Training Your Mind for Peace

We’re in a teaching series called Hijacked.

And the big idea of this series is simple: There are moments when emotions don’t just influence us — they take the wheel.

Anger
Worry
Desire
Pride

They promise clarity or control, but if we’re not careful, they start making decisions for us — shaping how we react, what we avoid, and who we become.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been learning that the goal of following Jesus is not to pretend we don’t feel these things. It’s not to suppress them. It’s not to shame ourselves for having them. And it’s definitely not to fake spiritual maturity.

The goal is to learn how to recognize when something unhealthy is driving — and how to take back the wheel.

Last week, we focused on worry — how it quietly hijacks our inner life and convinces us that staying anxious is the same thing as being responsible.

Today is a continuation of that conversation.

Because knowing that worry can hijack us is helpful — but it’s not enough.

The real question is:

How do you keep worry from taking control of your mind over time?
How do you experience peace when circumstances don’t change?
How do you live steady when pressure doesn’t let up?

That’s what today is about.

Last week we talked about how worry takes the wheel — today is about how to keep it from grabbing it back again.

I want to walk through a lot of the Book of Philippians today.

We’re going to look at how this man Paul, who was a human being like all of us, increasingly learned how to keep anxiety from hijacking his mind — and how to let peace take the wheel instead.

Let’s begin by looking at Philippians 4:6-7.

These two verses are really kind of a creedal text when it comes to worry.

This is what Paul writes:

Do not be anxious about anything,

Now, just think about that one statement for a moment. Paul is really serious about this, and we’ll see Paul had some things to be anxious about.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And then there’s this promise — this offer, this opportunity — which is not about you trying to work harder.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Paul says, “Do not be anxious about anything.”

Now, if we’re serious about this, if we really want to overcome anxiety, we’ll need a couple pieces of equipment.

The first thing we need is a problem — because if we never have a problem, we never have the opportunity to learn how NOT to worry about it, and we can never grow.

So how many of you have at least one problem… or you know where you can get one?

How many of you are sitting next to someone who looks like they’ve got a problem?

How many of you are sitting next to your problem?

I want to give you an equation for worry.

We’re tempted to think worrying is caused by our problems; so if God wants me to worry less, he ought to just give me fewer problems.

But worry doesn’t work that way.

There’s a Harvard researcher, a Christian, by the name of Ed Hallowell. He came up with this equation that really does determine the worry factor in anyone’s life:

An increased sense of vulnerability + a decreased sense of power = an increased sense of worry

That’s the moment worry takes the wheel — when I feel exposed and powerless at the same time.

Worry is not a direct product of my circumstances. It’s a direct product of my beliefs about how vulnerable I am and how much power I have access to.

This equation, I think, explains why sometimes people who have a lot of circumstances that look pretty good actually worry more than those who seem to have more problems.

This is why people who have a lot of money sometimes worry more about it than people who have very little.

So keep this in mind — worry results from a heightened sense of vulnerability and a diminished sense of strength or power.

Look at this statement from the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:13.

Paul has been facing some difficulties… and this is what he says — this is at the inner core of his being, which enables him to avoid the hijack of worry.

Paul says:

I can do all things through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

That belief kept worry from hijacking his inner life, even when his outer life was out of control.

And for chronic worriers, I’m telling you, if you don’t memorize any other statement from the Bible this week, this month, this year — memorize this one.

Tattoo it on your brain.

Paul says, “Whatever I have to face, I can face.”

When you carry that conviction inside, there is simply nothing that can threaten the peace which guards your mind, because it’s not about how good or bad your circumstances are.

So first, you’ve got to have a problem. We’re probably all okay there.

The second thing you’ll need to overcome anxiety is a renewed mind.

It wasn’t possible before… but Paul says what is now possible… is the peace of God.

By this, he means not just peace from God; he’s talking about the peace that God himself has — the serenity that characterizes God’s own eternal being.

That peace will guard your hearts and minds.

I’ll give you a picture from my life about what God wants to do for your mind and your heart.

