Isaiah 26:3.
Trust in the highest When we’re talking about God’s kind of peace, it’s from within to outside, because when you have peace within, you can be in the middle of challenges and still be smiling because you have peace inside. No matter the peace outside, if you don’t have peace within, you will still be troubled.
The strategy of the devil is this: he knows that once he can puncture your peace, he will puncture you out of the promised land because a man who is not at rest won’t be able to see. Look at Haggi. She was so close to the water that it would prevent the child from dying, but because of her fear of what was happening around her, she couldn’t see the water until her eyes were opened. In the same way, many people are so close to their promised land, but they look at the jebusute, or Wall of Jericho, around them, and because of that, they lose their peace. And because of that, they are unable to reason their way to their promised land, and they keep on turning around and around. The plan of God for you is to be a city that is set on a hill, to be the salt of this world, but without a mind at rest, it will be impossible to get there.
But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes, we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5.
Who was the Bible talking about? Jesus. Jesus paid the price for peace to be fully restored in our lives. God revealed himself to us as Jehovah Shalom because he is our peace.
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things on earth or things in heaven.
Colossians 1:20.
The Bible says that through his blood, he made peace for us. Brethren, any kind of unrest is not part of God’s package for us because, from the beginning, God’s plan for us was to enjoy all-round peace. When we’re talking about peace, we’re also talking about our future, because without peace, the probability of taking the wrong step is very high. Many people have destroyed their lineage just by making one mistake. When we’re talking about peace, we’re talking about a sound mind, because without a sound mind, you can’t have peace, and without a sound mind, you can’t have a sound life. When people come to Jesus, the first thing he tells them is to be at peace, because without that, they can’t receive anything from him. It requires a sound mind to receive from God. Reuben, by right, was to inherit the double portion from his father, but when Isreal was speaking to his children, he said to Reuben, You’re unstable as water; what does that mean? It means your mind is not at peace. As a result of that, the firstborn became the lastborn. Nobody became great in the lineage of Reuben until God told Moses to withdraw the curse. When we’re talking about peace, it’s very vital.
You can never separate a man from the condition of his mind. A great mind is a great life, and a troubled mind is unstable. When we’re talking about a successful nation, we’re talking about a peaceful nation. If your mind is not at peace, you cannot have a peaceful marriage because if you don’t have peace inside, you cannot have peace outside, and if you don’t have peace inside, you won’t be peaceful with your neighbor.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill toward men.
Luke 2:13-14.
When Jesus was born, he was announced as the Prince of Peace. The prince brought back peace to the earth because the moment the glory of God departed, peace departed, and they started misbehaving. The man was so blessed and glorious to the extent that the Bible says that everything that God brought to him he named, but the moment peace departed from him, he started misbehaving. When they sinned, instead of going back to God, they took fig leaves. Can you compare that mind to the mind that named all the animals? No. You have access to the peace that flows like a river because Jesus paid for it all. God is a peaceful God.
In the beginning, God created heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Genesis 1:1-2.
How did God bring the earth back to its glorious shape? Through a peaceful mind. If the mind of God wasn’t at peace, what would have happened? Why does the Bible say that the spirit of God moved upon the face of the earth? He was waiting for the word. If God spoke the wrong word, what would happen? That is why most of the mistakes we made were because our minds lacked peace when we spoke the word. When we’re not at peace with God, we won’t be at peace with our family, neighbors, or even ourselves. Many people are not at peace with themselves. That was why, when Jesus was teaching them how to pray, he said, Shut the door. It means shutting the door against distraction. So when some people pray, the prayers don’t pass the ceiling because the mind is not at rest. Are you at peace with yourself? When you see people, how do you behave? All things are delivered unto me by my Father, and no man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Matthew11:27.
What unlocks the key is the product of the revelation between the father and you; until you know the son, you have not known the father. No matter your religion or how many times you go to Jerusalem, if you don’t know the son, you can’t know the father. The only one who can reveal the father is the son. Who is the son? Jesus Christ is the Word of God. Without the understanding of the word of God, you cannot know the Father, and without knowing the Father, you cannot know peace.
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28.
