After studying the peace of God, I heard a statement that caught my attention.
It was, if you protect your peace, your peace will protect you. I pondered this statement for a few days. While I knew it was true, I searched for a scripture to confirm it. I did not have to look very far.
Philippians 4:7 says, And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
I found some interesting things as I studied the word keep.
In the Strong’s Concordance, this word means to be a watcher in advance, to mount guard as a sentinel (post spies at gates), to hem in, protect, and keep (with a garrison).
It further means to guard and protect by a military guard, either to prevent hostile invasion or to keep the inhabitants of a besieged city from fleeing.
I recently shared with you that peace is an aggressive weapon. We now see that it is also a guard and a protector.
Peace is a tremendous blessing, one we all need. However, I don’t sense peace in most people, even Christians. I don’t think people realize the power of peace. If they did, they would pursue it.
Jesus said in John 14:27, Peace, I leave with you, MY peace, I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Do you see what He is saying? He gave us His peace. The same peace that carried and protected Him through crowds who wished to stone Him, the same peace that kept Him through the cross, the same peace that protected Him and garrisoned about Him through hell, the same peace that led Him out to rise again. That peace is the peace He has given you and me. It’s a peace that rules and reigns if we allow it to, and a peace that protects and guards.
So, how do you begin to get this peace? Once again, that answer is found in Isaiah 26:3.
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in you.
We can’t focus on the problem and walk in peace; we must focus on God, His Word, and His promises. Only then will we walk in this kind of peace.
Once we have peace, we must protect it. We can’t allow things or people to come in and steal it. And trust me, the enemy will do everything he can to steal your peace. However, he can’t touch it if you don’t allow him to. Jesus gave it to you, and it is yours. Yours to keep or yours to let slip away.
As you cultivate and protect peace in your life – that same peace will protect you.
As the scripture says, peace will watch out for you and warn you in advance. It will guard you and protect you. It will help you stand your ground when things try to invade your atmosphere. Peace is an aggressive weapon and a strong protector. And it is yours for the taking.
