Choosing What’s True

Message Summary:

[Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV] 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Today, Pastor John reminded us that when believers go through seasons of emotional upheaval that are difficult, when our thoughts and feelings feel like they are riding a roller coaster ride. When this happens, we have to make a choice. We can either allow the wind and the waves of our emotions and circumstances allow us to question God, or we can submit our emotions to the Lord and access his peace which passes all understanding. But here is the thing. The Lord is not going to deal with your anxiety and out-of-control emotions for you. He is telling us here in Philippians 4 that we need to take back control of our emotions. You have to choose to deal with the winds and the waves of your emotions, and remember that Jesus is in the boat with you!

As believers, our lives, even our emotional lives, should look different than those in the world. If we desire that, we cannot feed our minds with things that also feed our anxieties and fears for hours every day, and think that we will ever experience peace in our emotional lives. Worry, fear, and anxiety do nothing to change our circumstances, but it does affect our ability to respond to the situation in a healthy way. Entertaining fear and anxiety can literally flood your mind and shut down your capacity to hear rational thought. Not only that, but it magnifies the work of the enemy, and roots your focus in the external. That is why we have to learn how to turn our thoughts and our focus to the peace of God found in His word.

When we look to the word, we find a map laid out by God that clearly shows us how to regulate our emotional lives. As we study and meditate on these scriptures, we can see that the Lord has already given us a strategy for dealing with anxiety, fear, and out-of-control emotions. We have to make a choice to trust the Lord and follow his Word to experience His peace. Rather than ruminating on out-of-control fears that are fueled by our imagination, we must make a constant choice to fix and commit the thoughts of our minds on the Lord. We can take refuge in the Lord and find peace in Him, and experience freedom from emotional instability.

Scriptures:

• [Psalm 37:1-4, 7-8 NLT] 1 Don't worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. 2 For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. 3 Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires. ... 6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. 7 Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

• [Isaiah 26:3 AMP] “You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].”

Discussion Questions:  

1.       How do we reach a place in our lives where we are “anxious for nothing?”

2.       Why do you think Paul gave us the formula of prayer and supplication as a response to anxiety? (And what is supplication exactly?)

3.       What does thanksgiving do in our lives and our hearts when we are anxious?

4.       Why do you think God tells us His peace passes all understanding?

5.       How does peace guard our hearts and minds?

Life Application:

Over the next three weeks, as you study the key scriptures, and reflect on the 25 Psalms on Emotional Regulation that Pastor John provided for us, pull out your feelings journal daily. Journal the following:

1.       Write the date and a number for how you are currently feeling, 1-10, at the top of the page.

2.       Journal your feelings and get them down on paper. Don’t hold back. Be open and honest.

3.       Turn your feelings into prayers. Lift them up to the Lord. Invite him to work in your feelings.

4.       Thank the Lord for all He has done in your life. Choose joy! Pour out your gratitude on those pages.

Make writing in your feelings journal a regular part of your devotional life. Whenever you need to work through your emotions, turn to those pages and invite the Lord into your pursuit of emotional freedom!