Philippians 4:7-8 (NKJV) And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
The Apostle Paul said that after casting our cares upon God, we need to meditate on the truth and keep our eyes on God so we can keep the peace. Meditation is the key to keeping God’s peace in our hearts and minds. God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. This peace is very different from the peace that comes from the world, which is subject to circumstances.
When we are fearful, we meditate on the unknown, the potential negative scenarios that might never happen. Our brain or mind can only think of one thing at a time. Therefore, we need to take charge of our thought life so we can keep the peace in our hearts and minds.
Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Worship helps us to keep our minds on God and reminds us of His greatness. When we stay focused on God and His character, we will experience perfect peace. He does not want us to fear but to take comfort in knowing that He is with us. He has promised to help, strengthen, and uphold us in all circumstances.
When we are saved, our spirit man becomes a new creation, though our body will continue to age until we return to the Lord. Therefore, the final frontier for us to conquer is our mind, particularly our thought life. There is spiritual warfare within our thoughts. Temptation enters through our thoughts and physical senses. An argument takes place in our minds as thoughts and suggestions are thrown into it. Our lives are also influenced by what we watch, read, and how we process our thoughts. Fear or peace enters through the thought life.
2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (NKJV) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
The Apostle Paul teaches us to pull down those thoughts, cast down arguments, and every high thing, including rationalism, and bring them into alignment with the Word of God. Meditating on the Word is the very act of casting down arguments by replacing them with what the Word says, rather than allowing rationalism to dilute the Word or our senses to instil fear into us. The weapon of our warfare is the meditation on the Word of God; it helps us to replace and take captive other thoughts.
Sermon Series: Relaxed and Composed
心思专注于神
腓立比书 4:7-8 神所赐出人意外的平安，必在基督耶稣里保守你们的心怀意念。弟兄们，我还有未尽的话，凡是真实的、可敬的、公义的、清洁的、可爱的、有美名的，若有什么德行，若有什么称赞，这些事你们都要思念。
使徒保罗说，在我们将忧虑交托给神之后，就要思想真理、定睛在神身上，好让我们能持守平安。默想是保守神的平安在我们心思意念中的关键。神的平安要在基督耶稣里保守我们的心怀意念。这种平安与世界所给予的不同——世界的平安取决于环境，而神的平安却超越一切环境的限制。
当我们惧怕时，往往是在思想那些未知的、可能发生却未必会成真的负面情景。我们的头脑一次只能专注于一件事，因此，我们必须学会管理自己的思想生活，好让我们的心思意念常保平安。
以赛亚书 26:3坚心倚赖你的，你必保守他十分平安，因为他倚靠你。
敬拜能帮助我们将心思专注于神，并提醒我们祂的伟大。当我们专注于神和祂的属性，我们就会经历那完全的平安。神不希望我们惧怕，而是要我们因祂的同在得安慰。祂已经应许，无论在任何境况中都要帮助我们、坚固我们、扶持我们。
当我们得救时，我们的灵成为新造的人，虽然我们的身体仍会逐渐衰老，直到我们回到主那里。然而，我们需要征服的最后一个领域就是我们的思想——尤其是我们的思维生活。属灵的争战往往发生在我们的思维中。试探是通过思想与感官进入的。各种思虑与意念会在我们心中交战，争夺我们的注意力。我们所观看的、阅读的、思想的内容都会影响我们的生命。惧怕或平安，都是从思想进入我们的生命。
哥林多后书 10:4-6 我们争战的兵器本不是属血气的，乃是在神面前有能力，可以攻破坚固的营垒，将各样的计谋、各样拦阻人认识神的那些自高之事，一概攻破了，又将人所有的心意夺回，使它都顺服基督；并且我已经预备好了，等你们十分顺服的时候，要责罚那一切不顺服的人。
使徒保罗教导我们，要攻破那些意念，推翻一切计谋和高抬自己、拦阻人认识神的思想，包括理性主义的骄傲，使它们降服于神的话语之下。默想神的话，就是攻破这些意念的过程——用神的话语取代人的推理，不让理性稀释真理，也不让感觉或环境在我们心里种下惧怕。我们属灵的兵器就是默想神的话语，这帮助我们更新思想、掳掠一切不顺服基督的意念，使心思完全与神对齐。
讲道系列：从容的心，坚定的信