
In God’s Storehouse there are blessings too numerous to count, and one of the most valuable you will find there is peace. Though the gift of divine peace is available to all Christians, few attain it because we receive our reality through what we see with our eyes and hear with our ears. Just like shoppers who choose brick and mortar stores over online purchases because they need to see and touch the merchandise, we struggle with the unseen things of God. We have difficulty wrapping our minds around God’s truth—that Jesus was chastised for our peace and through His death and resurrection, freed us from the bondage of fear.
God has already prepared answers to our problems through Jesus’ finished work. We forget God’s promises in the midst of adversity. He can give us true peace. Before ascending to be with the Father, Jesus assured us: “…my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27 KJV). The world offers a peace that is circumstantial; it is based on feelings and the absence of trouble. Consequently, when trouble comes, we try to bring peace through our own rational thinking and abilities, through drugs, alcohol, and other such means. In contrast, Jesus offers a peace that has nothing to do with how we feel or think. It is supernatural and beyond human understanding, a peace that is unaffected by circumstance. So how do we enjoy the peace that God has granted to us?
Receive His supernatural peace by simply having a relationship with God.
According to Philippians 4:7: “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (NIV). Peace strengthens and causes us to be fearless. Having this peace (and as long as he kept his eyes on God), Peter walked on water in the midst of a turbulent sea. After they were beaten and imprisoned for preaching the gospel, Paul and Silas also experienced this peace by focusing on God’s promises. Their worship and praise not only changed the atmosphere of the jailhouse, but with boldness they led the head jailer to Christ. Finally, Jesus, although in deep sorrow, sought God’s peace in the Garden of Gethsemane. After praying three times, He was able to submit His own will to the Father.
We, too, have a responsibility to pursue peace. Colossians 3:15 says: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts…” (KJV). Reading and meditating on the Word, praying, worshiping, and fellowshipping with God will bring peace. Simultaneously, as we do these things, we are also resisting the devil! Hallelujah!
Renew our minds with God’s truth.
We must take our eyes off fears and anxieties and focus on God’s promises that are “yea” and “amen.” Though we may have many negative or fearful thoughts every day, we can take authority over negative thinking and stop the enemy from controlling our minds. Second Corinthians 10:3-5 reveals that we have the ability and the responsibility to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. The only power the enemy has is what we give him. He gets us to do things the same way Jesus does, through our thinking and our words. What comes out of our mouths will determine the paths we take.
Use our God-given authority. When Jesus defeated Satan, He took back all of the authority and power that Satan deceived Adam into giving him. Jesus gives the believer: “…the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you”(Luke 10:19 NKJV). This makes us more powerful than any devil. However, we must be aware that our adversary is walking about like a roaring lion seeking to frighten and devour those who do not know God’s truth (see 1 Peter 5:8).
Trust God in all things and cast our cares upon Him.
When we trust and rely on God, we stand firm in Him—refusing to allow the issues of life to rob us of His peace. We, instead, commit our worries and cares to Him, and fix our thoughts on things that are true, just, honest, pure, lovely, and of good report (see Philippians 4:8). God's perfect and constant peace is then released in us, enabling us to bear the load free of anxiety.
Put our faith to work.
Have faith in God and refuse to fear. Faith connects us to life—to God—while fear connects us to death, to Satan. The enemy desires to separate us from the love of God; to keep us from enjoying and partaking of the storehouse of God’s grace that includes our peace. Jesus has given us all we need to be fearless: His faith, grace, and every other spiritual gift we need for a victorious life. Psalm 91 invites us to hide in God’s presence, to see it as a place of shelter and safety, thereby allowing the peace of God to rule in our hearts.
Allow the Holy Spirit to assist us in pursuing peace and overcoming fear.
Second Timothy 1:7 assures us that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind(NKJV). Unconditional love and a sound mind are priceless commodities, yet God freely gives them to us! A sound mind is a disciplined mind that takes every thought captive to the obedience of God. It is only through the enabling of the Holy Spirit that we can refocus and cause our words and thoughts to dwell on the things that please God. When we dwell on His Word and allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in us, we can expect His peace to protect and comfort us (see 2 Peter 1:1-4).
Throughout our life’s journey we may encounter many challenges that try to rob us of our joy and seek to compromise the soundness of our minds. Thankfully, Jehovah Shalom, the God of Peace, offers us an unlimited supply of peace in His Storehouse.
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