1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church, and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 2: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. 5 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 2: Hope it gives your perspective to see God is moving 6 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 2: in your life. 7 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:20,599 Speaker 1: Enjoy the message. So honored to be here today. 8 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,440 Speaker 3: I want to just first of all, pause and just 9 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 3: say what's up to everybody at every locations, to the 10 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 3: people on a location in Mars, the people on the 11 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 3: location in Jupiter. But if you are just blessed by 12 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 3: and grateful for all that God's doing in your church, 13 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 3: come on, thank God for that. And certainly we just 14 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 3: recognize and just express public appreciation to one of by 15 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 3: far the greatest leaders and greatest teachers of scripture in 16 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 3: the universe, my friend and my brother, Pastor Steven Ferdieckt. 17 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: Come on, let's thank God for him. 18 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 3: Everybody man, so honored to be here. If it's okay, 19 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 3: I want to get right into our lesson and our 20 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 3: time together on today, and I want to share something 21 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 3: with you that really got starred in my heart. Late summer, 22 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,839 Speaker 3: I was attending an event. It's a father son dinner 23 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:26,119 Speaker 3: that my son's school has every year that. 24 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: The football coach hosts just for dads. 25 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 3: And while we were there and my son's last year, 26 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 3: he's this son's a high school senior and it was 27 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 3: a last one, and so. 28 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: Shout out. He's committed to play football next year. 29 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 3: Syracuse. They got a big win last night. Shout out 30 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 3: to Syracuse. But there's a point in the dinner where 31 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 3: the coach acts the son to leave, and it talks 32 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 3: to the dads, and it talks to us about trends 33 00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 3: he's seeing in our well in our and people who 34 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 3: are on the team, to give us some insight on 35 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 3: areas we might need to lean into as parents. 36 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: And one of the things that he said. 37 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 3: To me stuck out, it leaped in my heart, if 38 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 3: you will, And he said, he is seeing this trend 39 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 3: of anxiousness. He said, they're saying it so much in 40 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 3: schools that the head of the school made. 41 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 1: A specific book required reading. 42 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 3: It was called the Anxiest Generation or something like that, 43 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:37,680 Speaker 3: made it require reading for every faculty member of the school. 44 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 3: And I sat back and I just didn't hear it. Parentally, 45 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 3: I heard it pastorally. I said, that's not happening in 46 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 3: the schoolhouse, that's happening in our houses. And how many 47 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 3: know God's Word has an answer to address any and 48 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 3: every issue we may find ourselves face. And so I 49 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 3: went on this journey to search the scriptures to see 50 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 3: what God's Word had to say about this issue, and 51 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 3: have just finished walking our church through a journey found 52 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 3: right in this one passage I'm going to be sharing 53 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 3: with you today. It is a brief portion of the 54 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 3: Apostle Paul's letter to believers in Philippi the Book of Philippians, 55 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:24,959 Speaker 3: chapter four, and here's what he says. In beginning at 56 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:28,519 Speaker 3: verse four, he says, rejoice in the Lord always. 57 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: I will say it. 58 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 3: Again, Rejoice, Let your gentleness be evident to all. The 59 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 3: Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything. I'm 60 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 3: gonna read that one more time. I thought I was 61 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 3: at elevation. Do not be anxious about anything, but in 62 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 3: every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your 63 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 3: recques us to God. Here's the promise attached to that principle, 64 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 3: and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding. 65 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 1: What will it do? 66 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 3: It will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 67 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:21,679 Speaker 3: Now after you've done that, he says, finally, brothers and sisters, 68 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:28,480 Speaker 3: whatever's true, whatever's noble, whatever's right, whatever's pure, whatever's lovely, 69 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 3: whatever's admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about 70 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 3: such things. I want to stop the reading of Scripture there, 71 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 3: and I want to talk from this subject in our 72 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 3: time together. Very simply, I want to talk from the 73 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 3: subject arresting anxiousness. Arresting anxiousness, family. I want to start 74 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 3: this teaching with a question. It's a simple question for 75 00:04:55,920 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 3: your reflection, and the question is simply this. If you 76 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 3: were to barricade yourself in a room with the Bible 77 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 3: and explore and examine all the instructions that God offers 78 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 3: from Genesis to Revelation, what would you see that God 79 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 3: says more more than anything else in Scripture? In other words, 80 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 3: what is the most common command given to humans from 81 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 3: God all throughout the pages of Holy Scripture. The answer 82 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 3: to this question is revealed in two simple, yet significant words. 83 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 3: The thing that God says more than anything else in 84 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 3: Scripture is two words fear not. Some iteration or some 85 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:02,839 Speaker 3: variation of this command is found over three hundred times 86 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 3: in Scripture over three hundred times. In some way, in 87 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:15,559 Speaker 3: some iteration, God says, fear not, don't be afraid, calm down, 88 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 3: chill out, breathe, drink some water, drink some coffee, take 89 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 3: a walk. Over three hundred times, God in some way 90 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 3: communicates to his people to fear not. And the frequency 91 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 3: of this instruction is an indication and a revelation of something. 