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Grace takes you from where you are to where God wants you to be; and may it become your experience in life, as He leads you to see good days in your life, pursuing peace in the path, the procedure laid out by Him. Whoever would love life and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. [1 Peter 3:10,11]
And pursuing peace, you will learn as you study God’s word, is not something you have to travel far to find, and it is not limited to a feeling. Peace is God’s wholeness within you, and it is the person of Jesus Christ. He Himself is your peace. Pursuing peace therefore involves a focus shift that needs to happen in you, as you fix your eyes upon the peace giving God who is always present with you, to bring you to place where you experience His peace ruling within you, in your life’s journey, in all the ups and downs of it.
God never asks you to do something that He has not already done for you ; and His word specifies the resource that He has already given you to pursue peace and make it your experience. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of Christ, you were called to peace. Let the word of God dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom. [Colossians 3:15-16]
Peace of God becomes your experience, as the word of God dwells in you richly; when it lives in your heart, takes residence in it, and is not a visitor who fleetingly comes and goes. And, it is also how God leads and guides you in paths of righteousness, even when the going does not always appear to be perfect and smooth. For, it is when your vehicle is not running so smoothly, and the engine seems to be stalling, that you realize that you need more than driving skills in order to manage your vehicle ! You need to know the mechanics of how it operates, and how problems can be set right also ! Similarly, in experiencing the peace of God, there are some mechanics involved.
And, the knowledge and understanding of it will enable you to set right the problems that will invariably arise in anyone’s life, at some point or the other, that you may move on to experience the peace of God and wholeness within you. Therefore, if you find yourself going through a rough and dry spiritual patch in your life right now, unable to experience the peace and rest that comes from God, you are not without hope. For, the knowledge of the truth of God’s word will set you free to experience peace like a river.
Peace is more than a feeling :
It is in knowing the truth that peace is more than a feeling, and that the Holy Spirit has a vital role to play in the whole process. For, The mind of sinful man is death; but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. [Romans 8:6] God’s word makes it unequivocally clear saying that it is when the Holy Spirit rules or governs your mind that peace is established and settled in your heart and in your life. And, why is it so ? It is because, Those who live according to the sinful nature, have their minds set on what that nature desires, but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. [Romans 8:5]
And, when your mind is set rightly, Now therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [Romans 8:1] It is the promise of God that becomes yours to enjoy; and leading from it is the truth that. Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God [Romans 8:14] And, Paul in his letter to the Galatians, elaborates on the empowering that is yours as the fruit of it . So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. [Galatians 5:16] And, he goes on to say, But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. [Galatians 5:18]
The truth established through all the above scriptures, step by step, is that you need to be led by the Spirit, and live by the Sprit, with your mind set on what the Spirit desires, to experience life and peace. And, the mind of the sinful man on the other hand is death; your mind set therefore, makes the difference ! It is also something that you need to do, the effort that needs to come from you. Setting an alarm clock to ring at the right time, when you need to wake up early, is something that needs to be done by you, for otherwise surely it is not going to ring by itself, however hard you may have prayed for it to ring.
It is the same when you get into an elevator; it is when you press the right button that it will take you to the floor that you specifically want to reach. Also, the smart phone that has become so indispensable in people’s lives, works very smartly certainly, but initially you need to press the settings icon, to explore and set it up according to your desired personal preference. It works the same, even when it comes to your mind, and its connection with peace.
Setting your mind, or mindset :
Your mind needs to be set in accordance to what the Spirit desires. [Romans 8:5] And this can happen only through the word of God in you. Let the word spoken by Christ, the Messiah, have its home in your heart and mind, dwelling in it in all its richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight, intelligence and wisdom, in all spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with His grace in your hearts. [Colossians 3:16] AMPC This is the fundamental truth that needs to be understood in all its fullness in order to see peace of God reigning and ruling in your heart.
