Senior Pastor’s Devotional
Day 55 Movement Control Order – “Strategic Psalm 91 Watch”
Scripture Passage: Philippians 4:6-9.
Topic: “3 Keys to Joy and Peace of Mind.”
Joy and Peace is by far more valuable than prosperity or wealth. As someone once said, “Money may buy entertainment but does not guarantee joy. Money may buy you a water bed but does not guarantee you a peaceful night sleep.”
In today’s world, worry, anxiety and stress is affecting people more than many other things. Medical sciences have proven that worries is destructive to our physical health. It is contributive to heart disease, weakening of the immune system, hyper tension etc.
What are the “3 Keys to Joy and Peace of Mind.”
1. Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
The 1st KEY to Peace of Mind is to PRAY RIGHT.
-it is proven that people who prays regularly can with cope with their problems much better than those who do not pray.
Why is this so? Because prayer is talking it out with someone and of course that someone is GOD; it is an outlet for build up feelings and in itself it is therapeutic (comforting)
Apart from it being therapeutic, prayer works supernaturally.
God has given to all of us the encouragement and the avenue to pray.
1 Peter 5:7 – ”Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
-The other thing that God thought us to do is to pray over EVERYTHING that troubles us.-“In everything.”
-do not be afraid to trouble God.
The scripture also teaches is to pray “with thanksgiving”, a language of of faith and trust that He is sovereign and He will work it out for my good.
-as you begin to do so, what does verse 7 promises? What is the result?-the peace of God will guard your hearts and mind. The spirit of fear will have to go.-the answer will come in God’s will and timing.
-we must not struggle by saying we do not know how to pray anymore for prayer is simply telling God what is in your heart.
2. Philippians 4:8
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
The 2nd KEY to Peace of Mind is to THINK RIGHT.
-What you think, you will become.
-Paul prayed that every thought be put in subjection to Christ.-2 Cor. 10:4-5
Illustrate-The Carnegie Institute analysed the records of ten thousand persons and concluded that 15 per cent of success is due to training. The other 85 per cent is attitude.
We cannot do anything about the situation of life, but we can do something about our attitudes to meet them. What happens IN me is more important than what happens TO me. We must see the present in relation to the future, which is in God’s hands.
Illustrate:- A donkey that fell into a well. The owner rescued the donkey by pouring earth into the well. Is it to bury the donkey??
3. Philippians 4:9
“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
The 3rd KEY to Peace of Mind is to DO or LIVE RIGHT.
Many of today’s problems can also be the consequence of our own undoing.
-when we do right, we have less anxiety.
-it is those who do wrong or illegal things that will be anxious.
-if we live uprightly, we have nothing to fear.
–Romans 13:3-4-“For rulers hold no terror for those who do right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant an agent for wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”
Like Paul, when we live a life of contentment with what we have, we will also be filled with joy and peace.
As you do these things, not only the peace of God will be with you but the God of peace will also be with you.
May you be filled with the joy and peace from Jesus!
Ps Lawrence.