92 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 3: If God says something a lot, it's not because he 93 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,039 Speaker 3: needs to say it a lot. It's because we need 94 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 3: to hear it a lot. And so the fact that 95 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:54,599 Speaker 3: this command is communicated so frequently isn't necessarily saying something 96 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 3: about God. It is saying something about us. It is 97 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 3: an indication and a revelation of the human orientation toward anxiousness. 98 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 3: Anxiousness a feeling of inner unrest and worried that is 99 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 3: fueled by the fear of outcomes we may never experience. 100 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 3: It is an emotional thief that robs us of today's 101 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 3: peace in anticipation of tomorrow's problems. Can I read that 102 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 3: one more time? Anxiousness? It is a feeling of inner 103 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 3: unrest and worry that is fueled by the fear of 104 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 3: outcomes we may never experience. 105 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: It is an emotional. 106 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 3: Thief that robs us of today's peace in anticipation of 107 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 3: tomorrow's problems. Let me reframe this. Not just rephrase this, 108 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 3: Let me reframe this. 109 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 1: It is an. 110 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 3: Emotional thief that is significant to some of us because 111 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 3: you're familiar with the state that Jesus made in John 112 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 3: ten ten when he talks about the part of his 113 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 3: mission when he says, the thief comes to steal, kill, 114 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 3: and destroy, But I've come that you may. 115 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:13,239 Speaker 1: Have life and have it to the full. 116 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 3: The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. 117 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 1: The thief comes only to steal. 118 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 3: And so the thief has instruments that he uses to 119 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 3: steal and to. 120 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: Rob believers of that which. 121 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 3: God wants them to possess. And what is one spiritual 122 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 3: asset and emotional asset that God wants every believer to possess. 123 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 3: It is the asset of peace. And whatever God gives, 124 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 3: the enemy wants to steal. And one of the ways 125 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 3: he steals this emotional and spiritual. 126 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: Asset of peace is by using a weapon called anxiousness. 127 00:08:55,800 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 3: It is a feeling of inner unrest and worry that 128 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 3: is fueled by the fear of outcomes. We may never experience. 129 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 3: It's wasted worry. It's losing sleep over something that might happen. 130 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 3: It's losing joy over something that might happen, and more 131 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 3: often than not, doesn't even happen. A feeling of inner 132 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 3: unrest and worry that's fueled by the fear of outcomes 133 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 3: we may never experience. It's an emotional thief that robs 134 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 3: us of today's peace and anticipation of tomorrow's problems. And 135 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 3: this family, if we're understand objective, is an emotional epidemic 136 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 3: that has become a social norm. 137 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:45,719 Speaker 1: And although it is normal for. 138 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 3: Those in culture, it does not have to be normal 139 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 3: for those of us in the Kingdom. I'm not saying 140 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 3: those of us in the Kingdom won't have anxiousness. I'm 141 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 3: saying those of us in the Kingdom can live in 142 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:03,680 Speaker 3: a way where anxiousness doesn't have us pastor how can 143 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,439 Speaker 3: you say this? I can say this with confidence because 144 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:10,320 Speaker 3: I eavedrop on a conversation. Eavedropped on a conversation that 145 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 3: the apostle Paul was having with a group of believers 146 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 3: in northern Greece in a place called Philippi. And as 147 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 3: I was eavesdropping on this conversation. I read something Paul 148 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 3: said in verse six. He tells believers be anxious for nothing. 149 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 3: In other words, don't be anxious about anything. Watch what 150 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:34,079 Speaker 3: he's saying here, because remember, he's writing two believers. Now, 151 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:38,719 Speaker 3: he's writing two believers. Now, he's writing two believers. 152 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: Now. 153 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 3: He loves everybody, but he's writing this to believers. This 154 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 3: is a letter that was circulated among believers. This is 155 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 3: a promise he's making to believers. Watch what he says 156 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 3: to them. He says, don't be anxious about anything. He's 157 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 3: not saying that there is nothing to fear. He's saying 158 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 3: that you don't have to be afraid. Did you hear 159 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 3: what I just said. Okay, he's not saying that there's 160 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 3: nothing to be anxious about, but he's saying you, as 161 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 3: a believer, don't have to be anxious. 162 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 1: Yes. 163 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:18,239 Speaker 3: This is an indication of the principle of exceptions. 164 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:20,959 Speaker 1: And the principle of exception simply. 165 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 3: Suggests that what happens with them does not dictate and 166 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 3: determine what happens with me. I'm gonna say that one 167 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 3: more time. What happens with them does not dictate and 168 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 3: determine what happens with me. This is not exceptionalism. He's 169 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 3: not saying you're better than This is exceptionism. He's saying 170 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 3: you're different from. So in other words, don't look at 171 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 3: what has happened with others and come to a conclusion 172 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 3: of what can happen with you, because what happened with 173 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 3: them does not dictate and determine what happens with me. 174 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 3: Because all throughout Scripture we see examples of God making 175 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 3: his people exceptions. People do not go in a fiery 176 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 3: furnace and come out of it and not smell like smoke. 