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For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9:6
Jesus told us in John 14, “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Philippians 4: Let’s deal with one of the things that the enemy of our souls uses to steal our peace: worry. God wants you to have true peace. He has no desire to see you troubled, anxious, or worried about anything. If your mind is dwelling on something, the worse thing that could happen, that is “stinkin’ thinkin,'” and it is a self-destructive thought process that is a sin!
You are not trusting God with that stinkin’ thinkin’! It has to stop! It can become a generational curse handed down from one generation to the next until someone steps up and stops it, in Christ, The Prince of Peace. We are told, do not be anxious about anything in vs. 6, don’t worry! But how are we to do that? First, we need to understand that God has never given a command that we cannot accomplish in Christ
We have been given the Helper, the Holy Spirit, who enables us, no matter what happens, to live by faith, to trust God, and not to worry. With the indwelling presence of God you are able to trust Jesus beyond your ability to know what will happen in this life!
Matthew 6:25, 27, 31-34 Worry: Greek: troubled with cares.
God doesn’t want you to worry because worry means you do not trust God, you are not taking Him fully at His word. God has been providing for you all along – focus on God and His promise to never leave you or forsake you!
vs 6 tells us that God wants you to have true peace by praying – about everything “But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Everything in your life is of concern to Him who created you: the big and the small, where to move, whom to marry, what’s going on with your job, your family, your friends… Practice the presence of God – pray!
“I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8 NLT
In 1 Peter 5 we are told how to deal with that anxiety and worry, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (NIV).” In John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me (NIV).”
In prayer you are transformed. By praying you will build your relationship, growing closer to God, and if you can put your mind to worry, you can put your mind to prayer!
Vs. 8 – The next thing after prayer is think! Fix your mind… Do nothing that helps the enemy. Do nothing that causes God’s Peace, the wholeness and unity He desires, to be stolen or destroyed… don’t gossip, don’t hold yourself apart… In many congregations there are those who are stuck, who fight the slightest change, who refuse to be involved in what the “whole” is doing. How can there be peace or wholeness when there is separation and rebellion to taking the next step? To grow is to change. Are you part of the problem or part of the solution?
To not change is to be stagnant and dying or dead. The Church must wake up to the fact that many congregations cease to exist each year. Fear, worry, stubbornness, being unwilling to change, and a lack of faith and commitment are the reasons behind those closings. Basically, stinkin’ thinkin’…
But in Christ our minds have been set free from slavery to sin. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:6 ). Renew your mind, be transformed as we are told in Romans 12… Get sanctified in the Truth (John 17:17).
Knowledge of God and His will for you will give you peace that can only come from a trusting relationship with the all powerful Creator of everything.
May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2 Peter 1:2 ). May grace (God’s favor) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in [the full, personal, precise, and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2 Peter 1:2 Amp).
Wholeness, spiritual well-being, lack of worry, freedom from fear, even in the midst of troubling circumstances, can only come as we put into practice the knowledge of God that we have been given. Then you will experience God, then you will know Peace. Do you Trust Him, is your faith in Christ alone?
We have been given the very Word of God so that you will come to know peace in this life. Not simply to know peace… but to know the God of peace. We have been given knowledge of God, so that you can learn to trust Him, have a relationship with Him, and thereby have peace in this world. Ultimately this is about God dwelling with you. He wants you to be holy, pure, and righteous. Will you trust Him and not worry? Will you seek to learn and grow through the Word of God? And finally, will you practice, will you do what God calls you to do? The Lord says in Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Will you pray about everything in your life?
Digging Deeper
- Do you know Peace?
- Where does true peace come from?
- How can you gain the Peace of God?
Further Reading: Isaiah 9:6-7, John 14:27, Romans 5:1, Romans 12:17-19 (18), Philippians 4:7, Colossians 1:19-20, Colossians 3:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 2 Thessalonians 3:16, 2 Peter 1:2-11
Dayton First Church of God 