Reverend Michael Mwangi
Senior Pastor, Fedha Church, Kenya Assemblies of God
[27]Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 20:20-22
20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
The world is looking for peace everywhere but unfortunately it can’t find true peace.
Men try to find it material things, in someone through immorality, alcoholism, pleisure drugs or in powers of darkness but in vain.
The devil is the prince of this world and owns the world but has no peace, we see him unsettled and troubled always going round seeking for someone to trouble.
We live in days when believers have lost their peace.
Jesus is the prince of peace and therefore peace is found only in Him.
Mtafute mwenye Amani na utapata Amani (Seek the one with Peace and you will find Peace).
It is sad to see that nowadays even believers have lost peace. We are having believers who are sad, agitated, troubled, worried, unsettled, anxious, bitter, fearful, very unhappy, full of makasiriko, easily angered, Stressed, depressed, sick, emotionally unstable, mental sickness is real, and even suicidal. Technically no peace at all.
We need to look at this subject of peace and regain our peace.
Definition
Worldly peace
Freedom from disturbance; tranquillity or serenity.
A state or period in which there is no war or a war has ended. In other words, it is simply the absence of war.
It is just external and on the surface and short-lived.
Godly peace
In the Bible, "peace" (Hebrew: shalom, Greek: eirēnē) signifies more than the absence of conflict;
It encompasses wholeness, well-being, and a positive, harmonious state with God and others. It is a gift from God, a result of living in accordance with His will, and a state of inner tranquility that transcends circumstances.
This means:
Thus true peace is only from God since it is a gift from God. You can’t get it anywhere else. It is not found in something or in someone but in Christ alone.
1. True peace only possible for those who are living in a right relationship with God. Sinners can never experience true peace
Romans 8:6
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
2. Nothing( materialism or relationship)in this world can guarantee you true peace because it is a gift of God .
You can have everything like the devil, but you may never know peace.
The world is looking for true peace, and only believers can offer it through the Gospel... the gospel of peace
3. Gods peace transcends circumstances
It can exist even amidst external challenges and difficulties, as believers find strength and tranquility in God's presence.
Acts 12:5-7
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
Acts 12:5-7 Peter fast asleep in prison while facing execution the following day.
True peace is not simply the absence of conflict; it's a positive state of wholeness and harmony that comes from a relationship with God.
God’s peace has multiple faces or dimensions that encompasses physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, rooted in a relationship with God and characterized by wholeness, harmony, and tranquility.
In the old Testament:
Peace is presented as a blessing from God, particularly for those who obey His commandments and live in accordance with His covenant.
It is associated with prosperity, security, and freedom from enemies.
Examples include the promise of peace to Israel in Leviticus 26:6, and the depiction of peace as a gift from God in Judges 6:24, where Yahweh is called Yahweh Shalom (the LORD is Peace).
Leviticus 26:6
I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove wild beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country.
Judges 6:24
So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
In the New Testament,
Peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, a gift that transcends understanding and provides inner tranquility even in difficult circumstances
Philippians 4:7
[7]And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
You will notice in Paul's letters, he frequently begin with the phrase "Grace and peace to you" emphasizing the connection between God's grace and the peace believers receive.
Eirēnē carries similar connotations to shalom, emphasizing tranquility, harmony, and reconciliation.
It describes the peace that comes from being reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.
Therefore true peace involves actively working towards reconciliation and restoring broken relationships.
Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
Romans 5:12 Tells us we were God's enemies, therefore no peace with God, hence no peace of God.
Romans 5:1
[1]Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Believers have "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ". This peace is a result of being reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 12:14
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
In addition, in Hebrews 12:14 The Bible emphasizes the importance of pursuing peace with all people.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20
[18]All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
[19]that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
[20]We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Jesus is presented as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and the one who brings peace between God and humanity
He reconciled us back to the Father, bringing peace between us and the Father.
He has also entrusted us with the Gospel of peace(Ephesians 6:15) to reconcile men back to the Father that they have true peace (the peace of God).
What causes believers to lose their peace:
1. Sinful living
According to:
Romans 8:6
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Highlights that prioritizing the flesh (worldly, sinful nature) over spiritual desires leads to spiritual death, while prioritizing the Spirit leads to life and peace.
When you live in sin, you are condemned. You live in bondage of sin and carry the burden of guilt. Guilt condemns, and therefore, you cannot experience true peace.
Proverbs 28:1
The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
You can see the contrasting nature of the wicked and the righteous.
The former is driven by fear and guilt, while the latter stand firm and confident.
Not being steadfast in the word
Psalm 119:165
Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
This verse emphasizes the profound peace experienced by those who embrace and follow God's commandments.
Loving God's law brings a deep and lasting peace, a peace that is not easily shaken or disturbed by the challenges and difficulties of life. It also implies that those who love God's law are protected from stumbling or falling into temptation that takes away you peace. Some people have lost peace because they have been stumble on account of God.
Matthew 11:6
Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.
This verse emphasizes the blessing that comes from remaining steadfast in faith, even when faced with challenges or doubts related to Jesus or his teachings or actions. By stumbling it means to be disappointed, offended, lose faith, or give up. This stumbling is related to Jesus himself, his teachings, or the challenges that may arise from following him.
Blessed are those who do not fall away from their faith or become discouraged and turn away from Jesus because of difficulties, misunderstandings, or offence.
Jesus is subtly warning not to give up belief because He doesn't immediately meet a person's expectations. Assumptions are part of our fallible nature, and can be wrong.
John probably expected the Messiah to quickly bring God's judgment on those in Israel who had not repented of their sin, as well as Israel's oppressors. His question might have been an expression of doubt. Or, it might have been a way to express confusion.
Troubles can make us doubt God and lose our faith. When faith goes down, fear sets in and we lose our peace. We get to wonder, is God good, loving, caring, fair, just or powerful as we have always believed? At that point our peace is faith and peace is gone.
Essentially, the verse highlights the importance of persevering in faith, even when faced with trials or doubts that might tempt one to abandon their belief in Jesus.
When we are deeply connected with God’s law[word] we enjoy great peace. Even in moments of trouble we are not stumbled…
Job 13:15
Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely[a] defend my ways to his face.
Habakkuk. 3:17-18
Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls— Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
God’s word establishes a deep seated trust in God’s goodness and purpose, even when circumstances seem to contradict those qualities.
It preserve our peace even in troubles and protect us from stumbling and losing our peace.
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
Lasting peace comes from trusting in God and focusing one's thoughts on Him.
2. Lack of priorities
When we have our priorities wrong, we end up overwhelmed by things. Agitation and pressures builds up and we loose our peace. With pressure we become unsettled and quarrelsome because we can’t handle the pressure. We need to identify what is needful and priority in our life. Not everything that calls to our attention deserves our attention.
There things that comes first and there those that should wait.
Luke 10:40-42
40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,
42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Martha is upset and unsettled while Martha is still calm and enjoying great peace.
Jesus encourages Martha who has lost Her peace to put her priorities right.
Even today so many people are unsettled in their mind because they are trying to juggle so many things even unnecessary ones.
Learn to ignores some things in life. Maji moto haiwezi choma nyumba (hot water does not burn a house).
Don’t always respond to everything calling out your attention.
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