Good Advice by Larry Perry

Philippians 4:6 English Standard Version (ESV) do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Anxiety happens on so many levels we might even be aware of it. Some stress out more than others. There are signs and for the most part it is not something we connect with anxiety.

You systolic blood pressure will be elevated by anxiety. We do not walk around with a sphygmomanometer all day. There are reasons they use them every 4 hours while we are in the hospital, one of them is checking your stress level. For those of us with hypertension to begin with an increase in our systolic reading might be alarming enough to make it even worse.

Be anxious for nothing is the last thing on our minds at this time but it is our best advice.

Signs of anxiety can be more than an increase in our systolic readings. Our speech will often reflect anxiety. We will be more critical, and our tongues will tell others we are anxious, if they know to look for it. Do we voice our disapproval of the driving habits of others? Sure but is it on the increase. Are the slightest “violations” cause enough to raise our voices another octave?

How much time do we spend complaining about things that are not within our control?

These are just a few of the signs of anxiety. I am not a medical expert. There is much for me to learn about this subject. I do know the bible and His good advice is meant to help us in every way, not just in spiritual matters. He cares about all our aspects.

Now, can I take His advice and apply it to my thoughts?

Romans 12:12 English Standard Version (ESV) Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

The Greek word for constant here is proskartereō and its use as related to a person means to be a servitor which is defined as a person who serves or attends on a social superior. While the issue of social status is conveyed in the secular dictionary, our Spiritual Father would have us be humble in prayer, to think on that person as being worthy of prayer.

Recently I have been the recipient of prayers. I have found them to fall into three categories. The first is instant, no hesitation, spoken in my presence. The second is the cordial greeting “I will prayer for you” or “you are in my prayers.” Those prayers fall into the category of relationship. If I do not know this person to be a person of any religious stature then I leave it up to God as to whether that person prayed. The third is the unknown person who upon hearing of my plight will go to God in prayer without making any contact with me at all.

James 5:16b English Standard Version (ESV) The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Considering that none are righteous, no not one, then I must accept that only the prayers of Jesus, our righteousness, has power to enact God’s will.

Understand please, I am not asking Jesus to pray for me. I would appreciate it if Jesus led your prayers for me. This meets the definition of servitor in that if we attend unto God in our prayers we become servants to Him and receive the prayers of our Advocate Jesus who pleads our case before the father.

We should not leave Jesus out of the process of prayer, He leads us in prayer.