“Jesus said, ‘Peace I leave with you, 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
There is a difference between the peace the world gives and the peace that Jesus gives. Jesus desires us to have peace. Not just any peace, not the peace of the world. Jesus wants us to have His own peace. When we are walking in his peace, we will not allow our heart to be troubled, agitated perplexed, disturbed, fearful, intimidated, or cowardly. Jesus said:
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. This is overwhelming! Having overcome the world and everything that is in it! What a triumph! This way is also for us! (1 John 5:4)
The peace Jesus gives is based solely on Himself. This means that, if you are a follower of Christ, you have peace whether you feel like you have it or not. You have peace even on your most terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day because it is not dependent on your effort or your feelings. The world’s peace strives to find purpose in suffering, Jesus’s peace is a free gift in the midst of suffering. we have peace because God has revealed Himself to us. John 14:29 says “And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe.”
This peace is filled with faith and rest and certainty and power. Paul possessed it. He suffered much; he was persecuted, despised, dishonored, reviled, mistreated, etc. He endured many tribulations, but he was so bold that he wrote to the Romans in chapter 8:38-39: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
He knew what all his tribulations led to. We are saved precisely through sufferings, not without them. In tribulations we learn to know ourselves and God, our human weakness and God’s power! One could think that if only I didn’t have so many different tribulations, I would have peace of mind, but it doesn’t work that way. The ultimate goal is to have rest and peace in all circumstances, in all kinds of tribulations. This is how Jesus and the apostles lived. Everyone who desires to live God-fearing will have the same experience.
What have you come through, or overcame to take hold of this peace? What storms you have come through to cling to the peace of God? I know there have been times I really needed to rely on this peace to bring me through a lot of tough challenges.
If you do not have his peace, you miss part of the blessings of being a Christian. Now there’s a simple statement! But I think we make it too hard. Too complicated. We think that finding peace when we are in the midst of a storm can only be for the super saint who knows how to have super faith. Since most of us know ourselves well enough to know we are not super anything, we figure such experiences are not for us.
No, Christ wants every Christian to experience His peace. How many of us lived in peace this past week? Have you had peace today? If not, what is wrong?
The word peace runs through the whole Bible. In the Old Testament in the wonderful words of a benediction used by the priests, the promise is: “The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:26). Here it is a gift of God.
Where does peace begin? In the words of Job’s friend Eliphaz, “Acquaint now yourselves with Him and be at peace” (Job 22:21). Finding peace begins as we get acquainted personally with the mighty Prince of Peace. The Messiah is foretold as the Prince of Peace.
His peace enters the heart by the Holy Spirit and makes it independent of all outside conditions. But when joy isn’t possible, peace is. The peace of God can turn sorrow into joy. And we can sing away the pain! Try praising!
And with this knowledge comes peace. Peace in the pain and sorrow. Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee (Is 26:3). There is the promise.
But when we, through God’s grace and power, fight the good fight of faith until we gain the victory, there will be peace around us and in us. Think how good it is when this happens in our life, in the situations in which we live
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21. If we do that, the result will be peace, but if we do the opposite, as most likely all of us have experienced, the result is unrest – not only around us, but also within us. However, those who overcome evil with good gradually learn to know the way of peace better. How great that is! May it be God’s peace that we long for!
May the peace of Christ be in you as you recognize what it means to be a child of God and to be a temple of the Holy Spirit. His peace is not like the peace the world gives, but it is a peace that passes all understanding.
Download a personal PDF copy of these beautiful prayers for peace HERE. Print these and keep them close to you whether at home, in the car, or at work to remind yourself to trade your worries and concerns for God’s peace and comfort.
Here is a prayer to pray when you need peace.
A Prayer to the Prince of Peace
Dear Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace. You came to give us your peace. It’s nothing like the world gives. It is peace born in the freedom we have in you, a gift to all God’s children—to guard our hearts and minds.
I can’t escape the troubles of this world. I may face financial difficulties, relationship breakdowns, a health crisis—so many scary challenges. But you tell me to “take heart,” to be encouraged, because you have overcome the world. You have overcome all the things that would discourage and defeat us. I am grateful for your peace that is beyond all my circumstances.
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