When my kids were little, our family went up to Murphy’s. A friend let us stay at their cabin up there for a week.

And we took a day to explore the caverns that are up there.

I think we descended about 10-15 stories into these caverns.

When we got to the lowest point in the cavern, the guide was explaining to us how the original explorers used candles to see.

He turned off the lights to show us how dim the candle light actually was.

And then he blew out the candle so we could experience complete darkness.

I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face.

Now I can’t remember ever feeling claustrophobic before… but all of a sudden my mind was filled with these thoughts like:

I can’t get out of here.
I’m trapped.
What if we never get the lights back on?

Even after he turned the lights on… my mind was filled with thoughts and feelings that I did not want to have. I didn’t ask for them. I didn’t ask them to come, but they came.

I hid them as best I could, but my mind kept thinking:

You’re trapped.
You can’t get out of here.
You’re going to pass out and this tour guide is not going to be able to get you out of here.
You better run for the stairs now.
You better get out as fast as you can.

These were things in my mind that I did not want in my mind.

I didn’t say them out loud.
I was trying to hide them, but they were there.

Now, here’s a question: Did I believe I was safe?

I knew in my mind that thousands of people toured these caverns and lived to tell about it. So did I believe I was safe?

Well, I want to say part of me did. I suppose if I had to answer a true-false test I’d say, “Yes, I was safe.”

But I’ll tell you something:

My sweat glands were producing a lot of sweat. They didn’t believe I was safe.
My stomach had butterflies in attack formation… so apparently my stomach didn’t believe I was safe.
My heart was beating faster than usual. My heart didn’t believe I was safe.

That’s what it feels like when worry takes the wheel — my body and imagination start driving, even when my beliefs are trying to sit in the passenger seat.

Now, suppose someone had said to me, “The writer of Scripture is clear in Philippians — don’t be anxious about anything.”

How am I going to do that in that moment?

Not simply by willpower.

I could have, in that moment, just stood there and said over and over again,

Everything’s fine.
Everything’s going to be okay.
I’m going to quit thinking these thoughts.
I’m going to quit having these feelings.
I’m going to quit producing this sweat.

It wouldn’t have done any good at all.

Let me tell you how I was able to renew my mind and overcome these claustrophobic thoughts and feelings.

I did the only thing I knew to do.

First of all, I started to pray.

I asked God to help me change my mind. I knew what was going on with my body was a result of what was going on in my mind. I needed a renewed mind.

Second, I started to think of scripture that I have memorized.

Fear not for I am with you says the Lord.
Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, with prayer and 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.

I just kept replaying these verses over and over in my mind.

The renewal of my mind in that moment did not come about through willpower.

I couldn’t stand there and convince myself, “I’m not going to think these thoughts. I’m not going to think these thoughts.”

It didn’t even come about simply through information.

The tour guide gave us the information about how safe the caverns were. I could have memorized that stuff… but I still wouldn’t have had a renewed mind in that moment.

The renewal of the mind came through prayer…

And it came through what I had done prior to that moment

It came through the scripture I had memorized prior to that moment.
It came through the truth I reminded myself of in that moment.

You know what — every thought is either equipping you to deal with life in God’s presence and power… with strength and peace and truth and courage and joy. Thoughts like:

God loves me.
God is with me.
No matter what, God will give me the strength. — “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”
And God will be with me every day I’m alive.
God will guide me.
I’m never alone.

Those thoughts are leading me to peace.

Or we have thoughts like:

I’m not confident.
I can’t handle this.
I’m alone.
My guilt may be too much.
I may not be adequate.
People may not like me.

And those thoughts are handing the wheel to worry and fear.

They don’t feel dramatic — they feel responsible — but they slowly put fear in control.

And Paul says if you’ll allow this process, here’s what will happen — the Holy Spirit will stand guard over your mind.

And when there are these destructive trains of thought — these anxious, downward spirals that cause people to be paralyzed and to be afraid to trust God and to obey
God… the Holy Spirit really will help you to discern them.

