
October 22, 2023
Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV) Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
To combat
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We must think gratefully
We must think gratefully
We must think gratefully
I’ve battled
Paul was grateful
We can always give God the
THE PAUSE: 10 MINUTES WITH GOD
MONDAY | THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
PASSAGE: Galatians 5:22
PAUSE: The Apostle Paul revealed both the blessings and benefits of walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. Most of our anxious and negative thoughts are the consequences of walking in the flesh, not the Spirit. It is literally impossible to walk in the Spirit and to be obsessed with negative and anxious thoughts.
PRAYER: Father, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Allow me to walk in step with the Spirit, revealing to myself and to others the fruit of my thoughts.
TUESDAY | REJOICE IN THE LORD
PASSAGE: Philippians 4:4
PAUSE: What a powerful verse to memorize and to meditate upon this week. Rejoicing is never in our circumstances; rejoicing is always in the Lord. When our thoughts are focused on our problems, we always lose the battle for the mind, but when our thoughts are focused on the Lord, we always rejoice.
PRAYER: Christ Jesus, I rejoice in You today. Help me to find my joy in You and You alone. Forgive me for taking my eyes off You and focusing on my problems.
WEDNESDAY | THE LORD IS AT HAND
PASSAGE: Philippians 4:5
PAUSE: The Lord’s presence is what calms our anxious thoughts. The Lord is near both in His presence and in His return. Knowing that the Lord is always with us and that He is coming soon is the pause we need today. He is near!
PRAYER: Father, thank you for the promise that You will never leave us nor forsake us. Lord, I desire to draw near to Your presence, draw near to me!
THURSDAY | DO NOT BE ANXIOUS
PASSAGE: Philippians 4:6
PAUSE: Anxiety and worry are idols. When we worry, we are saying that God is not big enough or gracious enough to handle our situation. Perhaps that is why the Apostle Paul commanded us not to worry. The cure to worry is praying with a grateful heart. When we pray, we replace anxiety with peace.
PRAYER: Father, teach me to pray! Teach me to pray in such a way that I give thanks for every situation and that I trust You with my current situation.
FRIDAY | THE PEACE OF GOD
PASSAGE: Philippians 4:7
PAUSE: The peace of God is truly an amazing gift from God. One of the ways we rewire our thoughts is by replacing anxiety with peace. God’s peace not only surpasses all understanding, but it protects our minds and our hearts.
PRAYER: Father, thank you for Your peace. As this series continues, please replace all my “stinking thinking” with Your thoughts of peace and joy.