177 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 1: But with the Hebrew boys, God made an exception. 178 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 3: People don't go in a lions then with hungry lions 179 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 3: and come out not chewed up and consume. But with 180 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 3: Daniel God made an exception. People do not walk around 181 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:31,680 Speaker 3: a wall once a day for seven days and then 182 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 3: seven times on the seventh day. 183 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:36,679 Speaker 1: Scream at a wall and a wall fall. 184 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 3: But with Joshua and the walls of Jericho, God made 185 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 3: an exception. A shepherd boy who writes poems does not 186 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 3: take a slingshot with a rock and defeat a nine 187 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 3: foot tall Philistine giant named Goliath, But with David, God 188 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 3: made an exception, and dead men don't go in a grave, 189 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 3: stay there three days and early Sunday morning, get up 190 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 3: out of the grave. But with Jesus, God made an exception. 191 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 3: And if he can do it for Daniel, if he 192 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 3: can do it for the Hebrew boys, if he can 193 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 3: do it for David, if he can do it for Jesus, 194 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 3: he can do it for you. Do I have any 195 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 3: exceptions in the house today? 196 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 1: It's the principle of exception. 197 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 3: He's saying, what happens with others doesn't have to dictate 198 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:43,199 Speaker 3: and determine what happens for you. He's not telling them 199 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 3: to deny their circumstances, but he is saying, as a believer, 200 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 3: you can deny its influence because anxiousness isn't just a 201 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 3: result of what you're in. Anxiousness is a result of 202 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 3: how we allow what we're in to influence us. And 203 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 3: so Paul I love this because Paul is practical. 204 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:08,200 Speaker 1: He's a practitioner. He teach. He teaches in a way 205 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:09,839 Speaker 1: that you're familiar. 206 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 3: With at a church like this, where you have a 207 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 3: pastor who teaches biblical truth but then builds a bridge 208 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 3: from biblical truth to everyday life. 209 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, you used to this. 210 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 3: You don't just get Sunday messages here, you get Monday 211 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 3: messages here, pastor what's a Monday message? It's a message 212 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 3: out here on Sunday that I can use on Monday. 213 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. This is the kind of practitioner Paul was. 214 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 3: So he doesn't just tell them they don't have to 215 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 3: be arrested by anxiousness. He tells them how to actually 216 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 3: put anxiousness under arrest. It's one thing to hear that 217 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 3: it's possible to arrest anxiousness. It's another thing to be 218 00:14:55,880 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 3: taught on how to arrest anxiousness. And in this letter, 219 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 3: Paul doesn't just tell them what's possible. Paul offers them 220 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 3: a pathway. And I just want to know, is it 221 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 3: okay if I share with you what Paul shared with them, 222 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 3: so that we too can have a pathway to arrest anxiousness. 223 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna say that. 224 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 3: Do you want me to share with you what Paul 225 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 3: shared with them on. 226 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: How to arrest? 227 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 3: Do you want me to share with you now what 228 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 3: Paul shared with Okay? It's it's interesting here because when 229 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 3: you read the letter, there seems to be four areas 230 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 3: in the text where Paul shows them where they have 231 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 3: to make adjustments if they want to put anxiousness under arrest. 232 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 3: That arresting anxiousness requires making adjustments. And I see four 233 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 3: areas here that Paul gives them instruction in that if 234 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 3: we lean into that can aid and assist us in 235 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 3: this as well. 236 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: Here's number one. 237 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:13,960 Speaker 3: If they're going to arrest their anxiousness, they have to 238 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:16,200 Speaker 3: adjust their perception. 239 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: What do I mean by that? 240 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 3: Anxiousness doesn't come from what we see, but anxiousness comes 241 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 3: from how we see Here? Did you hear what I 242 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 3: just said? It's not what we see, it's how we 243 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 3: see it. Anxiousness isn't necessarily tied. 244 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: To an event or an experience. 245 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 3: Anxiousness is tied to our interpretation of what it means. 246 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 3: And I see the importance of this not just in 247 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 3: what Paul says, but where Paul was when he said it. 248 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 3: I told you who he wrote this letter to, did 249 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 3: or not? He wrote this letter to a group of 250 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 3: believers in northern Greece in a place called Philippi, But 251 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 3: I didn't tell you where he was when he wrote it. 252 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 3: He was actually in prison in Rome. This is a 253 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 3: prison epistle. 254 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,640 Speaker 1: So here is here we have a man who. 255 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:38,479 Speaker 3: Is locked up practically, who's writing to other people helping 256 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 3: them get free. Emotionally, he is in prison. His future 257 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 3: is unclear. He is unsure yet at the same time 258 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 3: he's experiencing this event of imprisonment. But the fact that 259 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 3: he's writing this letter lets us know he's not interpreting 260 00:17:58,000 --> 00:17:59,720 Speaker 3: this event the way. 261 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:00,720 Speaker 1: Others would interpret it. 262 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 3: Because if anxiousness had him, he would only be able 263 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:07,119 Speaker 3: to think about him. 264 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:09,919 Speaker 1: He wouldn't be able to think about others. 