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“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3)

What does that phrase mean exactly?  Okay, I had to think this through…what is perfect peace– especially at the times of our lives where we feel anything but peace?

  • What about when we lose our jobs?  Or our kids are out of control?  What happens when we are conflicted with a friend or family member?  Or, our marriage is troubled or a complete mess.  Or someone we love is very ill and we are filled with fear.  Or we are seriously ill?
  • If we don’t have his perfect peace at these times, believe me, others will know.

I asked the Lord how do I get there– at this place of perfect peace.  How do I find His peace in a time of unrest?

He said to me, “I want you to know Me.” Oh, that I may know Him.   But, “Lord”, I said, “How do I know that I really know You?”

  • He said, “If I didn’t really know you as I should and I wanted to know you as an intimate friend what would I do?”  “Well”, I said, “I would have to find the time to talk to you and listen to you, hear your heart; and meet with you regularly and faithfully.  I would come to love you and be in your presence every chance I could get.”
  • So, I started my quest to know Him in this way a long time ago.  I can honestly say I have actually experienced this supernatural peace and do walk in it – most of the time.  Oh, there are trials and temptations, always.  For we have an enemy who certainly does not want us to be less than tormented.

Jesus’ peace is a fruit of His Spirit.  It is ours for the asking.  It is not our own peace.  It is His.  To take on His fruit we have to know Him in an intimate way.  He is our peace.  It is His peace.  Within ourselves we do not have the ability to produce His kind of peace when our world is falling apart around us.  In Him we do because it is His peace we are taking on; simple as that.  So, how bad do you want it?  Do you want it enough to make Him the center of your existence?  He is no respecter of persons.  He doesn’t play favorites.  It will take some time and effort on your part.  But, oh my, it is worth it!!  We can know what is ours to walk in but if we don’t take the time and effort to make it happen we will just have the knowledge, but never produce the fruit of it.

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High

will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1)

  • We cannot possibly experience the peace of God until we have peace with God.   So, the number one step to finding His peace is knowing Jesus.   If you don’t know Him I invite you into the most exciting, love filled life imaginable. His death and resurrection purchased your peace with God.

There is a peace that transcends all understanding. Philippians 4:7

The world cannot give this kind of peace. John 14:27

This kind of peace guards the heart and mind. Philippians 4:7

This peace belongs to Christ and is only His to give. John 14:27

Jesus has offered His peace to us. John 14:27

  • We never need to fear for the presence of Christ is in our circumstances. But boy, it sure is hard to remember that sometimes right? He is more than enough. He was the reason Peter stepped out on that water. As long as his focus was straight toward Jesus Peter remained on top of the waves, but then he began to sink. What happened? Why couldn’t Peter stay afloat through the power of Christ? Because he switched his focus to his circumstances while Jesus was tightly focused on his destination. Then came Peter’s fear. The same kind of fear that binds weights to our ankles and submerges us in the waves of surrounding circumstances. What happened when the waves threatened Peter’s life? Immediately Jesus was there in an instant. Jesus didn’t change the circumstances to make them bearable. He mastered them at the peak of their impossibility. Jesus had perfect peace in the storm.

Remember what we talked about last week?   It is His peace. Not mine or yours. We have to learn how to step out in faith and take on His peace.   We have no power within ourselves. Only His power.

  • A mind controlled by the Spirit, a mind steadfast on the Spirit and prayer. The key to being filled with the Holy Spirit is the beginning of finding His peace, and having a mind focused on Him. The peace of God sustains abundant life. Let me put it another way. Our peace with God is translated into the peace of God through the filling of the Holy Spirit and quickened in us by a mind stayed on Him.

Remember, we become like whoever we spend most of our time with, so focus on spending more time with Jesus and then you’ll see yourself more filled with the Holy Spirit and His peace.