|
The
Way of Peace
By Barbara Perry
THE WAY OF PEACE
According to Strong’s Concordance the meaning of peace (#1515)
is:
1. A state of national (church, life) tranquility, no rage or war
2. Freedom of molestation
3. Peace between individuals
4. Security, safety, prosperity
5. A sense of rest & contentment
6. The tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through
Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly
lot, or whatsoever sort that is.
The Bible speaks of the path or way of peace. Path or way (Strong’s
#3598) means a journey; a traveler’s way; a course of conduct;
a manner of thinking, feeling, or deciding
According to Romans 3:17 the unsaved don’t know
the path of peace. Romans 3:17 there is none righteous, not even
one; and the path of peace they have not known.
But for those who are saved the Lord desires to guide us into the
way of peace. Luke 1:79b to guide our feet into the
way of peace.
It is possible to journey through this life on a path of peace.
Before we were saved we did not know or understand God’s way
of peace. One of the benefits of our life in Christ is we have our
own personal guide to guide us into this path of peace. His part
is to guide us into it; our part is to pursue it.
Romans 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace
with all men.
Romans 14:19 So then let us pursue the things which make for peace
and the building
Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without
which no one will see the Lord.
2 Tim 2:22 Now flee from youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness,
faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure
heart.
Pursue means to run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing;
like one who runs a race to reach the goal; to seek after eagerly;
to earnestly endeavor to acquire.
Jesus told us in John 14 that He gives His peace to us. So we have
this situation where peace is a gift, we do not earn it, only receive
it, but we have to actively pursue it.
We are a traveler on a journey. He is guiding us on a path, a path
that leads somewhere. Our destination is the Promised Land (heaven)
and the path we are on is the leading us there.
Just as the Israelites journeyed through the wilderness to reach
the Promised Land, the path we are traveling goes through the wilderness
of this life here on earth. We can decide to walk through the wilderness
on the path of peace.
There are different areas in this wilderness of life.
A wilderness of places – deserted places, lonely places, and
rugged uncultivated place.
Or it could be a wilderness of people – deserted by others,
deprived of the aid and protection of friends’ relatives,
or just other people.
It could be a wilderness of relationships – a woman deserted
by her husband, a man neglected by his wife.
It could be a wilderness of health, a wilderness of finances, or
a wilderness of identity.
But we have a guide through the wilderness if we will let Him lead
us. The Holy Spirit will lead us step by step on this path of peace.
If you lack peace as you travel the wildernesses of your life it
is because you are not following the guide.
We also have an enemy on this journey. 1 Peter 5:8 be
of sober spirit, be on the alert, your adversary, the devil, prowls
about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
One of the things he wants to devour is your peace.
We are in danger; the enemy is always after us. Sometimes we are
very aware of it; sometimes we don’t even have a clue. Sometimes
what we perceive as danger is not. Sometimes what we perceive as
safety is not.
The devil does not play fair. He does not follow the Geneva Convention.
Ephesians tells us he is a schemer.
Schemes – travesty (a treatment
or imitation that makes a serious thing seem ridiculous). For example
in the Garden of Eden when he said “Did God really say?”
We don’t stand against Satan’s power, but against his
imitation of, contradicting of, or ridiculing of God’s word.
Abraham believed God and God granted him the promise; Satan does
not want us to believe God.
Devil means accuser. He is always ready to accuse us. If we are
walking as Jesus has instructed us the devil will not have as much
to accuse us about.
Our battle is not against people, although the devil does use them.
We are wasting our time when we fight against people; we should
be standing against the true enemy, the spiritual powers of darkness.
How often do we approach our lives as if our enemies were the humans
around us or the government over us? Remember who the real enemy
is.
God has given us special equipment to wear while we are on this
journey, the armor of God as described in Ephesians
6:11-17. We are only going to look at one piece of the armor today,
the shoes we are to wear while walking on this path of peace.
In life we need the right shoes for the right activity. Would you
wear flip flops to hike the Appalachian Trail, or hiking boot to
run in a sprint race? How about ski boots to play basketball, or
high heel shoes to dance ballet?
So what are these shoes God has given to us for our journey?
Eph. 6:15 Having shod your feet with shoes of the preparation
of the gospel of peace– The shoe referred to here were the
sandals the Roman soldiers wore.
By feet Paul means legs also. These pieces of the armor were called
greaves, or leg harnesses, and were made of jointed steel or brass,
with large hob nails on the bottom so as to ensure a good grip.