265 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:14,200 Speaker 3: So even if he had some anxiousness, the anxiousness didn't 266 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:14,920 Speaker 3: have him. 267 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: It didn't arrest him. He arrested it. 268 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,679 Speaker 3: And we know that because he's able to think about 269 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 3: setting other people free when he himself was in this 270 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:30,479 Speaker 3: prison predicament why he's not unaccustomed to being in prison, 271 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 3: which means he has enough experience to say, I'm in 272 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 3: what I'm in, but it doesn't mean what other people 273 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 3: think it means. I'm gonna say that one more time. 274 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 3: I'm in what I'm in, but it doesn't mean what 275 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:51,359 Speaker 3: other people think it means. See, sometimes an anxiousness doesn't 276 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:52,400 Speaker 3: come from what we're in. 277 00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:54,919 Speaker 1: It comes from what we think it means. 278 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 3: But I want to tell you, no matter what you're in, 279 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 3: it may not mean what you think it means. You 280 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 3: may be facing a red sea and you may think 281 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 3: it means it's the end. But what looks like a 282 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 3: breakdown is getting ready to become a breakthrough. Just because 283 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 3: you're in what you're in doesn't mean it means what 284 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:20,840 Speaker 3: you think it means. Get In was facing an army 285 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:24,360 Speaker 3: of thousands, and he only had an army of three hundred, 286 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 3: but it didn't mean what other people thought it would mean. 287 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,400 Speaker 3: And I want to tell you that sometimes anxiousness isn't 288 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 3: the event. Anxiousness comes as a result of our interpretation 289 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 3: of what we think it means. So if I want 290 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:49,159 Speaker 3: to arrest anxiousness, I gotta adjust my perception because it's 291 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:53,120 Speaker 3: not just what I see, it's how I see it. 292 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:58,119 Speaker 3: Did you hear what I just said? It's not just 293 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 3: what I see, it's how I see. And sometimes we're 294 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:06,720 Speaker 3: coming to conclusions about what we think a crisis means. 295 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: When God is a god that redeems the meaning. 296 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,880 Speaker 3: Have you ever been in a season in the present 297 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 3: where you were crying tears of pain and then you 298 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:22,400 Speaker 3: live and you move into the future, and you look 299 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 3: back on that thing, and the thing that you were 300 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:30,400 Speaker 3: crying tears of pain about are now things you are 301 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 3: crying tears of joy about. Because cure car God says 302 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 3: life is lived forward, but understood backwards, because. 303 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 1: God can change the meaning. 304 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:44,160 Speaker 3: Is this not possibly what Paul meant when he wrote 305 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,840 Speaker 3: in Romans eighth, chapter number twenty eight, and God will 306 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 3: work all things together for our good. 307 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:58,920 Speaker 1: It's not just what you see, it's how you see it. 308 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 3: And Charles Spurgeon says, every physical miracle can be seen 309 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 3: as a metaphor for a spiritual miracle. And maybe the 310 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 3: miracle we need spiritually to address our anxiousness is for 311 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:29,199 Speaker 3: God to heal our blind eyes. Maybe the issue is 312 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:35,400 Speaker 3: not what I'm seeing, but how I see. But that's 313 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 3: not the only thing I see. In the text, Paul 314 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:42,359 Speaker 3: doesn't just share with them that if they want to 315 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 3: arrest their anxiousness, they need to adjust their perception. 316 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:49,000 Speaker 1: Paul also shares. 317 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 3: If they want to arrest their anxiousness, they need to 318 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:56,680 Speaker 3: adjust their praise. 319 00:21:58,240 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 1: Pastor way you see. 320 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:04,880 Speaker 3: It's in the text, he says in verse seven, Here 321 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 3: watch what he excuse me, he says in verse four, 322 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:15,640 Speaker 3: he says, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, 323 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 3: or say it again, rejoice. Paul is encouraging them. Watch this, 324 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:23,560 Speaker 3: rejoicing the Lord always and again I say rejoice. He 325 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:29,239 Speaker 3: is encouraging them to engage in a spiritual discipline, the 326 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:35,959 Speaker 3: practice of gratitude. Did you hear what I just said? There, 327 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 3: rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice. And 328 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,400 Speaker 3: he didn't just say rejoice periodically. He didn't just say 329 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 3: rejoice sometimes. He didn't just say rejoice on Thanksgiving. He says, 330 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 3: rejoice in the Lord always. 331 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:49,159 Speaker 1: Rejoice. 332 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 3: He didn't say rejoice when God gives you what you are. 333 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 3: He didn't say rejoice when God comes through at the 334 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:56,480 Speaker 3: timeline that you've set for God to come through. But 335 00:22:56,560 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 3: he says, rejoice in the Lord always. He's encouraging them 336 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 3: to make this a practice, a spiritual discipline, and spiritual 337 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 3: disciplines of what we call means of grace. 338 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: What does that Passadarius? 339 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:16,639 Speaker 3: God chooses what God uses to give us what we 340 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:17,400 Speaker 3: don't deserve. 341 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: That's a means of grace. 342 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 3: Grace is unearned, unmerited right, undeserved. Favor is when God 343 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 3: gives us what we don't deserve. Does that make sense? 344 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:33,439 Speaker 3: I say, does that make sense, okay. So a means 345 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:37,199 Speaker 3: of grace is something that God chooses to use to 346 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:42,439 Speaker 3: give us what we don't deserve, and God chooses what 347 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 3: God uses to give us what we don't deserve. What's 348 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:53,440 Speaker 3: an example of a spiritual discipline. It means of grace, prayer. 349 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 3: God says, there's some things I won't do if you 350 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:04,639 Speaker 3: don't ask. Now, whatever I do for you, it's grace. 351 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 3: You don't deserve it, but I choose what I use 352 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 3: to give you what you don't deserve. And some people 353 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:22,640 Speaker 3: miss grace because they won't follow the means. And gratitude 354 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 3: or what the Bible calls praise is a means of grace. 355 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:36,360 Speaker 3: I'm gonna say that one more time. Gratitude or what 356 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 3: the Bible calls praise is a means of grace. 357 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:44,400 Speaker 1: So when we see books of the Bible, like. 358 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:49,960 Speaker 3: Songs dedicated to saying praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, 359 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:53,440 Speaker 3: and then we see contained in the book we see 360 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 3: instruction that addresses internal objections. What's an internal objection? It's 361 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 3: an objection you have internally in church that you don't vocalize. 362 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:07,200 Speaker 1: So some people say things like it's not my personality. 363 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:10,399 Speaker 3: So David says, okay, since some people are going to 364 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:12,119 Speaker 3: say it's not my personality, let. 365 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 1: Me give you all these ways to do it. 366 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,359 Speaker 3: Clap your hands, I'm not a clapper. Lift your hands, 367 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 3: I'm not a lifter. Lay prostrate, I'm not a layer. 368 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 3: Praise them in a dance. I'm not a dancer. And 369 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:23,680 Speaker 3: then the bid believer says, the Lord's in this holy tipo, 370 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:26,439 Speaker 3: let all the earth keeps silent before him. Everybody's not 371 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 3: gonna do the same thing, but everybody should do something, 372 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:33,280 Speaker 3: because there's something for everybody to do in the scriptures. 373 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 3: So this is not it is not like a warm 374 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 3: up in church for the sermon. 375 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: Is It is not some some this. 376 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:48,120 Speaker 3: Spiritual discipline reserve for a specific stream of Christianity. 377 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:51,400 Speaker 1: It is something that God has mandated. 378 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 3: It is actually the only spiritual discipline that will exist 379 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:59,400 Speaker 3: in eternity, the only oh mynd that you won't need 380 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:01,960 Speaker 3: to pray in heaven. Come on, you don't need to 381 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 3: study the scripture in heaven, but there will be worshiped 382 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:12,400 Speaker 3: in heaven. There will be praise in heaven. So it's 383 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 3: not some emotional exercise. It's not some anti intellectual exercise. 384 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 3: It's a means of grace. God says, this is something 385 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 3: I choose to use to give you what you don't deserve. 386 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 3: What does praise give me? Praise doesn't get me things 387 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:40,720 Speaker 3: from him. Praise gets me him. Praise doesn't just get 388 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:46,359 Speaker 3: me gifts from God. Praise gets me God the gift. 389 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,000 Speaker 3: It gets me him. I said, it gets me him. 390 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 3: David says he dwells some twenty two three, he dwells, 391 00:26:57,040 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 3: or he tabernacles in the midst of my prayer. 392 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 1: What is he saying here? 393 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 3: He's not coming against or he's not contradicting this idea 394 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,159 Speaker 3: of God being everywhere. 395 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 1: At the same time. 396 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:11,640 Speaker 3: Yes, God is omnipresent, He's everywhere at the same time. 397 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:17,200 Speaker 3: But praise takes God from omnipresent to manifest presence. Okay, 398 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:22,359 Speaker 3: what does that mean you? We just had Thanksgiving, right, 399 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:27,679 Speaker 3: and it was great for all of y'all extroverts, but 400 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 3: for some of us ambi averts and introverts. After a 401 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:34,400 Speaker 3: while it got a lot, so we had to duck 402 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:38,440 Speaker 3: off for a minute. Right, We had to go upstairs 403 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:41,760 Speaker 3: for a minute, get some a long time to recharge 404 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:47,360 Speaker 3: so we could go back out and engage. Come on, now, if. 405 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 1: I did that. I didn't. Yeah, I did. But I 406 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:53,359 Speaker 1: was in my house the whole time. 407 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 3: So if everybody was in the living and I was 408 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 3: in the living room, right and then I leave and 409 00:28:03,119 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 3: I go to my bedroom, I'm still in the house. 410 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:11,800 Speaker 3: I'm just not manifest. And there are certain things you 411 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 3: don't get unless I'm manifest. If you want to know 412 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:18,720 Speaker 3: where something in the house is, and I'm the only 413 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 3: one that has the answer, you don't get that answer 414 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 3: just by me being in the house. You only get 415 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 3: that answer when I'm manifest, when I show up, when 416 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 3: I come in the room. And what praise does is 417 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:37,600 Speaker 3: praise He causes God. It's an invitation for God to 418 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 3: show up, to come in the room to manifest. And 419 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 3: I want to know, am I talking to anybody that 420 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 3: needs God to show up to come in the room 421 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:59,959 Speaker 3: to manifest. Praise praise is an invitation for the manifest. 422 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 1: Presence of God. What does this have to do with anxiousness? 