And when one of those trains of thought comes up, the Spirit will prompt you to say, “Okay, God. I’m going to hand this over to you. Help me to discern the truth. And help me to cast my cares on you.”

And although it’s kind of effortful at first to do that… over time, increasingly, it just becomes a habit of the mind.

It did for Paul.

This is why prayer, I think, is the single, most fundamental spiritual discipline when it comes to putting off worry and anxiety… and putting on peace.

Prayer — turning any concern over to God when I feel it — that’s the part I play in allowing the peace of God to stand guard over my heart and my mind.

And the peace of God really will do this.

It is promised in Scripture.
It really happens in the lives of ordinary people like you and me.

Look at Philippians 1:12-14.

This is what Paul writes:

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.

As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.

And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. (Philippians 1:12-14)

So let me explain Paul’s situation.

When he says in verse 12, “I want you to know that what has happened to me,” he is referring to the fact that he has been arrested and convicted and imprisoned by the government of Rome — the most powerful government in his day.

Now, the fact that that has happened does not come as a big surprise to the people of Philippi.

In Acts 16, we read that Paul goes to Philippi for the very first time. And in the course of his preaching and teaching, he runs into some conflict with powerful financial influences who have him arrested, stripped, beaten, severely flogged, thrown into prison, and put in an inner cell where his feet are fastened into stocks.

That’s what happens to him.

Now, if that were to happen to me while I was trying to obey God — if I was arrested, stripped, beaten, flogged, and put in stocks, I would be tempted to get just a little bit anxious…

And there would be thoughts of worry that might form in the back of my mind.

Let me make an observation at this point.

When a chain of obsessive worry starts to form in your mind, researchers say you have about a one-minute window of opportunity to cut it off.

Those of you who really wrestle with anxiety know that once it wraps its tentacles around you, you can be in for hours or even days of obsessive worry.

Researchers say you’ve got about a one-minute opportunity to get rid of it, to counteract it, to take some kind of decisive action that can shut it off.

That’s what Paul does.

He’s been thrown into prison. Acts 16:25 says:

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. (Acts 16:25)

He talks to God and starts worshiping God.

And Paul discovers that right there in prison is a perfectly safe place for him to be… not because it’s going to be pleasant — he has been humiliated, beaten, tortured — but because it cannot separate him from the love of God. It can’t.

If anxious thoughts start to enter your mind because something bad has happened, and you can tell that if left unchecked, they will lead you into that kind of toxic, negative, self-defeating worry that we talked about…

Do what Paul did.

Take decisive action.

Pray out loud.
Sing worship songs.
Rehearse verses of Scripture you have memorized.
Talk to another person.
Cry out to God — cast your cares on him.

Do anything… but don’t sit back passively and let your mind be taken captive by fear… which is what so many people do when something bad happens.

See, here’s what Paul learned.

Paul learned that it really didn’t matter that they put his body in prison. It really didn’t… because his mind was free.

And they could never imprison his mind, which meant they could never imprison him.

Only one person can imprison your mind.

Want to guess who that might be?

Just you.
Just me.
No one else.

Now, back to Philippians 1.

Paul has been imprisoned at Rome, which meant he probably had Roman guards chained to him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In that situation, I’d be tempted to think…

I must have done something wrong
Or God must not have followed through on his part
Or this whole Christianity movement might not be what God wants me to be part of

Because how can we reach people if they find out that if you become a Christian, you could get arrested?

Instead, Paul, who has been imprisoned, thinks:

“The Romans believe I’m their prisoner.

“The reality is, they have it exactly backwards. Now I have people that I can talk to about Jesus, and I can do this 24 hours a day. And they’re chained to me, so they can’t get away.”

Plus the word is spreading all around Rome that this man Jesus inspired devotion so deep in his followers that they’ll go to prison for it. They’ll face death for it.

Plus, other Christians are looking at this, and instead of getting discouraged, they’re saying, “Well, if Paul can take it and live like this, so can I.”

