Disclaimer:
Due to the large amount of sermons and topics that appear on this site I feel it is necessary to post this disclaimer on all sermons posted. These sermons are original to the author and the leading of the Holy Spirit. While ideas and illustrations are often gleaned from many sources including those at Sermoncentral.com, any similarities and wording including sermon title, that may appear to be the same as any other sermon are purely coincidental. In instances where other minister’s wording is used, due recognition will be given. These sermons are not copyrighted and may be used or preached freely. May God richly bless you as you read these words. It is my sincere desire that all who read them may be enriched. All scriptures quoted in these sermons are copies and quoted from the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible.
Pastor James May
PERFECT PEACE
Isaiah 26:3-4, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:"
Our nation is involved in a war with Iraq. At this very moment there are young men and women who are placing their lives on the line with the hope of establishing a lasting peace from terrorism and threats from another dictator bent on world domination. While we may be certain that victory over Saddam Hussein and Iraq’s military power will be accomplished, it is just as certain that we will not have perfect peace when the battle is over.
All over the globe there is fighting, oppression and civil unrest. There is no limit to the number of places where another “hot spot” will erupt like a volcano of hatred and the weapons will begin to speak death to those who are on both sides of these conflicts.
World War I was called the “war to end all wars” but less than 25 years later the world was once again engulfed in World War II. Even as World War II ended in utter defeat of the enemies of freedom and democracy another war began. The Cold War began as an arms race and military standoff between the world’s superpowers brought mankind to the brink of annihilation time and again. The conflict in Korea began less than 5 years after the surrender of Japan on the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Almost at the same time that the Korean War was being fought by our military forces, there was a little far away country already embroiled in a fight for its life with the French Army.
The French were defeated and ousted from that country and within months President John F. Kenney dispatched American Special Forces to that country and thus began the longest war in the history of our nation in a little insignificant country called Vietnam. That war and all of the political unrest that resulted from it began to tear our country apart.
Even as that conflict was closing in 1975 the world was on a steady march toward its destiny of Armageddon. Multitudes of civil wars and guerilla warfare popped up all over the globe as the spread of Communism threatened to choke the fires of freedom in every nation on the globe. Countries and places that we had not given much thought of became the center of our attention for brief periods of time as battles were fought in Panama, Granada, Kosovo, Somalia, and the list goes on.
Right now, even though we may defeat Saddam Hussein and destroy his ability to wage war, that will not end the threats of the terrorists. The ugly specter of war still looms over the horizon as we hear of threats from the North Koreans and their nuclear capabilities, the widespread social unrest in nearly every nation on the globe, the distrust of America by most of the Arab nations, and the religious hatred of Islam against all other religions.
Man may strive for peace but he can never bring peace. The scriptures are very clear concerning the ultimate course of events that will bring this world to its knees before the coming of the Lord.
In searching for and desiring peace we can already see that mankind is being placed in a position to accept anyone and any power that will promise the peace that they seek. Mankind is ripe like a swollen grape and ready to be taken in by a man that will rise in the midst of great turmoil, international threats of war, economic disaster on a global scale and a world that has gone mad. The Antichrist will appear on the scene in the not too distant future. It is most likely that he is already alive and being prepared for the moment that he will step out into the pages of prophetic history to begin his reign of terror that will only be halted by the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
It is no surprise that Jesus spoke these words in Luke 21:26, "Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." That doesn’t mean just heart attacks folks. It means that men will be so afraid of the threats of world annihilation, and so shaken by world economic woes that they will wring their hands in worry, depression and fear because there seems to be no answer to what is coming.
Even as you talk to people right now you can sense the panic in their voices. Most people are like a “gun shy animal”. They jump and run in terror at the slightest sound, at the first word of the news media, and they live in constant fear that they will be next victim of the next disaster.
While it is prudent to take steps to protect yourself or to be on guard against becoming easy prey for the many predators that stalk our society, our lives should never be governed by fear and we should never be driven by terror.
That is the way of the world without hope. That is the way of those who have no one to turn to that they can trust with the answer for their protection and safety. That is the way of the children of the devil whose father hates them and devises ways to steal and destroy their peace and to kill their soul in hell.
The whole worlds seeks after peace and it is more elusive to them that the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Even if the world does obtain a momentary peace under the reign of the Antichrist, it will be very short-lived because the scriptures tell us in 1 Thessalonians 5:3-6, "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."
That’s the condition of the heart and mind of this world. What should be the condition of the church, the true church, the people of God, that “Chosen Generation”, that “Royal Priesthood”, those that are Called and Chosen, who have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb and made righteous in the side of their Father in Heaven? What is the condition of their heart and mind in all of this turmoil? What is different about them?
Isaiah says that God will " keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Perfect peace – what a wonderful sound are those words to our ears. All of us, both sinner and saint alike, desire to see that day spoken of in both Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3 where the Word of God says that, "…they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
What a great day that will be when our Jesus we shall see. When we look upon his face that one who saved us by his grace! Thus will begin our 1000 years of perfect peace and then an eternal day with perfect peace. It is hard for us to imagine, having lived in this war torn world, just what perfect peace will be like, or is it? It isn’t so hard to imagine what that will be like if we now have that perfect peace that Jesus offers to those who trust in him.
Perfect peace – a peace in our hearts that is founded upon the Prince of Peace; a real peace both inwardly with God and outwardly toward all men, even many who consider us as their enemy. It’s not a false peace that is easily shattered by every noise but it is a rock solid peace that no power on earth can shake. We have a peace that is constant, unshakable and everlasting for we know that our God has everything under control and no matter how bad this world can get we know that He has already made a way for us to escape.
