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Perfect Peace
Or, What is Required and Received by
Those Who Truly Wait for Their LORD
"Thou wilt keep him in Perfect Peace, whose mind
is stayed on Thee:
because he trusteth in Thee"
(Isaiah 26:3).
by Tom Stewart
Preface
he LORD Jesus
promised us tribulation, while we were in this world. "These
things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall
have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). However, not only have we been promised deliverance
from the Tribulation Week, i.e., "Watch
ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape ALL these
things that shall come to pass [via the Pre-Tribulational Rapture], and to stand before the Son of man"
(Luke 21:36), but we have been promised His peace while we endure these short testings
in the meantime.
Perfect Peace is given only to those whose mind and heart recline upon the LORD,
i.e., "whose mind is stayed on Thee: because
he trusteth in Thee" (Isaiah 26:3). Our
peace is perfect because it comes from God. "Peace
I leave with you, My peace I give unto you"
(John 14:27). Further, this peace is not oblivious to the world, but is confident
that God is completely in control of our circumstances. "But
be of good cheer; I have overcome the world"
(John 16:33).
How are we to attain and maintain Perfect Peace?
- First of all, peace is evidence that we are walking
in the Spirit. "But the fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
temperance: against such there is no law"
(Galatians 5:22-23).
- Second, peace comes from abiding in the Word of
God. "Great peace have they which love
Thy Law: and nothing shall offend them"
(Psalm 119:165).
- Finally, the peace that the LORD Jesus Christ
gives, flows from a life that abides in prayer. "Be
careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).
What is Peace?
od's peace was granted to us when we came to Jesus
in faith. "Therefore being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). Peace is a product of righteousness, or the "fruit of righteousness" (James 3:18), which righteousness
is the "righteousness of faith" (Romans 4:13). "And
the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness
and assurance for ever" (Isaiah 32:17).
Again, Spiritual uprightness is evidenced by the presence of peace in our lives.
"Mark the perfect man, and behold the
upright: for the end of that man is peace"
(Psalm 37:37). Therefore, peace is not simply the lack of conflict with Christ, but
the positive presence of the LORD Jesus-- Who "is
our peace" (Ephesians 3:14)-- abiding
in us by our continual and active confidence in Him. "For
we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence
stedfast unto the end" (Hebrews 3:14).
Peace and the Spirit Filled Walk
demonstration of our lack of walking in the Spirit
is evidenced by a lack of peace about our circumstances, i.e., "Will the LORD
soon Rapture us Home or not?" "To
be Spiritually minded is life and peace"
(Romans 8:6). Sinful turmoil and peace cannot dwell together. "Either he will hate the one, and love the Other; or
else he will hold to the one, and despise the Other"
(Matthew 6:24). Likewise, it is impossible to walk in the Spirit, while full
of sinful turmoil. "Endeavouring to keep
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace"
(Ephesians 4:3).
Nothing stumbles us when we are full of God's peace. "Great
peace have they which love Thy Law: and nothing shall offend them" (Psalm 119:165). Not that we cannot be startled or surprised,
but that we cannot stumble into sinning against God by losing our confidence and
peace in Him. "Peace I leave with you,
My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your
heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"
(John 14:27). By God's grace, we are simply
to refuse to be troubled or frightened in our circumstances-- which would cost us
our peace-- in obedience to the LORD Jesus' command to not be troubled. "That He would grant you, according to the riches of
His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man" (Ephesians 3:16).
God's Perfect Peace is a cooperative effort between God and ourselves. He furnishes
us with the peace, if we will only trust Him for it. "My
Father worketh hitherto, and I work" (John
5:17). Though our faith and obedience to the Truth are necessary to receive God's
Perfect Peace, we only obey the Truth to the extent that the Spirit of God works
in us. "Seeing ye have purified your souls
in obeying the Truth through the Spirit"
(1Peter 1:22).
