In Acts 16, Paul arrives in the city of Philippi. Not long after his initial contact with Lydia, he and his companions were on their way to prayer when they were confronted by a slave girl who was demon-possessed. Unlike the demon possessions in the gospels where the victims were unfit for society or stricken with physical ailments, this girl had the ability to foretell the future … kind of. But she was able to bring in a handsome profit for her owners. In verse 17, she loudly proclaimed, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”

She was one hundred percent correct.

Paul and his friends were absolutely servants of the Most High God. Most High God was a regularly used Old Testament name for God. And the whole reason that they were in Philippi was to preach the gospel, the way of salvation. She nailed them. So why was Paul so irritated with her?

It was the demon talking, not the girl.

But the demon was telling the truth. Isn’t that a good thing?

Actually, it presents several problems which may give us some insight as we carry out the gospel.

Since the demon was saying the same kinds of things Paul was saying, the hearers would have a hard time seeing the difference between the occultism the girl and her masters were promoting and the life-transforming gospel Paul preached. The logical conclusion then is if the words were the same, then it really didn’t matter which one you followed, right? It’s the “all religions are the same” argument that we still hear today. That argument is patently false. Christ alone saves us by His atoning death as a result of His great grace, mercy, and love.

Second, Paul refused to accept the “help” of demons when it came to spreading the message of Christ. Granted, Romans and Greeks put a lot of stock in divination and having their message “certified” might have opened doors for Paul and his team. However, he was determined to seize the opportunities God presented him and to walk through the doors the Holy Spirit opened. He had enough discernment and faith NOT to partner with those who would ultimately undermine the gospel, no matter what kind of promotional advantage they offered. Even when it resulted in a riot, arrest, and jail. We, too, have to be wise and discerning as we carry out the Commission Jesus gave us.

Finally, no matter what the girl was saying, the reality was that she was in bondage, not to her owners, but to the demon that controlled her. Her “testimony” was empty and meaningless. Paul knew that until she was free of the demon and her heart changed, it didn’t matter that her words were true. We encounter people all the time who can use all the right “church-y” words but their hearts and lives show no evidence of transformation. We like Paul need to recognize what the root problem is. While we may not be able to command the chains to fall away, we can pray to the One who can.

So what can we learn from Paul’s encounter with a demon-possessed girl in Philippi?

The gospel stands alone among all other religious systems and messages.
In carrying out the gospel, make sure the only spirit helping is the Holy Spirit.
What’s in the heart matters, not the words.

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O safe to the Rock that is higher than I,
My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly.
So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine would I be;
Thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in Thee.

In the calm of the noontide, in sorrow’s lone hour,
In times when temptation casts o’er me its power,
In the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea,
Thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in Thee. [Chorus]

How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,
I have fled to my Refuge and breathed out my woe.
How often when trials like sea billows roll
Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul. [Chorus]

Chorus:
Hiding in Thee, Hiding in Thee,
Thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in Thee.

William O. Cushing, 1876
Read Psalm 61:1-8

Christ as our refuge is one of my favorite motifs in the Scripture, and this hymn builds on that idea throughout. No matter the situation, He is there with protection and strength, giving comfort and peace. Aren’t you glad we have a Rock?

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What did you go out into the wilderness to see? Matthew 11:7-9

When Sunday comes, what do we expect in the worship service?

A reed shaken by the wind?

The latest trendy ideas.
The best formulas and formats.
The best technology.

But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments?

Soft words
Uplifting platitudes
Feel-good stories.

But what did you go out to see? A prophet?

The very words of God.
An encounter with holiness.
Conviction and consecration.

When we go to worship … what happens if we find what we’ve gone out to see?

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Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Stress, anxiety, and worry are all inescapable facts of life. But you might have already guessed, stress is complex, and it can actually benefit us. In fact, we’ll look at good stress (eustress) recognizing distress (bad stress) and Biblical strategies for dealing with all of it.

Understanding Eustress

Eustress is the positive stress that challenges us and helps us grow. For example, you may challenge yourself to run a half marathon and commit to the training. Or you may decide you want to learn Spanish, so you take on the challenge of the class, learning the vocabulary, and passing the tests.

Put in the framework of your Christian life, you make take a step of faith and agree to teach or lead a small group. You may go through a crisis like a job loss that forces reliance on God, and you see that He proves faithful to His word.