David wrote these words in 2 Samuel 22:3-14 when God had delivered him from the hand of Saul who had sought to kill him, “Our LORD and our God, you are my mighty rock, my fortress, my protector. You are the rock where I am safe. You are my shield, my powerful weapon, and my place of shelter. You rescue me and keep me from being hurt. I praise you, our LORD! I prayed to you, and you rescued me from my enemies. Death, like ocean waves, surrounded me, and I was almost swallowed by its flooding waters. Ropes from the world of the dead had coiled around me, and death had set a trap in my path. I was in terrible trouble when I called out to you, but from your temple you heard me and answered my prayer. Earth shook and shivered! The columns supporting the sky rocked back and forth. You were angry and breathed out smoke. Scorching heat and fiery flames spewed from your mouth. You opened the heavens like curtains, and you came down with storm clouds under your feet. You rode on the backs of flying creatures. You appeared with the wind as wings. Darkness was your tent! Thunderclouds filled the sky, hiding you from sight. Fiery coals lit up the sky in front of you. LORD Most High, your voice thundered from the heavens. “ (Contemporary English Version)
Perfect peace – what a wonderful way to live, in God’s perfect peace. I hope that all of you can experience that peace. Can you lie down on your bed at night and not be overly concerned about the price of gasoline, the threats of war, the social unrest and the murderers, thieves and robbers who stalk our world? Do you have that inward peace that nothing can shake because you know that your Father in Heaven is watching over you?
Even in the middle of a battle God still watches over those who love him. Just his week I was listening to the radio to one talk show as I was driving along at work. I honestly don’t remember who it was that was speaking, perhaps Mr. Paul Harvey or maybe a Minister of the gospel. What I heard was truly remarkable!
There is a story of two young marines who were Christians during the Gulf War of 1990 who were suddenly separated from their unit and low on ammunition when a large number of Iraqi soldiers began coming their way. They wondered if this would be the end for them when they began to notice that the soldiers coming at them didn’t seem to be carrying any weapons. As the Iraqi soldiers drew nearer they began to lift their hands in the air and surrendering to the two American marines. The closer they came the more that you could see the fear in their eyes. As they came close enough the Marines called out for anyone who could speak English to step forward and tell everyone else to stand still. One Iraqi soldier came forward and begged to surrender. When the Marines asked him why they had given up so quickly the answer he heard was astounding. “We cannot fight your God” was what the Iraqi soldier said and he kept repeating it over and over.
When the Marines asked the Iraqi what he meant by that he told them that all around those two American Christian Marines there stood a heavenly host of mighty, shining angels with swords drawn in battle array. It is no wonder that the Iraqis were so quick to surrender when faced with the armies of Heaven. What a picture of the events of that final day when all the armies of Heaven will put and end to the evil of this world and God will speak peace once again to all men.
That’s the God that I serve. He knows how to protect and care for those who are his children in every situation, even in the midst of deadly warfare.
But how can you experience that Perfect Peace? There are many in our churches who claim to be Christian and claim to know the Lord as their Savior who do not seem to have this Perfect Peace. All too often I see the Christians falling apart in worry, distress, fear and anxiety just as quickly as those who don’t know Christ at all.
The key is that our mind must be “Stayed Upon the Lord”. That means that we like a nail fastened in a sure place spoken of in Isaiah 22:23. We are fixed, rooted, grounded, and firmly persuaded that nothing can separate us from God’s peace and protection.
In Romans 8:38-39 the Apostle Paul says, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Paul lived in Perfect Peace because his mind was stayed upon Jesus Christ. Oh yes Paul was beaten a number of times and left for dead, he was imprisoned on several occasions for preaching the gospel, he was shipwrecked, he was persecuted and hunted by the powers of hell, but through it all he had Perfect Peace.
Perfect Peace doesn’t mean that you won’t face trials, tests, persecutions and maybe even death for your testimony in Christ. It means that in the midst of it all, and through it all, you will have a peace in your heart that will let you face all of those things and still come out the victor through the power of God.
If you are looking for peace in this life forget it. There is no peace in this world and there never can be until Jesus comes again. But even though there is no peace in this world, you can have Perfect Peace in your own heart because you know the Prince of Peace.
Keep your mind stayed upon Jesus. Don’t allow Satan to distract you from serving the Lord. If our heart and mind is stayed upon this world and everything that it has to offer, then we will not have that Perfect Peace when we need it. We will be driven with the winds like everyone else who depends upon the arm of the flesh to provide for them.
Your Provider is Jehovah Jireh and he never fails to provide your every need. You can trust in your Heavenly Father. You can trust in the Blood of Jesus. You can trust in God to bring you through victoriously!
If your heart and mind is stayed upon God then there is nothing can shake your Perfect Peace.
Do you have that Perfect Peace in your heart right now?
Is your mind stayed upon Jesus or is your gaze fixed upon the things of this life?
There are many troublesome days to come should the Lord tarry. No one knows whether we will face victory or humiliation on the battlefields around the world. No one knows what will happen to our economy, our government or our freedom. No one knows what terrorist may strike or where they may strike next. This world is headed for its destiny with God and the wars, strife, death and destruction will only grow in their intensity as we near the end of the reign of Satan over this world.
God’s people are the only people who will dwell in Perfect Peace through it all. We will have Peace for as long as God allow us to remain here as a limiting force on the powers of darkness because we know who is in control of it all, and we will dwell in Perfect Peace when Jesus takes his people home for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Either way we can dwell in Perfect Peace if we keep our minds stayed upon Jesus.
