No Peacekeepers Please

The Biblical concept of PEACE is more than the greeting Shalom. Shalom was a pronouncement of good spiritual, physical and material well being upon the person greeted.

The Bible speaks of our peace with God in reconciliation and assurance, peace of mind that is void of offence and living in harmony with others.

The Bible also speaks of Public and World peace. In January 2010 the year long, across the planet, World March for Peace came to an end. World peace, of course, has not come but this march highlights the longing of people’s hearts to see an end to conflict, that takes one person’s life every minute of every day.

World peace will one day come when the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet

Rom 16:20

NO PEACE KEEPERS PLEASE!

All over the world the United Nations have Peacekeepers seeking to create social and economic conditions that will aid peace in nations torn apart by conflict.

Peacekeepers have no power to make peace; that power is the possession of those in conflict agreeing to live in peace with each other.

We are robbed of walking in peace when we live as peacekeepers; Jesus calls us to be peacemakers not peacekeepers. Matt 5:9

Keeping the peace simply gives the appearance all is ok; keeping the peace covers internal turmoil with superficial super-spiritual lingo and hypocritical gestures.

Peace with God is unavoidably linked to how we live our life,

Isaiah 57:2 Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.

Isaiah 59:8 The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them will know peace.

We can give the appearance of peace with God, however, we know and God knows the inner turmoil of our soul when we resist the voice of the Spirit to make peace with God.

God sent Jesus to bring the Gospel of peace Eph 6:15

God sent His Spirit to impart His peace

The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. Rom 8:6

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Rom 14:17

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…Gal 5:22

Can I call you today to make peace with God? You possess the power to make peace with Him.

Making peace with God does not mean you are going to die, on the contrary, you will live in the fullness of what He has for you.

Walking in peace means you leave behind the offence, the mistake, the sin and go forward without the fear of the past pulling you back again.

Too many Christians are being pulled back and reminded of their past mistakes when we are free

from condemnation. Rom 8:1

God has made you to:

BE FREE from the curse and control of sin; for he whom the son sets free is free indeed John 8:36

REIGN: over every desire. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Rom 6:11

Over every temptation; No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

It seems that you can make peace with God but it’s not long before someone hurts you or gets on your nerves. We are called to walk in peace with everyone, even the people who get on your nerves or people who have hurt and offended you and you family. Rom 12:18

Victoria Osteen tells the story of how she took some stain remover to remove a mark on her carpet.

The instruction said,“remove the stain as quickly as possible, the longer you leave it the harder it is to remove.”

The un-removed offence, hurt or disappointment can so easily become anger and bitterness. Walking with the inner turmoil and battle of un-removed offence weighs you down, wears you out and leaves you crippled by un-forgiveness, robbing you of walking in Shalom with God and others. Eph 4:31

We live in an “analyse it” culture but analysing the stain on your carpet will never remove it. Analysing your hurt will reinforce it rather than remove it and, until you are released from it, you’ll just keep rehearsing it.

The power of peace is possessed by you. The removal of the offence, and with it your release,

will only take place when you choose to forgive. Col 3:13