To be full of the Spirit is as uncomplicated as obeying a command. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled
with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). Obedience
to God is the primary evidence of being filled with the Spirit. "And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the
Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him" (Acts 5:32). All the Spiritual gifts are important to the Body,
but simple obedience is more important than the sacrifice of ministering any particular
Spiritual gift. "Hath the LORD as great
delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold,
to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (1Samuel 15:22).
The New Testament literally means the New Covenant, which is the giving of the Holy
Spirit to God's people to secure their obedience to God, i.e., the significance
of the Acts 2 Pentecost. "Behold, the
days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel,
and with the house of Judah... But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put My Law in their
inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall
be My People. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man
his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know Me, from the least of
them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity,
and I will remember their sin no more" (Jeremiah
31:31,33-34).
The reason why the Church has had so many problems with the lack of Perfect Peace,
is that the Church has made mundane and meaningless the magnificent indwelling presence
of God's Holy Spirit in His people. "What?
know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which
ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"
(1Corinthians 6:19). Terms such as New Testament do not make the modern Church think
of an actual New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31) whereby God has promised and already given
His Spirit to ensure an obedient and spotless Bride. "Ye
are the temple of the Living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk
in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (2Corinthians 6:16). We are already living in the time of the fulfillment
of Ezekiel 36-- 2Corinthians 6:16's parallel-- however, our ignorance of the terms
of the New Covenant have caused us to minimize the significance and capabilities
of its design. "A new heart also will
I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony
heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My
Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My Statutes, and ye shall keep My Judgments,
and do them" (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
Great Peace Comes from the Word of God
f we are right with God, the wisdom and understanding
that yields Perfect Peace will come from the Word of God.
"O LORD: give me understanding according to Thy Word" (Psalms 119:169). If we are not right with God, we will not be able
to get peace from God's Word. "There is
no peace, saith my God, to the wicked"
(Isaiah 57:21). Wisdom yields peace. "Her
ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace" (Proverbs 3:17). The most certain way to prevent fear and doubt
is to dwell in peace. Perfect Love and Perfect Peace both come from the God of Love
and Peace. "Be perfect, be of good comfort,
be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with
you" (2Corinthians 13:11). Accordingly,
Perfect Love and Perfect Peace cast out fear and doubt. "There
is no fear in love; but Perfect Love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.
He that feareth is not made perfect in love"
(1John 4:18).
God's peace is increased in us according to the knowledge the LORD gives to us from
His Word. "Grace and peace be multiplied
unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our LORD" (2Peter 1:2). God's promises have the designed tendency to produce
in us Perfect Peace. "According as His
Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and Godliness,
through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are
given unto us Exceeding Great And Precious Promises: that by these ye might be partakers
of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust" (2Peter 1:3-4).
Scripture and prayer are so interwoven that emphasis on one will beget emphasis on
the other. "Finally, brethren, pray for
us, that the Word of the LORD may have free course, and be glorified, even as it
is with you" (2Thessalonians 3:1). Paul
spoke of the "free course" of the Word of the LORD as of the running of a runner on
a race course. The unencumbered movement of God's Word in our lives fills
us "with all joy and peace in believing,
that [we] may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy Ghost" (Romans
15:13).
If we would look at God's Word as a means of grace by which we receive Perfect Peace,
then the required time, effort, and concentration would be gladly given. "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you;
seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Luke 11:9). At times, we do not seek out God's Word to
find Perfect Peace, because we are too satisfied with our present circumstances to
trouble ourselves with all that seeking. The LORD Jesus compared that level of self-satisfied
non-seeking with the difficulty of a rich man entering into the kingdom of God, i.e.,
the rich man enters not because he truly attempts not. "And
again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God"
(Matthew 19:24). Perfect Peace only comes to those motivated to seek it.
As we are those who believe that the Bible is the very breath of God as He utters
His Word-- "All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God" (2Timothy 3:16)--
then we would joyfully allow as much of It as possible to enter into us to give us
His Perfect Peace. "For this cause also
thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the Word of God which ye
heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word
of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe" (1Thessalonians 2:13). The God of Peace (Romans 16:20)
truly desires to impart to us His Perfect Peace because He loves us. "I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him
that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him" (Isaiah 57:19). Keep searching the Scriptures to attain
and maintain that peace.
