Be Anxious For Nothing – Heart Treasure
Been anxious lately? Had that feeling that something terrible is going to happen; that there is danger out there that you are not seeing? Have you woken up in the early hours of the morning sweating, panting, feeling a weight on your chest. Fear is a real experience even when there seems to be no logic to it. For those of us who are anxious, we are usually familiar with the following verse:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phil 4:6
The verse tells us not to worry about anything, which means we worry about absolutely NOTHING at all! Instead we are to come to God with the things that concern us and exchange it with Him, to receive peace for our worry; faith for our fear and victory for our defeat.
Many of us read this verse and think, that is not helpful at all. But there is so much more to this verse that just that. (I have added many links below, so take the time to get greater understanding)
Prayer: This is coming close to God, abiding with Him. All prayer takes place in a relationship between us and our Father. Prayer speaks of an intimate, face-to-face relationship. A conversation where a loving exchange takes place, our worries, fears, concerns for His peace and a supernatural confidence that our life is secure in Him. Prayer knows WHO you are speaking to.
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to feel sympathy for our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
Petition (other versions say “supplication”): It is an awareness of lack in our lives: lack of confidence; wisdom; courage; understanding; strength etc. Prayer is not about telling God what the situation is, He knows, it is about clarifying in our minds what we need. We come with this lack, into the presence of God and strongly plead for this lack to be met. It’s what is called “fervent prayer” in the King James version of James 5:16. It speaks of a boldness: a passionate, earnest, heartfelt, sincere prayer.
‘In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27)
Thanksgiving: It is not appropriate to come into the presence of the Lord and ask boldly without having a thankful heart. Everything we have, everything we are comes from Him. When we make an earnest request with a thankful heart, we already demonstrate a faith that understands where the source of all good things is. God responds to a heart of faith. A thankful heart demonstrates a faith that understands the heart of our Father and is thankful.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)
Requests: This is the same attitude in many ways, as going to your superior in a work situation and asking with respect and honor for assistance in meeting your needs, with the full expectation to receive. The same as a soldier going to his general and asking for assistance in meeting goals, with the full expectation of having his needs met. It is praying out of the position that you hold to a higher authority. We are children of God, coming to our Father, Lord of heaven and earth. It is praying authoritatively, recognising our position and knowing what we need and coming in faith to the One who we know will provide. It is asking with the full expectation of receiving.
John 5:14 says that “this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
Known: When something is known, you are making sure that your request was heard. It means you can be bold and make it known in heaven what you need. When you and I make it known in heaven, it is not that God doesn’t know what we need, it is that we are exercising our faith by expressing our need in heaven through prayer.
We are not to be anxious, instead we are to be bold, fervently asking Him to meet our needs, making sure that there is an equal measure of thanksgiving that goes along with our request. Be Bold, knowing that you have every right as God’s child to come ask your Father. Bold, knowing that you have no doubt that your prayer will be heard. Declaring it: that God will hear your request.
Thank you Father, that I can boldly enter Your presence as your child and talk to you in the intimate conversation of prayer. Thank You that everything I have comes from Your hand and that I can come confidently to you and present my needs before You. Thank you that I know you hear my requests, that my heart hears my request and my faith believes to receive.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Phil 4:7
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