Take Back Control

All right, what's going on, Church by the Glades? My name is Nick. I am one of the pastors here at CBG. And allow me to welcome you to week number two of a series that we have titled Mind Monsters, where we are tackling some of the monsters that tend to lurk in the corridors of our mind. Monsters like insecurity, and fear, and our monster of discussion for today, anxiety. Now, before you check out on me, because you think you don't struggle with your mental health, let me first start by saying this. Every single one of us, at some point in our life, will deal with something that concerns us to the point of worry. Even Jesus, the son of God himself, dealt with stress on his journey to the cross. So this, coupled with the fact that the scriptures deal with this topic all over the Bible, tells me that at the very least, it's important we know how to handle it. And secondly, what we'll come to learn in just a moment is that what goes on in our minds affects so much more than just our minds. So my encouragement to you today would be this. Stay with me, and be open, and see if God won't just speak to you today. Our text for this morning will be possibly the greatest passage of scripture in all the Bible on anxiety, Philippians chapter four.

Philippians chapter four will be our text for today. Would you turn with me there? But before I get to that passage, let me quickly address our set design for today. Why are we on the scare floor of Monsters Incorporated? Well, like I mentioned, we are in week two of a series titled Mind Monsters, because we love to get a little spooky around this time of year at Church by the Glades, but it is also because we have one of the greatest events coming up all year long here at Church by the Glades that we're paying homage to Pixar's Monsters, Inc. for, and that is Spooktacular. Spooktacular is literally next weekend, and I know you heard Karen talk about it during announcements, so I won't belabor this, but what you need to know is that this is the perfect invite for that family in your life that is typically resistant to come into the house of God. Because what parent doesn't want another use out of their kid's costume they paid so much money for? And what kid doesn't love Monsters, Inc.? I mean, I'll tell you right now, my son Avery, he is going to have a heart attack come Spooktacular. He loves Monsters Incorporated, he loves it. Like, he's at that stage of life right now where he just loves all the children's classics. He loves Toy Story, and Finding Nemo, and Cars, and he loves Monsters, Inc., but Church, can I be honest with you?

I'm a little concerned. I'm a little concerned for my boy, because I was having a conversation with him the other day and I was asking him, hey, who are your favorite characters in all of your favorite movies? And much to my surprise, none of his favorite characters were any of the heroes. As a matter of fact, all of his favorite characters were the villains. These are his superheroes. These are the people he loves. Like, Randall, the camouflaging monster that wants to take Boo? Or how about Electro, the villain from Spider-Man that shoots lightning bolts from his fingers? Or Zurg, Zurg's a big one, he loves Zurg's ion blaster, that's a little creepy. Or how about this one, the lava monster from Moana, Teka. If you've never seen Moana, here's what you need to know about Teka. He shows up in the movie for five flippin' minutes, that's it. But that's my son's favorite character, so much so that he asked if he could be a lava monster for Halloween. They don't even make that costume, because whose favorite character is the lava monster? Listen, y'all pray for my son, he's not saved yet, okay? We're still working on him. He loves all of the villains, but it got me thinking,

we're not all that different as adults. We tend to befriend the monsters that invade our minds. We learn to live with them. We grow accustomed to their presence, and even grow comfortable and reliant upon them, to the point that we don't want to let go of them, because it would require too much change from us. But I need you to know, God has no interest in you living with something that limits you. God has no interest in you settling for being somebody less than he has set you apart to be. So many of us have lost control of our minds, because we allow these monsters to run rampant with no opposition. But I believe that God wants you to eliminate these mind monsters, so that you can live in and with the peace that only comes from him. So in Jesus' name, I think it's time for God's people to take back control. their minds. Maybe you're here today and you're like, Nick, that's cute, but I've worried my whole life. I've tried and I've tried and I've tried and I just somehow keep getting swept back into the rip current of my anxious thoughts. So while this is a noble endeavor, it just seems a little hopeless for me. If that's you, what I need you to know today is this, is that change is possible. That you are able to overcome the war in your mind. That you don't have to live plagued by what goes on up here, but that there is still hope to slay the giant that stands before you. There is still hope to live with freedom and there is still hope to have peace of mind. I know this because of what my Bible tells me in Romans chapter 12 verse number 2. Look at how powerful and rich this promise

