Be Anxious for Nothing
Scripture: Philippians 4:6Devotional Series: Why Tongues
Teaching: Why Tongues? pt. 5 (SUN_PM 2023-07-23) by Pastor Star R Scott
Amen. Hallelujah. Good to be in the Lord’s presence; amen? He’s worthy of all of our praise. Let’s go back to 1 Corinthians 14, and we’ll continue along the lines that we’ve been on in studying the spiritual gifts that are so necessary in this hour to see the church built up when, in fact, we’re living in a time when it’s deteriorating. It’s being beaten down by the cares of this world. The church is having the Word of God diminished and squeezed out of their lives because of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life that’s manifesting so greatly. The Word being choked out by desires to identify with the world’s system, to be successful in their eyes, when we know that to be successful in God’s eyes is to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant”; amen? Faithfulness today is a missing attribute in society and in the church. People don’t necessarily delight or strive toward that character of faithfulness; we want greatness. We want to be great. We want to be the best. We want to be elite. We want to—whatever it is that we’re involved in—be just a little better than those that are around us and don’t mind the recognition for it. But the greatest in His church is servant of all; amen?
And that’s part of what this is speaking of here in 1 Corinthians 12 through 14—the ability to come together in humility, Chapter 13—love one another. Let the motive that drives the gifts be love, be a desire to see one another edified and built up. You know, we’re warring, each and every one of us, daily against this flesh. Don’t you delight in that supernatural grace, the love of God to rise up in you and be able to lift up brother’s and sister’s hands that are hanging down; amen? We need that comfort today. We need encouragement today. We need this gift of prophecy that would continue to exhort us. We are more than conquerors. That’s exhortation. I want to exhort you that in all things, we are more than conquerors. I want to exhort you tonight: I can do all things through Jesus Who strengthens me, praise God.
That exhortation, that reminder of who we are in God and what He’s provided for us. That edification that will build us up and remind us, “Yeah, I know you’re warring the flesh. I understand that. We all are. But let me remind you what that blood of Jesus did.” Here’s the reality. Here’s the end of the whole treatise that Paul was giving. Let’s bring the conclusion: It’s by faith and not by works. The conclusion is we’re saved by grace through faith, hallelujah. There is a without-the-works righteousness, and we remind ourselves of that and encourage ourselves that, in fact, we are the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. That comforting, as we were sharing earlier, that He will never leave us nor forsake us. That comforting that says, “Don’t worry yourselves and be weary. “Be anxious for nothing, but in every thing through prayer...” (Philippians 4:6). Just come to Me. My ears are open to the cry of the righteous.” The comfort that if we ask anything in His name, He will hear us; amen? And He will do it.
And that’s part of what this is speaking of here in 1 Corinthians 12 through 14—the ability to come together in humility, Chapter 13—love one another. Let the motive that drives the gifts be love, be a desire to see one another edified and built up. You know, we’re warring, each and every one of us, daily against this flesh. Don’t you delight in that supernatural grace, the love of God to rise up in you and be able to lift up brother’s and sister’s hands that are hanging down; amen? We need that comfort today. We need encouragement today. We need this gift of prophecy that would continue to exhort us. We are more than conquerors. That’s exhortation. I want to exhort you that in all things, we are more than conquerors. I want to exhort you tonight: I can do all things through Jesus Who strengthens me, praise God.
That exhortation, that reminder of who we are in God and what He’s provided for us. That edification that will build us up and remind us, “Yeah, I know you’re warring the flesh. I understand that. We all are. But let me remind you what that blood of Jesus did.” Here’s the reality. Here’s the end of the whole treatise that Paul was giving. Let’s bring the conclusion: It’s by faith and not by works. The conclusion is we’re saved by grace through faith, hallelujah. There is a without-the-works righteousness, and we remind ourselves of that and encourage ourselves that, in fact, we are the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. That comforting, as we were sharing earlier, that He will never leave us nor forsake us. That comforting that says, “Don’t worry yourselves and be weary. “Be anxious for nothing, but in every thing through prayer...” (Philippians 4:6). Just come to Me. My ears are open to the cry of the righteous.” The comfort that if we ask anything in His name, He will hear us; amen? And He will do it.