PEACE

Peace is knowing that the God who made the universe and has set us here for a purpose will keep us in His will and will protect us from all the attacks of the enemy. (Heb 1:2; Eph 2:10; 6:16)

Peace is abiding in the shadow of the Almighty. It is being in His protection. (Psalm 91:1-3)

Peace is knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Rom. 8:31-39)

Peace is knowing that we are overwhelmingly conquering through Jesus who abides within our spirit. (Rom. 8:37)

Peace is knowing that the troubles of this world have no bearing on the outcome of our life because our life is hid in Christ and the treasures that we have are in His kingdom. (Col. 3:3; Matt. 6:20)

Peace is knowing that we don't need to worry about protecting our rights, because when we suffer unjustly we know that we have found favor with God. (1 Pt. 2:20)

Peace is having the word of Christ richly abiding within us so that when the darts of Satan come they are put out by the brilliant light of God's word. (Col. 3:16; Eph. 6:16; John 1:5)

Peace is having our mind stayed on the word of God so that when the worries of the devil attack our soul, our hope is in the promise of God and not in the effects of the trial. (Phil 4:8; Josh. 1:8; James 2:4)

Peace is knowing that God does not even remember our sin. (Isa. 43:25)

Peace is knowing that we can come to God any time we need to, and present our case before Him. (Heb. 4:16)

Peace is knowing that God hears our prayers, and if He hears our prayers we know that He will answer our prayers. (1 Jn. 5:14,15)

Peace is knowing that Jesus is right now praying for us in heaven and He is interceding for us before the Father. (Rom 8:34; Heb. 7:25)

Peace is knowing the fear of God. (Prov. 14:26,27)

Peace is knowing that the wisdom of God will bring forth righteousness. (James 3:13-18)

Peace is knowing that the word of God will not come back void, but will perform its task and will divide between soul and spirit. (Isa. 55:10,11; Heb. 4:12)

Peace is knowing that obeying God has more rewards than all this world could offer. (Heb. 11:24-26)

Peace is knowing that when a man's ways please God, even his enemies will be at peace with him. (Prov. 16:7)

Peace is knowing that no weapon formed against you will prosper and those who accuse you in judgment will be condemned. (Isa. 54:17)

Peace is knowing that those who make war with us will vanish like a dream. (Isa. 29:8)

Peace is knowing that had it not been the Lord who was on our side we would have been torn by our enemies. But our soul has escaped as a bird out to the snare of the trapper; the snare is broken and we have escaped Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. (Ps. 124)

Peace is knowing that the Lord who protects us neither slumbers nor sleeps. (Ps. 121)

Peace is knowing that it is the Lord who leads us through the valley of the shadow of death and we have nothing to fear. (Ps. 23)

Peace is knowing that we can speak God's words because He has covered us with the shadow of His hand. (Isa. 51:16)

Peace is knowing that the blood of Jesus is against Satan. (Col. 2:14,15)

Peace is knowing that death is swallowed up in victory. (1 Cor. 15:54)

Peace is knowing that God is a shield around us, even if 10,000 angry people surrounded us. (Ps. 3)

Peace is knowing that the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth to show Himself strong to those whose heart are completely His. (2 Chron. 16:9)

Peace is knowing that God is a God who heals us! (Ex. 15:26)

Peace is knowing that we don't need to take our own revenge, but we can leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "vengeance is Mine, I will repay says the Lord." (Rom. 12:19)

Peace is knowing that God will do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works within us. (Eph. 3:20)

Peace is knowing the Love of God which surpasses knowledge. (Eph. 3:19)

Peace is knowing that the Lord has written these things to us that in Him we may have peace, in the world we will have tribulation, but be of good cheer Jesus has overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Peace is knowing that every promise is yes and Amen as we are in Christ. (2 Cor. 1:20)

Peace is knowing that the God of hope will fill you with all joy and peace. (Rom 15:13)

Peace is knowing that the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. (Rom. 16:20)

Peace is knowing that the God of peace will be with you as you follow the teachings of the Bible. (Phil 4:9)

Peace is knowing that the God of peace will sanctify us entirely. (1 Thes 5:23)

Peace is knowing that the Lord of peace Himself will continually grant you peace in every circumstance. (2 Thes 3:16)

Peace is knowing that the God of peace who raised Jesus from the dead, will equip you for every good thing. (Heb 13:20,21)

Peace is knowing that we can bring all our problems to God and He will deal with them. (Phil. 4:6,7; 1 Pt. 5:7)

Peace is knowing God! (John 16:33)

Prosperity and Peace

Prosperity and peace go together. If you don't have enough, there is tension because you are striving to get the basic needs for your life. Peace is hard to come by without having what you need.

Jesus said in John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” 

This verse presents a different dynamic to peace and prosperity. God's word will bring peace to us as we live by faith, not by sight. The world has problems, but Jesus has overcome the world. How has He overcome the world for us? "And this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith." 1 Jn 5:4b

In the spiritual, we overcome by faith. The natural will present problems, but faith in the word of God will overcome the problems in the natural.