of God is. Look at what it says. It says, do not conform to the pattern of this world, but what? Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. That's fascinating. Be transformed by the renewing. Transformation is possible. You don't have to live like the rest of the world does. You don't have to live plagued by your anxious thoughts. You can be different. You can be set free. You can have transformation by the renewing of your mind. I don't typically do this, but I need you to understand the nature of the transformation that this scripture is referring to. The original Greek word for this word that was then translated into transformation, the original Greek word is metamorpho. Any guess at what English word is derived from this Greek one? Metamorphosis. So look at the picture the Apostle Paul is painting when it comes to the transformation in the life of a believer. Think of a caterpillar that enters into a cocoon that then comes out a butterfly. A caterpillar crawls on the ground. A butterfly flies in the air. A caterpillar is static. A butterfly is dynamic. A caterpillar stays low. A butterfly soars high. This is the picture of a believer that you are not just different than you once were, that you are not just a little bit better than you once were, but if you have placed your faith in Christ as your Lord then you are a brand new creation. You are completely changed. You are totally transformed and you are made new by the blood of Jesus. You're a new creation but there is this process in which you are being formed into this new creation. You see when you get saved and and you give your life by faith to Christ you enter into this spiritual cocoon but you're not supposed to go back to living like a caterpillar. Instead you are entering to this formative process that molds you and shapes you and conforms you to the image of Christ. But one of the reasons I believe so many of God's people struggle with anxiety today is because they are living like caterpillars when God made them to be butterflies. You are a new creation. You are a new creation in Christ Jesus. So transformation is possible. It's possible. You're a new creation but in order to take on this new that God has for you, you must allow him to renew your minds. You see if you want to transform your life you don't

start by changing your movement. That will never last. That doesn't actually help with anything because the moment you lose motivation to do new and hard things you don't just stop what you're doing but you revert back to your old way of life. So if you want to transform your life you don't start by changing your movement. You start by changing your mind. This is why the Christian life is not about a behavior modification but the Christian life is about heart transformation because if God can get you at your innermost being, if God can get you at the centerpiece of who you are, what you think to be true and what you believe about yourself, then God can transform your life from the inside out. But I need you to know this. I feel like I have to warn you that renewal always requires renovation. Renewal requires renovation. Renovation is interesting in that it's not just the building up of something new but when renovating, before the new can be built up, the old must first be torn down. Oh man, if you really want to renew your minds, if you really want to transform your life life, then you must acknowledge and recognize that you have some toxic thought patterns that God must break down first before he can build up the new he wants to build in your life. The breaking always comes before the blessing. The struggle always comes before the striving. And the death always comes before the resurrection. So don't you dare quit short of your transformation because things are getting hard. You're just being renewed. And I believe God wants to renew some minds today. I believe God wants to defeat some anxiety and some worry today, but I really believe this that God cannot defeat what you don't first diagnose. So let me quickly just kind of differentiate between worry and anxiety because they are a little different. Anxiety and worry they're kind of like like really really close relatives. They're like twins. They're not identical twins, but they're like fraternal twins. They're not synonymous terms, but they're very similar terms. For example, the difference between anxiety and worry lies in their intensity and their impact. The intensity and the impact. The greater the

