Experiencing God’s Peace

Text: John 14:25-27 (NASB)

25 “These things I have spoken to you while remaining with you.

26But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and
remind you of all that I said to you.

27Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts
be troubled, nor fearful.

What Is Peace?

If you ask people what peace means, they’ll give you a variety of answers:

 Peace and quiet

 Tranquility
 Freedom from disturbance
 Lack of oppressive thoughts or feelings
 Harmonious relationships
 Time without war 
 Absence of hostility or harm

While those answers aren’t bad or wrong, they are usually from a viewpoint that doesn’t include God in
the equation. The world’s peace is different from God’s peace. Worldly peace is temporary and
dependent upon circumstances, and doesn’t provide the kind of peace Jesus is offering. When things
are calm, we’re at peace. When our circumstances grow dim, we’re not at peace.

In John 14:27, Jesus doesn’t want our hearts to be troubled. Because although we concern ourselves
with temporal struggles, He’s offering a permanent solution, which is His peace. It doesn’t matter how
intelligent we are, how decorated our resumes are, how many inventions are credited to our names, or
how smart, creative, and wise we are—we don’t know how to create peace. 

The Creator of peace is the One who created us. He is our Lord, our Creator, our Mighty God, and our
Everlasting Father. In this short study, we’ll dive into what God’s peace truly means and how we can
experience it in our lives.

I. Peace With God

This peace that God gives may be beyond our comprehension, but it’s not beyond our grasp. It’s readily
available to us. If we want to have peace with God, there are no “Three easy steps to peace with
God.” There is only one way—Jesus.

When Jesus died on the cross, God put all of the sins of the world on Jesus—past, present, and future.
When we accept this gift from God and put our faith in Him, we get the righteousness of Christ. This
righteousness, according to Romans 4:23-24, is “credited” to us who believe in Him who raised Jesus
from the dead. 

We all want God’s peace. But until we come to a saving relationship with Jesus, receive His gift, and are
saved, we’ll never have it. It’s best stated like this: If we want the peace of God, we must first have
peace with God. 
 Romans 5:1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

II. Peace of God

Philippians 4:6-7
6 
Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known unto God. 7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall
keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

The peace of God covers us like a blanket when we stop worrying but pray about everything instead.
That’s right—everything. We turn every burden or hardship that we’re carrying over to God and when we
do, His peace that “passes understanding” floods our hearts and minds. It’s so beyond our
understanding. It’s not something we can create but something we obtain when we choose to trust,
obey, and walk in faith. 

If you’re a follower of Jesus, find comfort and hope that you’re at peace with God. And then, seek God in
all your ways so that nothing will be in between you and the peace of God.

III. Peace with Others

We often look for peace in our relationships. The easiest way to have peace is to first have peace with
God followed by the peace of God. This allows us to see things from a heavenly perspective, which will
infiltrate our earthly relationships.

Ultimately remember that people are not our enemies. We have a real spiritual enemy who loves it when
we battle and accuse each other. If we blame people, circumstances, or struggles for our stress and lack
of peace, then we are inevitably giving them control over whether or not we live in peace. Let’s not give
anything or anyone in our lives this kind of power. There is only One peace-bringer, and His name is
Jesus. He is the Prince of all Peace. 

IV. Peace does not equal Problem-free

While earth is our home, we will have hardship and difficulties. We’ll go through seasons where the pain
is intense because pain accompanies struggling relationships, struggling economies, and struggling
health crises. These outside pressures don’t have the power to take away God’s perfect peace through
Jesus Christ. Furtick goes on to say, “It’s not that He delivers me from it; it’s that He meets me in it.”

God doesn’t always take us out of our valleys, but He will always bring us through them. It’s often in the
unknown that God shows us the most powerful revelations about who He is and who we are. We can still
trust and rest in our good God during life’s challenges and exhibit faith during our own torrential,
situational downpours. It’s this kind of faith that pleases our God.