Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:4-7 NIV).
Have you ever noticed that sometimes you may have read a Bible verse numerous times and, suddenly, you see it in a new light? Yesterday morning one of my emails contained this verse: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6 NASB1995). This led me on a prayer/study/writing rabbit trail (or journey, as the case may be), that I share with you.
“Be anxious for nothing…”
Different translations translate this “do not fret” (AMPC), “do not be anxious about anything” (ESV), “never worry about anything” (GW), and even “be careful for nothing” (KJV). No matter how you interpret the verse, God seems to be commanding us to NOT worry/fret/be anxious. Not about our relationships, finances, time, parenting, energy, health, Christmas, etc. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
…”but in everything…” – ALL OF THE THINGS ON YOUR MIND AND HEART!! – “…by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” If we are to worry about nothing, then we are to give everything to God in our prayers. I believe that when we use God’s Word in our prayers, they are heard by God because they are according to his will and because he cannot dishonor his Word. So, here are some of the requests in prayer and supplication that I gave God. As you read them, consider how you could use God’s Word to pray over your circumstances.
- that our marriage would be a cord of three strand that cannot be broken (Eccl. 4:12)
- that we will be raising our children in the way they should go – in the discipline and instruction of the Lord – and that they will never depart from it (Prov. 22:6, Eph. 6:4)
- that our Jehovan Jireh would provide all we need according to your riches in glory, that we would trust you for our future with hope, and that your favor would be upon our family for a thousand generations (Gen. 22:14, Phlp. 4:19, Jer. 29:11, Deut. 7:9)
- that our children would be people of honor and integrity, people after God’s own heart who seek first your Kingdom and Righteousness, and want to seek and save the Lost (Acts 13:22, Matthew 6:33, Luke 19:10)
- that my physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health would flow out of the abundant life you have for me (John 10:10)
- that you would fully take every thought captive so I am peaceful, brave, confident, and gracious (2 Cor. 10:5, 2 Tim. 1:7, Prov. 15:26, 16:21)
- that I trust you with all my being and do not lean on what I think I understand (Proverbs 3:5)
- that I rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in [not “for”!] all circumstances because you are faithful, protecting, and providing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Finally, I took some time to write down some things for which I am thankful, per “…by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
I am thankful for
- your patience and grace with me
- my spouse and children
- our home and the provision for it
- friends
- families
- a life with purpose and good work
- that your mercies are renewed every morning
Your lists of prayers and thanksgivings may be very different from mine, but there are always things we can talk with God about. So, try it. Write down and verbalize your prayers as you align them with the Word of God. Then watch to see what God does with those prayers.
Word of God,
Thank you for the call to communicate with you and surrender our lives, worries, anxiety, cares, and fretting to you, the God of the Universe who provides all we need. Thank you for being the faithful God whose love and covenant are with your children to a thousand generations. Give us hearts to seek you first and to live life in your abundance. Help us to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances, for you are always listening to us. Give us hunger to know your Word more deeply and then to pray it to you. We ask these in Jesus’s name, Amen.
“Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:11-12 NIV)
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6 NIV).
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to the point of resentment with demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive; nor by showing favoritism or indifference to any of them], but bring them up [tenderly, with lovingkindness] in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4 AMP).
“So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided'” (Genesis 22:14 NIV)
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NIV).
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).
“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9 ESV).
“God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do’” (Acts 13:22 NIV).
“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33 NIV).
“ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10 NIV).
“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]” (John 10:10 AMP).
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV).
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7 NIV).
“The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but gracious words are pure in his sight” (Proverbs 15:26 NIV).
“The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction” (Proverbs 16:21 NIV).
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV).