that I ever get, I deposit with my phone, so I don't go to the bank quite so much. But do you remember when you used to go through the little drive-thru and you would get that little tube that came out? You would put your thing in, and it would suck back in there? Well, dads, we have these little tubes here. There's a hundred grand in one and payday for you in another one. After the service today, the ushers will have these available in cross-connection orange and gray for you. Make sure you grab one of those.

In July of 2011, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution inviting their member nations to conduct a research study on the national happiness of their people. The purpose of this study was to measure the happiness of the people in each of the member nations of the United Nations. Ultimately, this research aimed to help those member nations guide public policy for their countries and their people. In April of 2012, this resulted in the first World Happiness Report from the United Nations. Then, about a year later, in April of 2013, they issued the second World Happiness Report. Just this last May, they issued the third World Happiness Report. The point of these reports is to help those nations guide public policy.

Because the UN and its member nations recognize that happiness is a big deal, we've been discussing the topic of happiness in the book of Philippians. The book of Philippians in the New Testament is known as the New Testament book of joy. We are doing a series called "Happy and You Know It" for that very reason.

In the 2015 World Happiness Report, a 172-page document, it begins by stating that happiness is increasingly considered to be a proper measure of social progress and a goal for public policy. In 2013, the report began with the assertion that the word happiness is not used lightly. Happiness is an aspiration of every human being and can be a measure of social progress. America's founding fathers declared it an inalienable right to pursue happiness.

Again, in the 2013 World Happiness Report from the United Nations, chapter 2 begins by addressing mental illness as one of the main causes of unhappiness. By far, the most common forms of mental illness are depression and anxiety disorders. The report goes on to say that mental health, or psychological well-being as they frame it, makes up an integral part of an individual's capacity to lead a fulfilling life.

There is a long-standing and widely accepted proposition that happiness represents the ultimate goal in life and the truest measure of well-being. It is hard, if not impossible, to flourish and feel fulfilled in life when individuals are beset by health problems such as depression and anxiety. For once, I wholeheartedly agree with the United Nations; you probably won't hear that very often.

The UN report continues with their obvious answer for how to help deal with a problem that plagues about 20% of the world's population—anxiety and depression. Their solution is a low-cost method for medical treatment. In that area, we might differ in our observations and conclusions on how to address this issue.

As we approach the topic of anxiety today, which is present in the passage we are looking at in Philippians chapter 4, I want to clarify what I am not saying. I am not saying that people suffering from depression or anxiety disorders should not seek medical help.

I'm not saying that medication for such issues or disorders is wrong. Nor am I saying that if you're being treated for anxiety or depression and you're seeing a doctor or receiving treatment for that, you should stop doing it. Many Christians are magnificently helped by science and medical technology in this area, just as they are in other medical areas, whether it's with cancer or other treatments that people face.

This is an area where, if there's an issue, people need to see their doctor and receive care. Sadly, many Christians never receive the kind of medical treatment or care that they probably should in this area and others because of social stigmas attached to it within the church. Many of those social stigmas, especially those related to anxiety and depression, typically arise from convictions or self-standards that are not firmly based in Scripture or often come from bad teaching and wrong-headed beliefs.

I've talked with many Christians over the years who are struggling with anxiety and depression. They often say, "I saw my doctor, and they said I should take this medication, but I don't think I should." They wonder if they have any sort of biblical basis to take or not take this medication. The Scripture does provide some information on this topic.

In Proverbs, probably the most notable verse is Proverbs 31:6, which says, "Give strong drink to him who is perishing and wine to those who are of a bitter heart." Three thousand years ago, there was a medical prescription for the medicinal use of substances, such as what the King James Version refers to as "strong drink." The King James Version also states, "Wine to those who are of a heavy heart," while the HCSB Version says, "Wine to one whose life is bitter."

