How often did stress, worry and anxiety rob the peace? the peace that exceeds all understanding
The enemy of our souls has often led to a disturbing scenario or confusion?
What people talk about usually takes their peace easily?
All this weakens and left you down, stealing your inner calm?
The text of Fp 4: 7 says:
"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will take care of your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus."
Peace that exceeds all understanding
At this point, I would like to draw your attention to the word "surpasses" the previous verse.
It literally means something that goes beyond, goes beyond, beyond, what is more, what happens, at a higher level, which is larger, is higher and is sublime.
The term "that surpasses all understanding" gives us the idea of something that escapes human reason and is above it.
It refers to a peace that transcends beyond, exceeds and is greater than any possible peace to be found by human search and our own understanding, since this peace is not natural or earthly.
The text means to us that there is all kinds of peace where people can search and find somewhere, but the peace of God that surpasses all understanding is far superior to any peace and is only found in the Prince of Peace.
We can also say that all human effort and the earth outside Jesus to have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding is useless, since it is the result of the intimate and personal relationship with the God of peace.
So the more involved with God they are, the greater their peace that goes beyond, beyond, what is more, what happens, at the higher level, that is greater, higher and higher is their heart filled in Christ Jesus.
The Higher Peace
The term "all understanding" speaks of our ability to think, understand and discuss.
The peace of God is effective even if he has no reason to have peace and although he does not know how to explain why he felt calm in the storm.
The text says that peace will keep our hearts and our thoughts in Christ Jesus.
The meaning here is this: the peace of God will guard and protect your heart and thoughts in a totally unusual and inexplicable way by a divine action.
So now you can miraculously have the peace of God while living the most terrible tribulation.
How to have peace that exceeds all understanding?
The phrase "in Christ Jesus" indicates that my relationship with Christ will give me such a profound peace that I guard and block my mind and heart against the attacks of evil, whose goal is to steal my inner tranquility.
Soon that peace does not come in any other way than the intimate and personal relationship with the God of peace.
Three Attitudes to maintain this peace
Based on Philippians 4: 4-7, let's talk about three simple steps for you to protect your mind and guard your heart.
If we want to understand better about the peace of God, we must look at the previous verses.
So based on the text of Philippians 4: 4-7, we can build walls of protection that maintain our spiritual life and guarantee the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.
See now the three walls of protection we need to build nothing to steal the peace of God that dwells in us.
1 - BUILDING THE WALL OF PRAISE
Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians, which is part of the "Epistles of the prison," while he was confined to a Roman prison, tied to two soldiers.
He could have sent a letter full of laments, but, incredibly, a tone pervades everything of her - the tone of joy, more precisely, the "joy in the Lord."
The apostle Paul calls believers to "rejoice."
The text says:
"Rejoice always in the Lord" (v.4).
The word "rejoice" is in the present tense, active voice and imperative mode. This means that Paul is commanding the believers of Philippi at the present time "will continue to be happy in the Lord."
For Paul, regardless of the circumstances of life, the believer must rejoice in God.
Circumstances change and life surprises us every day with struggles and victories, but the Lord never changes, it is always the same!
I do not know if he noticed, but the text says "always" and that means joy in God should be in calm and scarcity, in calm and storm.
Next, our joy in God should not be related to what is happening around us, but it should be related to who God is and we have coexistence in His Word.
2 - BUILDING THE WALL OF PATIENCE .
To have that peace of God, the apostle Paul says in verse 6:
"Do not be anxious about anything.
The word "restless" in some translations is replaced by "anxiety" or "question".
Such expressions represent the difficulty of waiting with patience and trust in God.
Worry not only steals our strength, but also steals the peace of the soul, the destruction of our physical and spiritual life.
It's like a rocking chair, it keeps you busy, in movement, but it does not lead to anything.
Worry is an act of rebellion against the government of God in your life. You are wanting to determine things that only fit God and in his time.
Jesus said that we should look at the birds of the heavens and learn from them, and he also said that no one should add an elbow to his stature, although they strive for this (Matthew 6).
So building the wall of patience as Jesus taught us, leaving us to worry too much about tomorrow:
"Do not be anxious, then, for tomorrow, because tomorrow will take care of itself, it suffices every day for its evil". (Matthew 6: 25-34)
3 - BUILDING THE WALL OF PRAYER
The other secret to having God's peace in saving is in verse 6:
"Before your petitions are in all known before God by prayer and supplication."
That's right ... Without prayer and prayer, there is no peace of God in the soul. It is the relationship with the author of the peace that generates that peace in me. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. It is the fruit of the Spirit.
Instead of worrying about the things you can not change, put yourself before God, bow down to him.
If we replace our concerns in prayer, God will replace our concerns for his peace.
4 - WHAT THE BIBLE SPEAKS ABOUT THE PEACE OF GOD IN US
A - In Christ we can have peace even afflictions that live: "I say these things so that in me you may have peace, in this world you will have afflictions, but be courageous! I have overcome the world". (John 16:33)
B - The peace of God is nothing like the peace of the world: "Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, I do not give it as the world gives it, do not disturb your hearts, do not be afraid". (Jn 14:27)
C - The peace of God is destined for those who trust and hope in him: "You, Lord, have complete peace in him whose mind abides in you, because he has trusted in you." (Is 26: 3)
Only a relationship with the author of peace, evidenced by a life of praise, patience and prayer can have the peace that exceeds all knowledge, which goes beyond our ability to think and reason, argue and produce resources humans.