Notice the words 'in everything' here? This verse never says 'in some things', or even 'in many things', but it says 'in everything'! And notice the words 'to God' here? To put it simply, the apostle Paul (writer of the book of Philippians) actually meant, 'Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything, turn to God in prayer, in supplication, and with thanksgiving!'
Have you had a health scare recently? Or you are
worried about a certain health condition in your body that the doctor had
recently diagnosed. For some others, you are worried if your boss or superior
will still favor you, or if your key client will still want to do business with
you. Or you may be anxiously waiting for a breakthrough that seems like it
takes eternity to happen - a job interview's outcome, your next career
move, or even an important exams results!
Whatever it may be, Philippians 4:6 says in
everything, turn to Him in prayer, in supplication,
and with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to
Him (instead of to man). This in turn
leads to Philippians 4:7 that says 'and the peace of
God, which surpasses all (human) understanding will guard (protect) your heart
and mind through Christ Jesus' - the peace that no man can
give, because this peace comes directly from heaven.
Notice there are 3 parts here
in Philippians 4:6 that leads to peace which surpasses all
understanding:
1. ‘Prayer’, or ‘proseuche’
(pronounced 'pros-yoo-khay') in Greek, from the word ‘proseuchomai’
which means 'to worship (in total surrender), or to pray earnestly (not
light-heartedly)'. ‘To pray earnestly’ in this context means 'to
pray from the heart', 'to pray with the heart' or 'to pray in the
spirit'. The Bible says 'praying in the spirit' is praying in the perfect will of God (see
Romans 8:26-27). This in turn leads to 'all things working together for good'
(see Romans 8:28). So, at times when you do not know what to pray or how
to pray (or if you suddenly sense 'unpeace'), worship and pray
in the spirit until you sense His peace infilling you, surrounding
you, and overruling your situation.
2. ‘Supplication’,
or ‘deesis’ (pronounced 'deh-ay-sis') in Greek, from the word
‘deomai’ which means 'to petition, to make request (in the language you
know)'. This is where you pray in words or in language that you know; and ‘whatever
things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, you will
have them’ (see Mark 11:23-24).
3. ‘Thanksgiving’, which means ‘giving
thanks in advance’ as you pray. That was exactly what happened when
Jesus took the seven loaves of bread and gave thanks before
breaking them and giving them to His
disciples in order to set them before the multitudes. On that
day, those who had eaten were about four thousand (see Mark 8:1-9).
Recently, the Lord spoke these words
during a time of worship and prayer:
“This is not the time to give up! This
is not the time to give up believing! The enemy may try to make a comeback in
your life, but because you have honored Me, I will also honor you. Keep looking
to Me. Keep following Me closely. Keep fixing your eyes on Me, and everything’s
going to be alright. I will never allow you to end up in a dead-end, but I will
open a way out for you. As I have done for Moses at the Red Sea, so will I do for
you.”
When Moses had seemingly reached a
‘dead-end’ at the Red Sea, and as Pharaoh was trying to make a ‘comeback’ (to bring God's people back into 'bondage' again),
Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation (‘Yeshuwah’)
of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you
see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight
for you, and you shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:13-14)
The Lord later said to Moses, “… Lift up your rod and
stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel
shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.” (Exodus 14:16) ‘Rod’ here speaks of ‘authority’, and the Lord said ‘to use it’ (by lifting
up his rod and stretching out his hand).
Just like Moses, know that the Lord has also already given
you the authority over every problem you may
be facing right now. In Luke 10:19, Jesus says, “Behold, I
give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions,
and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” The
word ‘authority’ here is ‘exousia’ (pronounced ‘ex-oo-see-ah’) in Greek,
which means ‘delegated power, delegated influence, right, privilege,
jurisdiction’.
In Mark 11:23, He says, “For assuredly,
I say to you, whoever says to this mountain ‘Be
removed, and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart,
but believes that those things he says will be done, he will
have whatever he says.” ‘Mountain’ here speaks of your ‘problem’.
And notice the word ‘says’ here? Therefore,
start using your authority by saying (speaking) to your
‘mountain’ right now:
“In the name of Jesus, I say to you the
‘mountain’ of …………………………………………......, be removed, and be cast into the
sea!”
Let’s go back to Exodus chapter 14 now
and watch how the ‘mountain’ (that's Pharaoh’s army!) being ‘cast into the
sea’: ‘Now it came to pass in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down
upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He
troubled the army of the Egyptians. And He took off their chariot wheels, so
that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let
us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against
the Egyptians.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the
sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and
on their horsemen.” And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when
the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the
Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the
midst of the sea. Then the waters returned and covered the chariots,
the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea
after them. Not so much as one of them remained’ (Exodus 14:24-28).