Clearly, three thousand years ago, there was a recognition that the medicinal use of certain substances was standard practice, not abnormal or wrong. I believe that is the case today as well. If there is help to be found from science and medicine, then seek it. I am all for a both-and approach in this area.

It's not an either-or situation. Either you do what the Bible says, or you do what medical science says. No, I think it's both-and. If you're a Christian today, you have a responsibility to also follow the prescription that God gives in the Scriptures. Science and medicine may provide prescriptions for the challenges you face, but as a Christian, you also have a responsibility to follow the prescription that the Scriptures offer.

Thankfully, there is a method prescribed for dealing with anxiety. Probably the most notable passage on this topic is the one before us today. Over the years, I have counseled and prayed with people in the church who are facing anxiety and depression. They often find themselves in turmoil amid their struggles. When they come to talk with me, and I share this passage, or when other pastors share it, I often receive looks of incredulity—expressions of disbelief. People seem to balk at what the Scriptures say. However, the Scriptures do provide a prescription for dealing with anxiety, and it is crucial that we take note of what God says in this passage.

Statistics show that 20% of Americans aged 18 years or older deal with chronic anxiety or depression, and the Bible has something to say about that topic. So, would you open your Bibles to Philippians chapter 4? If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and one of our ushers will bring you one. Philippians chapter 4 is right before the book of Colossians, near the end of your Bible.

Would you stand with me as we read these six verses, beginning at verse 4? The Apostle Paul writes, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 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 your minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely."

Whatever things are of good report, if there is anything virtuous, if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. And the things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do. And the God of peace will be with you.

Father, that is certainly my hope, my anticipation, my expectation that you, the God of peace, will be with me. I pray, God, for my brothers and sisters here today that we would know that peace, that peace that surpasses understanding, that comes from you. It is otherworldly, something that can't be duplicated or manufactured here in this life. God, would you make it so that it is evident in our lives? That we would be people who are happy and we know it, and other people know it too. They see your joy, your peace, and your contentment in us in any circumstance, whatever situation we face.

Even though we go through trying and difficult circumstances, the same kind of situations that people who don't know you go through, God, work in us. Help us see the manifestation of your peace, your rest, and your joy in our lives. We ask this in Jesus' name. And all those that agree said, Amen. You can be seated.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice. These words are so important. This exhortation is central to what Paul is trying to convey in this short letter. He has already said this once before, previously, in Philippians chapter 3. Just one page to the left, look at verse 1. Philippians 3:1 states, "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord." Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice.

In these simple ten words of Philippians chapter 4, verse 4, Paul begins with rejoice and ends with rejoice. The word that is translated as rejoice in our English translations was originally written in the Greek language. The word that is translated as rejoice is in the present tense, the active voice, and the imperative mood in Greek. Now, that may not mean much to you, so let me try to explain. It is in the present tense, indicating that you and I should be doing this right now, in whatever present circumstance we find ourselves.

Or whatever present circumstance you find yourself in tomorrow at 11:30 a.m., you should presently rejoice. But not only that, it's in the imperative. That means it's a command. You are commanded to be glad and to rejoice in whatever present circumstance you find yourself in.

Then, it's in the active voice. That means you need to actively be doing this—not just thinking about it, but doing it. The present active imperative calls for you to do it now, actively, as a command. Paul simply says this is what you, as a Christian, are to do.

In Philippians 3, verse 1, he writes, "I write these exhortations to you over and over again to safeguard your faith." He tells you the same thing time and time again to protect you. It's like when I say, "Look both ways when you cross the street." I repeat it over and over again because I'm trying to safeguard you from getting hit by a truck.

When you go to London—has anyone ever been to London?—everywhere you walk, it says, "Look left." Americans, who drive on the right side of the road, often don't understand that we're always looking the wrong way. Then, suddenly, a double-decker red bus takes you out, and people just say, "It's American."

So, I say this to you repeatedly to safeguard your faith: Rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice. Like a good loving father, Paul repeats it over and over again: rejoice in the Lord always.

