
Functioning in the midst of dysfunction
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. —John 14:27 (NIV)
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” —John 16:33 (NIV)
6 “‘I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid I will remove wild beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country…
… 7 You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. 8 Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. —Leviticus 26:6-8 (NIV)
What does God say to his people? I will “grant you peace in the land”, and you will go to war.
Peace is not
1. Peace is not an absence of problems and pain
2. It is not a lack of awareness or oblivion to reality.
3. It’s not a denial of pain
4. Not an absence of all worry
Peace means I am awake and unafraid
How do I possess more peace?
1. More Petition - talk to God about the bad stuff
2. More Praise - focus on the good stuff
3. More Presence - be with him through it all
6 Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, 7 then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ. 8 So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always. 9 Follow the example of all that we have imparted to you and the God of peace will be with you in all things. —Philippians 4:6-9 (The Passion Translation, TPT)
More Petition
“offering your faith-filled requests before God”
“Tell him every detail of your life”
More Praise
“Be saturated in prayer throughout each day”
“So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real”
“Be saturated in prayer throughout each day.”
More Presence
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. —John 14:25-26