Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7
Paul the Apostle was in prison, sent this letter in the hands of a friend and brother in Christ; and he tells the Philippian Church, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say ‘ Rejoice.’ ” It does not seem that he had much to rejoice in, but he was different from most of us and could rejoice because of who he knows, and what he knows.
He can rejoice because he knows that the Lord is near. He knows of the patience, the forbearance of these people; let that be known among all the people. That ( forbearance) is a good thing to practice.
The Apostle tells us here not to be anxious, worried about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, tell the Lord your situation, and He will give you peace. He will give you the peace that passes understanding. The apostle Paul knew this peace and that is how he could tell them to “Rejoice.”
Sitting as a prisoner in a rented house, under guard night and day, the apostle Paul sees God as being bigger and greater than his being imprisoned. God was doing great and mighty things through Paul’s ministry of prison. He knew that God is bigger than the walls he was bound to. God is bigger than Rome, and He is bigger than the universe which He created.
When we see God in His Son Jesus Christ, as being bigger and greater than our fears and worries, then we can have the peace of God that passes all understanding.