In both passages, the focus and the source of this gladness, this joy, and this rejoicing are the same. Rejoice in the Lord. He is the focus and the source of this joy, and so Paul directs our attention to Him.

Now, I think we can all acknowledge that not every circumstance we go through in this life is joy-producing. In fact, some of you are coming out of a circumstance this past week that didn't make you happy. There are things you might be facing this week that you're already anxious about and not looking forward to, knowing they won't produce happiness. Not everything we go through in this life produces happiness.

There are things that we face that are not joyful or happy. We go through them quite often. However, there is a group of people within the church, the big C Church, that will say, "No, no, no, no. Christians don't go through those things." They add that because Christians aren't supposed to experience difficult situations, if you do, you should never acknowledge it. You must always have a positive confession and not a negative one. It's kind of like this "stick your head in the sand" sort of idea.

For example, if you've just been diagnosed with cancer, this group will say, "But you can't say that." So, they might insist, "I don't really have cancer. I don't have cancer. I have to make a positive confession." Meanwhile, the doctors are saying, "No, you have cancer." People in the world call that delusion or denial. It's one of the stages of grief, at least as psychologists reference it.

Christians do go through hard things. If you ever meet a person who says, "No, Christians don't suffer those trials," just remind them that Jesus wasn't a Christian, nor were the apostles Paul, Peter, or John, all of whom were martyred for their faith. I think that this denial can be anxiety-producing.

We do go through trying and difficult circumstances. Yet, in the midst of it, Paul reveals something profound. The man who wrote this was in prison, facing execution when he said to rejoice. Not in prison, not in execution, but rejoice in the Lord.

Point number one in your outline: A life without anxiety is found in the Lord. Now, it's not a life without anxiety-producing situations; we will encounter those. However, there is the possibility of mitigating anxiety in the Lord. Happy happenings can temporarily distract you from the pressing issues of life. Experiencing fun and joyful moments can remove the difficulties you might be facing, at least for a time. Mood-enhancing substances can dull anxious or depressive feelings temporarily, but they don't last forever. They are not an indefinite cure.

Even laughter, which the Bible says is a good medicine, can uplift the countenance and make you smile. Seeing a funny movie or listening to Tim Hawkins can lead to belly laughter that makes you hurt. However, Solomon, the great wise king, observed something important 3,000 years ago. In Proverbs 14, verse 13, he noted that laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when laughter ends, grief remains. These moments of joy are temporary; they are available, but they do not last.

Life without anxiety is found in the Lord. Therefore, Paul writes to the followers of Jesus in Philippians 4, verse 5: "Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand." This seems like an oddly placed phrase. How many of you have a different word than "gentleness" in your Bible translation? Lift up your hand. A number of you do; many of you do. In fact, almost every English translation of the Bible translates this word "gentleness" differently. Some say "moderation," some say "reasonableness," and others say "graciousness." It can also be translated as "mild," "appropriate," or "patient."

There is a wide variety in the translations of this word, which indicates that the translators had a hard time finding a direct equivalent in English. They did not have a single word that perfectly captured its meaning. They chose different terms based on context. In some contexts, it can mean gentleness, while in others, it can mean mildness or graciousness.

To understand this in the context of the passage, we can interpret the exhortation "let your gentleness be known to all men" as a call to have a reputation of steadiness. Why is this important? Paul is discussing rejoicing in verse 4 and anxiety in verse 6. These are two opposing states, and we often find ourselves pulled between them. As Christians, those who have the Spirit of God in our lives, we are encouraged to let our reasonableness and steadiness be known to all people. We should strive to have a reputation for being steady.

When you're tossed between the realities of joy and rejoicing and anxiety, the Christian should have a reputation for steadiness in the midst of the storms of this life. One commentator wrote on this passage that the word properly means that which is fit and suitable for Christians. Christians are those who are to indulge in no excess. They are to govern their appetites, restrain their temper, and be examples of what is proper for people in view of the expectation that the Lord would soon appear. This commentator is saying that we need to be an example in the midst of the storms of this life.

