Dr. M. R. Irvin - Philippians 4:6-7

Prayer

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

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.

Someone has said that the average person worries

• 40% about things that will never happen
•  30% about the past that can't be changed
• 12% about criticism by others, mostly untrue
• 10% about health, which gets worse with stress
• and only 8% about real problems that have to be faced.

But that 8% can cause anxiety.

Family problems, financial difficulties, employment uncertainties, health issues, these and other personal matters can cause us to worry. We can even be stressed over civil unrest, terroristic threats and/or international turmoil.

God wants a Christian to be delivered from anxiety. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything.” Author Walter Kelly has written, “Worry is wasting today’s time to clutter up tomorrow’s opportunities with yesterday’s troubles.” Charles Swindoll has said, “Anxiety pulls tomorrow’s clouds over today’s sunshine.”

This does not mean, of course, that we are not to take proper precautions against dangers that are around us. This does not mean that we should not lock our doors at night or fastened the seatbelts in our cars. This is not saying that we should not prepare for possible contingencies, that we should not study for upcoming exams, not take out insurance policies, not put away funds for the future. What this verse does say is that we are not to be full of worry, not continuingly stressed out by our concerns.

The normal human reaction to anxiety is to fret and stew. Or we may pour our concerns into the ear of a spouse or friend. But Philippians 4:6 offers an alternative. In my home church when I was a boy, we sang a little chorus that said, “Why worry when you can pray.” That’s exactly what this text suggests, that when we are feeling anxious about anything that we take the matter to the Lord in prayer.

There is some important teaching about the nature of prayer in this passage. The scope of prayer is suggested. We are to pray about anything and everything. The style of prayer is indicated here. The, first word, prayer, in the original Greek language, refers to worship or meditation. The second word, petition, means making specific requests to the Lord. The spirit in which we are to pray is taught here. We are to pray with thanksgiving, with an attitude of gratitude and praise. The simplicity of prayer is set before us with the words, “present your requests to God.” Though we will always approach God reverently, we are invited to simply tell him what we would like him to do.

But however we go about it, we are urged by Philippians 4:6 – 7 to take whatever is causing our anxiety and turn it over to the Lord.

Dr. M. R. Irvin, Norwalk, was interim senior pastor at Hope Church in 2001-2002 and again in 2005-2006. Attendee since 2011. Leads the mid-week prayer service. Occasionally fills the pulpit.