Biblical Concept: Be Anxious For Nothing
NAS Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
“Be anxious for nothing” is the difficult phrase.
Contrast this phrase in Philippians 4:6 with Philippians 4:10 “But I rejoiced
in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me;
indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.” “Anxious” versus “concern.” Anxious
versus concern paradox. Both are true but seem a little
contradictory. It is obviously spiritually OK to be concerned.
“Be anxious for nothing” is the difficult phrase. Contrast
this phrase in Philippians 4:6 with 2 Corinthians 11:28-29 “28
Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of concern
for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led
into sin without my intense concern?” “Anxious” versus “concern.” Anxious versus concern paradox.
Both are true but seem a little contradictory. It is obviously
spiritually OK to be concerned. Grammatical
note: “anxious” in Philippians 4:6 and “concern” in 2 Corinthians 11:28 share a
mutual root word in the Greek of the text.
“Be anxious for nothing” is the difficult phrase. Compare
this with 1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for
you.” “Be anxious for
nothing” “casting all your anxiety upon Him.” A happy combination for
Believers. A nice spiritual potential for Believers.
“Be anxious for nothing” is the difficult phrase. Compare
this with Luke 12:22 ‘And He said to His
disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life,
as to what you shall eat; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on.”’ “Be anxious for nothing” “do not be anxious for
your life.” A nice
spiritual potential for Believers.
“Be anxious for nothing” is the difficult phrase.
Compare the repetition of “peace” in the following context of Philippians 4:7
and 4:9. “Anxious” versus
“peace.” Such is life for the Believer.
“Be anxious for nothing” is the difficult phrase. This phrase is a nice example of spiritual
idealism. Philippians 4:5-9 is a passage of spiritual idealism—spiritual
potential.
Philippians 4:5-9 5 Let
your forbearing spirit be known to
all men. The Lord is near. 6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which
surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren,
whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and
if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and
received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace
shall be with you.
“Be anxious for
nothing” is the difficult phrase. Read Luke 12:22-26 and Philippians 4:5-9
together. These two passages are spiritually idealistic, expressing great
potential for the Believer.
Luke 12:22-26
22
And He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not be
anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat; nor for your
body, as to what you shall put
on. 23 "For life is more
than food, and the body than clothing. 24
"Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; and they have no
storeroom nor barn; and yet God feeds
them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! 25 "And which of you by being
anxious can add a single cubit to his
life's span? 26 "If then
you cannot do even a very little thing, why are you anxious about other
matters?
Philippians
4:5-9 5 Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is
near. 6 Be anxious for
nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known to God. 7
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is
any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these
things. 9 The things you have
learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the
God of peace shall be with you.
“Be anxious for
nothing” is the difficult phrase. Note
the following sin anxiety relationship:
Psalm 38:18
says: “For I confess my iniquity; I
am full of anxiety because of my sin.” Proverbs
12:25 25 Anxiety in the
heart of a man weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad. Ezekiel
4:16-17 16 Moreover, He
said to me, "Son of man, behold, I am going to break the staff of bread in
Jerusalem, and they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and drink water
by measure and in horror, 17
because bread and water will be scarce; and they will be appalled with one
another and waste away in their iniquity. Ezekiel 12:19-20 19 "Then say to the people of
the land, 'Thus says the Lord God concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in
the land of Israel, "They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their
water with horror, because their land will be stripped of its fulness on account of the violence of all who live in
it. 20 "And the
inhabited cities will be laid waste, and the land will be a desolation. So you
will know that I am the LORD.
The more the Believer gets a grasp on their personal
sins, the less the anxiety.
“Be anxious for
nothing” is the difficult phrase.
Likewise Isaiah
41:10 says: 10 'Do not fear,
for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My
righteous right hand.' A nice promise for Nation Israel.