Your mind needs to be set according to the word of God that is now written in the tablet of your heart. It is what the psalmist does, in the very familiar psalm, as he speaks to his own soul, to set his mind according to the scriptures , Bless the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being praise His holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. [Psalms 103:1,2] He indeed makes melody in his heart unto God, as he begins by singing the praises of the Lord who has done great things in his life. He remembers the goodness of God, as he begins to recount one by one the mercy, redemption, healing and restoration that comes from Him. Who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion. Who satisfies your life with good things, so that your youth is renewed like that of an eagle. [Verses 3-5]
One truth after another, he continues to set in his mind, in his melody of praises to the Lord, even as you and I can, having received His gracious gift of salvation, which is the sum total of all the blessings of God in our lives. And it is this eternal encouragement that David speaks to his own soul, something that you and I can do also, that brings the experience of peace, irrespective of circumstances. For, in another psalm, it is when his soul is dejected and sad, that David addresses his own soul, to confess his faith in the God who will never let him down. Why are you downcast O my soul ? Why are you so disturbed within me ? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.My soul is downcast within me, and therefore I will remember You. [Psalm 42:5,6]
The words of the psalmist highlight the necessity for setting your mind according to the word of God, when you find yourself in a tight predicament, not knowing how to extricate yourself. You cannot in such a situation, simply fold your hands, and expect it to pass away just because you are a child of God. It will only linger, and the problem will maybe get bigger and bigger instead of disappearing ! For, life and death are in the power of the tongue, and God has given you the authority as His child to use His word in confession over your problem, to see it change and become no longer a problem. For, with God, no problem is a problem !
And, when your thinking is not in line with the word of God, it only goes to show that your thinking is wrong; but, for you to know that you are wrong, you need to be familiar with the scriptures ! The word needs to dwell in you richly. When a worrying thought comes, it means that your mind is thinking wrongly, for worry is not in line with the word of God. And your mind needs to be reset therefore ,to come in line with the word of God, which in this occasion would be to set your mind in accordance with the word that declares, ‘Cast all your cares on the Lord, for He cares for you’. [1 Peter 5:7]
Two very similar passages in God’s word, bring home the truth of the two things that need to happen in you; which is to be rich in the word of God, and to be filled with the Spirit of God, that you may experience the peace of Christ in you. For, you will experience the peace of Christ, as your mind is set according to God’s word, and your mind is governed by the Holy Spirit.
Making melody 1. By His word richly dwelling :
Let the word of Christ have its home in your heart and mind, dwelling in you richly, as you teach and train and admonish one another in all spiritual insight, wisdom and intelligence, in all spiritual things, and as you sing psalms and spiritual songs, making melody in your heart unto God. [Colossians 3:16] The verse above shows the importance of the word of God richly residing in your heart, as out of the fullness of the heart, melody arises unto God; one which ultimately brings you to the place of letting peace rule in the issues of your life.
Making melody 2. By the Spirit’s infilling :
And do not get drunk on wine, for that is debauchery; but ever be filled and stimulated instead by the Holy Spirit. Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praises with your voices and instruments, making melody with all your heart unto God. [Ephesians 3:18,19] AMPC Here, the scripture sets forth the role of the Holy Spirit; it is when your heart is filled with the Spirit, that there is an overflowing melody in your heart unto God. There is melody in your heart unto God, when the word richly resides in you. And, there is melody in your heart unto Him, when you are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Is there then a conflict, between the word of God and the Spirit of God in you ? Or, is one more important than the other ? Certainly not ; for the truth is that, they are both important. They complement each other, even when you worship, as you worship God in spirit and truth, to be the true worshiper whom the Father seeks.
