March 24, 2021
Dear Friends,
Rachel and I are thankful for your partnership in prayer each Wednesday for our prodigals and for revival. According to Philippians 4:6-7, God’s peace will replace anxiety when we pray:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Three times the word peace is mentioned in the book of Philippians and each is significant for our well-being in a turbulent chaotic world.
In Jewish culture, shalom is a very common form of greeting. The Hebrew word means peace, completeness, wholeness, safety, welfare, tranquility, and friendship. The Greek word for peace, eirēnē is similar in meaning - to join, to be one, to have tranquility, harmony, and quietness.
It is good to remind ourselves that these are the qualities that mark God’s character. In chapter four, He is called, “The God of peace” (Phil. 4:9).
At the beginning of Philippians we learn that peace originates with God. As Paul extends greetings to the believers at the beginning of the letter, he says, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:2).
He desired that the peace belonging to God would be a reality in their lives and ours, that we would have His calmness during life’s turmoil. He wanted us to experience God’s wholeness amid human brokenness and weakness. So that in our hearts we would enjoy the quietness that comes from God.
This was exactly what Jesus told His disciples in the upper room. John 14:27 records His words:
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
True peace belongs to Him, and He alone can give it to us. You may be wondering how we can get this peace today?
When Paul says in Philippians four, not to be anxious, but rather pray, he is not being hard on them or criticizing them for their anxiety. He recognized that this is a common human problem, and the only solution to remove it, was prayer. Take time to read Philippians 4:6-7 again:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The value of prayer cannot be overstated. The believer has the ability to speak, to commune directly with their God in a personal and intimate way. When we pray, we acknowledge God for who He really is.
It is a form of adoration, worship, devotion, and petition. It is understanding and believing that our God is great and good. He is able to do what we cannot do on our own. In the immediate circumstance of the Philippian believers where there was persecution from the ungodly and turmoil in the local church, bringing these issues to God in prayer was the only way to enjoy God’s peace.
His peace will “guard your hearts and minds.” To guard is like a military garrison to protect from the advancing enemy forces. Imagine high and wide stone walls around a city. The city stands like an impenetrable fortress.
This is the mind and heart protected by prayer. It will keep you from thinking thoughts from false ideas that drag you down. It will keep you from emotional turmoil.
Finally, Paul says, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:9). It is delightful that we can not only enjoy His peace within us but we have the promise of the God of peace with us.
Never forget that He is near. Whatever your trial, whatever dark or lonely place you may be in, He is always close to you.
Love in Christ,
Bryan and Rachel