THE FORCE OF CHRISTMAS PEACE.(2014).
This Christmas we are going to focus on a very important aspect for our well being and life. Let us look to the announcement of the angels to the shepherds. There is something spoken there that caught my attention. What the angels revealed may be very significant to all of us today as we celebrate Christmas. You know how the angel of the lord came upon the shepherds who watched their flock by night, and the glory of the lord shown around them, and the angel said. Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.Lk.2:13, 14. “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, good will toward men.” Of all the things that the heavenly host could say that day/night they emphasized on three things. the glory of God in the highest, and second is Peace, and third is good will toward men. This is putting in a nutshell the reason for Jesus coming on this earth. This unfolds the plan of God to all men. Of all the things that the angels could have announced, they announced these three things. And I am not going to speak on all three, but on one aspect, and that is Peace. They could have announced prosperity/strength/power. They could have announced other blessings. But they announced Peace. why is peace so important that the angels especially mentioned peace to all men? Yu know man lost peace of God when he lost peace with God, and finally he lost the God of peace. When Adam fell, he lost the peace with God. Why is peace so important that the angels especially mentioned peace to all men? Here God wants to restore peace thru our Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever we think of Peace, we think of it as a lack of strife/or peace between nations, where one nation does not pick up a sword against another nation. But the bible speaks of Peace in a stronger way. It is not just neighborly truce, though it includes that. But when bible speak of peace, it is one of the most powerful forces. It is not fragile. Today what the world speaks of peace is very fragile. Just a little bit of shaking in one nation against another and the peace is upset. any little trouble in mans life and the peace is disturbed. But the peace that we talk of, is a conquering force. There is power in peace. That is the kind of peace we want to let the world know. This peace that comes only from Gd. I want to share with you on this Christmas. So we are going to see how the savior came to restore what was lost. There are three restorations that we received.
1).PEACE WITH GOD.
Christmas time is an announcement of peace. Peace can only come into your heart when Jesus comes into your heart. Why? He is the Prince of Peace. When the Prince of Peace comes in, He brings peace. A cleansing of sins will come and that is the beginning of peace. Beloved the real peace did not start till Jesus came. He started the cycle of peace in our lives. It is supernatural/it is godly/it is a spiritual force. It comes to stay in our hearts. When did it start? The Bible tells us “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”(Rom.5:1).Peace was in the mind of Gd. Peace came before the foundation of the world, because the lamb was slain then, but peace was enforced in our lives after Jesus rose from the dead. Peace starts for us when we were born again, and when Jesus came into our lives and washed away all our sins. When sin is only covered, there is always a reminder/a fear. and unless sin is removed/dealt with, there is no peace in the heart. Many people out there have an outward form of peace/solace/rest. but it is not real. Many of the people have sleepless nights. Sometimes we see even the rich are restless.why?they have everything made yet their hearts are restless? Because of the sin factor. Man is restless like the waves of the sea that beats on them every day. They depend on the pills to sleep. They are troubled. that is why some of them try to forget this restlessness in their heart, by drinking. Some try to forget this restlessness by having a circle of friends. They keep on mixing with people. People is their “energy”. if they don’t meet Tom ,they have to meet Dick,if not Dick then Harry or Sally. However, every time when they are alone, they cannot even face their own self and their own life. Why because peace is not in their hearts. You can only have peace when your sins are cleansed and under the blood.
This is the first thing that happens with a belever.He has peace with God. The moment he gives his heart to Jesus, He immediately has peace with God. ““Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”(Rom.5:1). The First blessing that flows forth in your life after you are born again is peace, a personal peace. Because it comes forth from a right relationship with God. Once your relationship is restored everything follows. It does not first refer to the absence of trouble/conflict, but of harmony. Like the prodigal son. when he was out in the countryside. He had no peace with his father, no peace of his father, nor the father of peace with him. He struggled. in want, but there was also a deeper struggle that of broken relationship. He didn’t say. I will return back that I may once again live in plenty. No the greatest need of the prodigal was restoration of broken fellowship. He said. I will return to my father and say. I have sinned against you and heaven. He wanted to have peace with his father. that is the first requirement of every man born on this earth. The moment he returned to his father and said. Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and no more called to be thy son. He was forgiven. The wall of enmity was broken. Then afterwards the Peace with God was replaced with God of peace. for then his father said to his servants, bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. and lets cut the fatted calf, and let us eat and be merry. for my son was dead and is alive, he was lost and now he is found and they began to make merry. did you see that? Joy begins after the first principle. Peace with God.