Christians face troubling storms, just as non-followers of Jesus do. Christians hear the diagnosis of cancer. They hear the word come down from the boss that there is no job for them, or that they are losing their house, or whatever it may be. Just like people in the world who don't go to church, don't read the Bible, and don't believe in Jesus, they experience those things as well. However, there should be a difference in the way that the Christian walks through that same storm.

This idea is perfectly illustrated by a sailboat. Has anyone ever been on a sailboat before? Sailboats have underneath them, not something you can see with the eye, a thing called a keel. Without the keel, the boat would capsize in windy conditions as the wind filled its sails. But the sailboat can ride steadily in the water and maintain its course as the wind beats upon it because it has this strong, heavy keel that keeps it steady.

The Christian is to have a keel. If you are a believer today, you are to be one who has a reputation for steadiness between the anxieties that come in life and the joys and rejoicings. We are looking for that kind of steadiness. If you are a Christian today and believe that Jesus will one day return, which is the focus of Paul's word in Philippians 4:5, he says, "The Lord is at hand." This conveys the idea that He is going to come again one day. Every Orthodox Christian for 2,000 years has believed that Jesus will come again.

So, if you are a Christian today and believe that Jesus is going to come one day and that this life is not all there is, then it is reasonable to ask the question: What do you really have to be anxious about? Think about that for a moment. If you truly believe that this life is not all there is and that one day the Lord will receive you to Himself, that where He is, there you may be also, then it is reasonable to ask, what do we really have to be anxious about?

Jesus said in John chapter 14, "Let not your heart be troubled." What is that? Anxiety. He continues, "You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." What is He reminding them of? That where I am, there you may be also. I will receive you to myself. He's trying to get us to look in a different direction.

Now, please don't misunderstand what I'm saying here. God knows our frame. He understands that you and I are mere dust. He understands our makeup because He made us. He knows that we, living in a fallen world, are subject to anxieties. We go through situations that stir our emotions, and God created us in such a way that our emotions can be stirred. He made us emotional creatures, emotional beings.

There are events that come into your life and my life that stir our emotions. Those events are unavoidable, and it's almost impossible for us to stop the emotive response to them. You can't force yourself to not have an emotional response to the things that come into your life. Therefore, we will experience pressing circumstances and situations that cause our emotions to rise up with anxiety, nervousness, fear, and all those sorts of things.

The Apostle Paul experienced that. Jesus experienced that, to the point that in anxiety, Jesus sweat great drops of blood. This is an actual medical condition of someone experiencing severe stress. There are things that will come into your life and my life; they are called stressors, and they cause stress. Some of these stressors are related to good things, such as starting a new job, having a baby, or buying a new house.

Your response to those stressors is no different than if they were bad things. You will respond the same way because your body is created by God to respond in that manner. The question is, how will you deal with the response? How will you respond to the response? There are options in responding to this response.

Consider with me how the Apostle Paul dealt with that sort of response. You can jot it down in your notes; you don't have to turn there. In 2 Corinthians 1, verse 8, Paul writes, "For we don't want you to be ignorant, brothers and sisters, of the trouble which came to us in Asia." You need to know about the trouble we went through when we were trying to preach the gospel to the people in Asia and the city of Ephesus.

He says that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. The Apostle Paul explains that when he came into Asia, he was trying to serve the Lord and do these things in the city of Ephesus. They were burdened above measure, carrying a great weight upon their shoulders that made them feel as though they could not bear it. Have you ever been there? Above strength, he says. They did not have the strength in themselves to handle this burden, leading them to despair even of life.

He prayed the prayer of Elijah in 1 Kings chapter 19: "God, kill me." Those words do not sound like the powerful words of faith we expect from the Apostle Paul. Yet, he acknowledges that this is where he was in that moment. The circumstances were beyond his control; he could not stop them from entering his life. The emotional response to those stressors cannot simply be made to stop, even though we would like to.

