Phili 4:8 | KingComments | STEP | . The Lord is near! Thus we finished the last chapter. This great assurance gives us the courage for now and for the future. So we need not be anxious for anything ( ). God knows that we need to be reminded now and again as we are quick to be anxious. We do this because too many times we see the circumstances without including Him. Then our difficulties become greater than God and this is why it goes wrong. “Be anxious for nothing” means we can hand over everything to Him. You need not carry anything yourself. You can cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you ( ). Is this not a relief? By saying to be anxious for nothing, not all has been said, because you can let all your requests be known to God. There is no limit, there is no restriction. For God ‘nothing’ really means ‘nothing’. So there is not a thing you have to worry about. For God everything really means everything, and there is not a thing that you cannot place before Him. Therefore, come and tell Him straight from the heart in your own words. He invites you to come to Him with “prayer and supplication”. Prayer is talking to God about all things imaginable. You can share with Him the most common everyday needs without any formality. To pray with supplication is to pray with urgency or with a strong desire. You do that when you are in trouble. You cry out not once but repeatedly. Does this also include “thanksgiving”? Yes, because you speak to a God Who knows what is in your heart and you know what He has in His heart for you. You thank Him because you trust Him and know that He hears your prayers and supplications and that He will do something with it. You have been connected by grace to the loving and almighty God. Can you think of anything greater? Can you imagine that something that happens in the world or in your life could upset Him? No single event can shake His throne. Always each event will fit well into the fulfillment of His plans. Therefore you can thank Him in advance when you direct your prayers to Him, for you know that He will answer you in His grace, whatever the answer may be. I think you also sometimes thank someone you trust well in advance for a favor you are sure that he will grant. You say thanks in advance for the attention and reaction. This is the way you are allowed to make all your requests known to God. You do this, of course not because He does not know it. You do this, because it relieves you, and you, free from all your worries, can continue to go your way rejoicing. What a God you have! Do you always receive what you ask for? No? Thank God also for that. Do you really mean that you always ask only for useful things? It is as in a family. Normally a child dares to ask his father everything but the father does not give whatever the child asks. He gives only what is good and useful. The Father will give you only the good things. That is not the same as pleasant things, things that will make life a bit easier. He gives things that build up your character as a child of God, things that make your life on the earth as a Christian more and more conformed to the Lord Jesus. That is what you want, right? . If He does not give you what you ask for, then it has to do with the purpose He has for your life. Therefore He gives something else. He gives you His own peace that will guard your heart and mind. Guard means watch over, hold captive which implies safety and security. Again this is something really very big. That is much better than when He gives what we asked for, after we have whined for a long time. Then you get what you wanted and possess what you desired. But it will not go well with your soul. You learn that from the history of Israel ( ). If we put our trust in Him we receive His peace. That is why Peter could sleep quietly in prison while he knew that he would be killed ( ). The assurance, that all the power on earth could not do any harm to him unless God allowed it, gave him peace. That also applies to you. It does not state that our hearts will keep His peace. That is something we cannot do. It is the other way around, it is something that He does. “The peace of God” is as a shield for our hearts and minds so that they are preserved. All kinds of thoughts that make you worried and anxious can come into your heart and mind. When you have said everything to God you receive His peace and your heart and mind are preserved, that is “in Christ Jesus” indeed. Christ is presented here as a fortress where you are safe and secure. It is a great grace that even our anxieties are used to fill us with this wonderful peace! The ‘peace of God’ by the way is something different from the ‘peace with God’. The peace with God is something which is the result of faith in the Lord Jesus as the One Who solved the problem of sin by which a sinner is reconciled to God ( ). The peace of God is the peace that God has as the One Who is above all circumstances. It is the peace of the Lord Jesus amid the circumstances which He calls “My peace” ( ; ). . If your heart is thus free from worries and the peace of God dwells in it then you can turn toward positive things. Paul puts it as a task. He assigns you to dwell or meditate on things that activate your intellectual capacity and engage yourself consciously with the things he lists here. You should meditate on these things while you are doing your daily work. That means that your thoughts are filled with these things, if you are in school and the teacher or a classmate is being bullied; or if in the workplace someone cracks a dirty joke or some obscene photos are hanging there; or if you are at home and have to clear out your dear children’s junk repeatedly. Meditation on the things listed here cannot happen automatically. Your capacity to meditate on these things in your daily activities depends on what you read, hear and see in your free time. Your thought pattern is formed here. Therefore engage yourself with good things. Paul does not say what things you must not engage yourself with. He does not present this as a kind of law but in a way that builds up. He also does not suggest the power of positive thinking. Whether or not you are listening to his exhortation will be shown up in your conversation and in your behavior. What you have inside of yourself will shine through. Although there can be difficulties in your life, when mishaps occur, it is still important that you engage yourself with what is good and lovely. Look especially at the Lord Jesus in Whom all these virtues are fully present. 1. If you dwell on “whatever is true”, lie has no chance. 2. “Whatever is honorable” speaks of dignity that befits what we are: kings and priests. 3. If you dwell on “whatever is right”, you will handle according to the rules of what is right, in everything honest. 4. Dwell also on “whatever is pure”. God had told Israel what animals they should eat ( ). Those were clean animals with certain characteristics. What you eat spiritually forms your character. We take up the character of the food that we eat. Let the Lord Jesus be your food ( ). 5. “Whatever is lovely” means what is worthy to be loved. How do you think of your brothers and sisters? Do you see only the bad things or do you think also of the good things they have, which are worthy to be loved? With the Lord Jesus everything is graceful and worthy to be loved. 6. “Whatever is of good repute are things which should be passed on as it is good to hear. There is no room for ill repute or gossip, or slander. 7. To dwell on “any excellence” is that you have an eye for spiritual courage to fight the good fight of faith. This is applicable both to yourself and to others. You can pull yourself down by holding the view that it is nothing at all and it is all meaningless. Then you become dejected. Remember everything that is done out of love for the Lord Jesus certainly makes sense. 8. The last is “if there is anything worthy of praise”. It is important to have a spirit of praise, to consider that for which we can praise God. Despite much struggle, all weakness and failure, you have much to thank God for. . After dwelling on how to guide our thinking, there are also things to do , the application in the practical Christian life. For that the life of Paul is a practical example. With him there were no contradictions in his way of thinking, speaking and living. He gave not only doctrinal teachings but was involved with his whole being. He does not speak from on high, but from experience. If they would follow his example they would have the “God of peace” Himself as their Companion. The peace of God and the God of peace , what would you like to possess more? Now read Philippians 4:6-9 again. Reflection: Mention the blessings and exhortations found in these verses.

