“THE PEACE OF GOD!”

 Philippians 4:4-7                              (ESV)

“6 DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD.

7 And “THE PEACE OF GOD”, which SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS in CHRIST JESUS.”

“The WORD OF GOD is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12) is a verse that has always escaped my untrained understanding.  That is until recently when I was reading and writing about “THE PEACE OF GOD”!  JESUS brings PEACE, and this PEACE SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, and it WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS!  Walking through the valley of the shadow of death can be done with NO FEAR when JESUS is leading us.  

When we experience ANXIOUS times, “the enemy” would love nothing better than to cause “worry and doubt” to flood our minds!  And we can fall into that trap rather easily unless we recognize and identify “the enemy” as he disguises himself like no other (Genesis 3:1)!  Once one has experienced “THE PEACE OF GOD” through the trials and tribulations that can so often beset us, there is NOTHING else that can or will satisfy.  “This world” will do whatever it is available to provide relief of some sort, but “THE PEACE OF GOD” which SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS, only through JESUS CHRIST!

Acknowledging “the enemy” by recognizing and identifying his tactics is the surest means of making him flee according to James 4:7!  When “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) blinds people, he can easily confuse them with his deception.  Deception is his most effective tool, making people see things his way!  His way is has a predetermined ending though, and it is part of the deception that he doesn’t want known to man.  

When we focus on “THE PEACE OF GOD”, satan MUST flee, along with his deceiving, conniving methods.  You can experience “THE PEACE OF GOD”, but only if we cease doing things our way.  GOD will not share HIS GLORY, so we MUST align our priorities with HIS!  We cannot experience “THE PEACE OF GOD” outside of THE WILL OF GOD.  Yielding to the WILL OF GOD becomes more desirable when we SEE that our ways are not HIS WAYS (Isaiah 55:8-9)!  

HEAVENLY FATHER, cause me to desire “THE PEACE OF GOD” in my life far above the things of “this world”!!!