21/07/2023
THE PEACE OF GOD
I am anxious for nothing,
but in everything
by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving,
I let my requests be made known to God;
and the peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding,
guards my heart and mind
through Christ Jesus.
Finally, whatever things are true,
whatever things are noble,
whatever things are just,
whatever things are pure,
whatever things are lovely,
whatever things are of good report,
if there is any virtue
and if there is anything praiseworthy—
I meditate on these things.
Philippians 4:6–8
Therefore having been justified by faith,
I have peace with God
through my Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1
WE HAVE the beautiful promise: “The peace of God...will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” But in order to claim the promise, we must fulfill the four conditions that follow, invoking the help of the Holy Spirit.
1. Renounce anxiety. Every time anxiety begins to move in on your mind, refuse it. Say, “I’m justified, just-as-if-I’d never sinned. God holds nothing against me. I have peace with God. God is on my side. All God’s resources are available to me. I refuse to be anxious.”
2. Pray about everything. The old hymn says: “Oh, what peace we often forfeit, / Oh, what needless pain we bear / All because we do not carry / Everything to God in prayer.” Many times, mental peace is not there simply because we do not pray. We get into a problem or a situation and we try to handle it in our own resources without praying and turning to God.
3. Always be thankful. This is absolutely essential. A thankful heart is usually a peaceful heart. An ungrateful person really cannot know true and lasting peace. Ungratefulness is opposite to the nature of God.
4. Think about the right things. Paul tells us what right things are. You have the power to focus your mind on what you wish. You can focus it on the bad and the negative or you can focus it on the good and the up-building.