They were more like our boots and were one of the most important
parts of the Roman soldier’s equipment. They were designed
for long marches over every kind of tough terrain. It has been said
that the attention given to their soldiers’ boots was the
secret of the Roman conquests. If while in battle the feet or legs
are badly wounded a man can neither stand to resist his foe, chase
him if winning, or run away if losing.
Our shoes come from the master shoemaker who knows just what is
needed for the tough journey of the Christian life. They will never
wear out, and they will always fit perfectly. Remember though, they
are soldiers shoes, very strong, not meant to look pretty, but to
protect our feet as we walk through the wilderness of life.
If you are going on a hike you put on your hiking boots before you
start. Having shod your feet is a sign you are ready to go. One
of the instructions Moses gave the Israelites as they were preparing
to leave Egypt was to put on their sandals.
Why do we wear shoes? So we can walk over rough ground. They protect
our feet from stones, etc. What stones and sticks would be to our
bare feet, so trials and tribulations are to our bare souls.
Our shoes are what give us firm footing. As one commentator put
it: “We can march over the rough terrain of life, over the
mountain passes of excruciating pain, through deserts of fear and
terror, without falling out.”
Your shoes are under your feet. They are the base on which you stand,
your foundation.
But notice our shoes are not “the gospel of peace” but
the preparation (or readiness) of the gospel of peace. The word
for preparation is taken from the word meaning to go before and
make the way smooth. It also means a state of preparedness, not
an act but the condition of already being ready because of the good
news of peace already settled in your heart.
There are many facets to this good news of peace.
There is peace with God as to the past, the future, and the present.
I belong to Christ, therefore I am forgiven and I am being kept
and I will live for eternity in heaven with Him.
Romans 5:1 Therefore having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
How settled a fact is this for you? The more settled and sure you
are of this the stronger your step, the more sure your footing,
the more calm you are as you meet the trials of life. No matter
where we go or who or what we encounter, knowing we have peace with
God makes all the difference in how we meet our challenges. You
must be born again, and know that you know that you know you are
saved and washed clean and that your destination is heaven.
One challenge of mine is that every three years I must have a colonoscopy.
As they prepare to put me under I don’t think about all the
negative things that could happen, but I still my soul, knowing
that I have peace with God and that the outcome is in His hands.
There is also peace with who you are. When you know who you are
in Christ and understand that God made you who you are there will
be great inner peace.
Before I was saved I was not happy with who I was. I was very shy
and introverted. After salvation I still struggled with that issue
until I read a book called “Spirit Controlled Temperaments”
by Tim LaHay and came to know that God made me who I was and it
was okay to be me. That one fourth of the people in the world had
the same personality that I did because God made us that way. I
came to peace with who I was.
There is also great peace that comes from being in the center of
God’s will. You have peace with your inner self, your desires
and your fears.
You need peace with each other, not biting and devouring one another;
forgiving those who have offended you. The word forgive in the scripture
means to send away. Forgiveness is an act of the will, not a feeling.
It is not saying that what the person did is okay. In our country
when someone does an act against us, such as stealing, we turn them
over to the government to punish. If we try to take the law into
our own hands we get into trouble. The same is true in God’s
kingdom. To forgive means we send that person and what they did
away to God for Him to deal with. If we try to take it into our
own hands we also get into trouble.
Paul says in Romans, So far as it depends upon you, be at peace
with all men. Not just outwardly but inwardly. If you are holding
onto any offense please deal with letting it go that you might walk
in the way of peace.
We need to have peace with God & peace with men. Satan wants
to cause strife and divisions, which is like taking your shoes off.
Be always prepared to be at peace and to share the reason for this
peace with others.
Our shoes do not prevent us from coming upon the traps and pitfalls
of the enemy, but they protect us from serious and lasting injury.
All around you there may be storms, wars, sorrows, difficulties
and yet deep down inside there will be this peace. When you are
well shod, the road may be rough but not feared.
I was in Israel and visiting the Garden Tomb. As I sat there in
the beauty of the place listening to the birds sing, seeing the
many flowers, feeling the gentle warm breeze I could hear in the
distance the sound of gun shots as some turmoil was taking place
at the Damascus Gate a few blocks away. I sat in this bubble of
peace while war was taking place just down the street. My feet were
shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, I knew I was on
the right path and my shoes would protect me from what ever was
going on around me.