The most wonderful miracle that happens in our life is what all our good works couldn’t do for us; Jesus did for us on the cross. The world thinks if I do as many good works on this earth I may get a chance to have eternal life. Or if my good works outweighs by evil works I will get eternal life. But how can he ever think on those lines? In our natural state we have no peace with God. Because we are sinful and we are at enmity with God.because He is holy. God cannot agree with us.” Can two walk together unless they agree.” does not Paul say.the carnal mind is in enmity against Gd.for it is not subject to the law of God,neither indeed can be.” There is no man on this earth that does not feel conscious of his guilt. He senses it every moment of his life. That is why he finds many cisterns to wash it. Man is restless/because of this first need.” If I wash myself with snow water and make my hands ever so clean. Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.”(Job.9:30, 31).So man is struggling to do good. But they are still restless. Before we can enjoy the Peace of God, and the God of peace, we need to have peace with God. So this is the first requirement of man. there has to be peace established between us and God. There is no way you can have the God of peace with you, nor the peace of God with you, unless you have peace with God. peace with God is the foundation for the peace of God and the God of peace to be with you and in you. Every other thing you may do for God w/t the peace with God is like Cain’s offering. it is never acceptable. for the lamb has to be a part of the offering. In other words w/t Jesus no offering is accepted. every person who has no foundation of peace with God falls in the category of the law, which says what you sow you shall reap. if he sows sin, he would reap its result and that is hell. You will never get peace till you are justified, you will never get the peace of God till you are justified. Every person in the world who talks of peace. is like the word that says. when they say peace peace then is sudden destruction. Is there no other foundation whereby we can get the peace of God and the God of peace? No.Peace with God to us must come by the way of the cross. Otherwise it is the world’s peace which is presumptuous. Can I not get this peace if I just love God and come directly to God? No.Jesus had said in Jn.14:1.Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me.” Did you see that? You cannot separate Christ from God. If you want to have peace it comes by knowing Jesus. Without this establishment, you cannot claim the God of peace for you. and you cannot have the peace of God in you. Man must submit himself to the lord Jesus, so that God can put us back in the covenant of peace. Let me clearly put before you our case. we are like condemned criminals,though we will never consider ourselves to be so. We may still persist that we are righteous. Because we don’t want to acknowledge the law of Gd.we don’t accept the justice of God, we don’t accept the sentence of God, which is hell and eternal damnation. But then whether we accept it or not. we are all answerable to him. That is why every one who does not have peace with God must be brought forth into the heavenly court, and hear the indictment against them and be put on trial. So if anyone of you this Christmas has not yet accepted the way of Peace. then he needs to come the right way and the only way. The way of Jesus.W/t having Jesus there is no peace between you and God. No matter what you do for God. Bible says. Jesus came for this very purpose. He died for this very purpose. he was pierced because of our transgrerssions.he was crushed because of our iniquities, and the chastening of our peace was upon him, that means the punishment was given to Jesus in our place which brought forth peace between us and God. Jesus was crucified and then we achieved peace. The moment you gave your heart to Jesus, God put you in his covenant. and now it will never be removed from you.God said. for the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake but my loving-kindness will not be removed from you nor the covenant of peace.(Isa.54:10).Praise Gd.Did not God say thru Eze.”and I will make a covenant of peace with them.(Eze.34:25).Now is the time if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. but if any man says that he has no sin he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. and so there cannot be peace between us and God unless this first principle is settled. Is the first principle settled between you and God? then we can go to the second. So remember the first principle the peace with God. for one work of Christ one sacrifice of Jesus has forever, turned our enmity to friendship with God. God has now put on the garment of righteousness on us and has accepted us in the beloved. as he did with our first parents when he clothed them with coats of skin and covered them. Keep this truth alive if you want to live in peace on this earth. You have peace with God. None can make you afraid concerning your salvation. The Holy Spirit will keep this truth alive in you.
2). PEACE OF GOD.
What is the Peace of God? I would say it follows with peace with God. After having peace with God, then the peace of God comes to stay in you. The Peace with God is reconciliation/forgiveness/restoration and favor. but the peace of God is that now God himself comes to stay in our lives and the Holy Spirit giving us this understanding of restoration/reconciliation/forgiveness. Once the Holy Spirit comes in you. you have a conscience that says, the peace of God is in you. Now there is no more condemnation because you are in Christ. Praise God.
