The Promise of Peace
Philippians 4:4–7
In everything by prayer and supplication . . . let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
God invites us to place our earnest requests before him. This is God’s cure for anxiety. God invites you to place your request about these things that trouble you before him. The promise is that the peace of God will keep your heart and mind through Christ Jesus.
Notice that these verses do not say we shall necessarily receive the things we ask for. We would expect the passage to say, “Present your requests to God, and God will fulfill your requests.” Instead it says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (v. 7). Our prayers are often in error, and we pray for things that are not good for us. God does not promise to give us these things. All things work together for good to them that love God. However, God does promise to give a supernatural peace to those who share their real needs with him.
Paul was not recommending something for others that he had not found true for himself. Paul too had had this experience. Do you remember the prayer that Paul wrote in Romans 15:31–32? Paul was in Corinth and was about to go on to Jerusalem with the collection from the gentile churches. After that he had planned to travel to Rome as an ambassador of the Christian gospel. He asked prayer for three things:
1. “that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea”
2. “that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints”
3. “that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company”
How were Paul’s requests answered? We do not know every aspect of God’s answers but we know that Paul’s first request was not fulfilled literally. Paul fell into the hands of unbelievers and spent two years in prison in Caesarea as a result, although his life was spared. We have no information about his second request— that his collection might be received willingly by the saints in Judea—but there is no reason to think Paul received a warm welcome from anyone. Finally, we know that Paul’s third request—for a joyous journey to Rome—was fulfilled, if it was fulfilled, only after long delays and through much hardship. When Paul arrived in Rome at last, he arrived as a prisoner in chains.
God certainly did not answer Paul’s requests as Paul intended. But God did answer, and he answered exactly as Paul indicates in his words about prayer to the Philippians. He answered by giving Paul peace. Paul knew God’s peace even in the most difficult of earthly circumstances and he writes out of these circumstances to tell us also to make requests of God, our heavenly Father.
Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865
Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.