Series: Peace

John 14:27 AMPC Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]

It is the will of God for the believer to live in the peace of Jesus Christ!

Worry is one of the greatest enemies to your peace in Christ Jesus!

Philippians 4:6,8 TPT Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing… (8) So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always.

It is our choice what we dwell on in our thinking.

You cannot afford to be passive where your thought-life is concerned.

Romans 8:6 AMPC Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].

• You cannot control everything that is going on around you and bringing pressure into your life.
• You do have control over how you respond to those outside pressures and whether they are able to steal your peace.

Internal pressure in the form of worry, anxiety, fretfulness, and fear is a taste of Hell.

1 John 4:18 AMPC There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].

Keys to Peace

Romans 5:1-2 NKJV Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (2) through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

• We have peace with God and because of that we should walk in peace in every area of our lives.

Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

• Peace is a fruit of the Spirit which He works in us so that we can manifest that in our lives.

Remember, fruit is not for your consumption but for others to be able to partake of.

Philippians 4:4-7 NKJV Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! (5) Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. (6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (7) and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Five Things Paul Tells Us to Do:

(4) Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice.

1. Be a joyful person and let it come out of your mouth in the form of praise towards God.

Happiness is just for the moment, but joy is an eternal thing.

Psalms 30:5b NKJV …Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.

Joy will always outlast the trial and trouble.

(5a) Let your gentleness be known to all men.

Philippians 4:5 AMPC Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is coming soon].

2. We need to set aside our selfishness and be considerate of others.

Philippians 4:5 MSG Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

Follow the example of Jesus and become a servant of others.

Think of others more highly than you think of yourself.

(5b) The Lord is at hand. (the Lord is close by)

3. Live always knowing that Jesus sees everything that you say and do.

Our lives should be lived as though we have no secrets from the Lord and we walk in integrity.

We should not live two lives – one for God and one for us, public and private. God sees it all.

(6) Be anxious for nothing.

4. Don’t worry about anything.

God has always taken care of me and He always will.

(6b) In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

5. Pray about every situation.

When you pray, you are acknowledging that you are not big enough to handle the situation.

Pray for wisdom and direction.

Prayer releases the power of God into your situation.

Prayer releases the authority of the Name of Jesus.

Philippians 4:7 NKJV and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7 ERV And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.

Philippians 4:7 TPT then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ.

John 14:27 NKJV Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27 AMPC Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]

• It is the will of God for the believer to live in the peace of Jesus Christ!

If Jesus said that we should have this, then we should know what it is.

Peace – (GREEK) – Eirene – Opposite of war and dissension, peace of mind, tranquility; health, welfare, prosperity, every kind of good.

Peace (HEBREW) – shalom – safe, well, friendly, good welfare (health, prosperity, peace, favor, rest; all is well.

• Jesus has given to us the peace that He walked in while here in the earth.

The peace that Jesus had kept Him during everything He faced including the Cross and He has given that peace to us.

• One of the greatest enemies to your peace in Christ Jesus, is going to be worry!

Philippians 4:6-9 TPT Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, (7) then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ. (8) So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always. (9) Follow the example of all that we have imparted to you and the God of peace will be with you in all things.

John 14:1 AMPC DO NOT let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me.

Troubled = to stir up with questions

Matthew 6:25 KJV Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Matthew 6:27 KJV Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

Matthew 6:28 KJV And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

Matthew 6:31 KJV Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

Matthew 6:34 KJV Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

If Jesus says something once, it is important. If He says something five times in 10 verses, it must be extremely important. Why is that?

By implication, Jesus is saying that we have a choice in what we think about and can select the thoughts that we dwell on in our minds.

• What you think about has more to do with you in living in the peace of God than anything else.

What you think about is what you will eventually believe. What you believe is eventually what you will say. What you believe and say is what you will have and experience in this life.

What caused Elijah to lose his peace?

1 Kings 19:1-4 NLT When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. (2) So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.” (3) Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. (4) Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”

Elijah had experienced this great victory in the Lord and defeated the prophets of Baal and killed them. Jezebel told Elijah she was going to kill him, and he lost his peace.

• Elijah let the words of Jezebel distract him in such a way that he lost his peace, fell into depression, and wanted to die.

It will be hard to maintain peace in your soul when you are tired and hungry. That is why the Angel of the Lord gave Elijah food and made him rest to start to bring him back to a place of peace.

1 Kings 19:5-8 NKJV Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” (6) Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. (7) And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” (8) So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.

God did this to bring Elijah to a place where he could hear the Word of the Lord and receive strength, peace, and courage.