423 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: A lot? 424 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:11,680 Speaker 3: Because God's presence is an automatic eviction of anything that's 425 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 3: not like him. 426 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:17,240 Speaker 1: When he come in. 427 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 3: The room, whatever is not like him has to automatically 428 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:22,320 Speaker 3: go out. 429 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 1: The presence pushes it out. I said, the presence pushes 430 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:30,200 Speaker 1: it out. I said, the. 431 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:34,960 Speaker 3: Presence will push anxiousness out, the presence will push fear out, 432 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 3: the presence will push despair out. The presence of God 433 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:42,560 Speaker 3: is an automatic eviction of anything that's not like him. 434 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 3: David put it this way. David said in Psalms sixteen eleven, 435 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:48,480 Speaker 3: you make known to me the path of life, you 436 00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 3: will fill me with joy. Where in your presence it 437 00:29:55,560 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 3: is a temporary eviction of whatever it is not liking. 438 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 3: Have you noticed, when you're in the presence, you're not 439 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 3: in worry. Have you noticed when you're in the presence, 440 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:14,520 Speaker 3: you're not in anxiousness? 441 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 1: So now it makes sense. 442 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:20,400 Speaker 3: While Paul told believers in PHILIPPI, don't just do this 443 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:24,640 Speaker 3: on Sunday, because if you only do this on Sunday, 444 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 3: the only relief you'll have is Sunday. 445 00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:32,160 Speaker 1: And God won't just show up. Watch this. 446 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 3: God shows up not to spaces. He shows up in 447 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:39,960 Speaker 3: response to sounds. So wherever you release the sound, he'll 448 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:43,720 Speaker 3: show up. If you release it in the kitchen, he'll 449 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:47,480 Speaker 3: come in there. If you release it in your car, 450 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:50,360 Speaker 3: he'll come in there. If you release it in the closet, 451 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 3: he'll come in there. If you release it in the bedroom, 452 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 3: he'll come in there. If you walk in the breakroom 453 00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:57,120 Speaker 3: at the office, he'll come in there. 454 00:30:57,400 --> 00:30:59,480 Speaker 1: If you go to the restroom, he'll come in there, 455 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 1: he'll show up. 456 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:04,160 Speaker 3: Whatever the sound of praise is released. 457 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:11,600 Speaker 1: It's a spiritual discipline. Am I making sense? 458 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 3: See people who are wired like me, who are not 459 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 3: necessarily expressive or emotive. 460 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:19,760 Speaker 1: I had to see this this. 461 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:24,080 Speaker 3: Way because if not, it just felt like people who 462 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 3: had certain personalities, where people who practice the spiritual discipline. 463 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:30,920 Speaker 3: When everybody's supposed to practice this spiritual discipline, regardless of 464 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:34,680 Speaker 3: your personality, and there are ways in scripture that give 465 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 3: everybody a way to practice this, everybody won't do it 466 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:40,400 Speaker 3: the same way. So all of those ways in scripture 467 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 3: that cause spiritual temperaments, all of these ways to worship 468 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:46,200 Speaker 3: in scripture are not because everybody's supposed to do everything 469 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:50,560 Speaker 3: is because there's something for everybody. 470 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:54,120 Speaker 1: Because what I need is the presence. 471 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:03,160 Speaker 3: And Paul's just saying this like conceptually, he's saying this 472 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:07,920 Speaker 3: experientially because in the Book of Acts he's on a 473 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 3: missionary journey and one of the places he ends up 474 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:13,000 Speaker 3: is in Philippi. He takes a partner in ministry with 475 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:16,480 Speaker 3: him named Silas, and they began to engage in ministry, 476 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 3: and as a result of engaging in ministry, they free 477 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:23,160 Speaker 3: They performed this exercise of spiritual liberation, and they free 478 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:26,520 Speaker 3: this young lady from this evil spirit. And as a 479 00:32:26,520 --> 00:32:30,640 Speaker 3: result of that, him and Silas end up in prison. Now, 480 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:35,000 Speaker 3: I grew up in Kill Michael, Mississippi, the Mount Alive 481 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:39,920 Speaker 3: Missionary Baptist Church. We had Sunday school vacation. Some of 482 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:43,400 Speaker 3: you're too young for that vacation. Bible school is just 483 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:46,160 Speaker 3: Bible store's Bible Store. And I remember this one because 484 00:32:46,200 --> 00:32:49,800 Speaker 3: the Sunday school teacher would always start with this phrase. 485 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 1: And at midnight, Paul and Silas. 486 00:32:56,600 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 3: Prayed and saying praise this unto God and the Bible says, 487 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:04,520 Speaker 3: And suddenly when they were praising, that was a great 488 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:10,040 Speaker 3: earthquake and the prison doors were opened, and immediately everyone's 489 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:11,040 Speaker 3: bands were loose. 490 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:13,440 Speaker 1: So they got free physically. 491 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:18,600 Speaker 3: But the metaphor applies to us spiritually and emotionally. Just 492 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:21,880 Speaker 3: like their chains fell off because of the presence, there 493 00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 3: are some chains on us that will fall off because 494 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:25,880 Speaker 3: of the presence. 495 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:28,760 Speaker 1: And I want to know, is there anybody in the 496 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:30,360 Speaker 1: room today. 497 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 3: That's got some things you need to fall off. You 498 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:37,840 Speaker 3: need fear to fall off, you need anxiousness to fall off. 499 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:40,200 Speaker 1: Well, let's just take thirteen. 500 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:43,600 Speaker 3: Seconds and in your own way, let's offer up the 501 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:46,880 Speaker 3: spiritual exercise of praise. 502 00:33:56,680 --> 00:34:00,520 Speaker 1: Yes, where the spirit of the Lord is there's. 503 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:07,560 Speaker 3: So it brings his presence, But praise also shifts our perspective. 504 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:12,319 Speaker 3: There's this phrase in songs, what David says, magnify the 505 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:16,920 Speaker 3: Lord with me magnifying something. If you use a magnifying glass, 506 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:20,160 Speaker 3: it doesn't make the thing larger, does it not? In reality, 507 00:34:20,200 --> 00:34:22,600 Speaker 3: it doesn't make it larger. It makes it larger to you, 508 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:29,759 Speaker 3: did you hear what I just said? If you put 509 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:32,200 Speaker 3: an ant under a magnifying glass, the ant is the 510 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:35,279 Speaker 3: ant right, so it doesn't necessarily make it large. 