Imagine for a moment, and perhaps just imagining this might cause you anxiety. You walk into work tomorrow morning, and as soon as you walk through the door, your boss says, "Come in here. I need to talk to you." Some of you are already laughing; you've been there. You sit down, and he says, "Listen, sales haven't been so good, or we just lost this contract, and we're going to have to let you go." You couldn't stop that circumstance. In that instant, when it happens, there is an emotional response that you cannot simply dismiss by telling yourself, "I will now not be anxious." It doesn't work that way.

The question is, how do you deal with that when the stressor comes? The temptation is to succumb to anxiety and slip down the spiral slide to depression. We will talk in a moment about what that actually is. But how did the Apostle Paul respond? In 2 Corinthians 1:8, he says, "We despaired of even life." Then he adds, "Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead." He continues in verse 10, "God who delivered us from so great a death, who does deliver us, in whom we trust that he will still deliver us."

So, what does Paul do with the pressing situation that even caused him to feel like he couldn't bear it?

He realized, in the midst of it, point number three or two on your outline, that trying circumstances are often God's tools to teach us to trust. You sometimes wonder, "God, why don't you just take these things out of my life?" There are some people who teach that when you become a Christian, you'll never experience trying circumstances anymore. That sounds really good, but it's false teaching. It's not true. God, why don't you just take these things out of my life? Well, because I'm trying to teach you to trust in me, to put your complete confidence in me.

The stressor in Paul's life, or in your life this week, is allowed by God for His purpose in your life. That's an important lesson to learn as we walk through these things. God is trying to take me to another level of my trust in Him, that I would not trust in myself, but that I trust in God.

Paul continues in Philippians chapter 4, verse 6: "Be anxious for nothing." This may be the most difficult command of the Bible. Now, I recognize that every single one of you perfectly follows the command in the first two words: "Be anxious." Me too. But that's not the command, is it? The command is "be anxious for nothing." Nothing.

I've said it before, and it's really true: some of the most difficult truths of the Bible to apply are the easiest to understand. You don't need to spend very long interpreting these words. "Be anxious for nothing." Someone might say, "Well, maybe we need to look at this in the Greek." No, you don't. You really don't. "Be anxious for nothing." It's the same in the English Standard Version: "Do not be anxious about anything." In the New Living Translation: "Don't worry about anything." In the J.B. Phillips Translation: "Don't worry over anything, whatever." In the Message Bible: "Don't fret or worry." You don't have to spend a lot of time interpreting that. "Be anxious for nothing." And it is perhaps the most difficult command of the Bible to fulfill.

Bill, every one of us has broken this already this morning. I guarantee it. In some small way, we've been anxious about something. "Be anxious for nothing." Now, is Paul giving us a command that is impossible? Is he giving us something that seems empty, like it's not even worth saying? These are vain words. Nobody can fulfill this. "Be anxious for nothing." It's like telling someone who's getting ready to run into battle, "Don't be afraid." Yeah, thanks. That helps me a whole lot.

But we need to recognize, as with all of God's commands, that He gives us the helpful how-tos, the enabling words of advice on how to fulfill what He's telling us to do. Because He's a good and loving Father. Point number three on your outline: the key to peace is prayer. The key to peace is prayer. How so? "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."

Now, we can boil that all down to just prayer simply. Because supplication, thanksgiving, and letting your requests be made known to God are just other ways of saying "pray." "Be anxious for nothing, but pray."

At this point, when talking with a Christian brother or sister who's facing anxiety, depression, or difficult circumstances, they often roll their eyes and look at you like, "Thanks, pastor. I really thought you could give me something to work with here," when all you say is "pray."

