Imprisoned for his faith, previously beaten, stoned and left for dead; Paul the Apostle laid out the 7 Steps that guarantee anyone who follows them to have a heart filled with the peace of God. His future uncertain, plagued by a “thorn in the flesh”, isolated from those whom he loved; how could he speak of peace. Paul’s world: continuously filled with conflict, trials, and disappointments by the world’s standards. So, how could he teach others the steps to knowing peace? He knew how difficult this journey can be; yet, his heart overflowed with peace. Because he had lived through many trials and still had peace, he was the perfect one to teach the steps to these young Christians. We find these 7 steps outlined in Philippians 4. Let’s begin by reading these verses and then break them down one by one.
PHILIPPIANS 4:
4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
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Rejoice in the Lord Always.
Our point of rejoicing comes from taking our focus off our self, while turning our focus to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. This I found quite evident when every morning I awoke from my sleep at 4 am with severe pain, battling ulcerative colitis. Yet, those early mornings forced me to sit in the presence of God every morning with Bible in hand between the incessant trips to the bathroom. That precious time alone with God, forced by my illness; proved to be a blessing. He surrounded me with Himself. Therein, I found peace. We are not told here to rejoice in the circumstances. We are told to Rejoice in the Lord, always!
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Moderation
Moderation is defined as the avoidance of extremes in one’s behaviors and political ideas, self-restraint. Certainly, moderation does not mean compromising God’s commands or the truth of the scripture! Paul is referring to “the heart of the matter.” When I recognize the truth of Grace and my own frailties; then, I can reach out my hand graciously to others. Screaming, yelling, nor violent protests lead to peace. As a Christian, I am to live a life demonstrating God’s love through my actions; thereby, drawing others to Christ. I cannot compromise on truth, yet, must be willing to be open and vulnerable with a heart of forgiveness.
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Never Lose Sight: The Lord is at hand.
An entire lifetime: not even a blink of the eye compared to eternity. Remembering that truth, allows you and me to not “worry about the small stuff. And it is all small stuff compared to God, eternity, and our goal of basking in His presence for all of eternity
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Lay Aside all Anxiety
When anxiety begins to plague your heart and mind, lay it aside; through prayer and through faith. Throughout scripture, we are reminded: “Do Not Fear, because God is in Control, His plan is good, and He loves and provides His best to all who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.” Yesterday, today and tomorrow are in His Hands.
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Earnest, Humble Prayer with Thanksgiving
Prayer is key. Every problem, trial, need or worry we must bring before God with earnest, humble prayer. Knowing that God hears us and will provide His best, our prayer remains also filled with Thanksgiving for His Grace that allows us to come before Him
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Focus on the Positive
Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:8: No matter how bad the circumstances may appear, there remains good things on which one may focus. Think on the good, the virtuous, and all that is positive. Write them down! Focus your mind on all that is good. Often, the circumstance is not the problem as much as how we view it.
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Follow the Lead
We are to remember the great men and women of valor for the faith. Learn from their example. Also, we are to focus on the willingness of Jesus Christ to suffer for our Salvation. Remember the scripture! Think about the many times in the past that God reached down from heaven with a blessing in the center of some trial. Or how miraculously God carried you through! Beyond that, think about all that you have learned about God and His Magnificent, Beautiful Glory when facing the storms of this life!
PEACE OF GOD THAT PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING
As you walk through these steps, suddenly; you will awaken with peace–miraculously, unexpected, peace which lifts your spirit to march forward another day filled with hope, joy, and love abounding.
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link, if you have a prayer request email me by clicking here or comment here
CONCLUDING TWEETS
[tweetthis] Often, the circumstance is not the problem as much as how we view it.[/tweetthis]
[bctt tweet=”Rejoice Always, not for the trial; but for the God who carries us through the trial” username=”effiedarlene”]
[tweetthis]Keep your eyes on Jesus, He will fill your heart with His peace and joy[/tweetthis]
OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE
A Broken and Contrite Heart, I published in 2010, answers the question, “What do I do when I keep falling into the same sin? Does God hate me because I keep failing to get this write? So, where do I begin again and find joy in my salvation; after, falling. If you want to know more about this book or the other books I have written: You can find a link at: Book Resources.
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2017
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Photo by Christian Joudrey on Unsplash