511 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:40,520 Speaker 1: So I can't make God larger. He's already as large 512 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:41,279 Speaker 1: as large can be. 513 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,960 Speaker 3: But when I magnify him, it right sizes God in 514 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:51,400 Speaker 3: my perspective. And sometimes we're struggling with anxiousness, not because 515 00:34:51,560 --> 00:35:01,280 Speaker 3: the problem is too big, your God's too small. Praise 516 00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:07,680 Speaker 3: reminds me of his largeness, of his faithfulness, of his power. 517 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:12,160 Speaker 3: It requires mindfulness, It requires filling. 518 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:15,120 Speaker 1: My mind with the goodness of God. 519 00:35:15,840 --> 00:35:20,399 Speaker 3: It requires me going back into my history and reminding 520 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:26,920 Speaker 3: my soul of his faithfulness. Of how he's never lost 521 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:28,240 Speaker 3: a battle. 522 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:31,000 Speaker 1: I thought y'all would be familiar with that one. 523 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:36,000 Speaker 3: I said, And he's never lost a battle. I want 524 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:39,239 Speaker 3: you to think about every battle you've been in, and 525 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:42,840 Speaker 3: every time your back was against the wall, and every 526 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:46,160 Speaker 3: time you couldn't see your way through and you were 527 00:35:46,239 --> 00:35:48,920 Speaker 3: worried and stressed and anxious. 528 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:51,040 Speaker 1: But somehow, some way. 529 00:35:51,280 --> 00:35:56,120 Speaker 3: Every single time, God came through and he didn't bring. 530 00:35:55,840 --> 00:35:57,920 Speaker 1: You this far to leave you. 531 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:02,320 Speaker 3: Now, he never lost the battle, and he never will. 532 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:05,840 Speaker 1: I said that he never will. 533 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:09,160 Speaker 3: I said, and he never will. 534 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,040 Speaker 1: I got two more points. But I'm done here. They are. 535 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:29,600 Speaker 1: I'm done here. They are adjust my prayers, my perception. 536 00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 3: I'm done, adjust my praise, and then three adjust my prayers. 537 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:40,800 Speaker 1: Where's that at. It's verse six and seven. 538 00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:43,200 Speaker 3: Do not be anxious for anything, but in every situation 539 00:36:43,719 --> 00:36:44,920 Speaker 3: by prayer and petition. 540 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:51,000 Speaker 1: The word prayer here is a word supplication. That's what 541 00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:51,480 Speaker 1: it means. 542 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:54,360 Speaker 3: So different types of prayers, right this, prayers of intercession 543 00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:56,440 Speaker 3: where I'm standing in the gap for someone else, Their 544 00:36:56,440 --> 00:36:59,160 Speaker 3: prayers of thanksgiving, I'm not requesting anything. 545 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:00,800 Speaker 1: I'm just thinking God for what he's done. 546 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:07,279 Speaker 3: Right, then the prayers of supplication while making a specific request. Now, 547 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:12,279 Speaker 3: I want you to hear me. It's so important because 548 00:37:12,320 --> 00:37:16,080 Speaker 3: this is an area where for many of us there's 549 00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:20,359 Speaker 3: an unconscious struggle. It's a struggle and we don't even 550 00:37:20,360 --> 00:37:21,080 Speaker 3: know it's a struggle. 551 00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:22,719 Speaker 1: Listen to me. 552 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 3: The purpose of prayer is not to notify God of 553 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:32,520 Speaker 3: a need. God's not like I didn't know that. Bible 554 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:38,440 Speaker 3: says He knows what we need before we ask. So 555 00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:40,440 Speaker 3: why then does the text tell us to make a 556 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:45,440 Speaker 3: request known to God. The purpose of prayers not to 557 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:48,240 Speaker 3: notif I God of a need. The purpose of prayer 558 00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:53,719 Speaker 3: is to express our dependency and to remind you that 559 00:37:53,800 --> 00:38:05,920 Speaker 3: you don't have control. I'm done every time I pray. 560 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:12,400 Speaker 3: Every time I pray, I'm not reminding God of anything. 561 00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:18,240 Speaker 1: I'm reminding me I'm actually not in control. 562 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:21,759 Speaker 3: And even when I think I'm in control and I 563 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:24,719 Speaker 3: get comfort from being in control, I'm comforted by an 564 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:28,359 Speaker 3: illusion because even when I think I'm in. 565 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:35,320 Speaker 1: Control, I'm not. So prayer frees me from the illusion 566 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:44,800 Speaker 1: that I can control what I can't do. It's God 567 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:46,040 Speaker 1: you're God. 568 00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:51,480 Speaker 3: I'm not, and some of my anxiousness it's because I'm 569 00:38:51,480 --> 00:39:02,480 Speaker 3: trying to play your role. I want to control. I 570 00:39:02,520 --> 00:39:05,720 Speaker 3: want to control my destiny. I want to control my family. 571 00:39:06,560 --> 00:39:09,400 Speaker 3: I want to control my kids. I want to control 572 00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:15,400 Speaker 3: the economy. I want to control business and prayers away. 573 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:15,840 Speaker 1: Of reminding me. 574 00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:23,600 Speaker 3: I have controlled of my actions, but you control outcomes. 575 00:39:30,120 --> 00:39:33,360 Speaker 3: I can till the garden, I can plant the seed, 576 00:39:34,400 --> 00:39:37,719 Speaker 3: but only you can make it ray. 577 00:39:39,200 --> 00:39:43,360 Speaker 1: So why am I anxious about the weather when I 578 00:39:43,400 --> 00:39:44,160 Speaker 1: can't control it. 579 00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:50,279 Speaker 3: Some of the weight we're caring is not weight God 580 00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:56,520 Speaker 3: gave us. It's weight we assumed, and your shoulders aren't 581 00:39:56,520 --> 00:40:07,239 Speaker 3: broad enough to handle God's weight. But the question I 582 00:40:07,320 --> 00:40:13,399 Speaker 3: think the Father wants to ask us today is do 583 00:40:13,520 --> 00:40:23,480 Speaker 3: you and I have any logical reason to believe that 584 00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:33,480 Speaker 3: He will not act in our best interest when you 585 00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:37,319 Speaker 3: really think about it. Well, let me talk about me. 586 00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:41,640 Speaker 3: I've lived long enough not to trust my decision making 587 00:40:41,760 --> 00:40:42,160 Speaker 3: that much. 588 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:46,719 Speaker 1: I'm just being logical, right. 589 00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:49,680 Speaker 3: No, I'm not talking about what people have said about 590 00:40:49,719 --> 00:40:50,480 Speaker 3: some of my decisions. 591 00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:52,160 Speaker 1: I'm talking about what I have said about some of 592 00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:53,520 Speaker 1: my decisions. 593 00:40:53,040 --> 00:40:55,440 Speaker 3: When I have stepped back outside of me looked at 594 00:40:55,480 --> 00:40:58,040 Speaker 3: me and said, Daris, what were you thinking? 595 00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:01,320 Speaker 1: It's one thing when somebody you ask yourself. 