Choose Peace

Jesus said He has given his very own peace to you and me. John 14:27  It’s true. Read it for yourself:

 “Peace I leave with you; My own peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.  [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.”

There are several things Jesus is telling us in the above passage. In black and white you will read that Jesus has given us his peace.  Did you ever stop to think that Jesus is not nervously biting his nails as he looks on the state of this world?  The present state of our government does not disturb Him either.  Nor is He anxious and worried about the problems you are facing.  No, He is at peace. He is smiling and confident as He oversees the affairs of the universe.

You might remember one of the Fruits of the Spirit is peace. (See Galatians 5:22)  The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit abides in us when we make Jesus the Lord of our lives.  If that is so, then the attributes or fruit of the Spirit must be present in us also. But though the fruit of the Spirit are in us when we are born again, they are in seed form.  We must actually allow them to grow and develop in us. 

That brings us back to the topic of peace.  Jesus said He has given us His peace but it is up to us to allow that peace to increase in us.  How?  Jesus told us how in John chapter 14 when He explained that a troubled, fearful, anxious, agitated, attitudes are enemies to peace.  You can’t be fearful and peaceful at the same time.  You have to choose.

 It is common for people who deal with fear and anxiety to say “ I can’t help it, I’m just the nervous, anxious type It’s my personality.” If we couldn’t help being anxious and fearful then it wouldn’t be fair for Jesus to instruct us not to give in to those things. The fact is this.  You can decide what you will think and meditate on.  You have a God given right to choose your thoughts. 

Satan will of course, will send thoughts your way that you didn’t initiate.  But you can choose whether to mull those things over or cast them out of your mind.  You have the power over your own thoughts. There are so many promises in God’s Word telling you and me the good things He has in store for His children.  We must keep these things priority in our thinking.

If you have been fearful, anxious and troubled and you desire to have the peace of God in your life, pray the following prayer out loud.

“Jesus, I want your peace to reign in my heart above else.  Thank you for giving me your Word which gives me your peace to keep me stable in a crazy mixed up world.  Help me to be aware of fearful anxious thoughts before they take root and overtake my mind.  Help me to choose peaceful thoughts by choosing to think on your promises.”

Scripture Meditation:  Proverbs 4:20-27