Rev. David Holwick Book of Philippians series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
May 24, 1998
Philippians 4:1-7
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I. Are you a stressed-out person?
A. Road-rage and atrocities fill the news.
B. God doesn't want us to feel this way.
1) Jesus came to give relief and rest to our souls.
C. Here are some God-given principles for relieving stress.
II. Get along with everyone.
A. Are you fighting with anyone right now?
1) Can be a big stress producer.
2) Of course REAL Christians never have fights, right?
B. Fighting is common among Christians.
1) Rev. J. Frank Norris.
Back in the 1920's the leading fundamentalist preacher in
Texas was J. Frank Norris.
Norris loved conflict.
He thrived on it.
He ran an on-going verbal war with the Southern Baptist
Convention because of its liberalism.
(It was more conservative back then than it is now!)
One of his sermons was entitled, "The Ten Worst Devils in
Fort Worth, Names Given."
The sermon lived up to its title.
One of the "devils" mentioned in the sermon was the Roman
Catholic mayor of Fort Worth.
After Norris said the mayor wasn't fit to be a manager of
a hog-pen, a friend of the mayor's threatened Norris by
phone.
Not getting satisfaction, he came over to Norris' office
in the church.
After a heated argument, Norris pulled a revolver out of
his desk and shot the man dead.
The jury let him off the hook by ruling it was self-defense,
but it didn't help Rev. Norris' reputation.
To many people, his behavior is just what you should expect
of conservative Christians.
#4360
2) Fighting of two women in Philippians.
a) Remarkable he names them in letter to be read in public.
1> He says they are real believers, not fakes.
2> Their conflict was probably because Syntyche brought
the wrong brownie mix to the women's group...
b) Conflict was a big deal to Paul.
1> It may have been reason for big chunks of the letter.
2> Note his appeal in 2:1 to have "the same mind."
C. Try to get along. Romans 12:16-18
1) Christians should be "peaceable" people.
a) We cannot guarantee peace with everyone (it takes two
to tango) but make an attempt.
b) Handle conflict "in the Lord."
1> It is often beyond mere human effort.
2> Put your commitment to Jesus first.
3> Those who live under Christ's lordship are equipped
to overcome circumstances that would discourage
unbelievers and disrupt their friendships."
2) Be a peacemaker.
a) Even if we are not fighting anyone, we can get involved.
1> Can be a very positive ministry.
2> Don't ignore conflicts or avoid them, but get people
talking again.
b) A special person called "Yokefellow."
1> Unnamed - could be Luke, whom Paul left in Philippi.
2> An even-handed effort is requested.
3> You can be a yokefellow to others.
III. Be happy about everything.
A. Rejoice!
1) First of four admonitions.
a) No connectors.
b) Example with Kennedy: "We shall pay any price,
bear any burden, meet any hardship,
support any friend, oppose any foe
to assure the survival and the success of liberty."
2) There is joy in being a Christian.
a) If you don't feel it, reflect on God's promises for you.
b) Remember what God has done in your life.
3) Always?
a) Christians believe God is always in control.
b) Even bad things can turn out for our blessing.
1> Whatever happens to us is for our good.
B. Be gentle.
1) Because we have joy in Lord, we don't have to lash out at
people.
a) Often in biblical literature, said to be the attitude
of persecuted believers.
2) We should pose no threat to people.
a) (God is threatening enough!)
C. Focus on Second Coming.
1) We have a hope beyond the uncertainties of this world.
2) Soon or later? Live as if soon.
3) It should motivate how we live now.
IV. Worry about nothing.
A. Worry stifles our joy and pumps out stress.
1) People tend to be pessimistic.
2) In our age, we have even more to worry about.
a) Smithsonian magazine calls this the "Age of Anxiety."
b) There are big worries that everybody worries about.
c) There are small worries that are personal to us.
B. You are not God.
1) Worry is assuming responsibility that God never
intended for us to have.
a) It's playing God, trying to control the uncontrollable.
2) Dr. Walter Cavert has done studies on your worries.
He has discovered that:
40% of our worries never happen
30% of our worries concern the past
12% of our worries are needless worries about your health
10% of our worries are insignificant or petty concerns
8% of our worries are really legitimate concerns
C. Worry is worthless.
1) It cannot change the past or control the future.
2) It only messes you up right now.
a) It is an incredible waste of energy.
b) It is stewing without doing.
D. The Bible says, "Do not worry about anything." Matt 6:25,34
1) Worry is not natural, Jesus is saying.
2) It is something you learn.
a) You have to practice to get good at it.
b) But if it is learned it can also be unlearned.
3) Leave your concerns with God.
V. Pray about everything.
A. Replacing a negative with a positive.
1) Instead of worrying, pray.
a) If you stopped worrying, realize how much free time
you'd have.
b) It would create a great vacuum, a void in your life to
stop worrying.
2) Pray during that time.
a) If those people who say "I don't have time to pray"
would spend their time praying instead of worrying,
they'd have a whole lot less to worry about.
B. "In everything..."
1) Some people think that God is only interested in you
praying about "religious" matters.
2) God is interested in everything in your life.
C. "Petition" is a specific, detailed request.
1) Get specific with God.
2) Tell Him exactly what you want and what you need.
a) Most people's prayers are too vague, too general.
1> "God, help all the hurting people..."
b) Instead, pray for specific individuals.
D. Have a thankful attitude.
A pastor was visiting some of his parishioners.
He took his young daughter with him.
As they visited an elderly couple, the old man gave her a
handful of peanuts.
Expecting her to show a spirit of gratitude, the father
asked his daughter,
"Honey, what are you supposed to say?"
Sincerely, and with her eyes fixed upon the old man,
she asked, "You got any more?"
That sounds like many of us.
We accept God's gifts, never saying "thank you" but simply
asking, "Have you got any more?"
It is God's nature to give.
We need to acquire the nature of being grateful. #2965
1) The healthiest human emotion is the attitude of gratitude,
having a grateful heart, being thankful.
a) It actually increases your immunities.
b) It is a physical benefit to express gratitude.
2) Ungrateful people also tend to be unhappy people.
a) Nothing ever satisfies them, it's never good enough.
b) They are "when and then" people -- "when such and such
happens, then I'll be happy".
3) If you're stressed out, make a list of fifty things you
can be thankful for.
VI. Have peace in everything.
A. Not another admonition, but the result of following the above.
B. Peace of God.
1) The peace that characterizes God himself?
2) The peace of being brought back to God through Jesus?
3) Or the sense of inner contentment that comes from knowing God?
a) Since the peace stands in contrast to the anxiety in
verse 6, inner contentment is probably in view.
C. Beyond our understanding.
1) Christians ought to be as worried and stressed-out as anyone.
2) Instead, God can give us a sense of peace in the midst of
turmoil.
A life insurance company did a study.
They learned that people who attend church once a week,
live on the average, 5.7 years longer than the
general public.
The contentment and joy of knowing God is truly
health-giving.
By being here, you are saving your life!
We can't explain it, but deep down we know it is true.
3) Our inner peace is not logical but God-given.
a) It guards our hearts and minds with his power.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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