Reflecting upon Philippians 4:6-7

I labelled this short passage with traffic light colors. Red, Yellow, Green… Stop, Pray, Go…

Red – Stop: Be anxious for nothing… what is the biggest worry of your life? Jesus is telling us not to worry… food, drink, clothing and even death… early in this very book, Philippians, Paul mentioned about Christ being obedient to the point of even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). Even the biggest problem / obstacles of our lives is being solved by Christ, what do we have to worry about? Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” All of us who have accepted Christ as our LORD and Savior have a great future in eternity because we know that He is for us all (Philippians 1:6). We are able to cast all our anxiety upon Him alone because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7) and now He is telling us not to worry… “Who by being worried can add a single hour to his life? (Matt 6:27). “Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matt 6:34). In this physical life, normally we will worry when we are uncertain about the future. However, we absolutely have nothing to worry about because we already know about the future. And it is a bright future as described in Revelation 21 and 22. Our future is secure in Christ when He proclaimed, “It is finished.” (John 19:30). Upon knowing all of these, one reflection question for all of us: What is the biggest worry of your life?

Yellow – Pray: In everything, let’s be praying. We are gathered here tonight primarily to be praying. By praying, we are focusing our attention upon our great God. When we pray, we are exercising our faith in Christ. “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” (Matt 26:41). We are told to be anxious for nothing because God wants us to be praying instead of worrying. We should be praying for God to work and to show us His Will for our lives instead of worrying or thinking we are able to handle life on our own. When we pray, we also acknowledge and thank Him for the way He has watched over us. As we close our eyes, focus upon Christ and begin to pray, the message of His Gospel will being to flow through our minds. Let’s be thanking Jesus for dying on our behalf on the cross. Give thanks with a grateful heart.

“The first ever cordless phone was created by God. He named it “Prayer”… It never loses its signal and you never have to recharge it. Use it anywhere.” 

My 2nd reflection question: How often do you pray to our God?

Green – Go: As we journey with Christ in our spiritual lives, we need His peace to be with us to guard our hearts and minds. The peace of God must be our guardian of our hearts and our minds so that we are placing our confidence in Him alone and we are truly living out this verse “let him who boasts, boast in the LORD.” (1 Cor 1:31). When we place our confidence in Him alone, we are glorifying God for who He really is in our own spiritual lives. In order to be able to experience this peace of God which transcends all comprehension, we need to first stop worrying, be praying and thanking Christ for what He has done for us all. With this peace of God as our personal guard, both of our hearts and our minds will be protected from the world, the devil and the flesh. We need His peace to be our guard so that our hearts (which is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked – Jer 17:9) can constantly be in Christ and be sensitive towards the prompting of the Holy Spirit. At one point in our own lives, our hearts were broken before Christ and when our hearts were truly broken, we truly believe with our hearts and committed our lives to Jesus Christ, resulting in righteousness (Romans 10:10). We have put on Christ in order that we make no provision for our flesh in regard to its lusts (Romans 13:14). Therefore now as believers, we need the peace of God to guard our hearts from returning back to the old path where we were before knowing Christ. The world, the devil and the flesh. We need His peace to be our guard so that our minds can be constantly renewed and we can be transformed more and more towards Christ’s likeness (Romans 12:2). Our minds need to be guarded so that we can destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Cor 10:5). Both our hearts and our minds need to be guarded by the peace of God which transcends all comprehension. Only then, we are able to live out the two greatest commandments – to love our LORD, our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength (Matt 22:37) and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt 22:39). My final reflection question: Is the peace of God your personal guard?

If any one of us do not really know who Jesus Christ is, this passage Philippians 4:6-7 is speaking to you as well. You are able to be secure in your spiritual future and not to worry. You are able to access the very first cordless phone of prayer – unlimited talk time with God to share what you want to tell Him, but first, you need to first acknowledge Him for who He really is, confess your sins before Him and ask Jesus Christ to be the LORD and Savior of your soul. You are able to have the peace of God which transcends all comprehension to be the guard of your heart and your mind. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life and nobody comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). 

Do you want to know Him?

You can

Or maybe you do know Jesus Christ but you have walked in your own strength for many years. Tonight is the night for you to recommit yourself to Him. Pick up this very first cordless phone of prayer and update Him on where you have gone all these years. Stop worrying and start praying. You will be amazed by His peace which transcends all comprehension. Let your heart be cut off from the world, the devil and the flesh. Let your mind be renewed and may you resume your spiritual journey of loving Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.