intensity and the greater the degree of impact on your life, the likelier it is that you are dealing with anxiety. For example, worry will cause you to be nervous about your future, but anxiety will keep you up at night thinking about it. Worry tends to be temporary throughout your day, but anxiety tends to linger far beyond. Any one of us would care for it too. The difference is in their intensity and their impact. And interestingly enough, Jesus dealt with both. He dealt with both worry and anxiety and gave us tools to overcome them. In Matthew chapter 6 verse number 25 and following, Jesus gives us the tools to overcome worry. Here's what it says. Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink or about your body, what you will wear. Is life not more than food and the body more than clothes? Get ready to read. One, two, three. Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow nor reap nor stow away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they are? Can any one of you by worrying... Please somebody get this today. Add a single hour to your life. Let's skip down to verse number 33. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Great passage, but I believe according to this text and according to the words of Jesus, that worry is combated by perspective. Jesus said, do not worry about tomorrow, and then he gave us the directive to look. Look at something new. It's a shift in your focus. It's a change at what you are looking at and maybe more importantly how you are looking at it. To shift your perspective means to take your eyes off of all of the problems of your life and to fix your eyes onto the power of God. To stop worrying about your health and to start focusing on your healer. To stop worrying about how things will work out and to start focusing on who will work them all out. To stop focusing on your future and to start focusing on the finisher of your faith. It's a shift in perspective. I wonder how many of you would just start walking with exponentially more joy if you were to just start your day with the right perspective. Your life is more than your

goals. Your life is more than your dreams and your hopes and your plans, but seek first. Look first. Shift your perspective first to the kingdom of God, and all of these things will be added unto you. Okay, well worry is combated by perspective, but what about anxiety? How about anxiety? Well, we're finally there. Philippians chapter 4. The Lord deals with anxiety in Philippians chapter 4 through the Apostle Paul starting in verse number 4. Here's what the scripture says. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will save you. it again. Rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Here it is. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Here's the promise. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. It's a it's a verse that so many of us have heard and and read and maybe even memorized because of the powerful promise attached to it. Peace. Peace. Something our world is in desperate need of. Something our generation is deprived of. And yet the Apostle Paul says that if you were to pray and you were to give thanks and you were to present your requests to God in any and every situation, good or bad, that God would give you his peace. That if you were to pray to God and you were to praise God that you'd receive the promise of God. That's his peace. So why is it then that so many of us can pray and give thanks and and even ask God to change our circumstances and yet still so many of us live with a lack of peace and deal with anxiety and worry on an almost daily basis? This is where it's really important to know that when we read the scripture, we cannot just cherry-pick our favorite verses and apply them to our life out of context, hoping and thinking that it will do for us what we want it to do for us. But we must take into consideration the full context of the scripture. We must take a zoom out and look at the bigger picture and recognize that there may be more to the story. And I don't know if you know this, but Philippians chapter 4 verses 6 and 7 are just a partial prescription for anxiety. And much like taking antibiotics, a partial prescription will never fully solve your problem. If you've been prescribed antibiotics before,

you've also probably heard your doctor say, hey, take the full cycle. Even if your symptoms start to get better, take the full cycle. Why? Because even though your symptoms may be getting better, when you take the full cycle, you effectively kill off and ensure that none of the illness-causing bacteria spreads or multiplies throughout your body. But when you don't finish the full cycle of antibiotics, when you don't take the full prescription, though your symptoms may be getting better, the source of your symptom, the bacteria, it remains alive in your body. Oh, so if you want to fully take care of the anxiety that you deal with, we must stop settling for symptom management and we must start getting to the source of our problem. We need the full prescription for anxiety. So what is the full prescription? Because we've been dealing with just a partial. What's the full? Well, continue reading in Philippians chapter 4 verses 8 and 9. Look at what it says. Finally, in other words, furthermore, in addition to all the things I just taught you in verses 6 and 7, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is excellent, whatever is pure, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praised, ready? One, two, three. Think about those things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put them into practice and the God of peace will be with you. Most people stop at verse number 7 because of the promise of peace that will guard their minds. But I would argue that our issue in 2024 is not getting peace. I would argue that our issue in 2024 is keeping peace. And this is where so many of us miss the mark because we're good at praying and we're good at giving thanks and we're even good at asking for God's help in every circumstance. But then we think that God will just magically take over and change our lives while we still sit in our toxic patterns of thought. Anxiety is just the symptom, but it is your thoughts that are the source. So if you want to actually not just receive receive peace, but live in a lasting peace, then you can't just pray and ask God for his help while you remain dwelling on every negative thing possible.