So now once you are settled with the “Peace with God.” Your next step is the “Peace of God.” This peace of God comes to stay in your life. “And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds thru Christ Jesus.”(Phil.4:7).So did you see Peace is not just a condition, but it is a substance, which can come in you. The “Positional Peace.” is settled, but now we need practical peace. Having positional peace does not guarantee that we will have daily peace with God. since Positional peace came when we accepted Jesus in our heart, and the question of sin was dealt with. and so we could get back to God,but what about the sins that we commit. we need to deal with that too.That is why Jesus said “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. (Jn 16:33).So we need to have this experience in our hearts. So peace is a conquering force. It is not something fragile. There is power in peace. that is why Jesus came as the Prince of Peace, that is why he came to give us the peace of God.
You know when Jews met one another they always said.”Shalom.”But yet that total confidence was still lacking. Firstly because they lived under the law, secondly because their sins were only covered, not cleansed. and so we see even in Gideon’s time. They lived in fear. You know Gideon lived in the times of Midianites and they were treated cruelly by them, and whenever Israel planted crops Midianites would come and attack and take it away. Gideon was threshing wheat at the bottom of a wine press, to hide the grain from the Midianites.there the angel of the lord came and told him Mighty hero, the lord is with you. But Gideon was not satisfied, he said why is this happening to us if the lord is with us? He was living with fear. Then the lord told him in Jdgs.6:23. ‘Peace unto thee fear not.” There he felt strength come into him. But yet that complete peace was lacking because peace with all its fullness did not come to reside in them. They would feel peace at times and other times it would leave them, and so later Shalom remained just a salutation. than a powerful force. A few of the Old test.saints experienced to a level this peace of God,yet it was not in full force.That power of peace was not given to them, that power of peace was not enforced to the full extent. It did not come to stay in them. Like the lord told Gideon.” Go in this thy might, and thou shall save Israel, from the hand of the Midianites.”(Jdgs.6:14).But Gideon could not sense the power of peace. Till the lord said. “Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.”(v.16).Now that peace was not a garrison for Gideon. That was not a substance for Gideon. That peace did not come into his heart to abide forever. Now Gideon was still not very confident.why?It all depends on the knowledge of God. You see God was not fully revealed to man, as he has been revealed to us by Jesus, who came from the bosom of the father. In the days of Gideon God was not fully revealed.Peter tells us “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you thru the knowledge of God and of Jesus our lord.”(2Pet.1:2).Did you see that? As you learn more about God and Jesus Christ, more peace comes. Gideon asks for a sign, for he wanted to be sure that it was angel that was speaking to him. He says “If I now found favor in your sight, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me.”(v.16).God had to show him two signs that it was he, and then Gideon feared all the more. Now I will die because I have seen God.Then the lord said.No you will not. Hold your peace. and there Gideon raised up an altar and named that place Jehovah Shalom.(v.24).The place was named Jehovah.Shaloam.This was the “God of Peace.” not the “peace of God.” Peace of God comes in you. So Gideon had to raise up an altar, and proclaim God as “God of Peace./Jehovah Shalom. So this act of his was like a reminder to him, that there whenever he would face difficulty he could remember God as Jeh.shaloam.and Jeh.shalom would be with him to give him peace and wholeness even in the most distressing and impossible circumstances. but then what a position we are in today. For Isaiah.had prophesied. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace.”(Isa.9:6).That altar that Gideon raised he never must have thought that it foreshadowed the cross that will bring forth peace to us. That Jehovah Shalom is the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus took that word peace further than ever, and he shows to us what a powerful force is peace. He says I have not to give you the peace of the world. but my peace.” That is a different statement than what the Jews were accustomed to hearing. what is he saying?Shalom?he will give.Yes.because that word shalom had become a daily word. as Jews met one another they said. Shalom but the full force they didn’t receive. Moreover for a Jew Shalom meant well being/shalom meant deliverance from the Roman rule/.But yet they didn’t know it as a force/a tangible substance/a way. They didn’t even know it also as Peace with God. Their peace came to them, when they slew the lamb in the temple and so they had peace for a time. But the essence/the substance of that peace was not in them. But then Jesus started revealing a higher measure of peace. Jesus said “If the household is worthy let your peace come upon it.However,if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.”(Mt.10:12).That means peace can be given, peace can be taken back. Peace can come on a person; peace can come and stay in a house. Peace can come upon things. Jesus was talking of peace like a substance that you could give or take back.
