As I talk with the men, I often hear, “if only I could have peace as I am standing, it would be so much easier” or “God has called me to stand, so why don’t I have peace while doing it?” So I have contemplated those thoughts over the past several weeks.

Then last weekend, as I was reading or listening to something, I came across the statement, “We need not focus on praying for peace but for righteousness, for when we live in obedience, we will receive the peace of God.” And that was one of those times when I felt like God was speaking directly to me. So I decided that I needed to investigate more about God’s peace.

As I reflected on my own life and my journey to attain peace, I realized that obedience was exactly how peace came about for me. It’s been since I have God’s Word in my heart, and not just in my head, that I have grown in righteousness and obedience, which in turn has produced the peace I now enjoy. As I began living in accordance with God’s Word, I was filling my heart with God’s peace. And I believe that by having our minds focused on God and trusting in Him, we can come to His perfect peace in our hearts.

Peace is the absence of fear, whether that fear is manifested in doubt, unbelief, a feeling of unworthiness, a lack of faith, unforgiveness, leaning on our own understanding, or interpreting what our circumstances look like. And when we allow those things into our head, they prevent or interfere with our ability to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Yet, when we are saturated with the Word and seek knowledge and understanding of the scripture, we know the truth and “fear” has no place in God’s plan and purpose for our lives.

Jesus died on the cross to purchase peace for us, and the Holy Spirit lives in us to maintain that peace. And real peace comes from faith in God because He alone represents all the characteristics of peace. So in Christ, there is absolutely no need to fear the present or the future. And doubt, fear, and worry forfeit peace and keep us from all God wants to give us. When we sin, our peace is interrupted by our conscience and we are convicted by God. And sin opens the door for Satan’s accusations, which make us feel unworthy of anything God’s love provides. But because sin’s power over us has been broken by Christ’s death and resurrection, we can have peace in every area of our lives, so we have an extraordinary opportunity to witness for Jesus by living in peace and attributing that peace to Him for the glory of God.

Peace comes as we yield everything to the Lord and demonstrate absolute dependency on Him and surrender our will to His. Like all that God has made available to us, we have to accept peace; it is a gift from our Father. He gave it to us through Jesus Christ, but we must receive it, open it, and use it. And we must hunger and thirst for righteousness, and give up our desires for God’s desires. Obedience to God always leads to peace, and as we focus on God’s promises and trust Him to do what He says according to what is written in the Bible, we are assured of answered prayers, and He will guide and direct us to live our lives in Him.

Jesus came that we have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). So why don’t most people have peace and the abundant life God planned for us? Adam and Eve chose to disobey and went their own way. And we are still choosing to go our own way today, which results in separation from God. Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave, so He paid the penalty for our sins and gave us the opportunity to have a personal relationship with God. And because of His unfailing love and faithfulness, we can receive the abundant life; which includes peace.

We can read, study, and meditate on the Bible every day to know God better. We can talk to Him all through the day and night in prayer. We can share His truth and extend the love, grace, and mercy to all others that God brings our way. We can worship, fellowship, and serve others in a Bible-based church. So there is no secret to peace. God did not make peace difficult to achieve; that’s something we do on our own. It is a gift from God, and we can receive and accept it by trusting in the Word of God and living righteous and obedient lives. We can hang on to our anxieties, fears, and stresses and concentrate on our circumstances or we can let Christ’s peace live in us. He is willing and just waiting for us to hand our burdens over to Him.

Numbers 25:12-13: “Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; {13} ‘and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.'”

1 Chronicles 22:9: “‘Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.'”

Proverbs 16:7: “When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

Isaiah 26:3-4: “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. {4} Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.”

Isaiah 32:17-18: “The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. {18} My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.”

Isaiah 38:16-17: “O LORD, by these things men live; And in all these things is the life of my spirit; So You will restore me and make me live. {17} Indeed it was for my own peace That I had great bitterness; But You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, For You have cast all my sins behind Your back.”

Isaiah 54:13: “All your children shall be taught by the LORD, And great shall be the peace of your children.”

Isaiah 57:1-2: “The righteous perishes, And no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers That the righteous is taken away from evil. {2} He shall enter into peace; They shall rest in their beds, Each one walking in his uprightness.”

Ezekiel 34:25-26: “I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. {26} “I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing.”

Ezekiel 37:26-27: “Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. {27} “My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

Luke 10:5-6: “But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ {6} “And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.”

John 14:26-27: “But 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 things that I said to you. {27} “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Romans 15:33: “Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.”

2 Corinthians 13:11: “Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

Galatians 5:22-23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, {23} gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

Philippians 4:6-7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; {7} and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Colossians 3:14-15: “But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. {15} And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

1 Thessalonians 5:22-24: Abstain from every form of evil. {23} Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. {24} He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”

2 John 1:3: “Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.”

Jude 1:2: “Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.”

Isaiah 48:22: “There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked”

Posted Saturday, October 24th, 2009 at 8:18 pm in Seeds Of Faith.