From Thanksgiving to Peace
Philippians 4:6-7
Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Satan attacks us through anxiety. If he can get us to worry about the future or feel the void of what is not there, he has gained a stronghold in our minds. Worry can prompt us to move when we shouldn’t and remain still when we should act. Anxiety is fear-based, and you cannot trust it because the devil is a liar! Spiritual battles are fought in the mind, and Paul shows us how to guard against the enemy’s attack in these verses.
First, we should take every care and concern to God in prayer with thanksgiving. I’ve heard it taught and have always thought this means to thank God for what He is going to do in regard to your prayer and petition. I now see it as having a thankful heart for the things He has already done for you. If we are not thankful for what we do have, why would we be thankful for anything new? We don’t deserve a thing, but God loves us and acts on our behalf anyway. When we can be thankful for the small things we take for granted, we can begin to see God’s faithfulness and have peace that He is working in our current situation. Being truly thankful helps you accept where you are so your desire for something more does not take center stage and literally choke the life right out of you.
Paul used the peace of God in a military fashion to illustrate the battlefield the mind represents in spiritual warfare. The guard of peace will prevent a hostile invasion of thoughts with which the enemy will bombard you. Being thankful for where you are and what God has done for you – even the small things – keeps your focus upon the truth of His word and gives you a proper perspective.
As we enter Thanksgiving, create an atmosphere of thanksgiving in your life and in your home. Thanksgiving will draw the peace of God into your life, and we all need a strong layer of this surrounding us. We certainly have much about which we could worry, but it only stands to defeat us if we go there. Choose to be thankful, and choose peace. ‘Tis the season!
Have a blessed day!