One of the last words of Jesus to his disciples were.. .”Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you.” That is a powerful statement. Jesus came on this earth to bring this special peace. Not a natural peace. But a spiritual peace a supernatural peace/force that is going to transform your life. your thinking your living. Once you have the peace of God in you. you will never remain the same again. We have had scores of people come on Saturday, giving testimony after testimony, how great peace came in their heart. stress was gone/fear was gone/hopelessness was gone. Many have fallen by the power of God. they have been brought on the stage, Many have wept/and wailed loudly. Many have laughed/smiled. saying Great peace has come into my heart. This is the New test. peace that comes to stay in your heart. when Jesus comes to stay in you, he comes with peace. Everything is peace. everything is settled. I will tell you the blessings that lie if you have the peace of God in you. Just imagine your child is gone to school, or to work. You still have perfect peace. The world is worried what will my child do, how will it fare with my child. But peace is in your heart. and you say I know everything will be all right. On what basis do you say it? Do you know that everything will be fine?No.But that peace in your heart is enough for you. but there are times, you need to pray to God. Paul says be anxious for nothing but for everything with prayer and supplication and with thanksgiving let your requests be made known un to God and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your heart.’ did you see that?Put a word before Jesus, and peace will come in your heart.
Some believers say. But Pastor I don’t have peace. I am restless. How can that be? The fruit of the spirit peace is in you. Yes pastor I know that.but yet it is not working. Yes there is a strong reason, let us go to Col.3:15.”And LET the peace of God rule in your hearts.” The Lord said. did you see the first two words. Let the peace. That means allow the peace. You are not letting/grant use/allow it/give permission//that means it is upon us. we are holding him from ruling over our lives. We must allow the fruit of the spirit inside us to help us make correct decisions/which will be a guarantee to us that we wont end up with shipwrecked lives. Gods peace causes us to know in our spirit whether things that look right are really right, or things which look wrong are really wrong. Everything happens according to Gds will. Only through Jesus Christ we are peaceful, no matter how chaotic it is in this world or will be. We need to constantly remind ourselves every single day, Gods peace is in us, and it is available for us. Because mind you what I say, the world will get worse as days go by. We need to live in Christ all the time. Are you living in Christ all the time? then you will be away from anxiety/you will be away from fear/tension/stress/and you will overcome all these factors. but you have to live in him. There should be such a interlinked entwinement that we in him, he in us, and we in God. that is the strong union we should abide in. Jesus said “I have spoken unto you that in me, you might have peace. in the world you will have tribulation, but in me you shall have peace.(Jn.16:33).In Jesus, not outside in him.Acts.9:31 says “they walked in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.” That is the way to live and walk.Why did Paul say “great is my boldness of speech toward you,great is my glorying of you..I am filled with comfort,I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.”(2Cor.7:4).Why is he so bold? Because of the comfort he is filled with? who comforted him? the comforter. We are in Christ, we need to live in Christ. Didn’t Jesus say Abide in me. Only when we live in the spirit realm that we can experience peace of God that passes all natural understanding in this chaotic world. If there is something chaotic going around you that may bring stress to you, or concern in your mind, just stop whatever you are doing and wherever you are and just say I have the peace of God in my mind, and in my heart. and yield to the Holy Spirit. and do what he asks you to do. His direction will always be right, even though His direction at times can seem like the craziest thing you could do. Remember He is God of the universe so He knows just how to handle your situation. As His child, through learning process, His mercy will cover your mistakes if you just ask. Peace is always there in our spirit and that's where we can go when all is chaotic around us. It's like going into another world, a peaceful world. That's how precious God, the Holy Spirit, living inside of us can be to our life. I think sometimes with all that is going on around us we wonder if He really cares if we perish just like the disciples did. Jesus was right there. The Prince of peace was right there and the Prince of peace is right here in us to calm the storm of fear tht we face in our soul so that things on the outside turn out right. In that peace we can allow God to speak through us to those storms of life and command, "Peace, be still!" This supernatural force of peace calms us, calms situations and calms people around us.
