What would life look like living a life full of peace? A peace knowing that everything is going to be ok no matter what challenge, crisis, or circumstance you are faced with.
What if a husband leaves, a loved one passes away, or a virus causes our world to come to a screeching halt? But what if despite all these things, we could still live with a quiet confidence, with total and complete peace? Peace is defined by Webster’s dictionary as freedom from disturbance. It’s described using similar words such as tranquility, calmness, and restfulness.
When I become a Christian, nothing about my circumstances changed. I still had the same family, the same struggles, the same job and oppositions. What changed was the peace inside of me facing all of those things. We often search for worldly peace, but it can only satisfy for a moment. It’s not a peace that is everlasting. Jesus left us with the only peace that never runs out. He says in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” He continues in John 16:33 saying that it “is in Him you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
We don’t have to live lives full of worry, anxiousness, or fear with the storms all around us. We can survive the storms with God’s peace He offers us. The storms and lack of peace tend to come from one source; the enemy.
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Those areas in your life where there is no peace, Satan is sure to be behind the chaos. Satan knows that where there is no peace, there is also no victory. Remember, Satan is referred to as diablo, the Greek meaning for the one who divides.
Where in your life is there dissension, disorder, or division? Satan is a “liar” (John 8:44) and is “a thief that comes to steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). It’s important we identify these areas in our lives where Satan has stolen our peace, and reclaim the peace Jesus offers us over our lives. We must take back what Satan has stolen.
God’s peace will give us a firm grip, which we need in a world so unsteady. He gives us security in an insecure world; His peace leaves us unshakeable in a most definitely shaky culture. God’s peace will give us footing when everything around us is swirling. And this peace is offered to us freely by the Prince of Peace Himself.
The name Prince of Peace comes from the passage in Isaiah 9:6 that refers to Jesus. It says, “…His name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” Part of the many promises we have in following Christ is the peace He offers us. Because Jesus has overcome the world, we can live at peace in this world today.
But He also offers us an everlasting peace for the future.
This world is a fallen world, full of anger, hostility, hurt, and violence. We receive peace knowing that the fallen world we live in won’t last forever, and everlasting peace awaits us. Revelation 21:4 promises that “He will wipe away ever tear from our eyes, and there will be no more death, or sorrow, or crying or pain. All these things will be gone forever.”
We can cling to this hope. But as we anxiously wait for that eternal promise, God in his mercy makes it possible for us to experience that same peace here on earth today. But how?
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“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
The opposite of worry is peace. This verse says that in order to be anxious for nothing, we must pray about everything, making all our requests and worries to be made known to God. But let’s not neglect a few words in this passage; we must do this all with thanksgiving. Every time we feel worried or anxious, we must take it as our prompt to start thanking God. It’s amazing how thanksgiving can change any bad situation into a better one because of the perspective thanksgiving gives us.
The verse goes on to say that, with thanksgiving, the peace of God will surpass all your understanding of whatever it is you are worrying about, as it will guard our hearts and minds. His peace transcends all logic and rationale. It’s a beautiful thing to walk in life with this kind of powerful peace.
What are you going through right now that is giving you anxiety? Let’s turn those things over to God, but do it with thanksgiving. Begin to see your heart and mind guarded as you turn those worries into worshipping and thanking Him. Your situation around you may never change, but the way you walk through the situation can change by allowing God’s peace be your guide.
My brother passed away from cancer over seven years ago, and one thing he did constantly and consistently was thank God, despite his situation. He taught me that there is always something to be grateful for. He is no longer with us, but I witnessed the peace he felt as he was dying a painful death. He had peace knowing that God was in control, and that God is who He says He is. He had a quiet confidence that God was taking him home for a purpose. My brother’s situation didn’t change, but the peace he walked with during his experience could only be found in God.
When God’s peace is locked in your life, it will become your guard and protector through any of life’s storms. Let’s draw near to the Prince of Peace and begin to walk in God’s loving peace today. Let’s pray.
Dear God,
Oh how we thank you Lord for your beautiful promises. Thank you for leaving us with the Bible, words directly from you. Thank you that what we experience here on earth is not forever; that we have an everlasting home waiting for us full of peace and your splendor.
Thank you Jesus for coming to this earth so you could experience our hardships, knowing full well that we need you to get us through this life. We need you to lead us through all the fears and worries this world has to offer. We worship you for being our Rock, our Redeemer, and our Prince of Peace who restores everything that has been divided in our lives. You restore it with the peace you offer us.
We ask today that you would cover us in your divine peace. Give us peace in broken marriages, strained relationships, and peace in our minds full of doubt and insecurity. We ask for peace as we navigate a new year of 2021 and everything that it brings. We ask for your peace to guard our hearts and minds against worry regarding the world pandemic we are living in. We draw near to you today, trusting in your sovereignty. We trust that you have a greater plan even when our eyes can’t see it.
We ask that you would open our eyes to see things the way you do. Holy Spirit, help us live lives with a Kingdom perspective. Prompt us to pray for everything, being anxious for nothing. Remind us to turn to thanksgiving in moments of doubt. We receive the peace you offer us in our lives today and pray for peace over our households during this season. Guard our hearts and minds, and when everything around us doesn’t make any sense, we know that your peace will far surpass our understanding or human logic of any situation we are facing.
Thank you that “your ways are higher than our ways, and your thoughts higher than ours” (Isaiah 55:8). We love you, our precious Father, our “Lord of Lords, King of Kings,” and our Prince of Peace.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name,
Amen
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Alisha Headley is a writer + speaker who has a desire to meet the everyday woman in her everyday life with biblical truth. Stepping into her true calling, she left the corporate world behind as a former-financial VP to love on her family as a stay-at-home wifey + dog mama, while also being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Healing from a chapter of life consumed with lies she once believed about herself, she is inspired to point women to Christ to experience the freedom + power to overcome those lies with the truth written in God’s word. In her free time, Alisha enjoys road trips around the country, working out so she can eat her favorite foods, and creatively styling her outfits with a craft for fashion. Alisha is a proud wifey and dog mama living in Scottsdale, Arizona.
You can follow her blog by visiting her website or connect with her on facebook + instagram.
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