And this spirit of peace and boldness is contagious.

So by doing this prison thing, the Romans aren’t intimidating anyone at all.

In fact, what they’re doing is making everyone bolder. It’s like they’re Paul’s training partners in reaching people with the Gospel.

And Paul’s underlying thought in all of this is that he can face this.

I can face these Romans.
I can face being in prison.
I can do anything through Jesus who strengthens me.

And he’s getting so strong.
He’s getting strong in a way he never would have gotten if he didn’t end up in prison.

Philippians 1:15-18 shows more problems.

Paul says:

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.

The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.

Then this great question:

But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. (Philippians 1:15-18)

Now, we need to understand what’s going on here — there are more problems.

There are people who don’t like Paul, and they’re apparently trying to make him look bad by becoming successful at preaching the gospel while he’s in prison.

But in verse 18, he asks a question that gives us a great window into his mind — What does it matter?

Now, I’m going to pause here a moment, because this is the question that chronic worriers always forget to ask.

The two words that torture a worrier are the words “What if.”

What if something goes wrong?
What if something bad happens?
What if something takes place that I can’t control?

And, of course, it might.

You can spin an infinite web of negative possibilities. What if? What if? What if?

And any one of them might come true. You have no guarantees at all.

What if the car breaks down?
What if I give someone important the wrong gift and I look stupid?
What if I prepare a message and it goes really bad?

And Paul’s question in verse 18 in the Greek is a wonderfully short phrase. It’s only two words — just a total of five little letters: ‘ti gar.’

You almost exactly capture the tone of it by the English phrase, ‘big deal.’

What if that stuff goes on? Big deal.
What if the car breaks down? Big deal. You can get rid of it and get another one.
What if you get the wrong gift for someone? Big deal. You can get rid of it and get another one.
What if a teaching pastor gives a bad message? Big deal. You can… well… send him to Hawaii to get reenergized.

Paul says, “What if I’m persecuted, arrested, tried, convicted, stripped of my freedom, beaten, imprisoned, and have rivals running around outside devoting themselves to ruining my reputation?”

Big deal.

Big deal… because my goal in life is not to get a 100 percent approval rating from people.

That doesn’t matter at all. These people can’t stop God. No one can stop God.

So this week, if something bad happens, a little thing or maybe a big thing, and you’re tempted to live under worry rather than in the presence and power of God — Stop!

And what two words are you going to say?

“Big deal!”

What does it matter?
What’s the big deal?
From an eternal prospective, does this have the power to separate me from God or thwart his purpose in the world?

No.

In fact, God ends up using things for redemptive purposes.

And Paul says the upshot of all this is that not only are you not torn apart by anxiety, but you rejoice.

And again, if you follow the way Paul is thinking, it’s not like he’s trying to be super-spiritual here… or doing something outlandish… or unbelievable… or inaccessible to normal people.

His mind has simply been renewed by placing himself in the care and control of God… and that’s guarding him — guarding his thoughts from being hijacked by worry.

You see, Paul’s body was imprisoned, but his mind, through prayer, had been renewed by God to a level of freedom that Rome simply did not know what to do with.

Rome had no chains, no beatings, no prisons, no forms of execution that could threaten it. It was a peace that transcended all human understanding. And Rome was powerless before it.

This can be your mind.

Paul says we really can put off anxiety and put on peace.

And for sure, we really can grow in it.
We really ought to expect it to happen.
And we ought to be cheering each other on in it.

Paul’s mind is renewed by this practice of prayer and being guarded by the Spirit.

There’s one other aspect, one other kind of practice, of Paul’s life I want to touch on briefly.

Another practice that keeps Paul in the presence and power and peace of God is what might be called — the cultivation of spiritual friendships.

These are relationships of sufficient spiritual intimacy where a part of what happens is — I express my anxieties and concerns to you, and you become a vehicle of truth and encouragement through which God’s peace flows into me.

Because no one is so strong that they can stay in the flow of peace all by themselves. They weren’t meant to.

