Volume 17, Number 4 October Fall 2022
Benefits of Knowing the Prince of Peace
(Phil. 4:6-9)
“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 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. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
Introduction
As I sit at my desk to write this article, Russia has been at war with Ukraine on the other side of the world, children are being massacred in their schools, and church congregations blasted with gun- fire right here in the USA. There is no question that we are living in and always have been in a troubled world. Unfortunately, people are looking for “peace” in all the wrong places. When Jesus was born, the world had its problems, but yet the message that the angels declared to the shepherds was “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Lk. 2:14). One might be prone to ask, “how can there be peace on earth?” Certainly, it’s not going to come through the structure of human government with all the fighting, fussing, and chaos that has and will continue to take place until Jesus comes. The “peace”of which the angels spoke referred to a spiritual “peace” that can only come by knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The only way for a person to know “peace on earth” is to have a personal relationship with the “Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6) through the convicting converting power of the Holy Spirit (Jh. 3:3-8).
Formulas for individual and world “peace” abound all around us every way we turn. Psychologists and politicians are always coming up with new ways to peddle their concept of “peace.” However, a real genuine “peace” can only be found in knowing “the God of peace” (Rom. 16:20). Soon after World War II, the United Nations was established to promote world “peace.” This in itself proves man’s inability to make lasting “peace.” Throughout history, men have sought “peace” on their terms only to discover it a dream of their imaginations. Before the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden, this earth was in perfect unity with its Creator and “peace” reigned until sin interrupted it. That’s why Jesus had to come and make possible a restored “peace” with God that sinful man lost.
As we sail the ragging seas of life, we can only discover a cushion of “peace” that comes from the One Who spoke to the tempestuous winds and calmed them (Mk 4:39). Knowing Jesus Christ to be the “Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6) and being indwelt with the Holy Spirit in regeneration is to be indwelt with “the Comforter” (Jh. 14:26-27) Himself. Regardless of our troubled surroundings, it’s possible to know “the peace of God which passeth all understanding.” Most people define “peace” as the absence of conflict, but God’s “peace” is much more than that. Because of the supernatural nature of His “peace,” we can discover it even in the midst of difficulty. The 4th chapter of Philippians has been called the “peace” chapter of the New Testament as it shows the benefits of knowing the “Prince of Peace.”
The Ability to Pray Right (v.6-7)
In our text is found the secret of victory over worry and restlessness. The Greek word for “careful” as we find it in our text is MERIMNAO (mer-im-nah-o) and can be translated to mean anxious or literally to be pulled in different directions. Humanly speaking, it’s not unusual for our hopes to pull us in one direction and our fears in another. Worry can strangle the life out of us and even create physical distress. But, “peace” is God’s antidote for human anxiety. Worry is a sin because it robs a believer of his joy in the Lord and his spiritual “peace” with God. It’s impossible for worry and faith to dominate our “hearts and minds” at the same time. It’s even impossible to pray right unless we’re fully surrendered to the Lord’s “will” (I Jh.5:14-15).
The right kind of praying involves “prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.” Christians use the word “prayer” as a general reference to communicating with God or making “your requests … known to God.” It involves adoration, worship, and the recognition of Who God is, the One and Only Sovereign Creator and Controller of “all things” (Rom. 8:28) in Whom salvation from sin can be found. Instead of being “careful” (worrying, anxious), we ought to be praying (submitting) and trusting (placing our faith) in Almighty God. Regardless of how big our problems seem to be, our God is Bigger and Great Enough to solve them and see us through whatever obstacles imposed.
“Supplication” as we find it in our text, implies the making of petitions and asking God with a deep sense of need to help us. Half-hearted insincere praying is like speaking into the wind or merely talking to ourselves. Earnest praying is getting down to business with God, not in the carnality of the flesh, but like Jesus did in spiritual intensity (Lk. 22:44). Accompanying our “supplication” should be an expression of “thanksgiving.” We ought to be as eager to show our appreciation to God for His blessings as we are to ask for them. Gratitude is the spontaneous response of a heart filled with “the peace of God” (Col. 3:15-17). Expressing “thanks to God” is not something that we have to wait to do, but do at the very time “requests” are made.