Let the “Peace of God.” rule in your hearts,to the which also you are called in one body,and be ye thankful.”(Col.3:15).Let it rule in your heart. who is ruling? It is peace of God. Moreover in the O.T.though some entered a certain measure of peace, the common laity still lacked the true essence of peace. Peace means rest. and so we see that rest remained opened during the time of Joshau,and even during the time of David. That is what Heb.4.tells us that a promise has been left, untouched, If Joshua had given them rest or David had given them rest, he wouldn’t have spoken of another day. so Paul says let us “make every effort to enter/enjoy this rest. The fullness came thru Jesus.” Let us labor to enter that rest.” Paul is talking to the Hebrew Christians since they were persecuted to enter Gods rest. They were under lots of stress. they were under great pressure.Because there was a group of Jewish people who were pressuring the Messianic/or Jewish believers to give up on Christianity and go back /”Ghar vapasi.” To the Jewish traditions and follow after Jewish compromise. Intense pressure to give up what they had received. So Paul writes to them and tells them there is only one thing that they lack. It almost sounds like Mary and Martha case with Jesus. Once Jesus came to the house of Mary and Martha. and Martha was so busy cleaning the house/cooking the food/and laying up the tables, while Mary was no where around. She gets frustrated. Where is this Mary. why is she not giving me a helping hand. why should she be doing all the work alone? There was Jesus in another room/or in the verandah, speaking the word. and Martha finds Mary cozily sitting at the feet of Jesus. After some time she says let Jesus finish his message, I will report about her laziness to Jesus. and then as soon as Jesus closes the bible, she rushes and reports to Jesus. that Mary has not helped her in her household duties. To her surprise instead of scolding Mary, Jesus turns to Martha and says. Martha Martha why are you troubled about so many things? Mary has chosen the better part. What happened was that Martha did not enter into this rest. I wonder how many have been like Martha. they are trying to do everything but under great pressure,tht they could not find the rest.Jeb.4:1.says there remains a rest.v.9.”there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. There is a rest that we could enter in. This rest is not just spiritual, but it affects your soul and it affects your body too. You remember the peace of God that guards your minds and hearts. If you see in the secular world, and you will find so many people are restless. they are trying to gain rest, through philosophy or wrong teaching. Top executives pay thousands of rupees to learn how to sit in the yoga/lotus position for a while. Some millionaires will pay all the money they have to get a good night rest. Many of them cannot sleep. They take pills to put themselves to sleep. that is physical rest. that is peace. But we have a covenant of peace. we have the peace of God in us,that will never leave us. But we need to tap this force for its manifestation. The fruit of the spirit is peace. Many of the Christians have not entered this kind of rest, that is why they are restless. There is a great blessing if we have the peace of God in our heart.You can think better when you have peace in your heart.you can decide better when you have the peace of God in your heart.some of us are so tense all the time. Do you know you think better when you are at rest? And some of us are very tense all the time. Every thing you do without relaxing will cause you not to function at your fullest. If you are too tense playing a musical instrument, you cannot bring out your best. If you are too tense while you are singing, you can’t bring out your best voice. I heard of a Christian sportswoman. I don’t remember her name, who won women’s champion ship for several yrs. she was sharing with one of the pastors, and she gave her sad experience. she said I wished that I had come to know Jesus much earlier, because then I would have done a better job. I could have played even more better. Because she said, every time before the championship I would feel all these tension. I was going thru hell. It was a death for me. Even Sachin Tendulkar had said, though he was the greatest cricketer the world had ever seen, he would say. that night before the match I was always full of tense, I would not sleep. It was like death for them. and this lady said I tried to do everything I could to relieve that pressure so that I could be as relaxed as possible to play my best game. and she said. nothing could remove that restlessness from me. I would say positive words, I would think positively/I used to do meditation. but that stress feeling was always there till I went out and played. she said I wished I had known Jesus, I could have prepared myself even better mentally, and spiritually. His peace would have been a great enforcement in my life. Top athletes try to get into a mental frame of relaxation so that they could do their best. This is because tension diverts your energy into some thing else. It’s called wasted energy. But when you are relaxed you could channel all your spirit, soul and body to fulfill all that God wants. When people are tense, they are frustrated and upset easily. Do you know that when you are relaxed and calm and some one gets angry at you, you could just smile and quietly say, “Praise the Lord.” People who are easily upset have too much built-up tension. Why are we like that even though we are born again? What God wants is to get rid of all these things. You don’t have to learn to relax by doing yoga or trans meditation. But we need to teach God’s people the right way to get rid of all those tensions in their lives so that they could be more relaxed in their life, spirit, soul and body and achieve all that God wants.