‏ Philippians 4:8

The Peace of God and the God of Peace

Phil 4:6. The Lord is near! Thus we finished the last chapter. This great assurance gives us the courage for now and for the future. So we need not be anxious for anything (Mt 6:25). God knows that we need to be reminded now and again as we are quick to be anxious. We do this because too many times we see the circumstances without including Him. Then our difficulties become greater than God and this is why it goes wrong.

“Be anxious for nothing” means we can hand over everything to Him. You need not carry anything yourself. You can cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you (1Pet 5:7). Is this not a relief? By saying to be anxious for nothing, not all has been said, because you can let all your requests be known to God. There is no limit, there is no restriction. For God ‘nothing’ really means ‘nothing’. So there is not a thing you have to worry about. For God everything really means everything, and there is not a thing that you cannot place before Him.

Therefore, come and tell Him straight from the heart in your own words. He invites you to come to Him with “prayer and supplication”. Prayer is talking to God about all things imaginable. You can share with Him the most common everyday needs without any formality. To pray with supplication is to pray with urgency or with a strong desire. You do that when you are in trouble. You cry out not once but repeatedly.

Does this also include “thanksgiving”? Yes, because you speak to a God Who knows what is in your heart and you know what He has in His heart for you. You thank Him because you trust Him and know that He hears your prayers and supplications and that He will do something with it. You have been connected by grace to the loving and almighty God. Can you think of anything greater? Can you imagine that something that happens in the world or in your life could upset Him?

No single event can shake His throne. Always each event will fit well into the fulfillment of His plans. Therefore you can thank Him in advance when you direct your prayers to Him, for you know that He will answer you in His grace, whatever the answer may be. I think you also sometimes thank someone you trust well in advance for a favor you are sure that he will grant. You say thanks in advance for the attention and reaction. This is the way you are allowed to make all your requests known to God. You do this, of course not because He does not know it. You do this, because it relieves you, and you, free from all your worries, can continue to go your way rejoicing. What a God you have!

Do you always receive what you ask for? No? Thank God also for that. Do you really mean that you always ask only for useful things? It is as in a family. Normally a child dares to ask his father everything but the father does not give whatever the child asks. He gives only what is good and useful. The Father will give you only the good things. That is not the same as pleasant things, things that will make life a bit easier. He gives things that build up your character as a child of God, things that make your life on the earth as a Christian more and more conformed to the Lord Jesus. That is what you want, right?

