06/11/2017
Peace be onto you!
The church has taught very little about peace. It has taught a great deal about love, some about joy, but very little about peace. But since Jesus is known as "The Prince of Peace",and the Lord wants us to know that PEACE is a very important part of what He purchased for us on the Cross..
Man has defined peace much too narrowly. When we think of peace, we think of a nation not being at war, or people not arguing. But it means much more than that. When Adam fell, the earth became cursed. The curse was for Adam to have to labor. So an absence of peace is simply a LACK OF REST.
When a person is sick, peace has left their body. It ceases to operate as God intended. They cannot rest, eat, or do things that they CAN do when they are well. Sickness is a lack of peace at the physical body level.
When a person worries, peace has left their mind. They cannot sleep, rest, or do many things that they normally do. Worry is a lack of peace at the mental level.
When a person fears, peace has left their heart. They cannot sleep, rest, or do many things that they normally would be able to do otherwise. Fear is a lack of peace at the emotional level.
When a person is demonically oppressed, peace has left their life. They live in a state of torment. They cannot rest. Oppression is a lack of peace at the spiritual level.
When a person lives under condemnation, they cannot rest in their relationship with God. They feel guilty, cannot pray, and do other things that they could normally do otherwise. Condemnation is a lack of peace in their relationship with God.
So when you look at what Jesus did for us on the Cross, you see that He came TO RESTORE PEACE. He came to restore the peace that left the earth when Adam fell. He came to restore peace to our hearts, by giving us the privilege of being BORN AGAIN when we believe on Him. He came to restore peace to our bodies by bearing our sicknesses on Himself. He came to restore peace to every area of our lives. He came, to restore REST:
Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Jesus came to restore REST, and through us, restore REST TO OTHERS.
So when you share the Gospel with someone, and they are saved, peace is restored to that person's heart. Their heart is now at rest, in Him.
When you lay hands on a sick person, and they are healed, peace is restored to their body. Their bodies can rest again.
When you use the Name of Jesus to set a person free from a demon, peace is restored to that person's life. Their lives are at rest again.
So while we see a lack of peace, a lack of rest, in the world, He does not want us to tolerate it in our lives any longer, but He wants us to RESIST it, like we would any other temptation. He wants us to learn to walk IN PEACE at all times, at REST in Him. That is why, through Paul, He says:
Phil 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
REST left the earth when Adam fell, because Adam was cursed with LABOR. That is why the Old Covenant is all about WORKS, it was given to FALLEN man. BUT Jesus came to RESTORE REST TO MAN, by taking the curse of labor upon HIMSELF. He LABORED on the Cross that we might REST, and the New Covenant is for men who's hearts have been recreated, and are at peace with Him, so we can REST from our LABORS. We are at rest in Him due to GRACE.
So where we are laboring, He wants us to rest.
Laboring is what citizens of earth do. Worrying is a form of labor. He wants us to cast all our cares ON HIM. Fearing is a form of labor, He wants us to FEAR NOT, for He will never leave us nor forsake us. He wants us to live in constant PEACE, just as our brothers and sisters in Heaven live in constant peace, RESTING in His Presence.
The Lord Jesus says:
"I came that you may rest from your labors, by resting in what I did for you on the Cross. I came so that you could have peace; peace in your hearts, peace in your minds, peace in every area of your lives. I came so that you could walk with Me, and rest in what I did for you on the Cross. Man tells you that you must labor, that you must work to earn My acceptance. This is not the truth. I have accepted you SO MUCH that you are now a part of Me, a part of My Body. There is no higher level of acceptance than that. I want you to learn to REST. To rest in what I did for you. To rest in what My Blood says on your behalf. For you are just as accepted by the Father as I am, for your righteousness is of Me (Is 54:17). You are just as loved by the Father as I am. (Jn 17:23) So you can rest in His Presence, just as I do, and cease from your labor. Everyone in Heaven knows that they are fully accepted and dearly loved. They walk in a peace that passes all understanding. They live a life of perfect rest. And that is My Will for you as well. For you are just as much a citizen of Heaven, as they are, even though you walk on the earth. And My Kingdom is a Kingdom of PEACE."