Your spiritual act of worship :
Therefore, I urge you brothers, to offer up your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual act of worship. [Romans 12:1] The pinnacle, the crescendo of worship, is much deeper than a token lifting up of your hands. It is an offering of your entire body as a living sacrifice unto Him. And, it does not stop with it. For, in the very next verse Paul goes on to declare what it also includes; Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will – His good, pleasing and perfect will. [Romans 12:2]
Worship is complete, when it is the ultimate expression, and the net result of being filled with the Spirit of God, and mind renewed by the word of God. It is also very logical, for what is the point of offering up your body alone as a living sacrifice, without offering what controls the body, which is your mind ? ! A lifting up of your hands therefore, in worship, in spirit and in truth, is a sweet surrender of your entire being unto the Lord, through a mind renewed by His word. And, to sum it all up, making melody in your heart unto God is not about the Spirit, or the Word, but rather, it is all about the Spirit and God’s word. The Lord Himself makes it abundantly clear in His own words.
‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty’. [John 6:33] He then goes on to give the reason for it; The Spirit gives life; and the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. [John 6:63] He is the bread of life, the living Word. God and His word are the same. And, it is why you can never love God more than you love His word ! Loving God is, loving His word ! And, the apostle Paul, in his letter to Timothy explains the nature, and purpose of God’s word, with great clarity; All Scripture is God breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. [2 Timothy 3:16]
The truth of the above verse becomes easy to understand, when you consider the fact that even in the natural, physical realm, when you open your mouth to speak out a word, your breath also comes along with it. All scripture, in a similar manner, has the breath, the Spirit, or the pneuma of God in it, for it comes forth from the mouth of God. And, man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. Therefore, it is never a tussle between the word of God, and the Spirit of God. They need to be present in your life in combination, for your God given purposes to come to pass. A very simple example of it would be the lock and key; it is together that they work, in what they are intended to accomplish.
The richness of the word of God dwelling in you, and the fullness of the Holy Spirit in you, both need to come together in your heart, to be expressed in your entire being. When you lift up your hands as an offering of praise unto the Lord on a Sunday, it is worship. On Monday, when the same hands are stretched out in your work for the glory of God, it also becomes worship. And, in eternity you will worship the true Living God forever and ever ! Heaven will indeed be heavenly ! And, why is this truth so very important ? It is important, for it shows the connection between God’s Spirit, and God’s word, and in them combining together, in the process of letting the peace of Christ rule in your heart.
The word of God can never be divorced from the Holy Spirit of God. Therefore, separating them, and relying on the word alone, will lead you to a place of legalism and frustration. Taking the word of God literally will lead to error and death, a separation from God, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Reading the scriptures, without the understanding of the Spirit, will cause you to think that when your eye causes you to sin, it has to plucked out literally, and likewise with every part of your body ! It is in wrongly understanding the truth of God’s word which declares that when you believe you can pick up a serpent with your bare hands unharmed [Mark 16:18] that in another nation, the pastor of a church was fatally bitten by it !
The other extreme – relying on the Spirit alone :
Traveling on Indian roads safely means avoiding ditches that are on either side of it. In your Christian walk too, both extremes will lead you away from the plans and purposes that God has for you. And, relying on what is seemingly from the Spirit, unsubstantiated by the scriptures, will find you doing things on an impulse, as you are increasingly led by your feelings, which again may vary from day to day. It can lead also to license, as you begin to think that you can do what is not in line with the scriptures, just because you feel like doing it, but attributing it all to the voice of the Holy Spirit !
It can lead to error, and maybe even death. Church history is replete with the examples of such people, church leaders even, who chose to disregard the scriptures at some point, in the guise of being led by the Spirit to lead their unsuspecting flock astray in ways most dangerous to all. It all underscores the need for following biblical examples and procedures in order to experience the peace of God in one’s life.
The Spirit of truth :
But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak of His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. [John 16:12,13] It is how the Lord describes, the nature and working of the Holy Spirit. He cannot be reduced to a mere feeling therefore, or limited to external manifestations alone, which of course can always be there. He is the Spirit of truth, who does not speak of His own initiative. There is an unbroken unity in the Trinity of the Father, the Son, who is the Eternal word, and the Spirit.