There was a great, noble military commander who had been incredibly victorious, but he was stricken with a terminal disease. One of the servants in his household said to this commander's wife, "You know, there's a man of God in my country where I came from. If you go to him, if your master knew him, he could get healed."

So she says to her husband, whose name was Naaman, "There's a guy, a man of God down in the nation of Israel." They lived in Syria, the archrivals of Israel. "He can heal you." The commander goes to the king of Syria and says, "Hey, there's a guy down here who can heal me." The king responds, "That's great. Here, I'll write a letter. You go talk to the king of Israel."

He goes to the king of Israel and says, "Here's a letter from my king, the king of Syria. He says you need to have your man of God heal me." The king of Israel replies, "Is this some sort of terrible way to cause a war?"

I can't do anything for you. So, he sends Naaman on to the man of God, the prophet's house, the prophet Elisha. Naaman, stricken with leprosy, goes to the house of Elisha and knocks on the door. The servant of Elisha comes out. This is recorded in 2 Kings 5. He comes to the door and asks, "How can I help you?" Naaman replies, "I have leprosy, and Elisha can help me." The servant goes and talks to Elisha. Elisha says to go tell the man to dip himself seven times, wash himself seven times, and baptize himself seven times in the Jordan River.

The servant comes back and tells Naaman, "Go wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River." Now, Naaman is filled with rage, as the Bible says. He thinks, "The guy doesn't even have the courtesy to come and talk to me himself." Then, he tells me something ridiculous like, "Go wash myself in your dirty Jordan River." Naaman adds, "We have better rivers in my country than that Jordan River. I’m not doing that." He walks away angry.

As they are leaving, one of Naaman's servants says, "Listen, Naaman, if he had told you to do something really difficult, you would probably have done that, right? Maybe just try it." So, Naaman reluctantly goes to the Jordan River. He counts, "One, two, three. This is stupid. Four." On the seventh time, he comes up, and his skin is white, clean, and perfect.

We often struggle with anxiety or depression, and a brother or sister in the Lord might say, "I don’t know how to help you, but this verse says, 'Be anxious for nothing, but pray.'" We might respond, "Well, that’s just so dumb. That can’t really help." I can’t tell you how many Christians have told me, "Oh, come on," looking at me with disbelief, as if to say, "That’s really what you’re going to give me here?"

We all acknowledge that knowing something is quite a bit different from doing something. We can know that we need to pray. We can even talk about praying and never actually pray. I’ve had to counsel myself on more than a few occasions, reminding myself, "You need to pray." In my mind, I have this internal monologue. We all have it: "Oh, come on. That’s not going to help."

You've been there, right? Yes. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer." The next verse, verse 7, continues with a comma at the end of verse 6: "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Now, notice what it doesn't say. It doesn't say, "Be anxious for nothing, in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known to God." And God will remove all the anxiety-producing things from your life. It doesn't say that. The anxiety-producing events are still there. The wind is still blowing. The floods are still rising.

It's not that you won't be anxious ever or have any anxious response to events that come into your life. But, point four: through prayer, God's peace supersedes our anxieties. Through prayer, God's peace supersedes our anxieties. It's a greater force, the peace of God, than your anxieties.

How many of you recognize that gravity is a pretty sure and set physical law? It's pretty effective, isn't it? And yet, the law of aerodynamics overcomes gravity. It doesn't get rid of gravity; there's no anti-gravity there. It just overcomes. It supersedes. It excels above those things because it's a greater law. The same is true with this as it relates to peace and anxieties. God's peace is bigger than your anxieties, even apart from your understanding.

You can have a person who's a Christian facing a terminal illness, and you can have a person who's a non-Christian facing the same terminal illness. They're both facing the same thing. Yet, the person who is a follower of Jesus, putting their trust and confidence in Him, understands that the Lord is at hand. They have a steadiness in knowing, "I'm in the hands of the Lord. My life is hid with God in Christ." They, like Paul, can say, "To live is Christ; to die is gain." That person has a peace that the other person does not have.