The Peace of God Comes and Abides Through
Prayer
he simple act of closing your eyes, shuts out the
light of the world. But, more importantly, our spiritual eyes ought to be opened
to the reality of a Prayer Hearing God. "O
Thou That Hearest Prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come" (Psalm 65:2). Immediately, our attention is turned to our "Covenant of Peace"
(Ezekiel 34:25) that our LORD maintains with us through the process of prayer. "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And
the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).
If we may ask about everything, then we should "be
careful for nothing" (4:6). Though we
may comprehend the nature of our prayer request, we cannot comprehend the "peace of God"
(4:7) that flows from His assurance that all is under His control.
It may seem overly simple, but when we do not have Perfect Peace, we generally have
not asked God for that peace. "Hitherto
have ye asked nothing in My Name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be
full" (John 16:24). Childlike faith is
so important because children have not been prejudiced by the failures of faith that
adults so often carry. "Except ye be converted,
and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 18:3). Adults condescend to their little children
that their little children would not be so peaceful about their present circumstances
if they really understood what was transpiring. Yet, if we come to the LORD Jesus
and "doubt not", we will receive our petition. "Jesus
answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not,
ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say
unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done" (Matthew 21:21).
If Perfect Peace is so great a need and desire, "What
things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall
have them" (Mark 11:24). If God has already
answered us with enough to meet our needs for today, be at peace. It is His job--
and not ours-- to take care of tomorrow. "Take
therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things
of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matthew 6:34). As we struggle in unbelief with "what is to
become of me?", we divorce ourselves from His Perfect Peace. Instead, petition
Him for our needs, then confidently rest and work with the assurance that Jehovah
Jireh (Genesis 22:14) will provide. Our peace will come and flow like a river. "For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace
to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall
ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees" (Isaiah 66:12).
Concerning our certainty about the fulfillment of prophecy and the future, we cannot
have Perfect Peace without specific petition for the fulfillment of those future
events. "Thus saith the LORD GOD; I will
yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them" (Ezekiel 36:37). What more assurance can we have than God's
assurance that He will bring to pass the prophetic event? Because it is possible
to misinterpret both Scripture and modern prophecy, we need to pray much about correctly
interpreting the prophecies, as well as petitioning that it would be brought to pass.
"Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of
Israel, and His Maker, Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons, and concerning
the work of My Hands command ye Me"
(Isaiah 45:11). We ought not fret about our nothingness to pray about the fulfillment
of such momentous events as the Pre-Tibulational Rapture or the Second Coming of
the LORD Jesus Christ, for Jehovah Himself has authorized us to "command" Him concerning
these "things to come" (John 16:13). With encouragement like that, we "ought always to pray, and not to faint" (Luke 18:1).
Conclusion
erfect Peace is that rare commodity that God gives
to those who trust Him for it, i.e., "because
he trusteth in Thee" (Isaiah 26:3). Though
it is not oblivious to the conditions around it, Perfect Peace looks "unto Jesus"
(Hebrews 12:2), i.e., "whose mind is stayed
on Thee" (Isaiah
26:3). Perfect Peace rests calmly in the assurance that our God does "all things well"
(Mark 7:37). Perfect Peace never wearies of waiting upon the LORD. "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah
40:31).
We share in common with the farmer and the prophet of old, the need of patient waiting.
We calmly, patiently, and peacefully ought to be waiting for the Coming of the LORD
Jesus Christ for us, i.e., at the Pre-Tribulational Rapture. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the LORD.
Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long
patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient;
stablish your hearts: for the coming of the LORD draweth nigh. Grudge not
one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the Judge standeth before
the door. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the LORD,
for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy
which endure" (James 5:7-11).
May we endure in Perfect Peace. Amen, and Amen.
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