Series: Stressed. Week 2: A Peaceful Life
Each of us is looking for PEACE … peace within ourselves, peace with the world, peace with God, and peace with our purpose in life. Philippians 4:7.
Remember: passing the stress test of life doesn’t mean removing stressors from life; it’s not about the absence of difficulties. It’s about the presence of God’s peace amid those difficulties.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6. Paul is saying is we have 2 options when we face difficulties in our lives. (1) We can get anxious. Our natural response when our circumstances are demanding more from us than we have to offer, & it causes stress. Or (2) Paul gives an alternative—to show the opposite of stressing out: “But in every situation …”
PEACE: The sense of divine favor arising from confidence in God & your relationship with Him.
The truth of Scripture: God loves us, knows what’s best for us, & is able to bring about what’s best in our lives.
GENESIS 25:8. Romans 4:3. Abraham left this life completely satisfied with God’s blessings, not because of his own ability or mental toughness. He was confident in God & in his relationship with God.
Peace is a necessary ingredient for the life Jesus promised. JOHN 10:10.
Philippians 4:7. God’s peace builds a wall of protection around your heart & mind against stress’s destructiveness.
How to gain God’s peace:
- KNOW GOD INTIMATELY—a genuine relationship. You cannot know the peace of God without knowing the God of peace. Problem: We were created to live in a relationship with God. Sin in our lives disrupts that relationship. We can’t experience God’s peace until we experience God Himself.
Philippians 4:11-13. Paul’s secret was the presence of Jesus in his life. The foundation of his peace was his relationship w/ God.
- LIVE IN CONSTANT FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD. Philippians 4:6. Prayer, petition, requests—these are terms that describe our communication with God. Each term hinges on the critical phrase: “in every situation.” Living with God means being aware of His presence in every moment of our lives.
Problem: most of us treat God like an app. We open the app, we get what we need, we close the app, & move on.
Truth: Everything in my life rises & falls on my personal fellowship with Jesus –inviting God into every moment of your life. Stressors will still come, & circumstances will be challenging. Living in fellowship with God means instead of looking within to my own abilities & resources—instead of frantically trying to figure our things on my own—I go to God.
- BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH GOD about your cares and concerns. Philippians 4:6. Petition (pleading): make your requests known; a sense of desperation. But… we aren’t honest with God. We try to hide—certain parts of our thoughts, actions, or desires—from Him. Why? Fear. GENESIS 3:10.
Hiding from God is stressful, & it prevents us from being filled with is peace.
Our position with God isn’t rooted in our performance for Him. Our position with God is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ & His finished work on the cross. 1 Peter 5:7.
- BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT THANKING GOD. Philippians 4:6.
Every struggle you encounter in life is an opportunity for God to demonstrate His faithfulness. And every difficulty you face is an opportunity to express thanks to God for the ways He is about to move.
You can live not just a stressless life, but a peaceful life.