They look on and say, "How did you get that?" I think it's one of the greatest evangelical tools in our arsenal. We should have a reputation of steadiness in the storm because we have a keel. When the same wind is blowing, we're not capsizing because we are steadfast and immovable.

Always abounding in the Lord. Of course, that's not the end of the prescription. Paul continues in verse 8: "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is anything virtuous, if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things."

Point number five: right thinking and persistent prayer relieve anxieties. They don't take away anxious things, but they relieve anxieties. You could spend a good deal of time memorizing verse 8 of Philippians chapter 4. Let me tell you, it would be time well spent. Then think about it, meditate upon it, and apply the truths of Philippians chapter 4, verse 8. I am convinced that for the rest of my life, I will be endeavoring to apply these truths. Whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good, virtuous, and praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Yet, for a lot of American Christians, and much of this has to do with Eastern influences in the last half-century, they have a really hard time and stumble at this idea, this concept, this word: meditation. It sounds so guru-ish. We have this picture of meditation in our minds, and no one wants to bend their legs in that position because it looks terrible. Right? That's the picture. I’m going to get really bored really quick going, "Oh." I have a little bit of ADD, and that's the picture. It's the wrong picture.

Not only do people stumble at the word meditation, but they also say, "Well, I don't even know how to do that." Listen, if you know how to worry, you know how to meditate. Worry is simply meditation on the wrong thing. What is worry? It is examining the troubling situation that you're facing, the anxiety-producing circumstance. It is examining it from every possible angle and trying to find a way out.

No, I can't get out here. Can I get out here? No, I can't get out here. And then all of a sudden, you're stuck in the middle of this anxiety-producing thing. That's depression. Depression is when you've examined it and you're convinced there's no way out.

Meditation is examining what is true, noble, lovely, good, virtuous, and praiseworthy from every possible angle. That's meditation. So, meditate on these things. What is the result of doing this? In verse 9, Paul says, "The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me." You saw this pictured in me. You saw that I meditated on those things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good, virtuous, and praiseworthy. Those things that you saw, heard, received, and learned from me—these do. Would you circle the word "do"? These do. Apply them. Do the same thing, and the God of peace will be with you.

The peace of God, as mentioned in verse 7, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The God of peace will be with you if you do what? Well, rejoice in the Lord. You bring your requests, supplications, and thanksgiving to God. You meditate on those things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good, virtuous, and praiseworthy. You fix your mind on those things, and all these things are the things of God.

These things aren't in this world. This world has a great lack of justice, truth, purity, lovely things, and good reports. There's not a lot of good news in the world. If it's your normal everyday routine to come home from work and turn on the 6 o'clock or 6:30 news, I say stop it. It's a waste of your time.

"But I have to know what's going on in the world." Why? I'm not entirely sure why. So you can be depressed about what happened to this person down here or over here? Sure. I say give yourself a 30-day moratorium on news and just see if maybe your overall well-being increases. You know what? I've done that, and it's been great. People come to me and say, "Did you hear what...?" I go, "I didn't," and I'm the better for it. Because I don't need to meditate on garbage. Garbage in, garbage out.

Thank you.

The things which you have learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do. And the God of peace will be with you.

So, final word: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. Would you stand with me as we close in prayer?

Father God, thank you for your word. I thank you for the prescription that you give to us. I ask God that we take two a day and call you back in the morning. Help us to walk in these things, to do them for your glory, that people would see in us a steadiness in the storm. We have a keel that runs deep, and it's you holding on to our hearts. Your peace will guard our hearts and our minds, where all this anxiety and depression take place.

Thank you, Jesus, that we have the sure hope and certainty that one day we'll be in your presence. As Revelation 20 says, there will be no pain, sorrow, tears, death, or sickness any longer. No anxiety. We look forward to that, Jesus.

Lord, help us to experience that refreshing now as well, for your glory. In Jesus' name, Amen. Thank you.