Ps 122:7 seems to be talking of peace and prosperity in the natural. Yes, the two go together. It is hard to have one without the other. In the spirit there is a different dynamic. Life can be superseded by the word of God.

At times spiritual peace and natural peace look the same. You can tell the difference when trials, tribulations and troubles come our way. Spiritual peace will shine during the trial, but natural peace will crash.

There is no strength with natural peace. It is just enjoyed as it happens. Spiritual peace, on the other hand, is not reliant on circumstances or others. There is a joy and peace given by God to those who walk with Him by faith. They are not looking at what is seen but what is not seen. Their life is hid in God. Life circumstances don't shake them. Why? Because they are living according to the promises of God. Their concerns are given to God and they receive peace according to the promise given in Phil 4:6-9

Yes, God offers prosperity, but we are not to focus on prosperity or seek it as a primary object.  1 Tim 6:9 gives a warning. "But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction." In fact, we are to flee riches and seek the things of the spirit. 1 Tim 6:11

That is not to say that blessings aren't a by-product following God. Yes, blessing will come, but the example and lessons of Job show that we are not to judge others who have not entered into the life of prosperity.

(What are the quick lessons of Job?
1 Things aren't always as they look.
2 Don't be quick to judge.
3 Job came closer to God through trials.
4 Job was healed when he prayed for his friends.
5 The good generic counsel of Job's friends didn't apply to him.)

We are to use the blessings and prosperity we have received to minister to others for the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Cor 9:8  "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed."

What do you do if your basic needs aren't met? Go to God in prayer, receive peace from Him, walk in faith and joy, not in your circumstances but in your relationship with God.

Phil 4:11 Paul learned to be content in whatever circumstance he found himself. "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." When he wrote that he was sitting in a jail cell. 

We can be content wherever we are as we have a close relationship with Christ. Only our walk with Christ fulfills, not the abundance of stuff. 

Desire contentment; seek for contentment. It is a rare jewel. With contentment comes peace, allowing us to advance in the kingdome of God.

Psalm 33:17 "A horse is a false hope for victory nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength."

People look at having things and investments for security, yet it is not our ability in the natural that will give us victory. Victory comes through the Lord. We should not reject the natural means as led by God but use it to serve the Lord. Keep in mind the natural is only a tool the Lord uses. 

Serve God, walk in peace and prosperity, minister to others and live in a peace that is not reliant upon circumstances but on Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Go in peace,

Scott

Foundation of Peace

Foundation of Peace

Spiritual growth comes from going through trials not learning.

In my churches prayer group there was a teaching idea that faith is based on peace. If there is peace there is a foundation for faith to be built. If there is no peace then turmoil is there and faith can't function or be built on turmoil.

So I went to James 3:13-18
"13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

What we do is of faith, if it is of the spirit. Faith is based on our wisdom from God. If there is no peace we don't truly have God's wisdom.

It says in John 14:1 "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me."
When our heart is troubled we don't have peace. To counter a troubled heart we must move to belief. Belief will bring peace.

But how can you believe when you have a troubled heart? We have a troubled heart because we believe the evil or bad report! How do you change from believing the bad to believing in Jesus?

2 Cor 10:3-5
"3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,"

Here is explained an exercise that takes the bad report and rejects it by believing the Scripture. Jesus has given us bountiful promises in the Bible and when we hear Him Matt 4:4 we live spiritually by believing on these promises.

Belief is easy when life is given to us on easy street. Belief is built in the furnace of affliction. When we maintain our belief in the furnace of affliction we have faith.

James 1:2-4
"2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

When we are able to rejoice in the trial we are making a road for peace to come. When peace is there faith can operate. If there is struggling in the trial then there is no peace and faith can't be there. Faith is looking to God for the answer with confidence that He will keep His word to us (Matt 4:4)

We grow in faith by believing in Jesus in the midst of the trial. Believing in Jesus brings peace, and peace gives us the foundation to look to Jesus and wait on Him. We can't wait on Jesus in turmoil.

This turmoil should drive us to our knees in prayer about the problem until peace comes. Phil4:6-9 If peace does not come we should continue in prayer. Of course our classes we teach and the sermons we preach would have to be put on hold as we pray. Sometimes just stopping a little for a short prayer to move back into peace is all that is needed. This is why I believe there needs to be a multitude of leaders and not one. Nobody can be in front all the time. If someone leads spiritually and has a troubled heart he is rejecting John 14:1 Phil 4:6.

If you are living in denial and continuing as if nothing is wrong then you are ineffective. Why? Because spiritual truths are built on a foundation of peace. Peace comes from hope. Faith is based on the hope of the promises of what God has spoken. Matt 4:4

There is a problem with this teaching of peace! What if God asks us to do something that we don't want to do? We then would not have peace.

Would I be willing to follow God's direction when I don't have peace looking to Jesus to fulfill my needs but not considering my needs as important compared to obedience?

This article has the presupposition of the people being disciples.