3).GOD OF PEACE.
Having set the second principle before you, now we enter the third. Firstly we saw the “peace with God, secondly we saw “the peace of God. that speaks of coming in our hearts. and third and last we will see the “God of Peace.”Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”(Phil.4:9). He who has the God of peace with him is the happiest person/the healthiest person/and the richest person in the world. What is the use of lots of money if you have a troubled spirit and sleepless nights? What is the use of having gold and silver, if you have no God of peace to go in the hour of distress? What is the use of the great kings of the earth who had crown/throne/and splendor but no hope of eternity? Will they have peace?Yes,believers you have the greatest riches. the peace of God. in every situation/ every time/.You live in double door house.
Why does peace come. because of Gods presence. and the absence of the lord brings restlessness.” and the priests said to them. Go in peace. The Presence of the lord be with you on your way.”(Jdgs.18; 6).did you see, why the children of Dan had peace? Because of the presence of the lord.
David said. I have set the lord always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved. In other words I shall have rest. I want to tell you the blessings that come your way when you have the God of peace with you. If you are a mother, your son/.daughter has gone to school and while other mothers are worried for their children. what will you do. You have the peace of God in you,but also you will pray for the God of peace to be with your children. you tell others I am not worried,because the God of peace is with my child.
That housewife who is at home, and the husband is a fisherman and he has gone out into the turbulent waters, to fish the whole night. Yet she sleeps in peace. because she has left her husband in the beloveds hand, and she knows God of peace is with him, and she has great peace in her heart. Her child that has gone to school. will the van bring her safely? will the driver drive properly? is she in safe hands?Yes.she is not restless,because before going to school she has prayed to the God of peace, and now the peace of God reigns in her heart. You have a wandering son a wayward daughter, you leave them all with Jesus. They are all safe, it is all well with them, and well with your soul. You cannot see them, but they are under the eyes of Jesus. They are near to him, and so are safe.Spurgeon once said when he was a very little child, he used to live with his grandfather. He lived so long with him, that he become everything to him. and when he left him, it seemed to Spurgeon that his own family were as though he was living among strangers. He said, as he was leaving his grandfather, he felt very sad, and the grandfather said.son.You are going from me, but the same moon will shine where you are going. it will always be the same. And when Spurgeon left his grandfathers home, he used to often sit outside at nights and watch the moon and he would remember that grandfather too was looking at it, and that they were not very far from one another. Isn’t it sweetness to know that the same God who takes care of you here at home, takes care of your children even though far away? Some of you may have your husbands or children far away to other countries, but the same God looks at them.What peace you have in knowing this truth. Yes have a grip on this peace of God. the world may struggle, you don’t be like them. I admire when I see certain saints, who live in restfulness and peace. The world is running, but we need to take our pace. let the world see that we have a peace that cannot be taken away from us by force or fraud. Asshur cannot save us. Egypt cannot save us.No.we will not ride on Egyptian horses. Israel was not called to imitate Egypt. we are called to rest on the bosom of the God of peace. Did not God say. I shall be as the dew unto Israel. Yes as the dews fall gently and silently, and sustain the leaves and the root so confidently. Look to the God of peace, he says. I will be as the dew unto you. David said. Though I walk thru the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou are with me. That is the God of peace with you. what a joy. If the God of peace shall be with you. what is your fear? David said. it is the shadow of death. Death with its power is crushed, now only shadow remains for a believer. Can the shadow of a sword kill us? can the shadow of a dog bite us?Never.Death has been swallowed up in victory.Peace,peace perfect peace,the God of peace is with us.So peace is powerful. I want to show you how powerful is the God of peace. Paul said. “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.”(Rom.16:20).If it had said the God of peace shall bruise Satan. I would have said Yes that is right God can do it, and he will do it. But he said the God of peace shall bruise Satan under our feet. That wakened me. How is he going to do it. and what have I to do to get Satan under my feet. Secondly what intrigued me was that Paul said that the God of Peace shall crush Satan, not the God of power/or might/or strength/or wisdom. But the God of peace. I had to know that there was something special in peace.That means peace is a very powerful force.