God then ministers to Elijah by His Word and strengthens him and gets his eyes back on Him and helped him get his peace back.

Elisha did not lose his peace…

2 Kings 6:14-17 NKJV Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. (15) And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” (16) So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (17) And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Elisha refused to set his mind on what he could see in the natural, which was being surrounded and potential defeat.

• Elisha was able to maintain his peace by not allowing his mind to wander from the Word of God.

What Word did Elisha stand on?

Psalms 3:1-6 NKJV LORD, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. (2) Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah (3) But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. (4) I cried to the LORD with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah (5) I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me. (6) I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around.

Psalms 27:1-3 NKJV The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? (2) When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. (3) Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.

• Elisha kept his mind set on the promise of God’s Word!

Isaiah 26:3 NKJV You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

In the Hebrew, the word perfect is not used in this verse. Instead, the writers used shalom twice indicating that it is a super superlative.

A super superlative means it is “expressing the highest or a very high degree of a quality”.

Isaiah 26:3 NLT You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!

Isaiah 26:3 MSG People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, Steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don’t quit.

• If you will keep your mind set on God’s Word, you will experience the highest degree of the peace of God!

We must always approach the Word of God as though it is the first time we have heard it.

John 14:27 NKJV Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27 AMPC Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]

John 16:33 AMPC I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

• It is the will of God for the believer to live in the peace of Jesus Christ!

If Jesus said that we should have this, then we should know what it is.

Peace – (GREEK) – Eirene – Opposite of war and dissension, peace of mind, tranquility; health, welfare, prosperity, every kind of good.

Isaiah 9:6 NKJV For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Notice Jesus is called “The Prince of Peace.”

Peace (HEBREW) – shalom – safe, well, friendly, good welfare (health, prosperity, peace, favor, rest; all is well.

Philippians 4:6-7 TPT Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, (7) then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ.

By implication, these two verses are telling us that when worry is present, peace is not.

• One of the greatest enemies to your peace in Christ Jesus, is going to be worry!

Matthew 6:25 NKJV “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

The first phrase of this verse is often translated “Don’t be anxious for your life…”

This phrase could be accurately translated, “Take no anxious thought for your life…” because Jesus is not saying that we shouldn’t think about our lives.

He is not saying don’t think about groceries. Jesus has no problem with you making a grocery list.

It is OK to think about your life but there is a line where it crosses over and becomes worried and anxious thoughts.

Jesus said, “Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”

• Jesus is saying that one of the reasons we get caught up in worry is because we do not know what is important.

If you are worried about clothes, then you don’t know how unimportant clothes are.

If you are worried about food, then you don’t know how unimportant food is.

You have a Creator that is concerned about your life and the earth is not getting ready to run out of food.

What should I be thinking about? The God Who is more than enough and will provide for you.

GOD’S PROVISION IN THE WILDERNESS (To provide for 2.5 million people):

• • 4500 tons of manna per day / 65,700,000 tons over 40 years
  • 90,000,000 quail per month (30 days)
  • 15,000,000 gallons of water per day / 100,000,000 per week

Worry is a manifestation of fear.

There are varying degrees of fear and fear always puts you in bondage.

Hebrews 2:14-15 NKJV Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, (15) and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

John 8:31-32 NKJV Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. (32) And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Do you know all the truth of God’s Word there is to know?

If not, that means there is more freedom awaiting you.

Matthew 6:26 NKJV Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

• You cannot just not worry. You must choose to look and think about something else.

You can change the channel of what you are looking at.

You won’t get your miracle being focused on the need. You won’t get the answer being focused on your need.

Jesus is saying to focus on what He does.

Go bird watching! They are eating everywhere.

• You can tell whether you are focused on or thinking about the right or wrong thing by the presence of fear or the presence of peace.

Matthew 6:27 NKJV Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

• People continue to worry because they can’t admit that their situation is bigger than they are!

Worrying will not make you any more qualified or equipped to take care of or provide for yourself.

Matthew 6:28-29 NKJV “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; (29) and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Go flower and field watching!

Matthew 6:30 NKJV Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Are the birds eating? Then so will I.

Is the grass growing and flowers blooming? Then I will be clothed.

Matthew 6:31-34 NKJV “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ (32) For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (33) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (34) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

How can you tell when it has crossed the line and gone from just thinking about it to worrying about it?

You have crossed over to worry when that thing has vexed you.

Vexed – (DICTIONARY) – feel annoyed, frustrated, or worried, especially with trivial matters.

1 John 4:18 NKJV There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Perfect love means “complete” or fully developed.

• Fully developed love expels with force the fear.