Phil 4:7. If He does not give you what you ask for, then it has to do with the purpose He has for your life. Therefore He gives something else. He gives you His own peace that will guard your heart and mind. Guard means watch over, hold captive which implies safety and security. Again this is something really very big. That is much better than when He gives what we asked for, after we have whined for a long time. Then you get what you wanted and possess what you desired. But it will not go well with your soul. You learn that from the history of Israel (Psa 106:15).

If we put our trust in Him we receive His peace. That is why Peter could sleep quietly in prison while he knew that he would be killed (Acts 12:6). The assurance, that all the power on earth could not do any harm to him unless God allowed it, gave him peace. That also applies to you. It does not state that our hearts will keep His peace. That is something we cannot do. It is the other way around, it is something that He does. “The peace of God” is as a shield for our hearts and minds so that they are preserved.

All kinds of thoughts that make you worried and anxious can come into your heart and mind. When you have said everything to God you receive His peace and your heart and mind are preserved, that is “in Christ Jesus” indeed. Christ is presented here as a fortress where you are safe and secure. It is a great grace that even our anxieties are used to fill us with this wonderful peace!

The ‘peace of God’ by the way is something different from the ‘peace with God’. The peace with God is something which is the result of faith in the Lord Jesus as the One Who solved the problem of sin by which a sinner is reconciled to God (Rom 5:1). The peace of God is the peace that God has as the One Who is above all circumstances. It is the peace of the Lord Jesus amid the circumstances which He calls “My peace” (Jn 14:27; Col 3:15).

Phil 4:8. If your heart is thus free from worries and the peace of God dwells in it then you can turn toward positive things. Paul puts it as a task. He assigns you to dwell or meditate on things that activate your intellectual capacity and engage yourself consciously with the things he lists here. You should meditate on these things while you are doing your daily work. That means that your thoughts are filled with these things, if you are in school and the teacher or a classmate is being bullied; or if in the workplace someone cracks a dirty joke or some obscene photos are hanging there; or if you are at home and have to clear out your dear children’s junk repeatedly.

Meditation on the things listed here cannot happen automatically. Your capacity to meditate on these things in your daily activities depends on what you read, hear and see in your free time. Your thought pattern is formed here. Therefore engage yourself with good things. Paul does not say what things you must not engage yourself with. He does not present this as a kind of law but in a way that builds up. He also does not suggest the power of positive thinking.

Whether or not you are listening to his exhortation will be shown up in your conversation and in your behavior. What you have inside of yourself will shine through. Although there can be difficulties in your life, when mishaps occur, it is still important that you engage yourself with what is good and lovely. Look especially at the Lord Jesus in Whom all these virtues are fully present.

1. If you dwell on “whatever is true”, lie has no chance.

2. “Whatever is honorable” speaks of dignity that befits what we are: kings and priests.

3. If you dwell on “whatever is right”, you will handle according to the rules of what is right, in everything honest.

4. Dwell also on “whatever is pure”. God had told Israel what animals they should eat (Lev 11:2-3 ; 9 ; 21-22). Those were clean animals with certain characteristics. What you eat spiritually forms your character. We take up the character of the food that we eat. Let the Lord Jesus be your food (Jn 6:50-56).

5. “Whatever is lovely” means what is worthy to be loved. How do you think of your brothers and sisters? Do you see only the bad things or do you think also of the good things they have, which are worthy to be loved? With the Lord Jesus everything is graceful and worthy to be loved.

6. “Whatever is of good repute are things which should be passed on as it is good to hear. There is no room for ill repute or gossip, or slander.

7. To dwell on “any excellence” is that you have an eye for spiritual courage to fight the good fight of faith. This is applicable both to yourself and to others. You can pull yourself down by holding the view that it is nothing at all and it is all meaningless. Then you become dejected. Remember everything that is done out of love for the Lord Jesus certainly makes sense.

8. The last is “if there is anything worthy of praise”. It is important to have a spirit of praise, to consider that for which we can praise God. Despite much struggle, all weakness and failure, you have much to thank God for.

Phil 4:9. After dwelling on how to guide our thinking, there are also things to do, the application in the practical Christian life. For that the life of Paul is a practical example. With him there were no contradictions in his way of thinking, speaking and living. He gave not only doctrinal teachings but was involved with his whole being. He does not speak from on high, but from experience. If they would follow his example they would have the “God of peace” Himself as their Companion. The peace of God and the God of peace, what would you like to possess more?

Now read Philippians 4:6-9 again.

Reflection: Mention the blessings and exhortations found in these verses.