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Why are you tripping? Philippians 4:1-9 Slide #1 tripping out “Urban dictionary” When a person's conscience is in the act of no longer subjecting itself to reality. It can be anything from decreased ability to function due to lack of sleep, to the process of going insane. Most commonly, it's seen used for people under the effects of hallucinogens (i.e. psychedelics, dissociatives, and deliriants) Another use is if they are panicking due to some sort of shock, paranoia, or fear. Generally anything that effects a person’s conscience to a degree where it can't function at it's normal performance can cause them to start “tripping out.” It is not only reserved only for someone under the influence of drugs.  

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Slang uses. “Life is full of uncertainty. Daily situations beyond our control put us at risk for disappointment, failure, and regret. For most of us, bravery is not about staring death in the eye, but finding courage to face the everyday pressure and anxieties life throws our way.” We worry about nothing many times – I’m turning 50 next year, my wife has health issues, finances, jobs, family-sporting teams.. Allow me to freestyle teach. Ex. Wrestling. Q. What lies at the bottom of the ocean and twitches? A. A nervous wreck. Slide #2

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“The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.” George Muller Slide #3 “Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all others thoughts are drained. “ Arthur Somers Roche. 1st- Want to read Paul’s command then share a story. Scripture says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear” (2 Timothy 1:7). 2nd- Read. 4 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. 2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, (how are we doing with that?) but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,(if all we ever pray about is what we need and never stop to thank HIM FOR WHAT YOU HAVE, WE’LL ALAWYS BE ANXIOUS) let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, (I want more of this – the peace the world can’t TAKE AWAY, ‘CAUSE THE WORLD DIDN’T GIVE IT) which surpasses all understanding (the kind of peace that does not make any sense to the world) will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:1-7)

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 Guard your hearts and minds. I wonder if Paul from his cell looked up and saw the guard. (What gets in is only what God says or wants.)  How many of you want vs. 7? In order to get vs. 7, we first need to go thru vs. 6  My kids have had irrational anxiety. They are unique to their personalities. 1. Monet, people in costumes. Disney; 2. Jaden, confined spaces; 3. Elijah, heights or rollercoasters.  All of my children have some irrational anxiety. So too all of God’s children have irrational anxieties. Paul wants to correct that in Phil. 4. There are some things that you’re afraid of that make no sense from heaven’s perspective; there are some things that are causing you to shut down and are senseless, in comparison to who God is in you.  Paul exhorts us to train our hearts to “be anxious for NOTHING!” Paul, are you for real? Don’t you know the economy is in the tank, my job, my spouse, children, there’s crazy stuff in our food….  Paul says, “I’m in prison, bro! After they beat me and flogged me, I’ve earned the right to tell you that if you’re following after God’s purpose in your life, then you no longer have to be anxious for anything.”  Anxious appears 17 times in the N.T. – The word in Greek Merim-nate looks like “marinate” – interesting wordassociation with anxiety – if you marinate in anxious thoughts, you will be anxious, and knotted and tied up about things.  Yes, be concerned, but no, don’t worry. “I have no one like minded or concerned about you.” (Philippians 2:20) Is it a genuine concern or needless anxiety?  Be anxious for NO THING! What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us

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all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)

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Statement on reality – How many times we have been anxious for NOTHING? Lost sleep on things that haven’t even happened yet? Slide #4 An average person's anxiety is focused on : 40% -- things that will never happen 30% -- things about the past that can't be changed 12% -- things about criticism by others, mostly untrue 10% -- about health, which gets worse with stress 8% -- about real problems that will be faced *

Shift over from needless anxiety to genuine concern. “Controlling what you can and trusting God for what you can’t” Slide #5 “Worry is down payment on a problem you may never have or own”

Mark 4:33–35 33 And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples. 35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” After teaching about the Word, Jesus now gives His word to the disciples that they would indeed pass over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee — a word Satan would soon test. Mark 4:36 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. We have the tendency to think that no one faces the same

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temptations, challenges, or storms we do. Paul, however, tells us no temptation comes to us except that which is common to man (1 Corinthians 10:13). That is why there were with the disciples “other little ships” out on the Sea of Galilee. Mark 4:37 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  Furious storms where common in that area.  God often sends storms in our lives to test us and teach us.  Jesus had taught about His Word, and had given His word that the disciples would make it to the other side. But whether regarding a promise Jesus gave to His disciples, or one He gives to you, after teaching comes testing. Always. Mark 4:38 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”  Jonah was sleeping because he was complacent and indifferent about following God’s command (disobedience). God sends a storm to correct him. Aren’t you glad for correcting storms in your life? Jonah was running from his purpose. Jesus knew His purpose and place was right in the middle of the storm.  If Jesus is in your boat, it can’t sink. If He’s in your life, you won’t go down. He has promised to perfect that which concerns you (Psalm 138:8). And though the storm might rage, causing you to say, “Master, don’t You care that I’m perishing?” he’s not worried. He’s sleeping — not in apathy, but with great security. “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty.…” Zephaniah tells us, “…He will rest in His love…” (Zephaniah 3:17). Thus, concerning the storm you may be going through even now or perhaps will face tomorrow, the Lord is not wondering if you’re going to make it. He’s resting in His love. He knows He’s going to see you through.