596 00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:07,279 Speaker 3: That you know you just what were you thinking? So 597 00:41:07,320 --> 00:41:11,680 Speaker 3: why do I want control? I don't know enough to 598 00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:19,440 Speaker 3: have it. I'm not strong enough to have it. Time 599 00:41:19,640 --> 00:41:28,560 Speaker 3: is not in my hands, it is in his, which 600 00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:30,040 Speaker 3: leads me to my fourth and final point. 601 00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:33,560 Speaker 1: We not only have. 602 00:41:33,560 --> 00:41:40,120 Speaker 3: To adjust our prayer where we are really specific. We're 603 00:41:40,160 --> 00:41:44,400 Speaker 3: offering supplication very specifically, not about anxiousness itself, but the 604 00:41:44,480 --> 00:41:48,600 Speaker 3: things that we're actually anxious about, doing enough digging to say, 605 00:41:48,640 --> 00:41:51,279 Speaker 3: I actually want control, Lord, I need to bring this 606 00:41:51,320 --> 00:41:55,320 Speaker 3: before you. I'm actually trying to control the way I'm perceived. 607 00:41:57,440 --> 00:42:00,000 Speaker 3: I'm anxious about that. Let me bring that before you. 608 00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:04,680 Speaker 3: I'm actually trying to control my children. I don't want 609 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:08,560 Speaker 3: them to make some of the mistakes that I made, 610 00:42:10,960 --> 00:42:17,360 Speaker 3: but you helped me survive mine, and why do I 611 00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:22,960 Speaker 3: not believe that you will help them survive theirs? I 612 00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:27,799 Speaker 3: need to bring this before you. And then finally it's 613 00:42:28,760 --> 00:42:34,920 Speaker 3: for I've got to adjust my practices and Paul like 614 00:42:35,000 --> 00:42:41,160 Speaker 3: he talks to them about their perception that praise their prayer, 615 00:42:41,239 --> 00:42:44,439 Speaker 3: and then in verse eight he says finally like, hey, 616 00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:47,080 Speaker 3: this is the final ingredient in the recipe that you 617 00:42:47,080 --> 00:42:48,799 Speaker 3: can do all the other things that I just told 618 00:42:48,800 --> 00:42:50,200 Speaker 3: you to do, but if you don't do what I'm 619 00:42:50,200 --> 00:42:52,759 Speaker 3: about to say, you won't get this result of arresting anxiousness. 620 00:42:52,840 --> 00:42:55,320 Speaker 3: You have to include this after you get through praising 621 00:42:55,360 --> 00:43:01,719 Speaker 3: and praying. You have to adjust your practice when you're done, 622 00:43:01,719 --> 00:43:04,600 Speaker 3: when you're saying Amen, talking to God. When you're done 623 00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:10,359 Speaker 3: praying and saying Amen, what are you thinking about? He's 624 00:43:10,440 --> 00:43:18,759 Speaker 3: warning them against an undisciplined imagination where my thoughts are 625 00:43:18,920 --> 00:43:24,719 Speaker 3: just going wild. Oh my god. The company say they 626 00:43:24,840 --> 00:43:27,239 Speaker 3: laying off. They're probably gonna come to my department. My 627 00:43:27,280 --> 00:43:30,120 Speaker 3: supervisor don't like me. They probably gonna lay me off. 628 00:43:30,320 --> 00:43:31,839 Speaker 3: If I get laid off, we're not gonna be able 629 00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:33,480 Speaker 3: to keep the house. If we can't keep the house, 630 00:43:33,520 --> 00:43:35,320 Speaker 3: I gotta go live with my parents, my in laws. 631 00:43:35,360 --> 00:43:36,440 Speaker 3: I don't know if I want to live with my 632 00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:38,640 Speaker 3: in laws. We're gonna be on the street, my kids 633 00:43:38,680 --> 00:43:39,080 Speaker 3: gonna be. 634 00:43:39,040 --> 00:43:39,439 Speaker 1: In the car. 635 00:43:40,000 --> 00:43:48,719 Speaker 3: Spirally, it's an undisciplined imagination. So Paul says, Hey, here's 636 00:43:48,760 --> 00:43:51,319 Speaker 3: what you gotta think about, and he literally has a 637 00:43:51,320 --> 00:43:54,440 Speaker 3: conversation with believers in Corinth. Literally, and this is kind 638 00:43:54,480 --> 00:43:56,200 Speaker 3: of the essence. It's not the only part, but it's 639 00:43:56,200 --> 00:43:58,080 Speaker 3: the essence of what we would call spiritual warfare. He 640 00:43:58,080 --> 00:43:59,880 Speaker 3: tells him in second Crincis, Chapter teen. He was like, 641 00:44:00,719 --> 00:44:06,200 Speaker 3: you have to take every thought captive and make it 642 00:44:06,239 --> 00:44:11,000 Speaker 3: obedient to Christ. Like, don't allow those thoughts to accumulate, 643 00:44:11,440 --> 00:44:14,719 Speaker 3: because the accumulation of those thoughts actually becomes strongholds. 644 00:44:16,280 --> 00:44:17,719 Speaker 1: So he says, throw it away. 645 00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:19,920 Speaker 3: When it's a brick instead of trying to knock it 646 00:44:19,960 --> 00:44:26,040 Speaker 3: down when it becomes a wall. So he says, Hey, 647 00:44:26,239 --> 00:44:31,399 Speaker 3: whatever's true, whatever's noble, whatever's right, whatever's pure, whatever's lovely, 648 00:44:31,440 --> 00:44:35,919 Speaker 3: whatever's admirable, if anything is excellent, or find something praiseworthy, 649 00:44:36,520 --> 00:44:37,480 Speaker 3: what's worthy of praise. 650 00:44:37,480 --> 00:44:41,759 Speaker 1: He says, think on these things and watch what he says. 651 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:43,000 Speaker 3: I know this is in my notes, but I want 652 00:44:43,000 --> 00:44:45,520 Speaker 3: you to see this in verse nine, because early in 653 00:44:45,560 --> 00:44:47,440 Speaker 3: the text he says the peace of God. But in 654 00:44:47,520 --> 00:44:49,640 Speaker 3: verse nine he says this and the God of Peace, 655 00:44:52,880 --> 00:44:54,440 Speaker 3: the peace of God. And then he says, if you 656 00:44:54,480 --> 00:44:56,200 Speaker 3: do these things, and the God of Peace. 657 00:44:57,440 --> 00:44:58,080 Speaker 1: Will be with. 658 00:44:58,040 --> 00:45:06,040 Speaker 3: You whenever you get anxious. I want you to connect 659 00:45:06,080 --> 00:45:10,120 Speaker 3: point four to point three. I want you to think. 660 00:45:10,000 --> 00:45:25,800 Speaker 4: About, has God ever not come through even if you cried? 661 00:45:27,600 --> 00:45:32,799 Speaker 4: Was he faithful to his promise that those who's so 662 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:34,000 Speaker 4: in tears. 663 00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:36,839 Speaker 1: Will we've been joy? 664 00:45:37,719 --> 00:45:41,239 Speaker 3: Even if you walk through grief the valley of the 665 00:45:41,280 --> 00:45:42,120 Speaker 3: shadow of death? 666 00:45:44,160 --> 00:45:50,319 Speaker 1: Has He been with you? Has that ever been a 667 00:45:50,360 --> 00:45:53,480 Speaker 1: time not that God didn't give you what you wanted? 668 00:45:53,560 --> 00:45:55,080 Speaker 3: Because it doesn't always give us a war, but this 669 00:45:55,120 --> 00:45:57,879 Speaker 3: has there ever been a time where He didn't give 670 00:45:57,920 --> 00:46:09,239 Speaker 3: you what you needed? He's never lost the battle, and 671 00:46:09,320 --> 00:46:09,959 Speaker 3: he never will. 672 00:46:12,800 --> 00:46:13,400 Speaker 1: We're human. 673 00:46:14,719 --> 00:46:18,759 Speaker 3: We will have anxiousness, but anxiousness does not have to 674 00:46:18,800 --> 00:46:22,800 Speaker 3: have us. We can put anxiousness. 675 00:46:23,719 --> 00:46:36,719 Speaker 1: Under arrest. Father, Today, as we prepare to celebrate. 676 00:46:38,440 --> 00:46:42,480 Speaker 3: The coming of the Prince of Peace in this advent season, 677 00:46:45,080 --> 00:46:49,440 Speaker 3: I pray for your people everywhere that we would have 678 00:46:49,600 --> 00:46:51,440 Speaker 3: unprecedented experiences with the. 679 00:46:51,360 --> 00:47:00,239 Speaker 1: Peace of God. Father, Would you assist us in arresting anxiousness? Yes? 680 00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:10,640 Speaker 3: And may peace enjoy be our portion both now and forever. 681 00:47:11,880 --> 00:47:16,840 Speaker 3: We ask it all in Jesus' name, Amen. 682 00:47:21,200 --> 00:47:22,319 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us. 683 00:47:22,640 --> 00:47:25,080 Speaker 2: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 684 00:47:25,160 --> 00:47:28,640 Speaker 2: this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 685 00:47:29,080 --> 00:47:31,279 Speaker 2: You can click the link in the description to give 686 00:47:31,360 --> 00:47:35,520 Speaker 2: now or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more 687 00:47:35,520 --> 00:47:39,360 Speaker 2: information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 688 00:47:39,640 --> 00:47:40,960 Speaker 1: You can share it with your friends. 689 00:47:41,239 --> 00:47:43,520 Speaker 2: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 690 00:47:43,560 --> 00:47:45,680 Speaker 2: share it on your social stories and tag us at 691 00:47:45,719 --> 00:47:46,560 Speaker 2: Elevation Church. 692 00:47:46,640 --> 00:47:47,640 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening. 693 00:47:47,680 --> 00:47:53,239 Speaker 2: God bless you.