On what do you stand as you face the struggles in your life? Is
the good news of peace settled in your heart? No good soldier would
think of going to battle with out his combat boots. How about you?
If you don’t have any, get them, they are free, they just
cost you your life!
Most of us would rather not walk in the wilderness. But remember
the Holy Spirit led Jesus to the wilderness and He will lead us
that way also. But we don’t walk alone. Jesus has promised
to never leave us. He said, take My yoke upon you. Think of it as
holding hands with the Lord. Walk hand in hand with Him, letting
Him lead the way.
He is our provision, our food, our water. We can stop and eat and
drink any time we want to if we are holding on to Him. He is the
source of living water. He is the bread of life.
Water, which is necessary for life is easily accessible. Food which
is necessary for growth requires effort. The manna had to be gathered.
Know what the word says, know the promises. It is the way to meet
every danger you might encounter and will give you the strength
you need to go on.
Some of the danger we might encounter in the wilderness are:
Times of sameness – every hill looks the
same, every rock looks the same. Don’t fall into a sense of
false security. Guard your heart against discouragement.
Times of extreme heat – your shoes (prep.
of gospel of peace) will keep your feet from getting burned. Don’t
burn with anger against anyone.
Times of fatigue – don’t fall asleep
and let your shoes (prep. of gospel of peace) be stolen. When tired
it is much easier to be offended
Times of plenty (oasis) – It is especially
necessary to stay close to Him here. An oasis is crowded and friendship
with the world is easy. The enemies of God are all about. Don’t
despise you shoes because they are not fashionable here. The world
does not love a peacemaker.
Times of rest – don’t take your shoes
off. I don’t think I’ll turn the other cheek for a while.
There is a rest for the people of God. Just jump into His arms and
let Him carry you for a while. He has promised “I will give
you rest”. It is awkward to be carried when you are an adult,
so you must become as a child.
Times of battle – be prepared, shoes tied
tight, in good repair. If you are at peace with all, the enemy can’t
attack in those areas of accusation.
Times of distraction – we must keep our eyes
on Him. Stay close to Him and keep our eyes on our destination,
being careful to stay on the path of peace so we don’t trip
and fall.
Times of the need for shelter – in the rock
I’ll hide. He is our shelter from wind and heat.
Times of climbing – climbing is harder than
walking on level ground. Your shoes will give you firm footholds.
You can see great things from the mountain tops.
Times of the valley – valleys can be very
dark. Our shoes protect our feet from unseen rocks and sticks. He
is there with His rod and His staff. Trust Him, fear not. He has
overcome the darkness.
The wilderness teaches us our total dependence on Him. The further
we walk and the more we experience in this walk of faith, the more
we realize how much we need Him. We need Him to lead, we need Him
to defend, we need Him to supply, and we need Him for our very life
itself.
We need the shoes of the preparation of the good news of peace to
be able to make this trip at all.
Are your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace?
Are you at peace with all?
1. with God
2. with yourself
3. with other believers
4. with your family
5. with your friends
6. With others in the world?
God says in:
Col 3:15 let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts
James 3:18 the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace
by those who make peace.
2 Peter 3:14 be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and
blameless,
Phil 4: practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with
you.
Romans 16:20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your
feet.
The way of peace is the way He is leading us. But you need the right
shoes.
Do not be like Asa who started out really well but in the 39th year
of his reign became diseased in his feet. His disease was severe,
yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord but the physicians.
Proverbs tells us “watch the path of your feet, and all your
ways will be established.” Hebrews says, “make straight
paths for your feet.” If you are on the right path but lack
peace check your shoes.
"Put shoes on his feet" were among the first words of
welcome to the returning prodigal. To be shoeless was in Israel
a mark of great disgrace, indicating a lost inheritance, a state
of misery, and extreme poverty (Deut. 25:10).
Have you checked your feet lately? Don’t let the enemy steal
your peace. Make sure your feet are always shod with the preparation
of the gospel of peace.
Isaiah 32:17 and the work of righteousness will be peace,
And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking,
but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
The key to peace is righteousness. The key to righteousness is believing
God. Galatians 3:6 Even so Abraham believed God, and
it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
To believe is not mental assent but a way of life. The word means
to trust in, cling to, and rely on. We are to make the word of God
the foundation for everything we do.
When you believe God and put His word into practice He reckons us
as righteous and thus we have shod our feet with the sandals He
has provided for us.
|