The God of peace will crush Satan under our feet. How will that happen? See when we are in peace we are in God’s will. When we are in God’s will, we become an awesome force. We become a fear and a threat to the devil and we are in a position where we can crush Satan under our feet. Therefore, all is channeled through the will of God in our life. Are you sure that the God of peace is in you? People say God is in me. But you need to know whether the essence/or characteristic of God is in you. Whether the force of Peace is in manifestation, when it has taken control? If you turn to Mt.10;13.the bible says “and if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it.” That means Peace is not just a condition, it is tangible, it is a substance, it can be sent forth, or brought forth in any person/circumstance/home/life. You can send forth peace/or command peace in any situation or even in the homes. What happens when the God of peace comes on anything? Satan is crushed, his power is negated. Some say Pastor why can I crush Satan under my feet? Because the God of peace is not with you. How can I make to work this God of peace. You need to have peace in your heart first. Is your heart at peace? If your heart is not at peace, then the God of peace cannot crush Satan through you. Peace should reign in your heart. Peace is a fruit of the spirit. it is not power. To have the God of peace, you need to develop the fruit of the spirit in your life. You need to build your character and be like Jesus. Now what do you mean pastor by saying is your heart at peace? Firstly do you have “peace with God.” In other words, are you living in sin? have you reconciled with God. otherwise you are restless. in restlessness Satan cannot be crushed. he cannot be subdued. You can only subdue Satan under your feet, when you have “Peace with God.” Once you have peace with God.then secondly you need to tap the force of “the peace of God.” Do you have the “Peace of God in your heart.”? How do I know it? are you restless? then you are not in the will of God. If you want peace get into the will of God. When Jesus was in the garden, he was perspiring, he was greatly troubled, because he was fighting to surrender his will to Gds will, then when he said. Not my will but let your will be done. there was great peace.because suddenly he said. let us get up and go. Now listen. once you have the “peace of God” in you, then the God of peace can crush Satan under your feet. Praise God.Paul says in the book of Hebrews. Now the God of peace,. make you perfect in every good work to do his will…”(Heb.13:20,21).Now these were Now these were Hebrew Christians who were trying to tell Paul this is not possible. they were applying O.T. covenant to get New.test.results.which is not possible. They had to get in to the N.C.to appropriate the blessings. Jesus took it all on the cross. It is all complete in him. all they had to do is to enter his rest, enter into that peace that is in Jesus. In the O.T.they had to struggle Gideon had to struggle/David had to struggle. struggle to have peace. it came and went. never stayed in them. Gideon raised up an altar, and named it as Jehovah.Shalom,but it came into him. Even for healing they had to struggle, they had to ask God for healing. they had to a lot even for their sins to be forgiven. they had to get the lamb and take them to the temple, they had to spend money for the travel, for the purchase of the lamb, and then offer it and eat of it. and yet the blood only covered their sins. there was fear in them always. But now in the N.T.we don’t have to buy the lamb, we don’t have to spend money and travel all the way to the wailing wall, or a temple. we just look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, and lift up holy hands and thank God for the healing,for the blessing, for the deliverance. everything is obtained for us free of cost.Isa.53:5.”he was wounded for our transgression he was was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole and with his stripes we are healed. Now did peace come first or healing came first? The other thing to take note is the tenses. It says, “For the chastisement of our peace was upon him; by his stripes we are healed.” Remember Moses had to struggle much, even when Miriam was inflicted with Leprosy, he had to really go down on his knees and cry to God. In the new test. you just lift up holy hands and say. thank you Jesus. and peace comes and flows like a river.because it is already done. We are like Jacob. The lord said to him. the land whereon you lie down I will give to you. O what a great blessing. No striving, no struggling/no anxiety. you just have to lie down like Jaocb.Yes.lie on the promises of God. Either it is faith or work. stretch yourself upon the word of God and it is yours. God told Abrahm.lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are. No need of walking down the whole stretch.dont strive.dont walk. just lift up your eyes.north,south,east and west, all those lands that your eyes can see, not your feet can walk, but your eyes can see, I will give it to you. Now I am going to release this Christmas Peace on you. Jesus said when you go to any home,say.peace be to this home. I will proclaim peace in your lives this Christmas…Finally my wife and I and Sandra wish you all a very merry Christmas and a blessed New year.Praise God!!!
Peter David Silway.
Vineyard Workers Church.
Maharashtra. India.