You must change the way that you think. You see, verses six and seven are how you get peace, but verses eight and nine are how you keep peace. Verses six and seven are how you put the guard in place, but verses eight and nine are how you keep the guard in place, so if you have implemented verses six and seven by prayer and petition with thanksgiving and you've presented your request to God and still you lack a lasting peace in your life, maybe it is because you have stopped short of the practice associated with the promise. You see, worry, worry is combated by perspective, by shifting your focus, by looking at, changing what you look at and changing how you look at it, but anxiety is not combated by perspective. Anxiety is combated by putting things into practice, to do something different, to act a different way, to think different thoughts. If you wanna live the life that God has called you to live, then you must live the way God has called you to live, or in our case, you must think the thoughts that God has called you to think. Negative thoughts will never produce a positive life. You can't think negatively every day and expect that God would give you a lasting peace. So no matter how much you pray, no matter how much you give thanks, and no matter how many times you ask God for his help, if you don't also change the way that you think in the process, that you will always fall short

of the fullness of peace that God can give you because you will always revert back to your strongest thoughts. So what are your strongest thoughts? And do they align with that list? Are your strongest thoughts true, pure, lovely, admirable, righteous, excellent, or praiseworthy, or are your strongest thoughts full of lies, negativity? Are your strongest thoughts stress-inducing? What are your strongest thoughts? Because Proverbs chapter 23, verse seven says that for, as a man thinks in his heart, so he will be. In other words, what you think is directly attached to who you become. So if you don't like the fruit that your life is producing, if your life is producing negative fruit, then likely it is the result of thinking negative thoughts. But here's the beauty of your mind. You get to decide what it dwells on and focuses on. So if you don't like the direction your life is headed in, if you want to start producing good fruit in your life, then you must first start by thinking good thoughts. But nothing will ever change about your circumstances and nothing will ever change about your life if you don't put into practice the things that you have learned. If you don't apply God's word. It's kind of like this sunscreen. I've learned that sunscreen can be very polarizing. There are two types of sunscreen people.

There are the sunscreen Nazis who will scoff at you if you don't apply some form of protection when you go into the sun. And then there are people like my Cuban family who don't know sunscreen exists and who will make fun of you for applying any form of protection because they think that somehow their brown skin protects them from all forms of sunlight. It's facts. But nonetheless, the purpose of sunscreen is to guard you from harmful UV rays. And this particular sunscreen, it's SPF 50, so it's strong. It's four in one, so it protects you from both UVA and UVB rays. It's resistant to sweat, heat, water. It's sport, so you can go outside and actually work out with it, all that stuff. It's free of all these harmful chemicals. This is a really good sunscreen. But how many of you know this sunscreen will never do anything for me if I just know what it does? It is only when I apply the sunscreen to my skin that it then guards my body from harmful sunlight. And I don't know about you, but I've never seen anybody in the history of ever get mad at a sunscreen bottle for not protecting them from the sun when they're the ones that didn't apply it. So why is it then that?

So many people get mad at God when they live in all types of dysfunction, anxiety, and worry. It's not God's fault. He gave you a formula. He gave you the manual. He gave you tools to overcome your dysfunction and tools to overcome your anxiety and tools to overcome your worry, but you have to be the one to apply it to your life. Knowing it is not enough. You must apply the Word of God if you want the power of the Word of God. This is not true just of your mind, by the way. This is true of every aspect of your life. Matthew chapter 7, the conclusion of Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount, he addresses this very truth after saying all these incredible things in the Sermon on the Mount. He concludes by saying this, therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came and the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock. Rain may come and wind may blow, but if Christ is your firm foundation, you are unshakable. But, don't clap too soon, but according to this text, Christ cannot be your firm foundation if you don't apply the words he gave you. In other words, an unshakable life is the result of unwavering discipline. Do not be surprised when the things that only come from God are completely inseparable from the God who freely gives them. If you want to live in the will of God, then you must obey and follow the ways of God. It is a relationship with the God who provides lasting peace that then grants you access to the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. It is obedience to the God who provides an unshakable joy that then grants you access to the joy of God that the world cannot rob you of. It is only when you live in the boundaries of the God of hope that you will then be granted access to the blessing of the hope of God. It is only when you have faith in and submission to the God who provides unmerited grace that you are then granted access to the grace of God that forgives you of all of your sin and makes you righteous before your father in heaven. You see, Jesus as your savior brings you peace with God, makes you righteous in his sight, makes you bound for heaven, and frees you of all of the powers of sin. So if you've not made that decision, in just a moment there'll be some pastors and prayer partners that would love nothing more than to help you navigate this faith step in your life. But just know that Jesus as your savior is what brings peace with God. But it is only Jesus as your Lord that brings you to and keeps you in the peace of God. If you want to claim what is rightfully yours, you must first operate in the