All of these things cause varying degrees of stress and anxiety. There may be frustration and even thoughts of giving up. However, sticking with it, accomplishing the goal or looking back, we can see how God was working and how we’ve grown as a result of the challenge.

This is the kind of stress James has in mind when he said:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

Notice all the benefits of getting through the eustress: Steadfastness, perfection (that means maturity, more that being perfect), completeness, lacking nothing. In other words, you become more unshakeable in you faith and your commitment to Jesus Christ. You are matured, experienced, wise. You are no longer a novice. Admittedly that’s a good feeling. Eustress is worth it.

Recognizing Distress

Distress, on the other hand, is the negative stress that can weigh us down and lead to anxiety and worry. It’s the type we feel where we’re afraid of failure, or when there’s family tension.

In your Christian life, it may show us as questioning God’s promises, wondering when (or if) He’s going to intervene. It may include things like watching the evening news and coming away with lingering concern about the way the world is going.

The key distinguishing factor with distress is that it lingers and it has negative impacts. If it’s on your mind constantly, if you lose sleep, if you recognize that you’re short-tempered and cynical, you may be feeling distress.

Scripture tells us that kind of stress is hard on us.

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad. Proverbs 12:25

The verse has the idea of weighing the heart down with burdens. If you’ve experienced that kind of stress, you can identify with the heaviness that comes with it. But this verse also hints at the solution.

Balancing and Managing Stress

If you are feeling stress, take some time to figure out if it’s eustress or distress. If it’s the good kind you can agree with Paul

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,” 1 Timothy 1:12

The good stress is there because God counted you faithful. He’s guiding you into a deeper relationship with Him. Keep your eyes on Him and embrace the challenge.

But if it’s bad stress, we can lean on some other words from Paul. Philippians 4:6 instructs us to rely on prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving. Prayer includes any and all communication with God. Supplications are the requests we make and petitions we submit. Thanksgiving underscores the attitude we bring. It is an attitude of humility and dependence, recognizing the need for God to intervene.

This is key advice because we have a natural tendency to withdraw when threatened. We need the opposite. We need to keep the communication lines open with God. Further, 1 Peter 5:7 reminds us that God cares about us and about the concerns we have. One of my favorite Scriptures in times of distress is Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10

Don’t be afraid.
God is with you, not watching from a distance.
Don’t be dismayed. There is hope.
God says, “I am your God.” That is amazing. Think about that one for a minute.
He will strengthen you.
He will help you.
He will uphold you. That means He will give you the support and strength to stand.
His righteous right hand means He will bring His moral authority into the situation.

Stress is real. It is hard, but as believers, we don’t have to face it alone. Good stress, eustress helps us grow. Bad stress drives us to God. The key is not to let stress drive us to despair.

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There is rest, sweet rest, at the Master’s feet.
There is favor now at the mercy seat,
For atoning blood has been sprinkled there.
There is always a blessing, a blessing in prayer.

There is grace to help in our time of need,
For our Friend above is a Friend indeed.
We may cast on Him ev’ry grief and care.
There is always a blessing, a blessing in prayer. [Refrain]

When our songs are glad with the joy of life,
When our hearts are sad with its ills and strife,
When the pow’rs of sin would the soul ensnare,
There is always a blessing, a blessing in prayer. [Refrain]

There is perfect peace tho’ the wild waves roll;
There are gifts of love for the seeking soul,
Till we praise the Lord in His home so fair.
There is always a blessing, a blessing in prayer. [Refrain]

[Refrain]
There’s a blessing in prayer, in believing prayer,
When our Saviour’s name to the throne we bear.
Then a Father’s love will receive us there;
There is always a blessing, a blessing in prayer.

Eliza E. Hewitt, 1887
Read Hebrews 4:11-16

The benefits of prayer extend beyond the answer. This hymn outlines some of those: rest, grace, peace, and joy, among others. It is a beautiful and powerful gift God has given us. Let us make certain we take advantage of this great blessing.

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“For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” Matthew 12:34

Jesus spoke these words to the Pharisees
But they are recorded for us.
Our words
Reveal our hearts.

What’s in our words?
Gossip
Judgment
Doubt
Derision
Dismissal

OR

Encouragement
Thanksgiving
Faith
Edification
Enthusiasm

What’s in our hearts?
Jealousy
Self-righteousness
Unbelief
Arrogance
Bitterness

OR
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Gentleness

Christ in our hearts should mean Christ in our words.

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