The past 8 weeks at church we have taken apart Philippians 4:1-9. Our pastor felt it was important to unpack anxiety, fear, mental health vs. the true peace of God. We are the most powerful nation in the world, however we are the most mentally unstable nation. American's are filled with worry, anxiety and depression. American's need the peace of God to fill their minds, hearts and souls.
I am going to share some nuggets from the past 8 weeks. First some questions to ponder; is God who he says he is? Do I have a heart belief of God or a head knowledge of God? Will I choose God or self? Where will I look to?
God must be our true source, our only source. No other person or thing can be my source. One way to keep God the source is to rejoice! Rejoice always in God. When I rejoice in God it doesn't mean I am always " happy”, but it does mean I can choose how I respond, how I move, how I speak. I can choose to be light, life and love. I am to rejoice despite, rejoice in expectance. Rejoice because God ALWAYS has a plan and he is steadfast to see it come to past. He is steadfast in his love because his love provides a supernatural peace, a trusting peace and a loving peace. It's a peace that says fear cannot drive me, fear is a liar! When I fix my eyes on fear I miss God's peace, plan, path and perspective. Fixing my eyes on fear opens the door to the enemy's guiding and removes God's covering. When my eyes wonder defeat comes into view. I must filter my vision through God's truths.
PANIC to PEACE
1. I must discover what God has for me, not what I have for myself.
2. Surrender to what God has now, don't wait for heaven.
3. I must remove doubt, I cannot doubt God's word and still have God's peace.
4. I must choose obedience not comfort.
COMMANDS for PEACE
1. Rejoice in the Lord
2. Focus on the Lord
3. Trust the Lord
4. I must prayer, present my requests with a heart of thanks
5. I must treat others with the love of Jesus regardless of my circumstances
6. I must deal with the root of my heart! Then cast it at the feet of Jesus
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING
1. Are your thoughts fixed on God, His word, His promises …
2. Am I ready to be victorious with Jesus or defeated with self …
3. Are you focused on truth, God's unchanging word. What is noble, elevating my sight upwards. What is right, God's intentions, plan and path. What is pure, set apart with God. What is love, brings beauty, peace and joy. What is excellent, bears much fruit. What is praiseworthy, glorifies Jesus and not self.
*** This type of thinking is a command not a suggestion ***
The Peace Promise ! Todays notes from the final message on God's peace. Thank you Stacy for sharing your notes since I wasn't able to attend this morning. Our friendship was all part of God's plan !!!
Contending in faith: ( Notes thanks to Stacy)
We must apprehend and contend for those victories Jesus won for us. There is an enemy that wants to steal, kill, and destroy those things Jesus won for us.
You have to fight for your peace. Contend for kids, marriage, for peace. It’s a fight against the enemy. He won’t let us just skip through life. Arm ourselves with militant mentality.
Eph. 6:12-18 - we aren’t wrestling with flesh and blood. We are wrestling with an unseen world. Put on armor of God. Ever morning arm yourself, ask God to dress me for battle.
2 Cor. 10:3-5 - there are strongholds set up against the knowledge of Christ. - there are thought processes within us that fights against the knowledge and supremacy of Christ in my life. Battle in the mind. Can rob our peace and set up stronghold. Renew mind with knowledge of Christ- tear down stronghold
Keys:
Assess the battlefield - how is the enemy attacking? Don’t let the enemy get an advantage. If he can destroy marriage, destroys kids too. He attacks one to get to them all.
2Cor. 2:11 - we are not ignorant of his schemes.
Prayer is a weapon. Sword against the enemy. Live in community. Better to fight with others on your side then by yourself. Don’t isolate yourself, need people to support. I am my brothers keeper. Fight together.
When do I get attacked?
Identify patterns, what time of month, year. What conditions provoke and trigger anxiety and fear? What can we do differently? When am I most vulnerable? HALT - things that make us vulnerable to attack. (We need people to help pull you back into a healthy place)
Hunger - emotional hunger, when you need it more...
Anger - words or physical
Lonely - isolation, survival tactics, withdrawal - need to stay in community
Tired - taking on too much
God’s divine strategy: to maintain Joshua 6 - Jericho - strategy makes no sense, but God moved God will give you divinely inspired strategy to overcome, I must ask. PRAY 2 chronicles- Jehoshaphat talked to the Lord about it.... as they sang and worshiped, the enemy was destroyed. David inquired of the Lord.... God has a strategy if we engage Him. Trust His wisdom and strategies, even if we don’t understand what He is doing. Keep standing, contending, fighting - still believe He will have the victory. Death has been overcome so in the meantime endure hardship, trust in Him and pray. Hold on to one another and Jesus, encourage one another. Moment by moment. Trust that He will get us through it. Contend that men will have reconciliation too - peace. Don’t accuse or criticize, but intercede and contend for one another.
If you want to listen to the full sermons, you can find them at http://www.b4church.org/
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