Perfect Peace.

Perfect Peace.

Isaiah 26:3-4NIV

Myles Donnelly, who escaped from the 78th floor of the South Tower during the 9/11 tragedy, said, “It sounds and awful thing for a grown man to say, but I think I am afraid of the dark again.”

If there is one word that could be stamped over our times, it is the word, fear.

Torment controls the unbeliever. I didn’t say it, God’s word declares it.

Don’t you know the devil loves it. 1 John 4:18KJV There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

I say, “Torment be broken, in and through the name of Jesus!” P.H

In referring to the last days, Jesus said, Luke, 21:26 Men will faint from terror, apprehension of what is coming on the world.

However with this report of doom: Jesus says, Luke 21:28NKJV Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

There are also personal issues that cause us fear, I wanted to name a few: The struggling economy, unpaid bills, a troubled marriage, a rebellious teenager, failing health, political instability, the threat of terrorism, and global unrest.

What would you think if I told you that in the midst of all these things you could have perfect peace?

What if I gave you a fail-proof prescription for perfect peace, would you take it?

Isaiah 26:3-4NIV You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.

The Lord gave me this little word, “Everything that’s not eternal will bow. That includes anything under the sun that is temporal.

Hear me well, “You do not want to be in the unbelieving group!”

The word ‘peace’ comes from the Hebrew, Shalom, and means, well-being.

Shalom, is a common Jewish greeting, it’s a word of blessing. It means to be whole, to be complete, and to have, and experience the best of everything God has for you!

Throughout the Old Testament, the priest spoke “Shalom” over the people of God in their worship services.

Numbers 6:22–27NKJV “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: 24 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’27 “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.””

Again, God states in Numbers 6:27…I will put My name on them…

Does He have His name on you? Do you wear His name? Do you think on His name? Do you trust His name?

We tend to think of peace as the absence of something, war, strife, pressure, problems, conflict.

However, the peace of God fills our lives with His abundance regardless of the pressure.

Psalm 112:1-3NKJV Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who delights greatly in His commandments. 2 His descendants will be mighty on earth;?The generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever.

Speaking of pressure and the way of the world: A businessman was going to Europe for two weeks so he drove his Rose Royce to a Manhattan bank and asked for a loan in the amount of $5000. When the loan officer requested collateral, the man handed him the keys to his Rolls. The loan officer promptly had the car driven into the banks underground parking lot for safekeeping, and gave him the $5000.

Two weeks later, the man walked into the bank and asked to settle his loan and get his car back. The loan officer checked the account and told him that will be $5000 plus $25 in interest. The man wrote a check, thanked the loan officer, then started to leave. Wait, sir, the loan officer said, while you were gone, I found out that you are a multimillionaire. Why would you need to borrow money? The man smiled and replied, “Well, where else could I securely park by Rose Royce in Manhattan for two weeks and pay only 25 bucks!”

Again, Isaiah 26:3AMP “You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].”

In this one verse we find: A promise, A principle, and A prerequisite, for perfect peace.

1. A Promise.