Series: Philippians
Sermon: Worry and its Remedy
Bible Passage: Philippians 4:6-7

I. Observation of Phil 4:6-7

1. The Greek word μέριμνα refers to “to be overly concerned”
2. “To be concerned” is natural (it is a good emotion; it prepares us to respond to something not right)
3. “To be overly concerned” is stretching the normal—to be excessive fearful or be split in your mind
4. Our subject today is “worry” and its remedy

II. “Worry” may be defined as follows:

1. To have harassing & unreasonable fear
2. To be distracted, disturbed, and annoyed in mind & spirit about life and its needs like food, clothing, employment, and future
3. To have disturbed sleep
4. Worry is not illegitimate, but Paul gives us a new orientation to it

III. Reasons for “worry”

1. Man’s desire to control something that is not in his/her ability
2. Lack of confidence in God’s care for His children
3. Faulty theology (Worry causes believers to ignore God’s role in their life)
4. It comes due to forgetfulness of God’s provisions in the past

IV. In Philippians, Paul provides four reasons why we must not be overtly worried

1. God has started a good work in believers (1:6)
2. God is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (2:13)
3. God shall supply all needs of the believers (4:19)
4. “God of peace” is with the believers (4:9)
5. Therefore, instead of being overly worried, believers must make God know their needs in prayers (verse 6)
6. In other words, Paul suggests “prayer” as a remedy for “being overly worried”

V. What is “prayer” (v.6)?

1. Prayer is not something we inform God about what He does not know
2. But, prayer is one’s affirmation of his/her trust in God
3. It is the opposite of “control”—it is to transfer one’s worry to God
4. “Prayer is our openness about our needs before God, our emptiness in his presence, our absolute dependence upon him with an attitude of constant thanksgiving and complete trust” (Martyn Llyod-Jones 174-75 The Life of Peace)
5. The result of such prayer is the “peace of God” that protects believers’ hearts and minds

a. “Worry” is contrasted with “peace of God”
b. It is the “peace” that God possess and the peace that He gives to His people: Shalom
c. “Shalom” originates from God. This is one of the important gifts of God to His people
d. In this passage, “peace of God” is a state of wellbeing that keeps us stable in the midst of those things that cause us worry. It is the opposite of worry
e. “Peace of God” is not absence of problem
f. “Peace of God” transcends human rational power

Take Away

Make God in-charge of things in your life that are not in our control