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.
Only God can give perfect peace.
Verse 26 states, I (God) will ‘keep’ you in perfect peace!
In 2022, our country is protected by satellites in orbit, detecting any enemy attack.
The word “keep” in verse 26, means literally, to guard as with a garrison troops. Ancient cities were surrounded with massive walls for protection.
This I know personally, “God can create peace in the mind even though conflict rages around.”
Philippians 4:7AMP “And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].”
Paul says, the peace of God will guard our hearts and our minds.
Notice, Paul doesn’t say we can create perfect peace. Only God can give us peace. God is the one who keeps us in perfect peace.
This I know, without a relationship with God, we are incomplete, and peace means to be complete.
If you’re a believer, positionally you been been made complete in Him.
The number #1 problem is, “Will you believe?”
Believe Him, and only Him.
Say this with me, “A man of peace is on board, Paul’s on board.” Acts 27:29-32NKJV Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come. 30 And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff (small boat) into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff (small boat) and let it fall off. (Remember, Elisha Ottis). At the World’s Fair, He yelled,“Cut the rope!”
“If you truly desire to live in peace, you have to cut away all other ropes!” P.H
We create substitutes for peace. There is the peace of money that brings a temporary sense of security. There is the peace of substance abuse that dulls our sense of reality, and creates temporary euphoria. There is the peace of pleasure that lasts for a short time.
God gives perfect peace. The word perfect is also the word shalom. Our level of peace comes from within through our relationship to God.
“God’s peace is perfect!” P.H
Sin separates us from God, creating fear and guilt.
God gives strength and peace to His people.
Psalm 29:11NKJV The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace.
Romans 5:1, states that we have peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
John 14:27, Jesus said, He would leave us His peace.
John 16:33, Jesus states, I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace.
Ephesians 2:14, Christ himself is our peace.
Galatians 5:22, The fruit of the spirit is peace.
Romans 14:17, The kingdom of God is a life of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
2. Secondly, “Peace comes when the mind is steadfast on Him.”
The mind tends to focus on the circumstances. We are obsessed by the worst possible possibility instead of the potential.
The mind must be focused on the character of God. What He says about you. Your position in Jesus!
Psalm 108:1 My heart is steadfast, oh, God; I will sing, and make music with all my soul.
Psalm 112:7 He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Paul reminds us in, 2 Corinthians 10:5 to take captive every thought, to make it obedient to our Lord Jesus Christ.
“We need a meaningful spirituality, not a mechanical, one of mere ritual.” -Doctor David Cooper.
King David, had that kind of walk with God as he eloquently sang in, Psalm 23:
The Lord is my shepherd… I shall not want for rest, for He makes me lie down in green pastures.
I shall not want for peace, for He leads me beside still Waters.
I shall not want for restoration, for He restores my soul.
I shall not want for direction, for He leads me in paths of righteousness, for His name sake.
I shall not want for protection, for though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear, no evil, for He is with me.
I shall not want for comfort, for His rod, and His staff, they comfort me.
I shall not want for provision, for He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
I shall not want for Joy, for He anoints my head with oil.
I shall not want for satisfaction, for my cup runs over!
I shall not want for blessings, for Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
I shall not want for eternity, for I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever!
3. A pre-requisite of peace comes through complete trust.
In the text, the Lord promises to keep us in peace when our minds are steadfast on Him, because we trust in Him.
And then He amplifies the meaning of trust in the next statement: Isaiah 26:4, Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock Eternal.
The repetition of the highest name of God, Yahweh, stresses the highest degree of His unchanging, love and power.
Here the name, Yahweh, which means the promise keeper, and is used 6,800 times in the old testament. It is the covenant name of God, by which He promises to be faithful to His word.
The phrase, The Rock Eternal can be translated, the Rock of Ages, and is the passage on which the hymn Rock Of Ages, is based.
In scripture, God is described as the Eternal Rock, the Solid Foundation on which we stand. Psalm 18:1–2; Matthew 7:24, Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 2:20.
What does it mean to trust God? It means three things.
1. Release the results to God.
Remember, God works all things together for your good.
Stop worrying and start praying. Tell God, “Father, I release the situation in your hands and trust you to work by your mighty power.”
2. You don’t have to know how, or why God works.
Proverbs 3:5–6, teaches us to trust God and He will direct our steps.
“God knows what He’s doing.” P.H
3. Don’t doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light.
I want to give you five words that will bring you peace if you will live by them.
Jesus said, Mark 5:36, “Don’t be afraid; just believe."
Jewish children are taught this simple prayer to pray at night before they go to sleep: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
That’s what Jesus prayed for on the cross. This is a prayer of trust. Tell Him, “Father, into Your Hands I commit my spirit.”
Benediction.
