Peace

John 14:27 (ESV)

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.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your mind is worried and you’re trying to figure everything out? It feels like all your peace has left and all you feel is stress.

Jesus gave us a promise and command . “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 heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid- stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.” 

We must realize that peace is very strong- it’s not an absence of conflict, it’s a presence of God’s presence and power in our spirit. It belongs to us through Jesus. It’s the same peace that allowed Jesus to reach out and heal the soldier’s ear in the Garden of Gethsemane when his life was threatened. It’s the same peace that spoke to a storm to be still. It wasn’t the absence of trouble in Jesus’ life- but the presence of the power of peace that enabled Jesus to live free from stress.

Jesus left you that very same peace. Then he gave us a condition for that peace to reign every day of our lives. He said guard it- he said don’t allow yourself to get disturbed or fearful- don’t permit  those feelings to make you forget the peace power you have. The doorway to your peace being robbed is your mind. When thoughts of doubt and fear hit you, hit them with God’s Word of truth by speaking them out loud.

For example, someone speaks badly about you. Your mind can dwell on it or you can close that door and say “if God be for me who can be against me?” and then forgive and rest in His peace.

If worry tries to upset you, find scriptures that combat that worry. “My God shall supply all my need” “greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world”

When you guard your peace, it’s like shutting the door on your house and locking it. No robber can enter. You are secure. But when you allow your mind to worry and fear, then you have unlocked and open the door and enemies of your peace can come to steal it from you.

Dear Lord, thank You for giving us Your peace. Help us to not allow situations and people to disturb us or make us afraid. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.