Peace that Passes Understanding

Persecuted Christians say, “Don’t pray that we will stop being persecuted, but that we will remain faithful through our persecution.”

Is. 45:7 “I form the light, and create darkness. I make peace andcreate evil. I the Lord do all these things.”

John 14:27 I give you peace not as the world gives.
The world tries to give peace that is the absence of evil. Christ’s peace is peace in the middle of life’s crisis. This verse was spoken right before Christ’s crucifixion. He knew what would befall His disciples and yet He told them to be at peace because that was a gift He was giving.

II Tim. 1:7 When Valencia was young she would wake up with nightmares. We taught her this verse and in her childish voice she quoted the Scripture and passed through that harassment.

John 8:44 tells us that Satan is the father of lies. So if God gives peace, and we are attacked by the spirit of fear, and Jesus promises that He has already given us His peace, we can be sure that Satan is lying about the very thing that God says He will prosper. Satan opposes that, and when he does, we know he is lying.

Illustration:
A contest on painting pictures of peace. Many tranquil scenes were entered into the contest. The one with the stormy skies and raging ocean won! It had the little dove in the cleft of the rock. That is the picture of God’s peace.

WE HAVE TO HAVE PEACE WITH GOD BEFORE WE CAN HAVE THE PEACE OF GOD.” Read Eph. 2: 8-15

To stay in God’s presence is to stay in His peace!

To stay in the peace of God, we must hear the voice of God! Ps. 85:8
This verse ends with , “let him not return to his folly.”
Ex 24:3,7 versus 32:1-6 show the children of Israel returning to their folly.

Areas that we need peace in:

Relationships/ offenses: Ps. 119:165
Afflictions Ps. 119: 50, 71
Bad news Ps. 112:7
Turmoil/ storms of life: Mk 4:37-39; Jh.16: 33 (could be marriages, finances, work, etc)
Peace at night Ps. 3:5; 4:8
Peace from fear Is 26:3
Peace at death Acts 7:55, Steven’s death.