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 It has been said that in life, you’re either headed for storm, in a storm, or coming out of a storm.  Jesus sent them into this storm for a purpose: to test and teach them.  Sometimes we create our own storms. How can God give us peace in these storms?  Sometimes we create the storm we are in and expect God to deliver us from it.  5 things or ways we create waves/storms and anxiety in our lives by.  1: Words – unnecessary waves with our words of anger and doubt; spoken out of anger, where you have to go back and fix things. Your disappointing world is often created by your words. You set the tone. When we wake up, our first words can affect our whole day. “I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut off.” “Outlook determines our outcome.” “We’re going to lose anyway” type of comments. The words we speak can create waves of anxiety. 2. Our Approach – sometimes it’s not what were going through, it’s the way we are going through it. No margins in our life, always nervous, spending too much when we don’t make enough, stressed about work and hating your job, when you’re stressed because you left late and are stuck in traffic. Procrastination about deadlines, etc.  3. Wrong voices – 24/7 news, Facebook , Twitter, etc. –drama, wars, disease, killings, etc. (Sometimes we have to just say “enough!” When we get some hard or bad news, we have to say “enough!”) I listen to depression, I watch depression, the people I hang out with are depressing etc.  4. Shame – We are anxious because we are hiding something or are tormented about something in the past that God already forgave us about. Rock us with the waves of shame.

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Conviction is good cause. It leads us to repentance and change, but shame gets us stuck on stupid and our situation.  5. Expectations – can create waves. We feel the expectations that others have of us that we have allowed to be put on us, because we have not managed our priorities and focused on what God expects of us instead of what man expects of us. Or, also, we don’t expect the storms to come. Ephesians says to put on the armor and expect the battle to come. James says, don’t think it strange when trials come. Don’t be surprised. He said we have to be ready and dressed for battle every day.

Mark 4:39 (a) 39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!”  Three words He spoke, and it stopped.  The Greek word translated “be still” literally means “be muzzled.” This is the same command Jesus issued when He addressed demons, which implies that this storm was actually stirred by Satan.  Why are you afraid? I told you we are going to the other side. (His promise to them was sure and spoken. The problem is that we don’t know His promises to us because we don’t read, study or pray to KNOW Him!  You think it’s the circumstances or another person making you anxious, but it’s not. That’s why Jesus takes on the waves to teach us how to speak to the waves in our lives – not the ones externally, but internally. “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6 The winds where like a whiteboard to a teacher.  What I just spoke to the wind, I want you to speak to your winds of fear and doubt – the what-if scenarios. When our emotional winds of fury rage, get up and speak to them. Speak to the

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winds within and say peace, be still! Spirit-led not emo-driven! We need to learn to be peace-speakers to our own souls. “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalms 42:11) If you learn how to calm the waves within, you can ride the waves without! Mark 4 is speaking about “atmosphere.” In the parable of sower, fertile ground produces good fruit. “The light” changes the atmosphere from dark to light, and “the storm winds” change the atmosphere around you; they can sink you or guide you! Every heart has an atmosphere – What is the atmosphere of your heart tonight? Nothing good develops out a heart of anxiety. You’re creating an atmosphere of anxiety all around you because there’s an atmosphere of anxiety within you. You take it out on people, are short with people, blame people, etc.

Mark 4:39 (b) And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  When we are anxious for NOTHING and filled with His peace, then notice that others in the storm are also impacted by it.  When Jesus thwarted Satan’s plan and calmed the storm, not only were the disciples at peace, but all of the “other little ships” were spared as well. So, too, when Jesus makes His power known by the storms He calms for us, those around us benefit as they see His faithfulness to us. Mark 4:40 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” The One who calmed the storm was the One who had allowed the storm in order to teach the disciples to believe His Word.

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Mark 4:41 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”  It is not the outward circumstances we have to fear, but the inward waves of fear and faithlessness that well up within us. The Lord has given us His Word that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Therefore, no matter how strong the storm might seem, no matter the force of the waves that beat upon our boat, if we love God and are called according to His purpose, all things will work together for good (Romans 8:28); He will complete that which He began in us (Philippians 1:6) — and we can be at peace !  Worship pushes back the waves of doubt, fear, and anxiety. Slide #6 5 ways to improve and “be anxious for NOTHING“: 1.

Breathe -When the waves start in my life. I start by breathing. They suggest that the name of Yaweh is like a breath. Breathe in His grace let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Slide #7 2. Remember - Then I remember that He said we would go to the other side. Remember that God started this. God, your promises are true and lasting forever. Slide #8 3.

Ask - Make your request known to the Lord. “Help, Lord.” With thanksgiving. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

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Visualize- Jesus is right there in the boat with you. It’s hard to see in the fog and storm. “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I

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have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God….” (Isaiah 43:1b-3a) Slide # 10 5. Elevate - A submarine’s pressure is less when it rises to the top of the ocean. Allow your thoughts to meditate instead of marinating in the muck and mire – those things that elevate your anxiety. As we rise in worship, our waves are driven back. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3) Slide #11 “Finally, brothers and sisters, 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. 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. Philippians 4:8-9