Merry Christmas!
Wow! It’s already Christmas. 2021 has proven to be just as challenging, if not more so, than 2020. These past couple of years have been some of the strangest times in my lifetime.
Jesus gave us peace. He is called the PRINCE OF PEACE.
Isaiah 9:6 prophesied of His birth. It says …
A child has been born for us;
a son has been given to us.
The responsibility of complete dominion
will rest on his shoulders, and his name will be:
The Wonderful One!
The Extraordinary Strategist!
The Mighty God!
The Father of Eternity!
The Prince of Peace!
If you’ve asked Jesus to be your Savior, then the Prince of Peace resides in you! So that means when we are in right relationship with God the Father, through Jesus Christ, the Son, we have peace—anytime, anywhere!
Even in the midst of chaos, we can have peace. Yes, we can have peace that doesn’t depend on our circumstances or the type of peace the world tries to give to us.
Jesus said, “I leave the gift of peace with you—my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous!” (John 14:27 TPT)
The Lord doesn’t always remove our difficulties and hardships as we live in a messed-up world filled with people who fight against God.
Jesus said, “And everything I’ve taught you is so that the peace which is in me will be in you and will give you great confidence as you rest in me. For in this unbelieving world you will experience trouble and sorrows, but you must be courageous, for I have conquered the world!” (John 16:33 TPT)
The peace He has is now in each of us even while we experience trouble in this world. We can face our trials head-on with the inner peace Jesus gave to us.
Not only that, but when Jesus ascended, He left us the gift of the Holy Spirit. And the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of rules about food and drink, but is in the realm of the Holy Spirit, filled with righteousness, peace, and joy” (TPT).
So the Holy Spirit makes the peace of God possible in our lives.
“Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope!” (Romans 15:13 TPT)
And we learn in Philippians 4:6-7, how to apply this peace to our daily lives:
“Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will guard your heart and mind through Jesus Christ” (TPT).
So, you can receive the gift of peace today. Believe His promises that He gives you peace. Then, release all your concerns to the Lord in specific, detailed prayer. Pray with gratitude. For example, Lord, thank You that You hear all my concerns. Thank You that You will make all things work out for my good as I trust in You. And as You do this, God promises His gift of peace will guard your heart and mind.
May you receive His gift of peace this Christmas!
© Shonda Whitworth