ways that are rightfully ordered. So the way to peace is by shifting your thoughts. It's by changing what you think. Can I get that list of things that we ought to think? Philippians chapter 4 verse 8 back up on the screen. I wish I had more time to talk through all of these. I don't. So take a picture of it, meditate on it, memorize it, read it every single day. This is how God's people should think. But what I need you to know about this list of virtues that Paul chose to use is that it covers every area of your consideration. It's an all-encompassing list. So whatever it is that you think on, whatever it is that you dwell on, must find its basis in this list. Everything you think on should be true. Everything you think on should be noble. Everything you think on should be right and pure and lovely and righteous and excellent and praiseworthy. Everything you think on should be finding itself in this list because if it doesn't, then you are opening a gateway for the enemy to invade your mind and wreak havoc in your life. This is why the scripture says that we are to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. Because if we don't make our thoughts obedient to Christ, our minds will be obedient to the flesh. And the mind governed by the flesh is death. Oh, but the mind governed by the Spirit of God is life and peace. So I don't have time to cover all of these, but before I let you go, I just got to cover one. Whatever is true. I find it very interesting that the Apostle Paul starts the list with this one. I wonder how much of our worry and anxiety that we deal with would just melt away if we were to start with, is this thought true? Oh, so much of our worry stems from what ifs and could bes. What if I never get married? What if I never start a family? What if my boss doesn't like my work? What if the stock market crashes? So much of our anxiety is rooted in things that could be true. Well, did you notice that the Apostle Paul did not say, hey, think on whatever could be true. He said, think on whatever is true. So sure, you know what could be true? Your health could decline. The stock market could crash.

Your future could not pan out the way you'd hope it to. But have you ever considered to stop and think on what is true? Because you know what is true? God has more power than any sickness or disease. You know what else is true? God holds all authority. You know what else is true? That God is sovereign. You know what else is true? That God is in control where you are not. You know what else is true? That God has a plan to prosper your life. You know what else is true? That when God steps up on the scene, everything needs to bow. Everything needs to fall before the strength of God. He is in control. The enemy is the father of all lies. So to combat his lies, you must treat him with the truth of God and his word. So whatever you have seen or heard or learned in me, put them into practice. Because when you put them into practice, verse number nine says, that not the peace of God will guard your mind but the God of peace will be with you. And when God is with you, peace is with you. When God is with you, joy is with you. When God is with you, love is with you. When God is with you, comfort is with you. When God is with you, truth is with you. When God is with you, salvation is with you. When God is with you, provision is with you. And when God is with you, He will cover you. So shift your thoughts.

Renew your minds. Because when you do, not only must anxiety flee, but the presence of God will be with you. And it is in the presence of God that transformation takes place. So renew your thoughts, renew your minds, and allow the peace of God to guard you as the God of peace holds you up. Father, we thank you. We thank you for the truth that is in your word. We thank you that you are an on-time God. Lord, we ask today that you would help us to overcome the war in our minds by helping us to live in the truth and put into practice the things that you have in your word. Lord, be with us. Give us your peace and sustain us through this week as we apply your word, as we read your word, and as we know who you are. We love you. It's in the mighty name of Jesus Christ we pray as the church said loudly together.