I once read an article about a preacher who spoke at a 3-day conference. On all the 3 days he spoke the same sermon, “You must be born again”. A man who attended the conference got irritated and asked the preacher, “Why is it that you speak the same thing? Don’t you have anything else to talk about?” The preacher replied, “I do have other topics. But this is what God wants to tell you – that YOU must be born again”. Then this man understood what God wanted to speak to him. This is the same reason why sometimes God speaks to us of the same thing again and again. When God emphasizes something, it is because God wants us to be gripped in this truth and live by that word in our Christian life.
The word that God wants to speak to us today is from 2 Thessalonians 3:16, “Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!” We are approaching the end times and stresses, tensions, problems and difficulties are increasing day by day. But the promise for God’s children is that in all these situations we can be at peace in God. This is the true peace. In the NLT version we read this verse as, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.” At all times and in every situation, we can be at peace. Paul had this great desire for the Thessalonian church that they would experience real peace in all situations. In a logical and worldly way, we can’t understand how we can be at peace in God but God’s word says that we can experience God’s peace always.
This peace is a wonderful gift that God has given to us. In John 14:27 we read, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” God gives us this wonderful gift and we must receive it and experience and enjoy it in our daily life. We can’t get this gift by ourselves from anywhere in this world. Some people in this world say that if one has health and wealth, he can experience peace. We know from the Bible that it is not like that at all. The peace that God gives us doesn’t depend on any external circumstances. Even if we lose our health, we can still have God’s peace in our hearts.
In Colossians 3:15 we read, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful”. This verse says that as a body; as a church; we must experience God’s peace. In Ephesians 2:14-17 we read, “For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near.” Through Jesus Christ real peace can be ours. Satan should not rob this peace from our hearts. In some situations, through our words, deeds or actions we may have a tendency to lose this peace. But the word of God encourages us to seek peace and pursue it. In 1 Peter 3:11 we read, “He must seek peace and pursue it.” Whether at home or at office, we must always seek peace and pursue it. In our relationships, we must take the initiative to keep the peace. Don’t allow Satan to rob us of peace from our lives. The Bible encourages us to make every effort to live in peace. We shouldn’t give any place to Satan.
In Luke 10 Jesus said that God dwells in a house where there is peace. Wherever we are, let us carry this peace. In our practical Christian life, when we think of a brother or sister – if your heart is not in peace, something is wrong in your life. We have to come to God and settle the matter and restore peace. Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit which is in you. In Mathew 5 we read, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” We may have problems and difficulties, but the Bible promises that we can have peace through it all.
In Mark 4:37-39 we read of when the boat that the disciples and Jesus was in got caught in a storm. In the midst of it, we see a beautiful picture of rest in God – Jesus sleeping on a cushion. In all storms and difficulties we can be at peace. The world can’t give us this peace nor can it understand it. No matter what happens, we can be at peace. In Habakkuk 3:17, 18 we read, “Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.” In the NLT version we read, “I will praise my God no matter what happens in my life”. This is true peace. Things may go different from our calculations and planning – still I will praise my God because I am at peace in Him.
In John 16:33 we read, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” God wants us to always abide in Him, so that we can experience true peace. In Philippians 4:6,7 we read, “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 comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” True peace surpasses all understanding and is a gift from God.
Let us seek for this peace and desire to be in peace always and in all situations. Let us not give any place to Satan and not allow him to rob the peace from our heart. May God bless us all.