Learning how to pray right results in “the peace of God which passeth all understanding.” God’s “peace” guards the “hearts and minds” of those who are firmly fixed on “Christ Jesus.” The Greek word “keep” is PHROUREO (froo-reh-o) and it refers to a garrison or to guard like a soldier. “The peace of God”protects us and gives deliverance from enemy assault. This doesn’t mean that we won’t have any troubles and trials, but that God’s “peace” will get us through them. In the face of difficulty, “Daniel” (Dan. 6) prayed and God gave him comfort in the den of lions. When “Paul and Silas” (Acts 16) were imprisoned, they prayed and were so comforted that they sang songs in the night. Only this kind of divine “peace … passeth all understanding” of mortal man. It’s a quiet confidence within the “hearts and minds” of those who are yielded to the control of the “Holy Spirit.” In spite of life’s circumstances or situations, God’s “peace” keeps us focused on Him. Knowing that God is in control of “all things,” gives us a “peace” that surpasses human comprehension. A deliberate and prayerful commitment of one’s life to the “will” (Lk. 22:42, I Jh. 5:14) of God results in “peace” (Isa. 26:3).
The Ability to Think Right (v.8)
“The peace of God” not only involves our “hearts,” but also our “minds.” God “shall keep” (guard) us from both wrong feelings and wrong thinking. Wrong thinking leads to wrong feeling and wrong actions; therefore, it’s important for us to bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Cor. 10:5). If we want “peace” within our “hearts,” then we must learn to keep our “minds” upon the Sovereign Lord (Isa. 26:3).
Some “things” that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ ought to constantly ponder are listed in verse eight. First, “whatsoever things are true.” Don’t ever forget that Satan is a liar (Jh. 8:44) and he tries to corrupt our “minds” with lies and falsehood (II Cor. 11:3). Just as he approached “Eve” (Gen. 3) in the Garden of Eden, he approaches us in an attempt to make us question God. But it’s the Holy Spirit Who bears “witness” with our spirit of spiritual “truth” (I Jh. 5:6). Secondly, “whatsoever things are honest” and “just.” Being “honest” and “just” refers to whatever is worthy of respect and right in the sight of God. The Lord does not want us dwelling on “things” that are not respectable and holy. This does not mean that we can hide our heads in the sand and avoid unpleasant matters, but it does mean that we do not permit them to control our thoughts and behavior. Thirdly, “whatsoever things are pure … lovely” and “of good report.” Christians must learn to major on the noble things of God and not the base things of the world. Moral purity, an agreeable spirit, and an appealing character should characterize a follower of Jesus Christ.
“Things” of “virtue” and “praise” in the sight of God are the “things” that should claim our concentration. Without filling ourselves with the “word of God” and yielding to the power of the “Holy Spirit,” right thinking can never be achieved (Phil. 2:5).
The Abilitiy to Do Right (v.9)
To “think on these things” is to no avail if we are not putting them into practice. Therefore, we need to “do those things” that we have “learned, and received, and heard” from both the Written Word and the Living Word (Jh. 1:1-5,14) so that we might enjoy “the God of peace.” Inward attitude and outward action cannot be totally separated from one another because one affects the other. Knowing something is one thing, but doing it is another. Sin results in unrest, but purity of heart results in “peace” (Isa. 32:17). True “peace” can only come from living in harmony with God and it’s the kind of “peace” that will make us “peacemakers” (Matt. 5:9) and “peaceable” (Jam. 3:17) people. God’s “peacemakers” have usually always been rejected by the world. Christ knew that His coming into the world would create a division among mankind (Matt. 10:34). A faithful “peacemaker” will speak “the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15) regardless of the consequences. The Lord Jesus met violent resistance and was falsely accused of being a trouble-maker (Lk. 23:5); although, He was the perfect, sinless Son of God (Jh. 3:16, II Cor. 5:19-21). Paul preached the “gospel” of “peace,” but met conflict every way that he turned and spent a great deal of his time in prison (Acts 24:5) being punished by an ungodly world.
