Pray and Do Not Be Anxious
ICS Daily Devotions
Philippians 4:6b (NKJV) But in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
The Apostle Paul emphasises the importance of bringing our worries and fears before God through prayer and supplication, accompanied by thanksgiving, because our Heavenly Father is a God who hears and cares for us.
As believers, we are no longer living without hope or God in this world. Anxiety is born out of fear, and fear is an act of the evil one, a spiritual force that can cripple us. It keeps us preoccupied with potential outcomes, diverts our attention away from God, and prevents us from finding solutions.
However, as God’s covenant partners, we have the privilege of casting our cares upon Him and resting in His love. God is limitless, possessing vast resources and ideas. Out of love, He established the covenant with man to make our problems His responsibility under the covenant obligation between partners. Through the covenant, He has committed Himself to be with us in good and bad times. If He has resolved our sin issue as our covenant partner, there is nothing in this life that He can’t help us with. Understanding this covenant relationship allows us to bring God into a hopeless situation.
1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) Casting the [whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, [once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
The Apostle Paul reminds us to cast all our anxieties on God, who affectionately cares for us, but we also need to choose to offload our worries and fears to God through prayers, bringing specific situations before Him and seeking His help. Speaking to God about our concerns also serves as a release valve for our emotions, as He brings comfort and strength through His Word and His presence. Moreover, during times of stress, praying in the Spirit can strengthen our inner selves.
We need not engage in lengthy prayers but rather sincere, honest conversations with God, fostering fellowship with Him, and giving Him a chance to assure us by bringing Scriptures into our memory to comfort and strengthen us. When facing job loss or challenging circumstances, we can trust God to provide, but we need to manage our expectations and follow God’s guidance even if the path is not what we expected.
After praying, we should give thanks to God as an act of faith that He has heard us and will deliver us. Thereafter, we should also praise and worship Lord, which in themselves are also a form of prayer. Praising Him is a declaration of our dependence on Him when we don’t know how to pray. Praise and worship will keep us focused on God and it is in His presence that He will infuse our hearts with grace and strength.
Sermon Series: Keep the Peace
