Thursday, 23rd February 2023

Andrews Ampomah

TOPIC: NO ANXIETY BUT THE PEACE OF GOD

THEME SCRIPTURE: Philippians 4:6-7

 

PREPARATORY QUESTION:

1. How can I avoid anxiety?

 The challenges and the uncertainties in the world have in them a high tendency to make you anxious. All of us have ever been anxious over one situation or the other. To be anxious is to ‘show nervousness or unease about something with an uncertain outcome’. A couple that has been married for years and has no child; having attended a job interview with no response from the interviewer; experiencing near-death sicknesses; a family that has run out of resources and has no hope of where the next meal will come from; the list is endless.

Amid all these life’s uncertainties, we find in our theme verses the encouragement not to be anxious about anything. The strength of this encouragement is in the fact that The Lord is near. What an assurance, God and His nearness to the Christian is the reason why we are not to be anxious.

Beloved in The Lord, our times are in God’s hands; whether they are moments of sadness or joy we are still in His mighty hands. God has never failed nor left us to our fate in times of difficulty.

Paul then enjoins the Christian to present their requests to the Lord who is near to them. In matters big and small, we are encouraged to take them in prayer to God. God can only act on our cases when we present them to Him. These include our desires and our fears, it includes everything that concerns us. God is always a prayer away to hear us. He is the one that bids our anxious fears to subside. Fellowship with the Father in prayer takes away every anxiety and we get to enjoy the comfort of His presence. Prayer is a Christian discipline we must engage in it at all times, in moments of joy and moments of sadness. We must not wait until there are sad moments before we pray to God.

Prayer, which is fellowship with God, is a discipline we must exercise at all times.

In verse 7 of our focus scripture, Paul assures that when we engage in prayer rather than being anxious, the Lord assigns His peace to guard our hearts and minds. It is that peace we enjoy even when we are in the worst of situations. The Christian prays and peace is assigned from God to guard our hearts and minds.

What a blessedness, that God’s peace goes beyond our fears and desires to bring us stability and calmness.

Christian friend, are you going through unsettling moments in your marriage? Are you uneasy about any of your children’s academic performance? Have you lost your job? Is any of your relatives in a terrible situation and need a miracle? The assurance for you is that the Lord is near and He is very much interested in everything that concerns you. Exercise the Christian discipline of prayer and fellowship with the Lord. And as you do this, you will experience the peace that only God can give to stabilize and guard your heart and mind. It is well with your soul. Hallelujah!

FURTHER READING – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU MEDITATE ON THE WORD:

1. Do you know for sure that the Lord is near?
2. How can you be consistent in your fellowship with God through prayer in your busy schedules?

 

CONFESSION

Heavenly Father, you are my very present help in times of need. I affirm this day that no matter what I am going through or what might come my way, your ever-abiding presence is able to grant me peace that surpasses understanding. I am maintaining my composure and fellowship with the Father through prayer. Hallelujah!

 

1-Year Bible Reading Plan

Exodus 36; Psalm 94; Psalm 95; 1 Corinthians 6