We’re meant to bear each other’s burdens.

Look at Philippians 2:19-30 at how Paul does this.

Look at the language Paul uses to describe the spiritual relationships in his life:

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you.

Notice the language of the heart and emotions in this relational web.

I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.

I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger whom you sent to take care of my needs.

For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety.

So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me. (Philippians 2:19-30)

What Paul is describing here is what might be called a web of encouragement.

Paul is in chains, under house arrest probably, but he’s not alone.

He has Timothy in Rome with him. Timothy is like a son to Paul. Paul is like a father, encouraging Timothy about his gifts when Timothy is worried about that.

Paul says he wants to send Timothy to Philippi so that Timothy can reassure the Philippians that Paul is doing okay, and then so that Timothy can reassure Paul that the Philippians are doing okay.

They mutually assure and encourage each other.

The people of Philippi become a source of courage to Paul, and he wants to go back and be a source of strength to them.

The Philippians had sent Epaphroditus to help Paul, and he became like a brother and a partner and a fellow worker and a fellow soldier.

But he got real sick and almost died.

Paul says he wants to send him home so the people don’t worry about him and he doesn’t worry about them worrying about him, and Paul can have less anxiety.

One researcher puts one of the most important tools in dealing with toxic anxiety like this: “Never worry alone, because when you worry by yourself, it just intensifies what you’re worried about.”

When I talk with another person, I have the chance to get God’s eternal perspective… through that person.

And one of the great ministries that a small group can have is what might be called the ministry of reassurance.

We do this naturally with little children — an infant cries, and a mom or a dad picks that little child up and just instinctively reassures: “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

More and more, the goal is to have this sense of okay-ness inside me… but none of us does that fully in this life.

So Paul chose his friends real wisely. And you want to choose these friends wisely.

If you tell someone you’re worried and they respond, “Oh my gosh; that’s terrible. I’m glad I’m not you.” And they leave you more worried than you were when you got started.

Choose your friends wisely.

It’s utterly appropriate when you’re battling worry and you want reassurance to sometimes just ask for it.

“I’m worried about this conversation; do you think I’m on the right track?”
“I’m worried about this job at work; do you think I’ll be okay?”

This is a good thing to ask for sometimes. But you need wise friends who you can ask.

Because offering reassurance can sometimes break a chain of worry in another person.

Now, of course, don’t give false assurance when you know it’s not true. Don’t set someone up for failure.

You don’t want to say, “No, I think you look great in that Speedo, Grandpa.”

In the New Testament, reassurance isn’t mostly about telling people that some outcome is going to turn out the way they want.

It’s a reminder that we’re connected to God and connected to each other in this web of encouragement.

And, ultimately, nothing can thwart God’s eternal purpose for your existence… and nothing can separate you from his love… and, therefore, it’s okay. Whatever happens, it’s okay.

When we offer reassurance for each other, something happens inside us… and the peace of God begins to guard us.

Sometimes it doesn’t even have to be verbal.

It might be a hand on someone’s shoulder.
It might be a wave to someone.
It might be just locking eyes with someone.
It might be a prayer.

So this week, lets do this ministry of encouragement.

When you gather with your small group this week… tell your group something you’re tempted to worry about.

Maybe it’s something about your work.
Maybe it’s a relational deal.
Maybe it’s a friend in your life.
Maybe you’re worried about one of your kids.
Maybe you’re worried about a relationship with a mom or a dad.
Maybe it’s a financial worry.
Maybe it’s a vocational deal.
Maybe it’s a temptation thing, but you’re tempted to go into a downward spiral.

Understand, we’re part of this web of encouragement that stretches all the way back to the apostle Paul, sitting in chains in a Roman jail, writing words that encourage us to this day.

We need to do that for each other.

And if you need someone to do that for you today… I want you to know we have a prayer team that will be in the back by the cross after the service.

They will be happy to pray for you and encourage you.

Alright, let me pray as the band comes to lead us in a closing song.