Laden means to put a load on something. Who will give you rest? The son. The key is to learn of him from the son, not to be religious; religion won’t give you peace. That is why the Sadducees and the Pharisees didn’t have peace; they were full of activities rather than reality. What does it mean to be meek? It means being teachable and responsible. If you cannot be corrected, you cannot be directed. If you are not humble, it will be difficult to correct you. This kind of peace is a product of humility.
The ways peace departs from people
- Disobedience against the Law of God: Even though you are saved If you are not walking in line with the will of God, you cannot have peace. That is the mechanism God designed to protect us. The Bible says that He leads us beside still water. Any decision you are about to take and you fill the choke, you calm down because the Holy Spirit is seeing what you cannot see. Ask the Holy Spirit and be humble before you take any step. Look and listen to the Holy Spirit; your expertise is not enough because there is a way that seems good to a man, but the end is death.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years.
Judges 6:1.
What led to the unrest of the children of Isreal was not because God didn’t love them; it was because they went against the covenant.
And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall be corrupted by flatteries; but the people that know their God shall be strong and do exploits.
Daniel 11:32.
Don’t be deceived by all the teachings that say grace covers it all; no grace empowers you to fulfill the law. You cannot be taking steps against the will of God, and you think you will have peace. God cannot change, and the law of God cannot change. Respect the law of God. Somebody says if you don’t train your children when they grow up, they will tamper with your peace. Don’t go against the law; there’s no modern truth or YouTube or Facebook truth; the truth is the truth, which is the word of God. That is why He said the son reveals the Father: Come unto me, come unto the word. You cannot have peace without the word of God. The children of Israel suffered because they went against the will of God. The man in the Garden of Eden, the moment he sinned, lost his peace. Who is a wicked person? Someone who goes against the will of God You cannot take steps against the will of God and have peace; it’s impossible. Live a simple life that is in compliance with the word of God.
- Ignorance of the law: The Bible says if the gospel is hidden, it is hidden from them because the god of this world has blinded them. Some people are losing their peace over the provision in the scriptures, but they are unable to see it. Every time the devil wants to puncture your peace, he wants to puncture your future. Don’t allow it, but you need to know your rights. The Bible says that the righteous are as bold as lions, but the wicked flee when no one pursues them. Knowing your rights in Christ gives you boldness. You can never have the courage to confront the devil. If you don’t know yourself, he is a thief, and he wants to manipulate you and paint a gloomy picture of your future. But if you can see the glorious picture of your future in the scriptures, you’re settled. He said my plan for you is good and not evil to give you hope and a future, so when you see the challenge, you say his plan for me is good and not evil to give me a future. Don’t let anyone or any devil paint a gloomy picture of your future; see the mirror of the Word. The Bible says in Psalms 23:2 that He led them beside the still water. Why? To show them a picture of themselves. Without discovering, you cannot discover. Discover who you are in Christ Jesus. What made the prodigal son come back home was the discovery of who he is and who his family is. He said at my father’s house there are many slaves there who are enjoying a better life; why would I continue to eat with pigs? Many glorious children of God are eating pigs.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus and who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2.
Ignorance is a terrible thing; it deprives people of their rights.
- Having an alternative to God Anything that is not from God will destroy you. Don’t run after other gods.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is on thee because he trusts in thee.
Isaiah 26:3.
Do you have trust in anything else?
Psalms 16:1-4.
If David hadn’t trusted God, he would have crashed because of the number of enemies against him. He said He would multiply the sorrow of those who run after other gods. Don’t have an alternative to God. Putting your trust in other gods or alternatives to God is an invitation for unrest.
- Direct attack by the devil: This can make people lose their peace.
The devil is a wicked spirit.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Ephesians 6:10-15.
What are the wiles of the devil? Deception. If you allow the doctrine of demons to rule your life, it’s dangerous. What is your defense? The gospel. What is the gospel? The word of God What is the truth? Jesus is the truth. So you put on the belt of truth. That is what you will use to neutralize the wickedness of the wicked.
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.)
Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Corinth 10:4-5.
What is a stronghold? Mindset. What is imagination? Image formation. The devil works on people’s minds and makes them think anti-constitutional thoughts that make them lose their truth. The Bible says Jesus arose and rebuked the storm. Arise and rebuke that storm that is giving you unrest.