27/05/2020
SEVEN KEYS FOR PEACE OF MIND.
BY PASTOR SAMUEL OLUWADERO
Introduction
Despite so many challenges and stresses around us, we can take comfort in using tools God has given us to find solace and joy even in times of distress.
(John 14 : 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.
1. BEING BORN AGAIN
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3 : 3)
Being born again means having a change or transformation of the soul and heart by the work of God’s Spirit. Your soul consist of three things: the mind, emotions (feelings), and your will (what we determine).
This spiritual transformation happens immediately we become a born again Christian. It's a change in the way we think, the way we manage our emotions, and choices we make by our will.
(1 Peter 2 : 3 - 5)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
Who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
When you are genuinely born again, you have a seed of eternal life in you that will always give you "PEACE OF MIND" that your life doesn't end here on earth.. you have incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that is reserved for you in Heaven.
2. YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST.
(Colossians 3 : 1 - 3)
2a. Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2b. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
2c. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
A friend of mine defines identity as “who we experience ourselves to be". Many times, we use to define ourselves through our jobs, financial status, successes, appearance, what other people say about us and many other means.
But what happens to our identity when we experience failure? Or lose someone’s favour? Or become sacked in the place of our services? The foundation of our identity will automatically collapsed.
Meaning that our personality cannot be fully achieved when we place our identity on external things. When circumstances change, our identity constantly changes too.
How would it look like to base our identity on the way God sees us?
Our identity is in the person of God.
(Genesis 1 : 27)
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
(1 Corinthians 12 : 27)
NIV:Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
(1 John 3 : 1 - 2) NIV.
* See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
* Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
When you are sure of your identity, there will always be this kind of PEACE in your mind in-respective of what is happening your life, around you even in the world..you are so sure of your identity in Christ Jesus.
3. BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING.
Sometimes we feel stress because we can not share our burdens with anyone else. We are alone with our troubles, we compound the worry. But there is someone with whom you can share your worries about health, finances, relationships, work or anything else that troubles your peace of mind! God wants you to share your anxieties with Him! Notice this wonderful promise in the book of (Philippians 4 : 6 - 7) that says "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus"
You don't need to be worried about anything thing...instead prayer about everything...
There is this hymn that says...
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs' to bear
What a privilege to carry
*Everything to God in prayer!
*O what peace we often forfeit
*O what needless pain we bear,
*All because we do not carry
*Everything to God in prayer!
The writer of this song says "Carry everything to God in prayer" not to your page or whatsapp status...
A lot of people if you want to know what is happening to them you don't need to visit them or engaged them in words just go to there social media, there you see everything that has been happening to them.
If you continue like that you won't have peace of mind.
4. MAKE A DECISION TO LIKE YOURSELF.
This may sound funny to ask, but what kind of relationship do you have with yourself? The truth is you can't get along with anyone else until you get along with yourself.
There are two types of loving yourself. There is being conceited, prideful, and arrogant thinking you’re better than everyone, which is a sin and there is naturally loving yourself. Naturally loving yourself is being thankful of what God made. Scripture never says to love yourself because it is normal to love yourself.
No one has to tell you because it just comes naturally.
On the other hand, Our focus should not be on ourselves. We must trade self-centered love for agape love. Loving yourself too much shows selfishness and arrogance which God hates.
When you develop this attitude of loving yourself no amount of insult, distraction and names People may give you, it will have no effect on you and your peace of mind remains untouched.
What does the Bible say?
4a. (Psalm 139 : 14) says "I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made. Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this".
4b. (Ephesians 5 : 29) Says "For no one has ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, as the Messiah does the church".
4c. (Proverbs 19 : 8) Says "To acquire wisdom is to love oneself; people who cherish understanding will prosper".
5. LET GOD HAVE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE.
Proverbs 16:9 (AMP) says, "A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure."
Before, i used to have a plan for everything and would sometimes get frustrated if things did not go according to my plans. I wanted the Lord to do things in my own way! However, God is smarter than we are, and He wants us to place our trust in His great plan for our lives.
Learning to trust God fully gives you a peace of mind. We have to choose to trust in Him, much like we have to choose to give up control. We need to learn to let go and stop trying to figure out the “whys” of life, which is easier to do when we realized that God understands more about our life than we ever could.
When we struggle to give up control, it’s usually out of fear of the unknown. We don’t want to face whatever is in front of us blindly. However God has promised that He will always walk beside you, no matter what circumstances you face in life. You will never venture into your future alone because God always promises to be there for you.
(Joshua 1:9) says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
6. COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS
One way to help maintain a positive frame of mind that guarantee your peace of mind is to remind yourself of the many blessings God has given you. Is your life perfect? Do you have every success you have hoped for? Probably not. But if you focus instead on the many blessings you do have, you may come to see that the life you have is perfect for you right now, and that you can be grateful for the circumstances God is using to help you develop His very character in your own life.
When you pray, counting your blessings is a vital part of your contact with God. Just as you can overcome worries by sharing your anxieties with your Creator, you can strengthen your positive attitude by thanking Him for your many blessings. We read: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).
6a. (Psalm 103:2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
6b. (Ephesians 5:20) Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
6c. (Psalm 105:1) Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
7. CLAIM GOD'S PROMISES
The Apostle Paul said in (Philippians 4:19), "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus"
Your Bible is a gold mine of God's promises to you. You just need to go in prayer to the throne of grace in heaven and claim those promises.
But to claim God's promises, you must be a faith person. Without faith is impossible to claim God's promises. How can you activate your faith? The Bible says "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). As you humbly and earnestly read the word of God, He will give you more faith. That's just one of His many, many promises to you.
(2 Peter 1:2–4) says, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust".
Your Bible records hundreds of promises God wants you to acknowledge, embrace and claim! He has given us "exceedingly great and precious promises"!
Jesus reminded us to choose the spiritual over the material. He made it plain just how much God loves us; He can easily provide all our physical needs. But to receive this blessing, we must first seek God's Kingdom, and then all our material needs will be provided.
(Matthew 6:33) Says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things [all our physical and material needs] shall be added to you".
In conclusion, when you apply these biblical keys in your life, you will be able to meet the challenges that you daily encounter in life. God has promised that if we practice true Christianity in all that we do, we can have a peace of mind that "surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7).
In this world of turmoil, stress and danger, you need God's peace of mind. Be sure to apply all seven of these keys for peace of mind!.