What the Spirit reveals to you therefore, will always be in line with the word of God. He never puts random thoughts in you. He will give you ideas that are in accordance with the scriptures. It is why Lord Jesus declares, He will bring glory to Me, by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. [John 16:14] The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ as He takes from the word of God, to reveal and transmit it in your life, and in your situation, to bring peace. It is true in all your relationships too. And, a godly marriage is one in which you experience His peace presiding and ruling, as you make melody in your heart unto God. Going by a gut feeling will never last. It is a mind that is governed by the Spirit, in accordance with the scriptures that will find you enjoying life and peace.
As your soul prospers :
May you prosper even as your soul prospers, is the promise of God. Understanding what goes on in your soul therefore is of great importance. Man has been created by God as a spirit being. He has a soul, and he lives in a body. Your soul therefore lies between your spirit and your body. Godly things that come to you from God in your spirit need to pass through your soul and then be manifested in your body. Your soul can thus be a channel or a stumbling block. Your soul comprises of the mind, emotions and will; or in other words, thinking, feeling and deciding. And a peaceful, loving and fruitful relationship involves a coming together of all three in the right manner.
When only emotions are involved, you will act impulsively to regret later. And a long and loving marriage relationship, that weathers many a storm, is not built only on feelings and emotions. There is always the necessity to think things through in any situation especially in the tough choices hat you need to make in life at times. Even when the message of the gospel is preached there needs to be a passion that flows from God and His word, for it to touch the hearts of people and bear fruit.
And ultimately, when both your mind and emotions are rightly involved, you also need God’s strength to come to a right decision, in accordance with His word. It is then that you enjoy peace and rest in your life’s happenings. Your mind, emotions and will, need to come together in wondrous harmony for peace to spring forth and remain. And, it was what happened in the lives of the two disciples, who were disillusioned, disappointed and disturbed within their soul, as they plodded wearily along a dusty road.
On the road to Emmaus :
The disciples were talking among themselves, discussing the painful happening of the Lord’s crucifixion, when the Lord Himself joined them, though they were kept from recognizing Him. And, He unpacked the scriptures to them, to give them right understanding in their minds, regarding His death and resurrection. [Luke 24:13-33] And as their minds were opened, and right understanding broke through, their emotions were transformed, to be filled with passion. ‘Were not our hearts burning within us, as He was speaking to us’, they remarked later. [vs 32]
It all came together rightly, to lead them to a right decision that involved their will. For, they got up at once and returned to Jerusalem, to meet the other disciples, and share their miraculous journey, and their experience with the Risen Lord [vs 33,34] And the glorious net result of it all was something wondrous !
‘Peace be with you’ :
While they were still talking about this, Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you’. [vs 36] The Lord Himself appeared to proclaim His blessing of peace upon them. May it be your experience, as you rightly engage your thinking, your understanding of God’s word, your emotions and passion, to come to a decision in line with God’s word, that will see the glorious appearance of Christ Himself who is your peace, amidst you, in the midst of your situation saying, ‘Peace be unto you’.
What a wonderful Savior, Helper and Counselor you and I have, who has written the word of God in our hearts to inspire, to give godly affections, to make godly decisions, and through it to experience life and peace. And, if you are in a broken situation, having already made a wrong decision, and suffering as a consequence of it, not knowing how to redeem yourself, just call unto the Lord; and the blessed Holy Spirit will guide you and bring you out of your entangled situation. He will proceed to give you righteous affections that are from above, to bring peace in your life and a melody in your heart, an offering of praise by His grace unto Him.
Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is a wholesome God, and the Spirit of God will lead you into all truth, as you surrender your life into His hands of love, saying, ‘Lord, have your way in me’. May His word spoken to you resound in your heart to give you godly affections, leading to godly decisions, so that His peace may be your portion and inheritance in life.
In the Name of Christ Jesus Amen.