It’s one thing to hear the “truth,” but it’s something else to receive it (I Thess. 2:13). In order to know “the God of peace,” we must “have both learned and received” the “truth” into our “hearts” (Rom. 10:9-10). Mental facts are insufficient for “salvation,” we must know the “truth” of God in our “hearts.”That’s not a reference to the physical organ that beats in your chest, but your innermost being that comprises your eternal soul. Not only do people need to learn and receive the “truth,” but they need to see it lived out in us. Paul not only taught God’s “word,” but he wanted the people to “see” him “do” it, or in other words, practice it. Like Paul, we are to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only” (Jam. 1:22). The world expects Christians to be a bunch of wimps and act like cowards, but it is the indwelling Holy Spirit Who empowers and teaches believers to live, act, and react in spiritual strength as they stand on the Truth (Jh. 14:6) of God out of a heart of love in wanting others to know the genuine inward “peace of God.”
A good test as to our standing with God is the possession of His “peace.” Walking with “the God of peace” will produce the “peace of God” within us. “Peace” WITH GOD comes as a result of our conversion to Christ (Rom. 5:1). The “peace” OF God comes as a result of daily walking in fellowship with Him (Jh. 14:27). “Peace” FROM God comes as a result of seeking His will in a particular matter of prayer “which passeth all understanding” (Phil. 4:7). For a child of God to disobey his Lord, doesn’t mean that he loses “peace” WITH God in salvation, but he will lose the “peace” OF God and will be unable to receive “peace” FROM God until he repents. Our God is not a God of “confusion” but of “peace” (I Cor. 14:33). The Old Testament calls the Lord God, “Jehovah-shalom” which means The Lord is Peace (Jud. 6:24).
Closing
Whatever world peace there might be is only temporary, but God’s “peace” is absolute and eternal even in the midst of life’s storms because it’s grounded in His “grace” (II Cor. 12:9). “Grace be unto you and peace” (Phil.1:2) was a common greeting in the early church, but it was and is an uncommon experience in the unbelieving world. To the “wicked” outside of God’s sphere of particular “grace,” there is “no peace” (Isa. 57:12). The same remains true because only those who walk with “Christ Jesus” can know the joy of his “peace” (Eph. 2:14-18). Nothing we face is beyond God’s all sufficient “grace” and surpassing “peace.” God is eager to produce His “fruit” (Gal. 5:22) and “peace” within us once we come to know His saving “grace.” God’s desire is for man to know His “peace” and for that reason, He sent “his only begotten Son” (Jh. 3:16) to supply it. Christ’s death provided the righteousness necessary that allows the hands of sinful man to meet those of Holy God. Although the scene on “Golgotha” (Matt. 27:33) over 2,000 years ago was everything but peaceful, what took place thereon made “peace” between God and sinful man possible.
The long awaited “peace” on “earth,” as proclaimed by the angels when Jesus was born, will someday be fully realized when He comes again and establishes the “new heaven” and “new earth” (Rev. 21:1). It will be a time when “the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb” (Isa. 11:6) which depicts changed natures and perfect “peace” on earth. Until then, there will be turmoil and upheaval in the nations and within the majority of human hearts. Until Jesus comes again, God’s “peace” can be enjoyed by those who trust Him as Lord and Savior with Him ruling over our “hearts and minds.” Only as we experience God’s “peace”within ourselves can we share it with others. As Christians, we ought to daily ask God to make us instruments of His “peace” in whatever surroundings we find ourselves. All believers should be “peacemakers” who help others discover the “Prince of Peace” and also help reconcile wayward believers to one another. To be effective “peacemakers,” we must maintain our own “peace” of God in daily fellowship with Him. Sin will not only disrupt the “peace” of God in our “hearts,” but it will prevent us from sharing it with others.
Jesus Christ, the “Prince of Peace,” is the only solution for man’s sin, confusion, and turmoil. The first step to acquiring true “peace” with God is confession of our sin, repentance, and “faith” in Christ as Savor, Lord, and Master (Jh. 16:33). Once we come to Christ in “faith” (Eph. 2:8-9), He desires to accomplish in us a holy life unto His praise and glory (I Thess. 5:23, Heb. 13:20-21). It’s a life of “peace … which passeth all understanding” made possible by His incarnation and the indwelling “Holy Spirit” (Jh. 14:18-27).